On 9 Feb 2007 14:27:47 -0800, "TH" wrote:

On Feb 9, 10:41 am, Chris Friesen wrote:
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
I don't understand this debate. We're talking about a price difference of
what - two dollars, if that much?

It's not the price difference, it's the principle.

Chris


I'm no expert, so please correct me if I don't understand this
correctly. I understood that 15 Amp outlets are all rated for 20 Amps.
The 20 Amp outlets have that T slot that will allow for devices that
can draw more than 15 amps to be plugged in. Hence you cannot use
20Amp outlets in a 15 amp circuit, but 15 amp in 20 amp circuits are
alright.

I think you are wrong and I think I know where you got the idea.

It is ok to use a 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp circuit, but not
becasue the receptacle can carry 20 amps. Rather it is because no
plug for a 20 amp device will fit into the slots in the 15 amp
receptacle. But such a plug |- would fit into a 20 amp receptacle

You could pplug in two 15 amp items, such as heaters, one in each half
of a 15 or 20 amp receptacle, and you'd be exceeding the capacity of
the receptacle, but the fuse should blow when you do that. They say
the fuse or circuit breaker is there to protect the wiring, but it
occurs to me that it also protects the receptacle.


If IUC by pass-through they don't mean how much is used through the
receptacle (by plugging something into it), but how much can go from
the feed wires, through the metal parts on the sides, the bridges, and
on to the next receptacle. Like when wires are connected to all four
screws of the recep, two from the fuse box, and two going onto the
next recep. Maybe it's pass-through that confused you, but that
doesn't refer to how much can be plugged into that recep.

Tom