Advice for voltage drop and in line ac filters?

[Jeff M.]

Good morning everyone. So, the issue I have has not been a new issue it’s just been an issue for years and now it’s getting worse. So, I can tell the whole story but, I will keep it short because it’s a lot of work. So, basically we bought into my father and mother in-laws house 20 years ago. They live up stairs in their own house and we live down stairs in the original home. My father in-law didn’t want to buy a new breaker panel so to save money and put everything in the breaker panel he had already installed. He doesn’t remember because he is forgetting a lot now a days. The problem is he put the kitchen and bathroom and the main bed room on the same breaker of 15 amps. So, my problem is and has been that when my Keurig coffee make draws 12.7 amps at 1437.0 watts. It always causes a voltage drop from 120 volts to 114 volts to 115 volts and cause’s my led lights to flicker in these rooms.The break has not popped at all and I don’t want something to over load and heat up and. side a fire? So, My master electrician said get a power conditioner if you can’t afford an electrician to come and install an extra breaker in your home. So, my question is can I use a on line AC filtering unit like this (1st picture) to take care of my volt drop and my led lights flickering in certain spots? or should I buy a tripplite and call it a day? It will be bulky and out for people to see that’s the problem with the plug in device. What are you thoughts and is it better to put or piggyback breaker into that circuit so it is not over draw power? Things have changed in the last 40 years and we need more power and amps for newer appliances and devices for today’s electric. I tried to tell my father in- law that but, he kept telling me it is code. Thanks for your help Jeff

 

[Redacted]

You have a wiring issue and risk a fire.
Don't mess with power conditioners, that will draw even more power - it may conceal problems, but you are still overdeveloping a circuit.

 

[Jeff M.]

That’s what I thought as well. I might have to bite the bullet and have someone come out and install an extra breaker in my breaker box for that room. Ugh. . I know it’s life.

 

[JayGilb]

Neither one of those items will help your situation.
One is a noise filter and the other is an over voltage protection device.

You need to add an additional breaker to rectify your problem.

 

[Jeff M.]

Okay makes sense. I was just trying to save money. I hate to bandaid things and like getting it fixed the right the first time.

 

[fpitas]

I'd seriously consider 20 amp service, while you're at it. 12.7 amps on a 15 amp circuit is cutting it close.

 

[Redacted]

An extra breaker, sure, but ensure wiring is to spec around the house....

Make sure the feed into the house is sufficient - you are now two households and may be using more power than you think....

In the UK, we commonly have 100A single-phase feeds, but when I lived in the US, we had two phases to our house (not sure what the current was for each) as this was the only way to power current-hungry kit like ovens, air-con and the (proper Miele!) cold-only-feed, front load washing machine we used. Always use RCD as well.

 

[Devnull]

Modern NEC now requires multiple circuits for the kitchen, if you pull a permit the AHJ may require bringing it up to code.

If someone is going to be pulling wiring you may as well have them pull new bathroom circuit as the same time as the kitchen. Hair dryers can pull 10+ amps

 

[Jeff M.]

Thanks everyone. I will be calling in our master electrician friend this week to see what he thinks we should do to be up to code. I told my wife this has to be done for safety reasons and code reasons if we ever want to sell the house in the future. I am looking at being it up to a 20 amp breaker for sure.

 

[NTK]

...
So, my problem is and has been that when my Keurig coffee make draws 12.7 amps at 1437.0 watts. It always causes a voltage drop from 120 volts to 114 volts to 115 volts and cause’s my led lights to flicker in these rooms.The break has not popped at all and I don’t want something to over load and heat up and. side a fire?
...

Please note that the recommended maximum voltage drop is 3%, or 3.6 V if the unloaded voltage is 120 V. But that has more to do with the wiring, than with the size of the breaker.

Acceptable Voltage Drop NEC - 3% and 5% Rules

Is your wiring code compliant? Learn the National Electrical Code (NEC) rules for branch circuits and feeders to ensure safety and efficiency.

voltagedrop-calculator.com

 

[Devnull]

I'd seriously consider 20 amp service, while you're at it. 12.7 amps on a 15 amp circuit is cutting it close.

IIRC NEC requires at least 2 20 amp kitchen countertop circuits and a separate circuit for the fridge. I don't remember if separate circuits are required for the dishwasher, microwave and disposal.

 

[Redacted]

Please note that the recommended maximum voltage drop is 3%, or 3.6 V if the unloaded voltage is 120 V. But that has more to do with the wiring, than with the size of the breaker.

Acceptable Voltage Drop NEC - 3% and 5% Rules

Is your wiring code compliant? Learn the National Electrical Code (NEC) rules for branch circuits and feeders to ensure safety and efficiency.

voltagedrop-calculator.com

In fact, nothing at all to do with the breaker!

 

[Speedskater]

Every 3 years the NEC publishes a new code book, and each edition adds expensive requirements.
To bring an old home up to the newest edition is very costly.
Note that the code book by itself is not the law. The local "Authority Having Jurisdiction" (city or state) makes the law.
The AHJ can chose what year code book and they can add clauses or delete expensive Articles.

 

[Spkrdctr]

Please, get as many 20 amp breakers and you can. Have them run new wires if needed. First you need the extra current badly and 15 amp circuits are generally very outdated. You will be much happier when it is all over and you have plenty of power. The kitchen should be on its own breaker so splitting that from everything else is the smart thing to do to. Good Luck and have fun! Your Master Electrician sadly gave you terrible uninformed advice. You might want to think of having a different electrician do the work. What he recommended made no sense at all..........

 

[fpitas]

Have them run new wires if needed.

Going by the voltage drop he sees, they are much needed.

 

[Spkrdctr]

Going by the voltage drop he sees, they are much needed.

Thank you. That was what I noticed and he has a kitchen circuit involved in multiple rooms. That is a big NO nowadays. But most houses electrical wiring is a mess. Seems most electricians don't care one bit about properly wiring a house. Brand new 1 million dollar houses have messed up electrical wiring, breakers and panels. So, the code book keeps making more demands on how to do things right. Electricians generally will not do things correctly on their own. But, it is what it is.

 

[Devnull]

Please, get as many 20 amp breakers and you can. Have them run new wires if needed. First you need the extra current badly and 15 amp circuits are generally very outdated. You will be much happier when it is all over and you have plenty of power. The kitchen should be on its own breaker so splitting that from everything else is the smart thing to do to. Good Luck and have fun! Your Master Electrician sadly gave you terrible uninformed advice. You might want to think of having a different electrician do the work. What he recommended made no sense at all..........

One kitchen circuit is completely inadequate and hasn't been legal under code since the 1960s.

 

[Jeff M.]

Thank you everyone for you support and help on this subject. If I could fix it I would. I will be calling a electricial company that has a good standing reputation. The kitchen will be the first Issue that needs to be fixed. I have to fix 1 problem at a time due to no over time at work plus my daughter is getting married next year. Again thanks for everyone’s input and support and advice and be honest up front. That’s why I am part of this forum it’s a no nonsense forum no snake oil on this forum.