daniell

I want to buy a new air fryer. My present one consumes 1,500 watts. The new one would consume 1,800 watts. The breakers are rated for 20 amps and the the voltage is 120. Would it be safe using the 1,800 watts?

steelbikeguy

If it is drawing 1800 watts, then the current is 15A (power equals volts time amperes).
Assuming that the breakers were selected because the wiring is rated for 20 amps, then you should be okay.
Might want to check that the plug and receptacle don't get warm, etc., but otherwise things seem alright.

Steve in Peoria
(why is this posted on BikeForums??)

Bald Paul

He wants to use it to melt his chain wax.

spclark 

If the breakers are 20 Amps but the plugs are rated for 15 Amps you may be asking for trouble. 20 A circuits need to be wired with 12 ga. wire, 15 A get 14 ga. Breakers should (must?) match the capacity of the wire in the circuits they're supposed to be protecting after all. It's easy for the unwitting to use breakers that are over-capacity for the wiring in a given circuit unless They Know What They're Doing when they change breakers.

Plugs (receptacles are what they get plugged into) should be matched to the capacity of the circuit they're connected to:


The receptacle configurations highlighted in green in that chart are for 15A 125VAC-rated appliances, good for 1,800 watts.

The blue-highlighted configurations are for 20A 125VAC and should only be installed on circuits wired for 20A 120VAC service and protected with suitably-rated devices.

Circuits with those receptacles, of properly wired and protected, are fine for use with appliances of up to 2,400 watts.

(Common practice often has the plug's ground contact installed at the bottom so don't let that confuse you.)

Remember that total wattage of all appliances on a given circuit that are turned on and operating at the same time are what count.

Running a space heater (1,200 watts, maybe more) and a hair dryer (1,200 watts) at the same time on a single 15A 120VAC circuit will pop the breaker if it's wired properly.

(I grew up in a house wired with 2 - 15A 120VAC circuits. 2 story, 3 bedrooms, one bath... built after WWII. It was a frequent event somebody'd turn something on that's blow a fuse.)

2,400 watts 'demand' on a circuit that's wired for 1,800 watts max but protected with 2,400 watt (20A) breaker may cause a fire in the wiring from overcurrent.

Tourist in MSN

Thanks, I was wondering what this had to do with bikes.

RCMoeur 

As I was wiring up the new high-capacity batteries on my Ridekick e-trailer with some serious 10-12 gauge, I was reminded of the old auto repair maxim:

"Any wire is a fusible link with sufficient current."

daniell

Thanks for asking.
After a ride, I get very hungry and I then use the air fryer.

Iride01 

Watts divided by volts gives you the current draw or amperage. 1800/120 = 15. So on a circuit serviced by a 20 amp breaker you'll be good. If the outlet itself is rated for 15 amps, I wouldn't be too concerned. If it gets warm when being used then change it to 20 amps.

unterhausen

All of the breakers in our house are 20 amps, the wiring is correct for 20 amps, and the outlets are all 15a. That probably gives a good estimate of the age of our house, because they could afford that wire.
Then they undid all of the benefits by backstabbing the outlets.