Is there (generally) a limit on the number of electric outlets you can have in a single location?
Usually, I’ve seen them in groups of 2 or 4. Could you have more?
My rock band played a show in a bar two weeks ago that had 8 individual 20A circuits lined up on the back wall of the stage, each with 4 outlets. I suppose it would depend on the code in your area.
Sorry I think I misinterpreted your question. The most I have ever seen in a single junction box is four. Perhaps a sparky will jump on here and educate us shortly.
If you have enough branch circuits in a room,and proper wire sizes, you can install outlets until the cows come home-------but why would any one want to?.
'Frinstance----------in a room with a dozen outlets[24 connections] you might be usine two,or maybe three, at any given time.[i.e. a telly and a couple of table lamps]and that might only require 1 1/2 outlets leaving 21 empty connevtions.
EZ
How about a media/computer room?
Unless each and every device is drawing a ton of current, just use surge protectors. My friends and I have run over a dozen computers, CRT monitors, etc. on two household circuits. In fact, what made a fuse blow wasn’t the computers–it was the deep frier with only one or two computers on the same circuit.
as is noted in the next post down - media/computer room.
I have a UPS with my desktop cpu, monitor and the extension cord that goes to the router and cable moden on the batteried outlets, and the wallwarts for my pda, ipod and cell phone on the nonbattery outlets. that occupies one half of a wall jack. a power strip on the other half of that outlet runs my printer, desk lamp, telephone answering machine/cordless phone, and the more or less mostly dead laptop that i use as an itunes jukebox, with its plug in speakers.
The other wall outlet in the bedroom does the power strips that handles the tv, dvd player and cable box, and an led alarm clock, bedside light and hubbys cell phone.
What I desperately would love is a SINGLE wallwart that has tentacled to poewer all my microelectronics [the 2 sets of speakers, the answering machine, basically anything that uses a wallwart to step the power down to the fraction needed for the appliances …] so you wouldnt need all teh damned individual warts … and make all the tentacles the kind that have the little retracting mechanisms on them, with like 12 foot cords so they can go pretty much anywhere in the room. Seems like most microelectronics nowdays use pretty much teh same power requirements…it should be possible.
ANd they ned to make every cord for a computer//media/home electronic also available with the retracting mechanisms to avoid the bozo the clown hair explosion of wiring … sigh
What’s a wallwart?
After looking at it a bit more I assume you mean stepdown transformers, never heard of the term wallwart.
I’m sure you know that they come in different currents and voltages (and some are A/C, most are D/C), and differing polarities. Making a universal one would be a big PITA, and I really don’t think it would help the wire mess as they would all still have to connect to a common point. We may see the USB port take on some of this role however. Also they sell short extention cord which allow you to move the transformer a foot away and use a standard plug.
Hm I first heard Wall Wart here on SDMB …
and ues they would all connect, at a SINGLE wallwart that is the transformer for that class/rating of microappliance. I have noticed that my 2 pair of computer speakers, and answering machine/cordless phone all use the exact same transformer and jack [had mrAru crawl around on the floor and look at stuff.
Some NEC codes…
One lighting/convenience outlet circuit for every 575 square feet of floor space in a house.
Any bathroom or garage outlet within 6’ of a sink must be GFCI protected. A new code requires all kitchen outlets for countertop use to be GFCI protected.
At least one GFCI outlet is required in an unfinished basement and for most outdoor outlets (exceptions include inaccessible outlets like at a garage ceiling or behind a refrigerator.
Any point along the bottom of a wall (which is 2’ or wider) must be within 6’ of an outlet. The 6’ distance cannot be measured across a doorway or fireplace. And the outlet must be within 5 1/2’ of the floor. This code cuts down on extension cord use, especially across doorways, fireplaces and similar openings.
I have seen some local amendments that restricted a branch circuit in a house to no more than 13 outlets, and 8 in a commercial dwelling. (I have an NEC Electrical Code Book, but not here at the moment)
In the end, the total current wil determine what is practical. If you plug in an appliance that has a fridge & other high current appliances, you’re asking for trouble. Similarly, if you have a room with high current requirements—like a musical studio maybe—it’s best to use 2 or more branch circuits and stagger the outlets so that every other outlet comes from a different circuit.