Kitchen Lights Changed to All LED's Can I Add a Few Outlets?

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harborremodel

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I'm remodeling my kitchen and pulled all the old can lights and installed all Slim LED's that use 12 watts each for a total of 120 watts when all of them are on (10 lights). Seeing as the old lights were pulling 65watts each seems to me that this would leave a good surplus of watts available to use to add an outlet or two. I'm running the feed from the panel to a junction in the attic, from that junction one line goes to feed the kitchen light switch and the other line goes out to power the new branch with the added outlets. Are there any issues with this? It's a 15A circuit.

My Math for Circuit:

15 AMP Circuit @ 120V = 1,800 watts - 20% for operating cusion = 1440 watts for use - 120 watts for kithcen lights leaves 1,320 watts.
 
If you are planning on placing kitchen lights and kitchen (small appliance circuit) receptacles on the same circuit that is against code. It does not matter if the circuit can handle the lights and or receptacle according to the rating of the circuit. Kitchen lights and SABC may not share the same circuit.

Also a SABC must be 20amps.
 
You don't want to find yourself in the dark when an appliance trips the breaker.
I'd pull 2 circuits from the panel, 1 for the outlets and 1 for the lights.
 
Ah yes I see that now in my code book. Despite my best efforts I cannot figure out how they originally powered a circuit in the living room adjacent to the kitchen. The outlets in the dining room next to the kitchen were powered by the kitchen circuit (20 amp) but the living room outlets which are an extension of the dining room are a wired with 14/2 and I can’t find another 15 amp circuit in the panel that would’ve gone there.
 
Kitchen and dining room are subject to SABC code.

If the living room is wired with 14/2 and you don't see a 15amp breaker that controls the living room I would certainly find out which breaker is controlling the living room and then change it to 15amp. Also, the living room circuit that is wired with 14/2 are the receptacles 15 or 20amp? You can tell quickly by the "T" slot that the 20amp receptacle has for the neutral prong. If there are any 20amp receptacles wired with 14 guage then you must change those receptacles to 15amp rated receptacles.
 
20 amp receptacles are common/required in kitchens, but I have never seen them in living rooms.
Lots of kitchen appliances make heat and need the extra juice.

Garages, basements, sheds, outdoor receptacles sometimes are 20 amp.
For big power tools or big motors like sump pumps.

You are right, sometimes chuckleheads put a 20 amp receptacle on 14 gauge wire, thinking it magically will now handle a bigger load.
The breaker might trip, might not, but meanwhile the wire is heating up and aging the connections
 
The outlets in the dining room next to the kitchen were powered by the kitchen circuit (20 amp) but the living room outlets which are an extension of the dining room are a wired with 14/2 and I can’t find another 15 amp circuit in the panel that would’ve gone there.
Yes, dining room is subject also to SABC code.
If you are sure that the 14 gauge wire is on a 20amp breaker then please change that breaker to 15amps. It does not matter if on the 14 gauge circuit there are 15amp receptacles. 14 gauge wire dictates 15amp breaker.
 
Yes, because you could plug in two 10 amp loads in one receptacle or two, and overheat the wire, while the breaker would not trip.
Or multiple small loads that exceed 15 amps.
 
Correction to my earlier post on never seeing any 20 amp living room outlets.

I have seen them there, when there is a window or through the wall air conditioner there.
 

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