You cannot completely ignore this concern. Some people think that you ran the risk of overloading the outlet, causing it to overheat before starting a fire. What Happens When You Put A 15 Amp Receptacle on 20 Amp Circuit? I have also noticed that conventional household appliances have 15 Amp plugs, which explains the popularity of 15 Amp outlets on 20 Amp circuits.
If you decide to add a 15 amp receptacle on a 20 Amp circuit, you’re not alone. Most American households have 15Amp receptacles on 20 Amp circuits. It has a table which shows that 15 and 20 Amp outlets can be added to a 20 Amp circuit. If you’re only concerned with the opinion of the NEC, it is quite clear on this issue. As far as the NEC is concerned, a duplex receptacle counts as two outlets. But if you have multiple receptacles on the 20 Amp circuit, they can be 15 Amps or 20 Amps. So a single receptacle on a 20Amp circuit should be 20 amps as well. To be more specific, the NEC says that the ampere rating of a single receptacle cannot be less than the ampere rating of the branch circuit on which it is installed, precluding certain exceptions.
#20 amp breaker code#
However, if your local code doesn’t contradict the NEC, you should do what the National Electric Code says.Īnd according to North Central Washington Home Inspections, the NEC permits electricians to add 15 amp outlets to 20 amp circuits if they are duplex receptacles. Technically speaking, your local code supersedes the NEC.
#20 amp breaker professional#
NEC Code – It is Safe!īefore you concern yourself with the opinions of professional electricians, you should first find out what the National Electric Code says.
You have to keep two factors in mind: 1). However, very few people support their arguments. Some experts have argued that the practice is dangerous. Is It Okay To Use A 15 Amp Receptacle On 20 Amp Circuit? But is the practice acceptable? More to the point, is it safe? Those are the questions this guide intends to answer. One such measure is to pair your circuit with a receptacle of the appropriate rating.Ĭommon sense suggests that an electrician should only use 20 Amp receptacles on their 20 Amp circuits.īut 20 Amp receptacles are more expensive than 15 Amp receptacles, which is why so many people are tempted to use 15 amp outlets on their 20 Amp circuit. You are better off taking measures to stop your circuit from overloading in the first place. But breakers do not always respond as required.
Of course, most people trust their circuit breakers to intervene in such situations, tripping to prevent the continued flow of power before it can cause harm. If you force a circuit to carry more current than its rating permits, the excess heat generated will melt the wires, starting a fire. But a 20 amp plug cannot fit in a 15 amp outlet, to begin with. You can overload a 15 amp receptacle if you use it to power an appliance that draws 20 amps or more. They are designed to work with 15 amp receptacles. Can you use a 15 Amp receptacle on the 20 Amp Circuit? It doesn’t take much to overload a circuit.
0 kommentar(er)
