I emailed Schnieder Electric and they claim that it is working within pararmeters as designed. I should not be using any over 1000 watts on the circuit. The cricuit has a clock radio, a ceiling fan and phone charger on right now with the heater
Here is the exact text from the last email.
This is part of the CSA code. We have to build our products to this code.
If you look at the link below, it talks about your specific question. The following is some of the text from this link:
"The largest electric heater that you should attempt to use on a 120V dedicated circuit is something under 1500 Watts. (1500W/120V = 12.5A)
You should only knowingly load a 15A circuit to 80% of it's capacity (80% of 15A is 12A).
Given that this existing circuit has several outlets on it now, the largest electric heater you should attempt to use is 1000W or less "
http://www.electrical-online.com/heatertrippedbreaker.htmRe: Case ID : 4852047 Product Technical Inquiries, Schneider Electric
So your saying I shouldn't be able run a plug in common 1500 watt heater on any 15 amp circuit in my house? That I am overloading the circuit. That just doesn't make sense. A 15 amp breaker should hold 15 amp forever without tripping.
The breakers have not been loaded at that for 17 years. This bedroom circuit with receptacles not a permanent installed heater. Most of the time it only has a clock, phone charger and light or two used on it.
At 08:24 AM 1/26/10, you wrote:
Thank you for the information.
The problem is very simple, the breakers are loaded above the rating. These breakers are 80% rated and per code should not be loaded over this. . The maximum continuous load should not exceed 12 A. The breakers have been loaded at more than that for 17 years. When a breaker is loaded over this it is in the trip zone and may or may not trip depending on the ambient temperature length of time the current is there and differences in the breaker.
From the information you have provided, I would say the breakers are working as designed and expected.