On Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:26:30 -0400, Wade Gattett
wrote:

On 9/16/19 10:45 AM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Mon, 16 Sep 2019 08:13:03 -0400, Wade Gattett
wrote:

On 9/14/19 11:13 AM, Wade Gattett wrote:
Two 3-way switches controlling a big Hunter Original ceiling fan on a 20
amp circuit worked fine for 33 years of occasional use. A week or two
back, they quit working properly...both had to be "on" for the fan to run.

I decided to replace both switches and picked up two 20A Leviton 3-ways.
When I pulled the old switches, they were slightly different models- but
both were marked "Slater 15 amp".

One of them had what looked like the beginnings of some mild surface
corrosion on its metal support bracket- though I guess it could have
just been a scuzzy-looking mill finish. The other one was bright and
looked fine. Unfortunately, I didn't test them and just tossed them out.

With the new switches installed, the fan is working right.

At the local Home Depot, the 20A switches were twice the cost of the 15A
ones. I'm thinking if the price difference was the same 33 years ago,
maybe that's why the electrical sub used them.

We ended up having a lot of problems with the general contractor for the
room addition where the fan was installed. What do they say about apples
not falling far from the tree?

So- is it OK to use a 15A switch on a 20A circuit? Could that have had
anything to do with the switch failure? Or are Slater switches not so hot?

OP here- Umm, interesting bunch of posts.

I didn't see any answers, though, to my original questions about using a
15A switch on a 20A circuit and might that usage have contributed to the
switch's failure...


Simple answer. Switch is sized for the LOAD. If the fan draws less
than the rating of the switch it is not a problem. For example, a
standard Leviton 15 amp toggle switch is motor rated for 1/2 HP on 120
volts AC and 2HP on 240 volts AC, and 15 amps (1800 watts) of
incandescent lighting load.

On a 15 amp circuit one 1800 watt load would max out the circuit - or
3 600 watt loads. A 20 amp circuit would allow 4 600 watt lighting
loads. I chose 600 watts rather arbitrarily as most lighting dimmer
switches are rated at 600watts incandescent.
SO - unless the fan is more than 1/2 HP a 15 amp switchis just fine -
assuming it was a "motor rated" switch - which MOST are. A 20 amp
switch is motor rated for 3/4 HP on 120 volts.

Ah, thanks.

The switches only control the 85 watt ceiling fan.

But also on that circuit, there's two floor lamps (LED bulbs now) and
the entertainment corner: two year old big honkin' 7.1 home theater
receiver with 5 speakers plus a 12" powered subwoofer, 10 year old
plasma TV, cable box.

So I'm thinking the switch failure nothing to do with it being rated 15A....
Absolutely