Well, there are a lot of people who ask the question “Does a microwave need a dedicated circuit” because microwave ovens are not as big as refrigerators. Basically, a dedicated circuit can be a great help when it comes to protecting all your household appliances. That’s why, all home appliances are on a circuit that can help to prevent the danger of overloading and tripping the circuit breaker.

That’s why, they do not understand why the microwave needs a dedicated circuit. So if you are one of that person who is confused about does a microwave need a dedicated circuit then you can get the answer through this knowledgeable post. Not only this, but we will also explain some basic reasons why it requires a circuit also. So keep reading this article to learn much more about this topic.

What is a Dedicated Circuit?

Basically, a dedicated circuit is also known as a National Electric Code and individual branch circuit that is designed to supply the power to a single appliance without any tripping and overloading the system.

However, electronic appliances of more than 700 watts greatly benefit from a dedicated circuit. There are some appliances that need a dedicated circuit in your home such as dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines, garbage disposals, and also refrigerators.

Does Microwave Need A Dedicated Circuit?

Well, this s true a microwave needs a dedicated circuit. And the Microwaves require a dedicated 20A circuit. The requirements of a microwave circuit are similar to all other heavy-duty appliances such as a refrigerator. 

Well, you can also add AFCI protection. Basically, it is not necessary because the outlets of microwaves are positioned behind the appliance. In this way, they are protected from water already.

Why Does Microwave Require a Dedicated Circuit?

As we have already mentioned that microwaves need a dedicated circuit but the question is why? So here are some basic reasons:

1. Electrical Requirement

Well, the electrical requirement is the basic reason. The user has to place the appliance on a 120/125V circuit with 12/2 NM wire and also a ground for additional safety. As you all know that microwaves are powerful devices that use 1500 watts.

There are some small microwaves that do not draw as much power but the larger microwave use a lot of electricity and that makes them dangerous.

2. To Prevent Overheat & Fire

In order to prevent overheat and fire, every microwave needs a dedicated circuit. Well, every circuit has a breaker that prevents it from overloading by tripping in the event of a power spike and fire. Spikes can happen if any particular appliance is drawing more power than the circuit can handle.

As when your microwave demands more power than a circuit’s supply capacity, the circuit breaker starts tripping and this can be interrupting power. This tripping can damage your appliances. But if you have wired it properly, then a dedicated circuit can carry the weight of the energy requirements of your microwave.

3. To Limit the Number of Outlets

Some people thought that a dedicated circuit has only one outlet, but that’s not true at all. Well, any circuit can act as a dedicated circuit if the microwave is the only appliance connected to it.

That’s true, it is a safe way to limit the number of outlets because there are many people who plug more appliances into the circuit while the microwave is running. Well, if you connect the microwave to any random circuit, and unplug all the other appliances at that time, that circuit can safely carry the load of your microwave.

How do you determine if you need a Dedicated Circuit for your Microwave?

You have to Figure out the wattage level of your microwave if it shares the same circuit with other house appliances but how much you needed a dedicated circuit in your home. Here are some ways to determine if you need a dedicated circuit for your microwave:

1. Microwave wattage

Well, the microwave has a range of wattage between 600 to 1500 watts. If your microwave’s wattage level is more than 1500 watts then you must need a dedicated circuit. Because the higher the microwave wattage, the more power the microwave requires. So you can control the power supply in the microwave by a dedicated circuit.

2. If your microwave is sharing a circuit with other appliances

Basically, every appliance is linked to a single dedicated circuit which is not good. Because several appliances are connected to a single circuit can be the reason for overloading and the circuit breaker begins to trip.

This breaker Tripping can easily lead to frequent interruption of power also. Well, when you should not plug more appliances into a single circuit otherwise it can cause damage to your appliances.

Conclusion

As we all know that every home appliance needs a circuit to manage the power supply and avoided any breaker tripping, fore, sparking, and overheating. Your microwave also needs a dedicated circuit, especially if it is above 700 watts. However, you can run your microwave on the dedicated circuit of a 15 Amp.

Basically, dedicated circuits just make sure that enough power is supplied to a single appliance without overloading the system. That’s all you need to know about “does a microwave need a dedicated circuit”. We hope this article will help you a lot!