In ,
Metspitzer typed:
On Fri, 25 Dec 2009 22:08:23 -0500, "Twayne"
wrote:

In ,
RBM typed:
"tim birr" wrote in message
...
On Dec 25, 5:06 am, "RBM" wrote:

There are a variety of grades of receptacles. What you should be
using is
a better than residential grade receptacle, not a higher amperage
rated one. In the US, it is incorrect to install 20 amp
receptacles on 15 amp circuits, which may or may not be what
you've done, as you didn't mention
the ampacity of the circuit.- Hide quoted text -



Have no idea about the amps stuff for the electric outlets , just
using what an electrician told me to use after I had him here
several years ago to swap out my "split buss" electrical main
panel. I think that was the term. It had no main shut-off and was
always hot.

Made me nervous when I had to replace a faulty water heater circuit
breaker before I had the panel upgraded. I wore rubber boots. Two
pairs of thick rubber gloves, stood on a board and said my prayers
when I did that circuit breaker swap out.

The new outlets he told me to use seem pretty quality -- and of
course cost $4.50 a pop. They seem to be more "rubberized" sort of
material instead of the brittle plastic of the contractor-installed
original outlets.

I originally asked the electrician how to remove the wires from the
"spring catches" without breaking apart the old outlet. He just
ignored my question and gave me an empty outlet package and told to
replace them with "this kind."



FYI, your old split buss panel didn't have "a" main breaker, it had
several main breakers including the one you changed. The main wires
in your new panel are still live regardless if the breaker being on
or off.

What? Did I miss something? Kill the two Main breakers in my panel,
and the only power left in the box is going TO those breakers.
Nothing, nada, on the power bars or anywhere else. I know for
sure; I always check for power presence either with a meter or the
ol' screwdriver test (but not inside the entrance box!).
Or was that just a bad attempt at sarcasm? g

What is the ol' screwdriver test?

Position the wire ends so a clean screwdrive can be pressed against one wire
while moving the screwdriver over and past the other. If no sparks, solidly
connect the two wires for a quick moment. Got sparks? The power's NOT off!
Alternatively you can take just one wire and pass the screwdriver across
the metal box or ground wire; will tell you if you've got a hot neutral too.
I know some people who'll make a solid contact right away, figureing
they'll pop the breaker that way but that's bad advice. Fire possibility in
the walls, weakening of the breaker mechanism, etc.. The screwdriver test,
done correctly, results in neither of those.
Actually, it's also handy to prove or disprove that the 100V you're
seeing with a meter is a phantom voltage. Or not. g

Twayne
--
We've already reached
tomorrow's yesterday
but we're still far away from
yesterday's tomorrow.