What is the total ampacity for a 120V branch circuit consisting of four duplex receptacles rated noncontinuous duty and four duplex receptacles rated continuous duty?

To determine the total ampacity for a 120V branch circuit with both noncontinuous and continuous duty receptacles, it is essential to understand the difference in how the load is calculated for these types of receptacles.

For noncontinuous duty receptacles, the National Electrical Code (NEC) allows for the full rating of the circuit to be used, which in the case of a standard 120V circuit is often either 15A or 20A. However, for continuous duty receptacles, the load must not exceed 80% of the rated capacity of the circuit when calculating the total load. This precaution ensures that circuits can handle constant loads without overheating.

In this scenario, if we are using a 15A circuit (which is typical for standard residential circuits), the calculation would be as follows:

1. From the noncontinuous duty receptacles, you can use the full 15A.

2. For the continuous duty receptacles, you must calculate 80% of 15A, which equals 12A.

Combining these:

• Noncontinuous duty: 15A

• Continuous duty: 12A (80% of 15A)

However, since there are multiple receptacles, the total ampacity for the