Hi,

I'm designing an appliance controller and need to rate my triacs. What is the maximum amperage for a domestic appliance in the US on a standard circuit?

It's easy in Australia, you can have a maximum 2400W on 240V = 10amps.

But I can't find the same guidelines for the US.

Thanks for your help.

 

Household or commercial appliances?
Frankly you need to review the NEC (NFPA 70) and ALL other UL standards that your device will fall into...
Could be 20 Amps all the way up to 150 Amps for commercial.

If your "device" does not have a certified UL listing you aren't going to be selling it here.. Get out your checkbook.. Its NOT cheap by any means..

 

An ordinary North American household 120V receptacle is fused or has a circuit breaker of 15A but short duration surges can be much higher.

A "special" 120V receptacle can be 30A.

My 240V stove and clothes dryer use 40A breakers.

 

An ordinary North American household 120V receptacle is fused or has a circuit breaker of 15A but short duration surges can be much higher.

>>>> I often wondered why the start surge of some electric motors, as the 1 HP on my lathe, { I run 240 v } doesn't cause nuisance trips on the breaker.................

A "special" 120V receptacle can be 30A. --- I have my 120v 100amp "buzzboz" welder hooked up on one of those. it draws 26 amps at full output.

My 240V stove and clothes dryer use 40A breakers.

Greetings Guru !! Right on all points.............however, if you look closer at your dryer, one hot lead runs the drum motor, and the other feeds the heat coil, unless I have hoof-in-mouth and your dryer is gas........

 

Greetings Guru !! Right on all points.............however, if you look closer at your dryer, one hot lead runs the drum motor, and the other feeds the heat coil

I have never seen the wiring diagram for my clothes dryer since it is against a wall and the vent pipe does not allow it to be moved.

 

Greetings Guru !! Right on all points.............however, if you look closer at your dryer, one hot lead runs the drum motor, and the other feeds the heat coil, unless I have hoof-in-mouth and your dryer is gas........

I think you'll find that one of the "hot" leads and neutral feed the motor and controls in a dryer. And the heaters use both "hot" leads, no neutral.