On Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:18:05 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

In article . com, " wrote:
On Oct 1, 8:55?am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article om,
" wrote:

On Oct 1, 8:10?am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article . com,
" wrote:

On Oct 1, 6:47?am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article ,
wrote:
Here's a puzzler......

I put a permanent wall fan in my barn at the eaves. [...] I did not
hard wire
to the outlet, I just put a grounded plug on the end of the romex and
plugged it in to the outlet.[...]
My question is whether using #14 wires is up to code, when it's not
hard wired?

Yes. The Code basically stops at the receptacle. (This is an
oversimplification, but it gets the point across.)

the fire hazard is the same,,,,,,,,,,, bard fires are nasty..

WHAT fire hazard?

any time anyone plugs a device into a circuit capable of carrying
enough current to cause overheating thats a fire hazard.

And where exactly did you get the idea that the OP's fan is going to draw that
much current?

You realize, don't you, that all over your house you have appliances with
18-ga power cords plugged into outlets on 15A and 20A circuits?

What's the difference?

thats my point, every home is filled with fire hazards,,,,,,,,

Speak for yourself. Some of us know how to avoid creating them -- either in
reality or in our imaginations.

[snip irrelevant anecdote]
whats more likely to cause a fire?

a 14 gauge romex carrying 20 amps

or a 16 gauge extension cord beat up by use carrying 15 amps laying on
carpet?

Obviously the latter -- but so what? *Neither* has *anything* to do with the
question the OP asked.

I'm just reading all the replies to my question. Thanks for all the
help.

I wanted to mention that those of us who know and understand
electricity are much better off than the average homeowner or
apartment dweller who only knows enough to plug something into an
outlet and how to flip a light switch. The scarey thing are people
who dont know enough, and use a #16 or #18 extension cord for
something like a refrigerator. That's where the real fire hazzards
exist. It's too bad they even sell those small cords, but then what
would we use for table lamps, xmas decorations, etc.....
Maybe our elementary and high schools should spend more time teaching
EVERYONE about household things such as electrical uses, rather than
some of the useless junk they teach. Heck, it's 35 years since I left
H.S. but I still wonder why I had to take calculus..... Bettering
"homeowners" education would save lives.

I DO NOT consider my #14 romex plug-in to be a fire hazzard, or I
would not have done it. My animals are my best friends, so I surely
wont risk their lives. I just wanted to know the code regulations.
Actually, that small motor fan could be safely plugged into a #16 or
#18 extension cord, but I would not use that in a barn.

Alvin