Pete C. wrote:
clare, at, snyder.on.ca wrote:
On Tue, 4 Sep 2007 20:03:48 -0700, "42etus"
wrote:

I think you guys missed my point. The OP seemed to be concerned that he was
going to have a cord rated at 25 amps protected by a 50 amp breaker. What I
meant to point out is that it is very common and allowed by the NEC to have
cords supplying appliances that are rated less than the breaker supplying
the circuit. Most household appliances, toasters, lamps, radios, computers
etc all have power supply cords that are not rated for the 20 amps that wall
outlets are capable of supplying. Can you imagine your electric razor having
a 12/3 SJO cord just because your outlet in the bathroom was on a circuit
protected by a 20 amp breaker? That would make shaving each morning a real
PITA.
42
And where do you have 20 amp breaker protection on domestic
circuits????? In North America?????
Virtually all domestic branch circuits are 15 amp fused(or breaker
protected) 14 AWG copper or 12 awg Aluminum cable.
Virtually all computer power cords are 18AWG fine stranded copper, as
are MOST lamp cords and many light duty extention cords.
Virtually all domestic 110 volt receptacles are 15 amp and it is
AGAINST CODE to install 20 amp receptacles on a 14 guage 15 amp
circuit.
The OCCAISIONAL dedicated circuit for things like room air
conditioners are wired with 12awg and protected to 20 amp - using 20
amp receptacles and the odd "T" type power plugs - |
u

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Every single "domestic" circuit in my house is 20A. There is no 14ga
wire anywhere in the house. It was even this way when I bought the
house, before I replaced the main panel.

Pete C.

I'm not really up on Canadian electric codes, but they are different
than in the USA:

Canada only recently changed to allow 20A receptacles that will accept a
15A plug. Previously, 15A circuits could only have 15A receptacles
(just like USA) and 20A circuits could only have 20A-only receptacles
(I'm not sure those even exist in the USA)

Also they wire their kitchen countertop outlets different -- IIRC they
use 15A duplex receptacles and split them, using an "edison circuit"
(each pair of outlets has 240V available between them) That would come
in really handy if you wanted to replace one with a 240V receptacle for
one of those 3000W British electric kettles that will boil a quart of
water in 10 seconds ;-)

Bob