Bob Vaughan wrote:

In article .com,
Sev wrote:

Hang on- are you talking about a 20 amp circuit? Is the breaker a
20A? Isn't 14/2 rated for 15A? Only an amateur here, but I'm hoping
someone more knowledgable can clear this up. Better I make a fool of
myself than you set up a potential house fire.



You are correct.. 14 is rated for 15 amps, and 12 is rated for 20 amps.
If you have 14/2 wiring, the breaker feeding it must be 15 amps.
If you are using #12 for that circuit (and it must be the entire circuit),
you can use a 20 amp breaker.

As a rule, you can always use a breaker rated for less than the capacity
of the smallest wire in the circuit, but you should never do the opposite.

You can use either a 15 amp or 20 amp receptacle on either a 15 or 20 amp
circuit, except when using a single receptacle on a 20 amp circuit, in which
case it must be a 20 amp receptacle. (I think in this case, 'single' refers
to the number of locations, and a duplex receptacle would be be considered
a 'single' receptacle.)


Laundry circuits for a long time have be 20A. The Romex high probablilty
is 12-2.

More than one receptacle on a circuit (including duplex):
15A ckt - 15A outlets (a 20A outlet could power a 20A device)
20A ckt - 15 or 20A outlets (a 15A duplex outlet can supply a total
of 20A but 15A max for each outlet)

Single receptacle on a circuit: the outlet has to be rated higher
amperage than the circuit - 15A circuit - 20A outlet, or 30A or 50A...
This is a bizare provision which may make sense for odd receptacles like
twist lock, but any competent person on a residential circuit would use:
15A circuit - 15A outlet
20A circuit - 20A outlet (15A not permitted)

bud--