Multiple fridges and electrical load balancing

[jeeppilot]

I'm in the planning stages of converting to electric and one issue I'm running into is the electrical capacity of my brew space. I currently have only 120V service, with my outlets on two separate 20 amp circuits. My lights are on a third 20 amp circuit. I have 3, yes 3, fridges currently in use - my kegerator, my fermentation chamber, and my second household fridge. The newest and oldest of these are on 1 circuit and the other on the second circuit. The location of the space makes running another circuit costly, and I'm not married to that space for the long haul, so I originally ruled out a 240V circuit hoping to run 2 120V elements.

Can I put all 3 fridges on one circuit? The max amp draw of each fridge is 6, 6 and 6.5, so I think that would work on a 20 amp circuit even in the extremely unlikely event all 3 fridges kicked on simultaneously. Of course, manufacturer recommendations always say one fridge on its own dedicated circuit, but I'm sure that's just their CYA.

This would allow me to run my one heater from the other outlet circuit and tap into the lighting circuit for the other heater. All my lights are LED and really there aren't many on the circuit anyway. Is there anything I'm not thinking about here?

 

[BeerBaron1985]

Fridges are inductive loads, and can draw 2.5-3 times its running current/wattage. Maybe two fridges can run on a single 20A, but 3 I would think it would eventually trip.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I have a pair of 17cf top-freezer fridges sharing a 20A circuit and a 22cf top-freezer sharing another 20A circuit with my 12cf keezer, both circuits run for those purposes. I've never had either circuit trip, but I don't really think they're loaded that much anyway. Putting three units on one of the circuits might work but I don't have cause to test that theory as they're on opposite sides of the room.

One reason for a dedicated circuit for fridge or freezer is so you don't inadvertently trip that circuit's breaker with some other device and have a cabinet worth of food spoil...

Cheers!

 

[sicktght311]

I have a keezer, 2 Haier wine fermentation fridges, and a full basement worth of lighting on a single 15 amp circuit and i've never had an issue. My keezer pulls 1.2amps (Insignia 7.1cuft), And according to the back of my Wine fridges i use for fermentation, they only pull 1.7amps each.

 

[jeeppilot]

Fridges are inductive loads, and can draw 2.5-3 times its running current/wattage. Maybe two fridges can run on a single 20A, but 3 I would think it would eventually trip.

So my thought was, worst case, all 3 fridges kick on at the exact same time. The 6, 6 and 6.5 are the start-up amperage loads and, as you pointed out, decrease significantly from there. If somehow all three kicked on at the exact same time, I'd draw 18.5 amps. Is that not correct?

One reason for a dedicated circuit for fridge or freezer is so you don't inadvertently trip that circuit's breaker with some other device and have a cabinet worth of food spoil...

Cheers!

Hadn't thought of that...excellent point.

From a cost and ease of existing installation stand point, the 120V system seems so much easier. Who wants to convince me that a dual 120V heater setup is as good or a better way to go than a 240V setup?