15 Amp Outlets
 

I took apart an existing wall in my home and found that 15 amp outlets were
used on a 20 amp circuit. Should these be replaced with 20 amp?

Greg and Kelly Carr wrote:

I took apart an existing wall in my home and found that 15 amp outlets were
used on a 20 amp circuit. Should these be replaced with 20 amp?



No, this is specifically permitted in the (US) Code.
Any 20 Amp circuit with more than one recept may have
a mix of 15 and 20 Amp recepts. Art. 210-21 and 210-24

Jim

On Wed, 03 Nov 2004 23:25:07 GMT, "Greg and Kelly Carr"
wrote:

I took apart an existing wall in my home and found that 15 amp outlets were
used on a 20 amp circuit. Should these be replaced with 20 amp?

Short answer, no. This is allowed by the Electrical Code. If you
plan to put an actual 20 amp load on an outlet, then change that one.

Dan

As long as the 20 amp circuit does not feed through the receptacle it is
perfectly acceptable. The 15 amp receptacle should be pigtailed to the #12
wires if they feed in and feed out.


John Grabowski
http://www.mrelectrician.tv



"Greg and Kelly Carr" wrote in message
ink.net...
I took apart an existing wall in my home and found that 15 amp outlets
were
used on a 20 amp circuit. Should these be replaced with 20 amp?

"Greg and Kelly Carr" wrote:

I took apart an existing wall in my home and found that 15 amp outlets were
used on a 20 amp circuit. Should these be replaced with 20 amp?

No. A 20 amp single load needs a 20amp plug, which won't fit in a 15 amp
outlet (one of the lugs is twisted). These are uncommon in the US,
usually only big heaters will have a 20 amp plug.

Unless you have a load that won't fit the outlet, you won't gain
anything by switching.

As long as the 20 amp circuit does not feed through the receptacle it is
perfectly acceptable. The 15 amp receptacle should be pigtailed to the #12
wires if they feed in and feed out.



Nope, 15a NEMA devices are rated for 20a feed through.

You can use 15A outlets on a 20A circuit, the code only requires that
one of the outlets be on a 20A curcuit to be a 20A outlet. However, I
personally would consider that to me a poor practice and put only 20A
outlets on 20A circuits.

Although you can use 15 amp outlets on a 20 amp circuit, I use 20 amp
"commercial grade" outlets. These are designed for more use, will last
longer, and will make better electrical contact with the plug.


"Greg and Kelly Carr" wrote in message
I took apart an existing wall in my home and found that 15 amp outlets
were
used on a 20 amp circuit. Should these be replaced with 20 amp?

Bill wrote:
Although you can use 15 amp outlets on a 20 amp circuit, I use 20 amp
"commercial grade" outlets. These are designed for more use, will last
longer, and will make better electrical contact with the plug.



15A commercial outlets are just as good, and about $1 cheaper. I put
one 20A outlet in the kitchen and one in the garage (just because; I
don't think I have anything with a 20A plug), and I use those cheap 15A
47¢ outlets in bedrooms and other places where they may never get used,
and I use the more expensive commercial or "spec grade" 15A outlets
everywhere else.

Bob

Here is my understanding of the 15A/20A receptacle situation. The
difference between 15A and 20A receps is the pin slot on the hot side.
The 20A recept will take a 20A plug which will NOT fit into a 15A
recept. Either receptacle will take a 15A plug.
The 15A receptacles are RATED at 20A, that is they can be and are used
on 20A circuits. The 20A receptacle (probably) should not be used on
a 15A circuit since a device with a 20A plug implies that it needs
current in the range of 15 to 20A.
You can find this info written on the boxes or even on the recepts
themselves -- if you are willing to read the into. --Phil

Bill wrote:

Although you can use 15 amp outlets on a 20 amp circuit, I use 20 amp
"commercial grade" outlets. These are designed for more use, will last
longer, and will make better electrical contact with the plug.

"Greg and Kelly Carr" wrote in message

I took apart an existing wall in my home and found that 15 amp outlets
were used on a 20 amp circuit. Should these be replaced with 20 amp?

--
Phil Munro Dept of Electrical & Computer Engin
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, Ohio 44555

On 4 Nov 2004 09:18:47 -0800, (Childfree Scott)
wrote:

You can use 15A outlets on a 20A circuit, the code only requires that
one of the outlets be on a 20A curcuit to be a 20A outlet. However, I
personally would consider that to me a poor practice and put only 20A
outlets on 20A circuits.

Code only requires a 20 amp outlet if it's the only one on the
circuit. The NEC does not require that one of a group be so.

Dan

Dan wrote:

On 4 Nov 2004 09:18:47 -0800, (Childfree Scott)
wrote:


You can use 15A outlets on a 20A circuit, the code only requires that
one of the outlets be on a 20A curcuit to be a 20A outlet. However, I
personally would consider that to me a poor practice and put only 20A
outlets on 20A circuits.


Code only requires a 20 amp outlet if it's the only one on the
circuit. The NEC does not require that one of a group be so.

Dan


A 20A circuit with nothing but a single duplex 15A outlet is just fine.
I'm not sure if that one device was a simplex 15A outlet.

We are talking about exceptional cases, and regulations sometimes get
rather messy at the boundary conditions. I wouldn't worry about it.

Bob