Hello... I 'm considering running 3 new conduits from circuit braker panel to the kitchen, but on second thought that's more piping than I really feel like doing. But my question is if the codes frown on combining 3 separate circuits within one conduit line. I have no firm reason to see what hazard this would present assuming wire guage and insulation are sound, but I need some expert voices to set me on the correct path. I plan to run 10 guage solid copper for 15 amp service. I expect codes to vary regionally, so I'd like to hear the most stringent opinions and perhaps any for Chicago area too.
Your going to hate yourself when you try to pull 10 solid. For the pennies that it costs more use stranded, then pigtail out in solid. as others have said 10 is definitely going to carry the 15 amp load, 12 would be my choice unless your talking a hundred feet. Yes you can run 3 circuits from a single phased residential service. All you need to do is derate for the combined wiring. Again 12 would be plenty.
What are you going to be using this 15 amp circuit for? Outlets in kitchens must be 20 amp circuits, and usually gfci now days. Microwaves are best put on their own circuit. Same for dishwashers and disposers.
As someone else kindly pointed out romex would be easier to work with an less expensive as well.
Do it all the time no problem but #10 is a little overkill for a 15 amp circuit. You can run them to the first box and branch off from there. In the north burbs of Chicago.
You would only need #10 wire if the run was particularly long (i don't have a table handy but it would be well over 100'). Normally a 15A circuit uses #14 wire for typical length runs. If you are running a heavy load as is typical in a kitchen you should be using #12 wire and 20A breakers. Normally, 15A circuits are used only for lighting.
As for running more than one circuit in a conduit, it is fine as long as you follow a couple of rules. First don't use romex or bundled cables in the conduit as bundling reduces the allowed ampacity of the cable due to the reduced ability to shed heat (besides you end up with extra ground conductors and space taken up by the jacket which makes it harder to thread into the conduit). Second note the insulation type and gage of all the wires you want to run. Third look up the required conduit size to hold the wires you want to run. If the branch is long or run in a hot space, you will need to derate the wires and this usually means increasing the wire gague and increasing the conduit diameter.
CodeCheck Electrical is a little spiral bound tablet with most of the really important stuff. The wire size, derating information, length of branch and conduit fill tables are all in there. Its a decent reference even if you have a copy of the NEC it is easier to access.
You may not even need to use a conduit if the run is through sheltered areas inaccessible to people. NM wire is easier and cheaper to run and you can use 12-3 to run two 20A circuits at one time with one cable. If the wire is in an exposed area you can't use NM but armored BX cable is needed and cost is almost as much as conduit but easier to install.
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