Working with electrical wirings is very confusing and tricky. You must follow certain guidelines while dealing with wiring lights and outlets. A common question arises: Can you put them in the same circuit? Let’s find it out.
You can have outlets and lights on the same circuit without any issues. But, you must make sure that the load on the circuits is at most 80% of the circuit rating. Otherwise, the fuse may blow up due to overloading. Also, check the guidelines provided by your local authority regarding the same.
Wiring lights and outlets in the same circuit is a very common setup in the United States. Stick to the article till the end to know whether you can add lights and outlets in the same circuit, the number of lights and outlets to add, the concerns, and the steps to wire a light switch to an outlet.
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This post includes some affiliate links.Can I add lights and outlets on the same circuit?
Having lights and outlets in the same circuit is always possible if you follow proper rules and regulations.
Besides, it is a good way to solve several household issues related to electricity.
For example, you can add lights to the areas where you could not have before.
Adding new wiring could not be possible, but you might be able to add lights to the existing circuit.
Adding lights and outlets also allows you to increase the spot of your home.
Instead of taking more space to add outlets and lights separately, you can specify one corner for both lights and outlets together.
If you want to make a particular space of your room more usable, you can add at least one outlet in a circuit along with other lights.
Make reservations about rewiring the circuit and avoid plugging appliances that use more power.
Circuits with 15 and 20 amps can give current to both lights and outlets, separately and together.
House owners may own any of them if they wish to add outlets and lights separately or together.
Besides, there won’t be any violation of laws.
Wiring lights and outlets on the same circuit are common in the US, and many contractors help house owners to have such connections without violating the laws.
How many lights and outlets can I have in one circuit?
The number of lights and outlets to add to a circuit depends on your circuit type.
Keeping the rated load in mind, you can add as many lights and outlets in a circuit.
You only need to ensure that the load doesn’t exceed the 80% rating.
You can use only 80% of the circuit rating.
The remaining 20% of the space is left behind to avoid accidents and allow the process to work safely.
If you are loading the full 100%, the circuit will trip.
So, 20% will save you from such circumstances.
Also, each outlet should draw only 1.5 amps from the circuit.
Here is a small table for you to understand how many outlets and lights you can use in different circuits:
| Circuit | Amps to be used | Number of outlets and lights |
|---|---|---|
| 15 amps | 12 amps | 8 lights and outlets |
| 20 amps | 16 amps | 10 lights and outlets |
| 30 amps | 24 amps | 16 lights and outlets |
Also read:
How many outlets can I add in a single circuit?
If you want to add only outlets, the numbers will be the same.
For a 15 amp circuit, you can add a maximum of 8 outlets in a single circuit.
In a 20 amp circuit, you can add 10 outlets in a single circuit.
In a 30 amp circuit, you can add a maximum of 16 outlets in a single circuit.
If you wish to add lights to the circuit, remember that you are taking up the space of the outlets.
For example, if you add lights and outlets in a 20 amp circuit, you can add 8 outlets and 2 lights, which equals 10.
How many lights can I add in a single circuit?
Here also, the number of lights in a single circuit depends on the circuit, light wattage, and circuit voltage.
Circuit type
If you have a 15 amp circuit, you can add 30 lights with 50 watts.
Using a 20 amp circuit, you can add 40 lights with 50 watts.
Light wattage
Using a 15 amp circuit, you can add 36 lights with 40 watts.
In a 20 amp circuit, you can add 24 lights with 60 watts or 150 with 10 watts.
Voltage
If you have a 20 amp circuit 120V, you can add 40 lights of 50 watts.
At 240V, you can add 75 lights.
The number of lights is more than the outlets because light consumes very little electricity, which is why you can add many lights to a circuit without any issues.
But whatever you add, either outlet or light, the rated load should not be more than 80%.
How many loads can the outlets handle?
When lights and outlets are set up in the same circuit, there has to be a limit to how much current the outlets can supply.
It will keep you from electrical hazards and other accidents.
As I mentioned earlier, the rating circuit load should not exceed 80%.
So, avoid plugging in the appliances that can consume more than 80% of the circuit rating.
It means do not plug anything in a 15 amp circuit that can require more than a 12 amp rating.
If you have a 20 amp circuit, do not plug in an appliance consuming above 16 amps.
Why is putting lights and outlets in the same circuit not considered safe?
Wiring lights and outlets in the same circuit are safe, but it is not considered safe in some situations.
The law
The authorities do not recommend adding lights and outlets in the same circuit in some areas.
Instead, they say it is safe to have them separately.
You will only follow the rule if your local code doesn’t allow putting lights and outlets in the same circuit.
If not, there is no objection to putting them together on the same circuit.
The contractors must act according to the local code.
You can lose both outlet and light.
Suppose you have lights and outlets in the same circuit and plug in an appliance that uses extreme power.
In that case, the fuse will blow up due to overloading.
Besides, you will lose all the outlets and lights in the same circuit.
So, you should know that whatever happens, both will face the same results.
Blowing the circuit can also bring over darkness to your house.
That is why adding lights and outlets in different circuits is always recommended.
The wires may not be appropriate for additional outlets.
Suppose you have already installed lights in a circuit and now you want to add some new outlets in the existing circuit.
It can be a problem for some circuits.
As mentioned earlier, lights do not use excessive electricity.
So, the workers can do the job very easily with thin wires.
Besides, the lights do not use excessive power, so there is no overload chance.
The wires get badly strained if you add outlets and plug-in appliances that use too much electricity.
Your circuit will get overloaded and blow up.
You will lose the circuit, the lights, and the outlets too.
In the worst cases, you might lose the appliance.
You cannot use the light while changing the outlet.
It is not easy when you think of changing the outlet from a circuit that also contains lights.
While changing the outlet, you have to turn off the circuit.
So, you won’t be able to utilize the light until the outlet is changed.
If you want a light to remain in that place, you must use another light source.
The cost
Installing the lights and outlets in separate circuits is less costly than those in the same circuit.
Lights use very little electricity; thus, thin wires are enough for them.
So, when you install the lights on the same circuit, you can get some thin wires at a low cost and install them.
Can I have lights and outlets in the same place at any spot?
Though you can wire lights and outlets without any problem, all the rooms are not safe for using them together in the same circuit.
Below are some spots where you should not put them together:
Kitchen
Wiring lights and outlets on the same circuit are risky; thus, it is not allowed.
Some appliances in the kitchen use too much electricity.
It can overload the circuit and result in a fuse blow.
So, it is better to put lights and outlets separately.
Laundry room
Like the kitchen, some appliances in the laundry room also used excessive power.
Plugging in those appliances can result in overload and fuse blow.
So, please do not put them together in the same circuit.
Below are some spots where you can put lights and outlets on the same circuit.
Bathroom
Using lights and outlets to the same circuit in the bathroom can be a bit tricky.
Adding outlets and lights to the same circuit in the bathroom is okay.
But, you cannot have lights and outlets together in the bathroom circuit where the circuit serves some other outlet outside the bathroom.
Bedrooms
Depending on the bedroom size, it requires a very limited amount of lights, nearly 4-8.
For outlets, you can go for 3-5.
Lights use a very limited amount of electricity.
So, if you add only 3-4 lights for a medium-sized bedroom, there are fewer chances of overloading.
Besides, you don’t need to use any heavy appliances in the bedroom like those used in kitchens and laundry rooms.
So, you can easily add outlets and lights on the same circuit for bedrooms.
However, you must consult your electrician before you think of adding outlets and lights together in a circuit.
What common problems can affect the circuit outlets?
When you think of adding outlets and lights in the same circuit, you should know that outlets can sometimes face some issues.
In that case, you will have to switch the light off while dealing with the outlets.
Besides, if you don’t fix the outlet issues, it can give rise to serious issues, thus damaging the circuit and the lights.
Broken outlet
Sometimes, the outlet plates may break by mistake while trying to shift some materials from one room to another.
Though the outlet plates are strong enough, such accidents may happen if the outlets have become very old.
In that case, you must fix the outlet to avoid accidents.
Otherwise, you will lose the circuit and the light as well.
Poor connections
Problems in the connections can be the reason behind your outlet’s malfunctions.
The problem may either come up early or later at some point.
If this happens, you must fix the problem as soon as possible.
You may receive a shock at some point, or the whole fuse may blow up along with the lights.
The outlets must always be in good condition.
You must fix it if it ever shows any issues.
Old outlets
Though outlets are durable, they will age at some point.
The opening of the outlets will no longer remain secure like the new ones are.
When you plug in any appliance, it may fidget inside the outlet.
It means the outlet has become old and is no longer in the condition to bear any loads.
Replace the outlet soon. Otherwise, it might give rise to other issues the lights will also have to bear.
How to wire a light switch to an outlet?
Now that you have known everything related to putting lights and outlets in the same circuit, let’s talk about how to wire them together.
You cannot do this alone.
So, you must call the electrician.
You must know the local and NEC codes to understand whether the electrician is doing the work according to the code rules or not.
Hire licensed contractors to do the job.
Here are the steps:
- Install an electrical box at a location where the local code regulation recommends. Some suggest placing the electrical box 44 inches above the floor and near the door. It allows you to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities act.
- Take two cables, one for the light fixture and the other for the outlet. Do the work only after you have turned off the circuit or the main to be extra cautious. Get an electric tester to confirm that you have switched it off.
- After turning off the circuit breaker, join the cable from the electrical box with their load terminals: the black wire with the brass terminal, the ground wire with the green ground terminal, and the white wire to the chrome terminal.
- Now run the cable from the outlet to the switch box like a regular line cable. One switch terminal can have black wire. This wire running to the fixture will connect with another switch terminal.
- Wrap the wires by twisting and capping the white wires. You can fix them with wire tie cables to keep things in place.
- Do not forget to connect the ground wire with the ground terminal. Otherwise, you can receive shock after connecting the appliance.
Final thoughts
There is no harm in adding lights and outlets in the same circuit. But there are some concerns, like law, practicals, and cost.
The number of lights and outlets in one circuit depends on the circuit type, like 8 outlets and lights for a 15 amp circuit, 10 for 20 amp circuits, and 16 for 30 amp circuits.
No matter how many outlets and lights you add, the circuit rating load should not exceed 80%.
Do not put lights and outlets together in laundry and kitchen rooms. Bathrooms and bedrooms are a good choice. However, if the bathroom circuit serves an outlet outside the bathroom, don’t do it.
If your outlet is causing any issues, change it immediately. Otherwise, serious issues may arise, and you may also lose the lights.
FAQs
How to understand that the circuit is overloading?
Some common signs of overloading are new outlets discolored, the lights flickering, the circuit releasing a buzzing sound, and a burning smell.
When you find these, either change the circuit or reduce the load.
Data Source: National Electrical Code, CDC
