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mac davis mac davis is offline
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Default 220 electrical outlets?

On Tue, 30 Oct 2007 05:12:53 +0000, LRod wrote:


Not so much that one is "better" than the other, but that the
differently configured receptacles are rated for different maximum
current. BTW, they are all "NEMA" configurations. NEMA 5-XX are 120v
plug/receptacle configurations and NEMA 6-XX are for 240v circuits.


"Rated" may be an unfortunate choice of words (especially when using
"for maximum current"). "Keyed" is more accurate. For example, (and I
can't speak to the locking series) the 6-15 and 6-20 are keyed
differently, and the 6-15 is for 15 A and the 6-20 is for 20 A.
However, an exception exists in the NEC which permits that in 15 and
20 A circuits (on both 120V and 240V supplies), either receptacle may
be used on a 20A line. You can't, however, use a -20 on a 15 A line.

So, clearly, the 15 A receptacle is "rated" (in tems of its ability to
carry the current) for 20 A, it's just "keyed" for 15 A plugs (a 20 A
plug won't fit into it). However a 20 A receptacle will accept both a
15 A and a 20 A plug.

All of the foregoing is thrown out the window if the only receptacle
on the circuit is a simplex receptacle--then the receptacle must match
the current capacity dictated by the wire/breaker.


Wow.. I would have loved the chance to pick your brain a few months ago... great
info!

Mexican builders don't have a lot of RV experience, so when I specified a "50
amp hookup" they put in some weird kind of plug that a friend said might be from
a dryer or something...
Oh.. before we found out that it wasn't an RV outlet, we went to the States and
bought a "dog bone" to plug into it to convert it to a 30 amp plug for our
trailer..
We didn't realize we had a problem until the dog bone wouldn't plug into the
outlet..
Last month we took a trip to Yuma and took along the dog bone.. went top an RV
place and paid almost $50 for the outlet that fits the plug on the dog bone..
Lots more expensive and time consuming than asking a knowledgeable person a few
questions...


mac

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