Second, let's assume it's a 20 amp circuit. An average toaster can run at 5 amps and microwave can run at 15 amp. A breaker will trip at 80%, therefore, if you run them at the same time, you'll trip a 20 amp breaker. That's just two appliances, just think what will happen if they were all on that circuit and worse if it's a 15 amp breaker.
Technically, you can put them on the same circuit, you just can't run them all at the same time if they will exceed the breaker limit. If you have a refrigerator on it, that's already running and contributes to amp usage. Therefore, whatever else you add to that circuit combined with the fridge needs to be less amps than the breaker limit.
It is recommended to put large appliances on it's own circuit, such as stove/range, refrigerator, washer, dryer and even a microwave.
Lights should be separate from receptacles. I'd have the refrigerator separate . Not sure of code on appliance plugs but generally there is one or two used at the same time.
In a kitchen, there is a pretty well defined rule about circuits. You have a minimum of two 20 amp "small appliance" circuits for those cord and plug appliances. You are certainly allowed to have more. The code is silent about what you plug in. When it comes to fixed in place appliances like the disposal, they are supposed to be on another circuit and if they use more than 50% of the circuit rating, nothing else should be on that circuit. Typically you still might see the disposal and dish washer on the same circuit and it usually works fine. The lights are not allowed to be on a small appliance circuit. The fridge can be on a 20a small appliance circuit or on a 15a dedicated refrigeration circuit with very few exceptions about what can be on that circuit (stove igniter or a clock) Typically the overhead light will be on a general lighting circuit with other loads in the home.
Also breakers do not trip at 80%, it might actually be more like 150% or more for short duration loads like the startup of the fridge or blender. It should hold the rated load forever. Each manufacturer has their own trip curves online. The 80% comes in the recommended continuous load. That is already built into the acceptable breaker for small conductors (#14 & #12) so if you run a 20a on a 12ga wire, it is already taking into account the
80% safety factor. (12ga is actually rated at 25a)
By current code refrigerator and microwave should each be on separate circuits.Kitchen receptacles should be 20 amp, one outlet per breaker by current code, and 15 amp splits on previous code (which is in effect a 30 amp outlet as you can plug in 2 12 amp loads and not trip a breaker)
The light should be on a lighting circuit along with another room or so.
Will be very interesting to see how the experts respond.
A clamp-on ammeter won't do much good. It's hard to get current to flow if the wire is open. Even if you get current to flow, you have to get it clamped around only one of the 3 wires in the Romex.
Starting assumptions, YMMV: Romex didn't get completely cut severing all connections. Breaker is good, you've tested that already, check. I'm in the USA. If you're elsewhere, click next now. A bad connection at one of the junctions is way more likely than a severed wire. Pulling on the wire may make the connection work again. That can have catastrophic consequences if you're hanging onto the wire. Don't even trust the circuit breaker. Turn it off and VERIFY that there's no voltage at its output.
Are you absolutely sure that you're checking the right breaker??? When it works, you can tell because a test light on that circuit goes dark when you turn off the breaker. If a light won't work, you may accidentally turn off the wrong breaker and have the wire go live when you pull on it.
In order of increasing risk of electrocution...
1) Call an electrician
2) There are electric field sensors that sense the radiation from the wire. I've had zero luck with them in locating wires in the wall. The sense range is too great to be useful. In your case, you might be able to use one if you turn off ALL the breakers that feed that area except the one you're testing. Location within a few feet may be adequate. Field sensors are available stand alone and are built into other items like stud finders and multimeters these days.
3) Use a cable tracer. Mine's called an Ireland 5010. You plug the transmitter in the wall and it sends a signal along the wire that you can trace with the receiver. The transmitter is powered by the circuit. If all the sockets are dead, you'd have to connect it at the breaker box with jumper wires. I wouldn't recommend that.
4) Use a time domain reflectometer to actually measure the distance to the break. Mine's called a JTE ShortStop. Their website is dead. You clip it onto the circuit and it tells you how far to the break. There's also a probe that you can use to sense the location of the wire in the wall. Manual claims that the input is protected to 250VAC. I've found it very helpful tracing all kinds of wires/cables. Bad news is that the original buyer paid $350 for it instead of the $1 at a garage sale.
5) It's likely that you have a bad connection in the box closest to the breaker box. You can do some things with an ohm-meter and long test leads. This can be VERY DANGEROUS. Something as innocuous as turning on the stove or clothes dryer can put voltage where you'd not expect it to be. All depends on how your house is wired. Not all houses are wired sensibly. ASSUME NOTHING.
RULE #1 NEVER, EVER TAKE ADVICE FROM SOME RANDOM DUDE YOU MET ON THE INTERNET. CAREFULLY THINK ABOUT THE IDEA AND DETERMINE YOURSELF WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE. THERE ARE A LOT OF STUPID PEOPLE HERE. THERE ARE MALICIOUS PEOPLE HERE. YES, THERE ARE COMPETENT ELECTRICIANS HERE. PROBLEM IS THAT YOU CAN'T TELL WHICH IS WHICH.
A clamp-on ammeter will tell you if there is current - but you already know there is no current. You need to know where the VOLTAGE is, and there are "non contact voltage detectors" but they need to be VERY close to the conductor in question. Most likely a problem in a junction or outlet box. Trace the wire and check the wires in the box with non-contact or with a normal voltmeter at the outlets.
I would very strongly recommend you get a qualified electrician or knowlegeable handi-man friend to check this for you -
Before the power went out in the kitchen, the refrigerator was groaning and moaning when compressor turned on or off. Now that refrigerator is running from electric cord from utility room, it runs a lot smoother when compressor starts or stops. I wonder if the power problems caused it to run rough?
Do you have aluminum wire? If so you may be in over your head. If it is copper ... These kind of failures are usually right at the devices. First look to be sure they conductors are attached to the side screws and not stabbed in the back. You can usually see that with a flashlight without taking anything apart. You might start by plugging in a low current appliance like a radio (that you know is on and tuned to a station tried somewhere else) to a bad receptacle. Then slightly loosen the device of each receptacle mounting screws slightly, stick in a big molded plug and wiggle them one at a time and see if you get noise out of the radio. If it is a bad connection that is failing, that may smoke it out. Personally if you have back stabs I would just rewire them all tho. They are not listed for 12 ga wire. When you find the bad connection, I would expect to see it discolored.
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