How many outlets can be installed on a 20-ampere circuit (120 volt) if each outlet is rated at 180 VA?

To determine how many outlets can be installed on a 20-ampere circuit at 120 volts, you can start by calculating the total wattage capacity of the circuit. A 20-ampere circuit at 120 volts can deliver a maximum of 2400 watts (20 A × 120 V = 2400 W).

Next, considering that each outlet is rated at 180 volt-amperes (VA), it is essential to convert watts to volt-amperes in this scenario, but in practice, since the loads are not highly inductive, we can assume that VA is equal to watts for general calculations. Hence, each outlet effectively uses 180 watts.

To find the number of outlets that can be supported by the circuit, you divide the total wattage capacity of the circuit by the wattage used per outlet:

2400 watts (total capacity) ÷ 180 watts (per outlet) = 13.33.

Since you cannot have a fraction of an outlet, you round down to the nearest whole number, which would be 13. Therefore, you can install a maximum of 13 outlets on a 20-ampere circuit, given that each outlet has a rating of 180 VA.