7 Household Appliances Needing a Dedicated Circuit at Home

Each time you inquire about a house and lot in the Philippines, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Pretty sure one of the essentials you usually miss looking at is its electrical connection. As long as you have electricity to use, everything will be just fine.

However, this shouldn’t be the case since most fire incidents in the Philippines come from faulty electrical wiring or electrical fires. If you don’t want to lose a valuable investment, it is critical to understand why some appliances need a dedicated circuit system at home.

What is Dedicated Electrical Circuits?

Dedicated circuits are electrical circuits used exclusively for one appliance or device. These circuits have their own circuit breaker in the main electrical panel, which is designed to provide a consistent and reliable power supply to the appliance. As a result, the appliance can draw the amount of power it needs without overloading the circuit or causing other appliances on the same circuit to malfunction. 

The Importance of Dedicated Electrical Circuits for Appliances

Dedicated electrical circuits can help prevent electrical hazards, such as fires and electrical shocks, as appliances are properly grounded and isolated from other electrical devices. Apart from this, it also provides the following:

Device longevity

Using a separate circuit can also help prolong the lifespan of appliances. It can help prevent power surges and voltage drops, which can damage sensitive components and reduce efficiency.

Convenience

Dedicated circuits eliminate the need to worry about tripping the circuit breaker when using multiple high-power devices at once. As a result, this makes it easier and more convenient to use appliances in your home.

Compliance

In the Philippines, the National Electrical Code requires dedicated circuits for certain high-power appliances, such as air conditioners and electric water heaters. Installing them can help ensure your home is up to code and safe.

Energy Efficiency

Dedicated circuits can help improve energy efficiency. It allows appliances to draw the amount of power they need without overloading the circuit or wasting energy. Thus, this can help lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint.

Home Value

A home with dedicated circuits is often seen as safer and more up-to-date, which can increase its value in the real estate market. Having dedicated circuits already installed can make your home more attractive to buyers who are looking for a move-in-ready property.

Peace of mind 

Knowing that your appliances are properly wired and protected by dedicated circuits can give you peace of mind. It also reduces stress and worries about electrical safety in your home. Hence, this can help you feel more comfortable and secure in your living space.

Home Appliances that Need Separate Electrical Circuits

Have you ever wondered why you're paying too much on your electricity bill while others don’t?

Perhaps, you don’t have a proper circuit breaker to support all your home appliances. The following major appliances require a dedicated electrical circuit at home due to their high power consumption. Otherwise, it can overload and trip the circuit breaker if multiple devices are connected to the same circuit.

Refrigerator

A refrigerator is one of the major electrical appliances that must constantly run to maintain a cool temperature. It has a compressor and other components that draw a lot of power. Sharing a circuit with other appliances can lead to voltage drops, which can damage the compressor and reduce the lifespan of the refrigerator. Although it consumes a power capacity of 3 to 6 amperes, it requires at least 15 to 20 amperes to prevent electrical overload.

Microwave

A microwave oven also draws a lot of power when operating, especially when it is heating food. If it shares a circuit breaker with other appliances, it can cause the circuit to trip, which can be inconvenient and potentially hazardous.

Washing Machine

A washing machine has a motor that uses a minimum of 20 amperes power supply during operation. But if it shares an electrical circuit with other appliances, it can also cause tripped circuit breaker and interrupt the wash cycle, potentially damaging the machine.

Air Conditioners

Whether it is an inverter, split-type, or window-type air conditioner, it is a must that such a high-power appliance should have a dedicated circuit to handle its power consumption. That is why most air conditioners feature non-standard sockets to remind users that they require their own dedicated circuit. Sharing a circuit with other appliances can cause voltage drops, which can damage the AC unit and reduce its efficiency.

Dishwashers

Do you know that dishwashers have the same power consumption as refrigerators? Dishwashers also have a heating element and a motor that consumes much power during operation. But, it can interrupt the cleaning cycle and potentially damages the machine if it shares a circuit with other appliances. Hence, you must install 15 to 20 amperes if you have a dishwasher in your home.

Electric Oven

Another one is the high-powered appliance electric oven. It uses a lot of power when it is in operation, especially when it is heating up. In fact, most electric ovens require 240 volts circuit. But our standard outlet only bears 120 volts which is dangerous and prone to tripping breakers if it doesn’t have a dedicated circuit for your electric oven. Not only can it interrupt the cooking cycle and ruin the food, but it can also cause fire incidents or explosions.

Electric Water Heater

Similar to electric ovens, electric water heaters are also considered high-power appliances when it is heating water. Sharing a circuit with other appliances can cause voltage drops, damaging the heating element and reducing the lifespan of the water heater. Therefore, it also needs at least 240 volts dedicated circuit breaker to operate efficiently.

Despite the fact that dedicated circuit breakers are common knowledge for every homeowner, knowing all the details for your home appliances requires expertise. But why worry if you choose Lumina Homes’ affordable house and lot units? We ensured we had a team of professionals to install the most appropriate electrical circuits in every Lumina home. 

For details and specifications of our affordable house and lot for sale, feel free to contact our Lumina bida sellers or agents across the country.