The general load for a residential electrical system is determined by the 3 VA per square foot for general lighting and general-use receptacles. This load is added to the total connected load, which includes a 3 VA per square foot load for general lighting and general-use receptacles. In residential outdoor wiring projects, the relevant code requirements pertain to installing outdoor receptacles and lighting fixtures, as well as running wiring.
The minimum lighting load is determined using the 1.70 VA per sq ft unit load and the floor voltage. Outdoor GFCI receptacles require a watertight cover and one GFCI load can sufficiently ground all outlets in one-family, two-family, and multifamily dwellings.
In one-family, two-family, and multifamily dwellings, the minimum unit load shall be not less than 33 volt-amperes/m2 (3 volt-amperes/ft2). Unit loads include outdoor GFCI outlets, which can be installed on a residential general-purpose branch circuit.
If you already have outdoor GFCI outlets, have an electrician check that they work, as the sensors in GFCI receptacles wear out over time. The free Residential Electrical Load Calculator Kopperfield can help you calculate your load calculations quickly and accurately.
📹 How many outlets can you put on one circuit ?
To have an entry for the convention center send builds here: Bevins Bricks P.O. Box 510 Tecumseh, MI 49286 Feel free to contact …
What are the requirements for exterior outlets in a house?
Outdoor receptacles must be protected by ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) systems, with exceptions for snow-melting or deicing equipment. These protections can be provided by GFCI receptacles or circuit breakers. Homes should have at least one outdoor receptacle at the front and rear of the house, accessible from the ground and no more than 6 1/2 feet above grade. Attached decks and balconies with interior access should have a receptacle no more than 6 1/2 feet above the deck or balcony walking surface.
Receptacles in damp locations must be weather-resistant and have a weatherproof cover, while those exposed to weather must be weather-resistant and have a weatherproof “in-use” cover. A permanent swimming pool must have an electrical receptacle no closer than 6 feet and no further than 20 feet from the closest edge of the pool, with GFCI protection. Receptacles used to power pump systems on pools and spas must be no closer than 10 feet from the inside walls of a permanent pool, spa, or hot tub if not-GFCI protected, and no closer than 6 feet from the inside walls if GFCI protected.
Rules for outdoor lighting are primarily about using fixtures rated for use in damp or wet locations. Light fixtures in wet/exposed areas must be listed for wet locations, while fixtures in damp areas must be listed for damp locations. Surface-mounted electrical boxes must be raintight/weatherproof, and low-voltage lighting systems must be listed by an approved testing agency. Switches controlling pool or spa lights or pumps must be located at least 5 feet from the outside walls of the pool or spa unless separated by a wall.
What is the code for weather-resistant receptacles?
NEC 406. 9(B) is a regulation that mandates the use of weatherproof enclosures for receptacles installed in wet locations. These enclosures must be designed to prevent water from tracking down the cord and entering the receptacle. Common types of enclosures for wet locations include outlet box hoods, power pedestals, and listed power outlets. The 2017 NEC® revised text outlines that only the outlet box hood must be identified as “extra-duty” to ensure the cover is strong enough to stay on. Installing an outlet box hood is insufficient if it breaks off after the first use. Using the right enclosure ensures that water doesn’t track down the cord and enters the receptacle.
What is the code requirements for receptacles?
In order to ensure the safety and functionality of living areas and dining rooms, it is essential to provide wall receptacles that are 12 feet apart, 2 feet wide, and situated on a separate 20-amp circuit. This is necessary to accommodate the use of appliances such as microwaves and window air conditioners, as well as to ensure the availability of dedicated circuits for outlets.
How many amps for an exterior outlet?
In order to run a cable, it is essential to ensure that the gauge wire is compatible with the circuit load. In most cases, this will be a 12/2 wire on a 20 Amp circuit. The cable should be pulled through the outdoor opening until it reaches a length of approximately 12 inches.
How many watts is a standard outdoor outlet?
The American 15-amp 120-volt receptacle is rated at 1800 watts. However, for a continuous load, the National Electrical Code (NEC) stipulates a reduction to 80 watts, resulting in a maximum of 1440 watts.
What are the requirements for weather resistant receptacles?
It is imperative that all non-locking receptacles installed in environments with high moisture levels or humidity be constructed with weather-resistant materials.
How many amps is a residential outlet?
Household wiring emits 120 volts, allowing circuits to carry 15 to 20 amps. Electrical outlets are rated based on amperage, with 15-amp outlets using 14-gauge wire and 20-amp outlets using 12-gauge wire. Most outlets are duplex-style, featuring two outlets. The 20-amp outlet has a T-shaped prong, while the 15-amp outlet has two straight slats. Both outlets have a ground pin to stabilize the plug. Choose from various options to find your new pop-up outlet.
What is the rule for outlets?
The electrical code is a set of guidelines that dictates how electrical systems should be installed, with most local residential codes based on the National Electrical Code (NEC). The code specifies how outlets should be spaced and which types of outlets to use in various locations, such as living areas, bathrooms, and kitchens. It is practical and helps do-it-yourselfers understand and wire their homes correctly.
For example, in kitchens, countertop outlets should be no farther than 48 inches away from each other, based on the average length of electrical cord found on most small appliances. This spacing is intended to prevent homeowners from stretching cords too far and creating hazards.
Do houses use 15 or 20 amp outlets?
15 amp outlets are cost-efficient and suitable for most everyday products, but they may be necessary in certain situations, such as for powerful kitchen equipment like refrigerators or electric stoves. These devices cannot run off the power provided by a 15 amp outlet. When constructing a new home, renovating, or seeking electrical services, it is crucial to consider the electrical outlet requirements.
Ensure that your kitchen has enough 20 amp outlets near the devices that require them, and in other rooms that contain such devices. Be aware of the devices you plan to install in your home and their power requirements before planning an electrical outlet installation project.
Are outdoor outlets 15 or 20 amp?
In accordance with the National Electrical Code, weather-resistant outlets are required for use in damp or wet areas, including patios, decks, and pools. These outlets must be constructed from UV-stabilized thermoplastic and corrosion-resistant materials.
Can outside receptacles be on a 15 amp circuit?
The revised code language now allows outdoor receptacles at the front and rear of a dwelling unit to be accessible from grade level, as long as they are not more than 6. 5 ft. above grade level. This means that a receptacle located up a few steps on the front porch can serve as both the porch receptacle required in 210. 52(E) and the receptacle required to serve the front of the dwelling. This eliminates the need to install an additional receptacle at the front or rear of the dwelling, as long as the porch or deck receptacle is not more than 6. 5 ft. above grade level.
📹 Won’t These Melt?!? 15amp Receptacles on 20 amp Circuits!!!
In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin digs into some of the reasons WHY we are allowed to install 15a devices on 20a rated …
One of the other common causes of melted receptacles is old/worn out ones. If you look at the data sheet (and there is one if it is UL rated) there is a spec that states the amount of times the plug can be connected and disconnected and still maintain the contact pressure for that current. There is actually a tester for the insertion and removal force of a receptacle. If the force holding the connection is weak it will not matter if the plug is rated for 15 or 20 amps it is going to get warm if there is a loose connection. (either on the user side, or the terminal side).
Spec / commercial grade receptacles are basically identical beneath the cover. In fact, up until recently, Leviton 15a spec grade even had the hardware for a horizontal neutral, but it was covered by the 15a configuration. The real difference is between those cheap, 15a residential receptacles vs spec grade ones. Best rule of thumb: Don’t buy receptacles that have the ability to be back stabbed, and you will be buying a receptacle that is rated for 20a, regardless of the NEMA plug configuration. If the receptacle can only be side or back wired (not back stabbed), then it is of better quality.
Great summary. One addon, hospital=grade receps are much better than commercial grade receps. They cost more, and they’ll never let your NEMA 5-15P go. Thanks for opening the book on YT. I do this for my own houses (DIY) and NEMA and NEC are not dirty words. If more people were advised of what the code is, where to find it, and how to make use of it, we’d all be safer from melting receps, fire, etc. and more importantly things would work forever. I said it once.. but it bears repeating GREAT SUMMARY and THANK YOU. If you read your comments daily — have a great weekend. Trades that study for years and share their knowledge… are a gosend to the rest.
I bought an older 1960’s house back in 2003 and had to gut it and redo many things. We found several DIY issues that could have burnt the house down. My son and I replaced all fixtures and switches and the little shop off the carport was so bad I actually got scared after finding wires just taped together in insulation, no box covering them. Thanks for your article. Now I know how to set up my new shop.
Personally, I put 12 ga romex as the minimum and use 15 amp breakers and receptacles Rather have the breaker pop than have a melt down inside a wall. This also takes care of receptacles. Been doing that way for over 40 years. Have wired many structure without a wire-fire. This also helps with loose connections here and there throughout the circuit as well, although not a fail safe. More to your point is use of slide in connections at the receptacle rather than using the screw terminals is more likely to melt plastic, especially after that connection has been heated once or twice. Let’s be real here. The entire electric code allows use of some pretty scary stuff. Hard wiring is always better than receptacles and I realize not everything can be wired that way. Receptacles are basically a compromise from the git-go.
I remember when I took my electrical license test. I failed that ish twice,but with perseverance (and my contribution to PSI) passed with an 83 on my third attempt. You need a 75 to pass. I believe it still has a stupid fail rate at 70%. 13 years later,Watching this brings back memories on how the code book is written. It’s so open to different interpretations people can(shall?) get away with the bare minimum. Awesome insight and break down of this particular matter. Cheers
As a residential electrician of 35 years I’ve always liked to meet with homeowners at the jobs items to go over and lay out what they want in each room of the house! I ask alot of questions, like how do you envision using this room or do you envision adding something in the future! I can wire things in ways that make it easily adaptable to make the changes or additions by means of methods of wiring or just simple accessible junction boxes! I let them know that it’s easier to do it in the rough or can be done so it’s easier later! I also give to options of how I can make things work AKA switching lites, recepts, photocells, timers,etc! I’ve also on huge custom homes mostly were pricing allows more flexibility, I’ve pigtailed each receptacle so a load on circuit isn’t pulling thru the device! It’s take more time to do them that way but feel it’s a better job when possible! I’ve always been a perfectionist when it comes to my work, sometimes too much I think! I’ve always tried to be a quality electrician not a quantity electrician!
When I was an electrical contractor in the Chicago area I actually did a job at Argonne National Labratory which is located in Downers Grove Illinois a suburb southwest of Chicago. The lab actually had a machine that you could introduce simulated amps on a wire of your choice. We took a piece of #12 stranded and we wanted to see how many amps it would take to melt the insulation on the wire. When the Thhn insulation melted the reading was at 230 amps. It’s really a stretch to say that using a 20 amp breaker on #14 Thhn wire is a hazard, especially if the wire is in a conduit.
Hey for all you people out there saying that the receptacle configuration is different you are right but what the guy is saying is that some things drawn more than what the 15 amps receptacle is rated for and you can also add other plugs even though it doesn’t have that sideways blade doesn’t mean that it won’t draw more ampers than what that actual outlet is worth on that particular circuit if the outlet fails the circuit will not trip and could start a fire just like trying to pull a truck with a little small car that car will pull it but at what cost to the transmission transmission being the outlet basically the end outlet of the circuit is too small the circuit is strong so the outlet is going to fail that’s where you’re going to start the fire because the breaker won’t trip common sense to us electrician types I’m not an electrician I’m just a jack of all trades but I do understand electricity and the article guy is right you cannot do what people are doing even though code says but we all know how that goes y’all be safe and please don’t start fires if you’re wire is warm or your wall is warm you need to chill ☺️
The problem is with receptacles that are older and have lots of plug/unplug cycles which causes the internal contacts to weaken and spread which then causes the resistance at the contact points to rise. When resistance is increased at a specific point, excessive heat is generated at that point/ junction leading to melting and fires. Usually not much material difference between 15A and 20A devices.
I think replacing worn receptacles should really be more of a priority. I’ve seen so many old, loose receptacles melt that I figure they are one of the most common cause of fires. Also, I replaced the old receptacles in the rent house I’m living in and found wires melted about two inches back from the terminals.
I am very late to this website, However, I love it and have found it to be VERY informative to my electrical knowledge. Very much looking for feedback regarding a house just purchased that is in the 70’s. Most of the circuits are 20 amp (Common circuits you would basically find in living rooms etc that would be 15 amps (14/2) min code today. AND YES THE WIRING IS SO JANKY COMPARED TO WHAT I KNOW OMG) Is it safe to add 14/2 pig tails to 12/2 in common areas to fit common plug circuits? Loads you know are not going to draw that type of power? Thank you for your assistance. If not what are the reasons for not using them?
Question: Using both terminal screws of the outlet to continue your circuit is allowed by the NEC. Yet an overdraw can cause the tabs connecting those points to weaken over time and cause arcing… My question would be why doesnt the NEC require splicing behind outlets and only allow 1 white and 1 black to a receptacle unless that receptacle had the tabs broken for a switch controller?
Receptacle tension tester: I’m surprised at the new now required childproof receptacles and the ones I had been purchasing once you get the plug into the receptacle there seems to less gripping tension than a standard receptacle. I Ohme’ed out the connection between plug and receptacle and found a measurable resistance, and zero resistance in the better grade receptacles. One of these days I’m going to purchase a receptacle tension tester as I believe that’s where the majority of failed receptacles lies.
Dustin, can’t thank you enough bro for these vids, all the work you do, and particularly your obsessive commitment to doing it right, safe, and clean. As a paramedic and ER nurse I’ve seen some hellacious injuries from electricity over the years whether from lightning strike or just shitty unsafe habits. I grew up with my dad teaching me general DIY skills, but always emphasizing the line between being honest about your limitations ansd calling a professional. I’vee always been a little obsessed with electricity and this website lets me secretly nerdout, but this article majorly helped me out over a head scratcher. I had no idea breakers had 2 different methods by which they can trip. This was a serious light bulb moment. Anyway man, thanks for all this incredible content: liked, subscribed, dingy belled etc. This shit is gold and inspiring, damn, thinking about a new career at 48. Keep it up.
Based on research and then taking apart a 15 and a 20 amp receptacle, both Eaton brand, had same thickness internal contacts. Even the 15 amp two prong type for replacement use in pre-1962 homes with no means of grounding available, resembles your standard 15 amp, except the ground slot is covered over. The faceplate bonded to the receptacle determines the NEMA configuration. Makes sense from a manufacturing standpoint The idea is to assume the homeowner doesn’t know what he or she is doing. An appliance that draws close to 20 amps will have a vertical hot prong and a horizontal neutral prong, making it impossible to plug into a 15 amp receptacle. This is to protect the circuit from an overload and the equipment from excessive voltage drop. 120 volt 20 amps plugs are rare, so in most cases 20 amp receptacles are installed on 20 amp circuits as a convenience factor, to let the user know at a glance, that it’s a 20 amp circuit
I was doing some reno work in my kitchen and had a mysterious 3-way light switch with tape over it. Later discovered it was working in tandem with a power kill switch in the garage. Ok…? It was a regular 3way 15amp light switch on a 20amp circuit. Inside of the garage, there was a non GFI outlet from the 70s that all of the power was flowing through. When I removed this outlet, the back was melted and the outlet was only rated for 7 amps! Oh and the traveler used for that 3way switch was actually the unshielded ground wire….hence the crazy voltage drop in the garage when I’d flip the switches in a different orientation. I was also consistently running 10-12 amp loads off the outlets in the garage. I replaced the entire circuit from the main panel, all the way out(underground) to the garage with new 12ga wiring. Removed the 3way switches and instead installed new 20a gfci outlets. Removed the 3way switch in the kitchen and swapped out its 4 gang box with a 3gang box. Now my RV’s surge protection system no longer complains about ground faults or voltage drops on the garage circuits. 3rd time I’ve saved our home from a potential electrical fire from some 20-40yr old botched DIY work. Knowledge is power folks
I’m going to save you roughly eleven minutes of your life. That’s a 15 amp duplex receptacle. Meaning there are two 15 amp receptacles ganged together by jumpers. A 20 amp circuit may safely serve two or more 15 amp receptacles that are in good condition. The internals of 15 and 20 amp receptacles are typically identical; only the face plate is changed to make for a more efficient manufacturing process.
The article left out the MAIN reason for the distinction between 15A and 20A receptacles. The difference in the receptacles is that a 20A receptacle will allow a plug with one blade turned sideways. A 15A receptacle will not. When a plug has one blade sideways, that means it’s an appliance that draws a lot of current, so much so that you can only run it on a 20A circuit. Any 15A duplex receptacle legally on the market will be built robust enough that you could plug in two 10A loads and not have any problems.
Excellent article…. yes i am definitely learning a lot…… question….. if a home owner has a small shop in their basement … with say a large bench having 4 machines plugged into a power strip that is connected to a single receptacle above it that has a porcelain fixture and light bulb connected 15 other lights in the basement…. that all are on when basement is in use. How much is that load on the circuit and is it dangerous?
Great advice – a couple of thoughts tangental to the discussion. Spend the extra money and get high quality outlets – the 89 cent outlets are not the way to go. Consider Hospital grade outlets (15 or 20 amp depending on wiring/breaker) and you will never ever have to replace again . Furthermore, the plug will never pull out of the wall – just look at the specs on these outlets. Do it once, spend a little more and never go back knowing you and your family safe and sound. Does a extra 4 bucks make you sleep well at night, I know it does for me, but then again thats my opinion. Cheers!
Most skill saws, air compressors, and combined kitchen appliances in the same outlet/circuit are over the 12 amp rating. Also individual duplex circuits load can be altered if the receptacle is dual wired and the fuse link is removed between the contact plates of the receptacle during install. I have done this to solve issues with kitchen appliances by feeding dual runs of 14 and for shop/garage outlets that are expected to run heavier loads. Also if the main box is in the house and the distance to garage is longer larger wire is required. I have seen to long of single 12/14g runs to garages. I like to run 2 runs of 12 on those length issues and split the receptacle it lands in this allows you to know and label that air compressor should go on that outlet exactly and share only the lighting then take the other run to other outlets. Funny that its usually the closest to the door or garage door that air compressor/pressure washers/vacuums get plugged into while bench devices well obviously most do a multiout and stack the hell out of devices so always try and double runs to break the shop loads up please. The code book leaves some to be desired here no doubt.. im not an electrician but common sense can go a long way to bad no one has any anymore.
Other things that can cause heating of a receptacle include: 1. Oxidation over time. 2. Loose / worn receptacle; the internal contacts don’t make good solid contact any more. Maybe cords got yanked sideways a lot, levering contacts apart: someone trips on a cord, or it’s not quite long enough. 3. Paint: painters don’t always mask outlets. 4. Dirty plugs (dropped in goo, shaken off), other contamination. 5. Spray cleaners (saw someone spray cleaner into a $50 electronic dimmer once; killed it). 6. Plugging things in that have capacitors or are big loads: arcing. Sometimes I think the amazing thing is that outlets DON’T catch fire more often!
The single outlet circuit concept can make a home much much safer, especially when we are talking old existing houses. Many cases where homeowners can’t afford a total rewire or landlords don’t want to invest that much we just run a circuit with one receptacle to each bedroom livingroom and kitchen usually near the window so then there is a safe outlet for A/C in the summer and space heaters in the winter.
@9:30 ~ “My rule is generally I put 20a receptacles on a 20a circuit…” The issue that you did not address is the NEMA rating of the receptacle. The NEMA 15A receptacle configuration helps to ensure that ONLY a maximum cord connected load of 15A is plugged in to that 15A receptacle; which helps to allow for forced compliance of the Codes you cited regarding the 80% loading. Putting a 20A receptacle on a 20A circuit will allow for the connection of a 20A load on the 20A circuit. IF another 20A load is connected to another receptacle which has a 20A NEMA rating, THEN the overloading of the circuit is extremely likely. Utilizing receptacle with a NEMA configuration of 15A, is safer and makes it less likely for the above scenario.
as a norwegian electrician this is kinda unheard of the “weakest” part of any circuit is always the fuse, so for instance if i have a 15A fuse, the next link should be able to handle more than 15A for x amount of time. we call them i2 and i5 ratings. and in our code we always have in our mind that the customer/owner of the building have no clue about it so we always have to think worst case scenario. but that is the difference from country tho. fun to watch and see how other countries codes
Yep.. Had to check this out because I’m not a advanced electrician but recently wired up my new music room with 20 amp breakers and UF B wire with 20 AMP outlet’s on a 5 plug run and now I feel like I did the right thing since I just use a couple amps to play guitars and a DJ system on it’s own run.. Thanks..
The way I read the code is if you have a 20a circuit and a simplex receptacle, it must be rated at 20a. But a duplex receptacle, even if it is the only device on a 20a circuit, may be rated for 15a because there are two outlets on that device. Therein lies the trap for that device. It may inadvertantly be overloaded by two high amp draw power consumers.
I occasionally run into the scorched outlets in bedrooms and finished basements from more than one electric heater. The most common location I find scorched outlets is where a homeowner has connected a microwave oven and a toaster oven to the same 15amp duplex receptacle. I must say, though, it’s much less common than it used to be due to appliances becoming more efficient.
Rule of thumb don’t always trust the codes!!! If it says you can use 15 or 20 amp receptacles on a 20 amp line/breaker then just stick with 20 amps receptacles!!. Code also says that the backstabs on receptacles are also allowed and up to code, yet they tend to come loose and can cause a fire in which you should always make sure the wires are screwed into the receptacles period! Also as pup seen this in the past. Pup has seen a mixture of 15 amps wires (14awg) and 20 amp wires(12 awg) on a 15 amp breaker and a 20 amp breaker. So what pup does is simple. As long as everything on that circuit say is 20 amps then use a 20 amp breaker. If you have anything that is 15 amps then use a 15 amp breaker. Never ever install anything that is rated lower then what the breaker is. Also if the wire/circuit has a mixture of 15 amps (14 awg) or 20 amps( 12awg) then make sure a 15 amp breaker is installed or have the wires/line replaced with either all 14 or 12 gauge wires with their breaker respectfully installed on that wire/line
So I thought the only difference between 15 and 20 amp receptacles was the 20 amp had the horizontal and vertical prong hole on the neutral. I even tore apart 2 cheap receptacles in school and the internals looked identical. I mean I didn’t use a caliper to measure the thickness but I swear they were the exact same. All of the burnt up receptacles that I have changed were either a melted wire arcing on the box or a beat ass hole from misuse or just old. Lol. But I have noticed higher quality receptacles in 20 amp being much more heavy duty.
Code cites a lot of things that are end-user limitations and guidelines. The logical reason for a 15 amp outlet is so that people can’t connect a load that has a 20 amp plug. There’s no way to prevent overloading a circuit when consumers connect multiple devices, or exceed an outlet’s rating by adding outlet multipliers and multi-outlet extension cords. The way homeowners know that they’ve exceeded a circuits capacity is when they have to reset the breaker twice to finish vacuuming the living room 🙂
It’s been my understanding that a 15A and a 20A receptacle have the same exact internals, at least when using a reputable brand. The only difference in a 20A receptacle is the addition of the horizontal slot (in USA) and it is the responsibility of the manufacturer of a product that is likely to draw loads exceeding 12A to give it a plug with one of the prongs oriented horizontally, as to be impossible to plug into a 15A receptacle.
I recently found your website. I’m not an electrician. However I do all my basic home wiring. I have learned a ton of useful information from you and the comments you receive. One thing that keeps coming back to me is how I’ve managed not to kill myself, anybody else or burn a house down over the years. I’m doing things much safer now and always try to do the job the way a skilled electrician would. I very much appreciate the effort you and others like you put forth to educate those of us that aren’t electricians. Cheers
I have always been under the impression that it comes down to the plug style. A 15 amp receptacle has 2 verticle stabs. Any device you plug in is only going to draw a maximum of 15 amps. A 20 amp device has 1 verticle and 1 horizontal stab. It is physically impossible to plug a device that draws 20 amps into a receptacle that is rated for 15 amps. Therefore, even though the circuit is rated for 20 amps, a 15 amp receptacle will only physically have devices plugged in that draw 15 amps or less. In my experience, most devices I see that are burnt is due to a loose connection in either the wiring of the receptacle or loose stabs that make the plug connection loose. Im not so sure its an amperage draw issue.
Most people do not look at the UL rating and calculate the amperage of a load. They just plug and go. I have seen people opt for 12/2 for this reason over 14/2 wire just to overkill. I assume it’s overkill as I’m not a electrician. Is it possible overload a branch circuit 12/2 wire with devices? Wouldn’t that trip the breaker?
When I wired up my garage a few years ago, all the outlets had to be tamper-resistant (per the inspector). HD only had the tamper-resistant outlets in 15amp, so I installed those. After I passed inspection, I ripped them all out and put in 20amp non-tamper-resistant outlets because I really hate the tamper resistant outlets.
The more I learn about it the more cooked north American electrical seems to be. I’ve got 2 dedicated 15 amp 240V circuits in my carport on 25amp breakers and I can run them at 20 amps all day long and they won’t melt and at 25 amps it can run for ages before tripping and the socket is hot but no where near melting. All the 10 amp 240V sockets are on 15 or 20 amp breakers and the 10 amp outlets in my server room run at 12 amps all the time and they don’t even get hot. 15 and 10amp plugs in Aus are the same except for the 15 amp plug having a much larger grounding pin.
The important thing is never to use a 20a receptacle on a 15a circuit. A 20a receptacle on a 15a circuit will allow the user to plug in a 20a appliance (with the one horizontal blade). The 15a receptacle will prevent a user from plugging in a 20a appliance. It probably has little to do with the robustness of the receptacles.
These articles are useful for everyone, including people who never do electrical work. How much time is spent trying to explain these concepts to someone who knows nothing? An educated person is a good consumer. Why do people watch “Sixteen and Pregnant,” “The View,” and other crap TV, when they could watch a great informative article?
As I understand it, as illustrated on the Technology Connection website; the cord set will be far lighter than 14 or 12 gauge that is in the wall… thus you will not trip the breaker, since the breaker is protecting what is behind it, not what is outside the wall….like 24 gauge extension cords. The normal breaker protects what is in the wall, not what is outside of it. Even better, cord sets and extension coreds have no fuses…EXCEPT for x-mas light strings. Fused in the plug, to protect the lighter circuit outside of the wall.
I had to comment and thank you for this. As a second year electrician apprentice I read the code book and it’s a great way to fall asleep if I’m just reading it. This content helps put the why behind the code and real world applications so it’s easier to digest. I really love these simple explanations for NEC and how it applies to the real world.
NEC code, 15 amp outlet 15 amp breaker, basic knowledge to know, as a retired commercial / industrial electrician I installed all 20 amp spec grade receptacles in my house and made sure amp loads was down to safe measurements. Do your homework before doing the work, do not rely on lowes or home depot workers.
What will it take to build out a code and standard for DC outlets at 5V 90Amp using type C and one for 12V 150Amp for general appliances. with more houses going solar and the increased usage of LED lights that have to convert AC to DC in their housing. now should be the time where we start to build out DC Codes and standards.
A 15a outlet on a 20 amp breaker ? Depends on where & how the plugs are wired, Kit / bath VS an attic plug using pig tails or in series. If in series the 1st piug on the circuit may take the load of the entire line. To much room for error. We had an older home that had a 15a breaker on a standard dedicated plug (B4 GFI’s were code in a bath). We installed a 15a wall mount GFI. The GFI kept tripping w/ the use of a blow dryer on any setting. Ground & polarity all tested good. Nothing got hot, breaker never tripped, no burning smell, etc…. We installed a 20a GFI and the problem went away. UL rated or not, most 15a devices are just to cheap to push the limits of safety.
Does ElectricianU have a article on MOP and MCA when specifically referencing heat pumps and air conditioners? In HVAC we need to use the manufacturers data plate maximum overcurrent protection (MOP) for the breaker size. And we need to use at least the minimum circuit amperage (MCA) for the wire size. This often is counter intuitive, example 50 amp breaker on a #8 wire (40 amp rated in residential). During the covid breaker shortage we were forced to use breakers that were sometimes 5 amps less than the MOP when it was hard to find say a 45amp square d QO. However these would fail inspection if we weren’t able to get back in time to replace the breaker. Being an HVAC tech it seems odd to me that this condition is not only allowed but required. I’m often replacing melted wiring in the disconnect, at the breaker and or in the outdoor unit because the capacitor failed and the compressor is pulling LRA, overheating, pulling LRA, overheating, pulling LRA, etc etc. because the it’s overheating faster than the breaker can trip on its minimum circuit wiring.
With modern home wiring that mandates an outlet every 6 feet there’s less of a chance that any given outlet will have too many high-draw devices plugged into it, so I imagine that this is one of the reasons that’s both ok and safe to install 15A outlets on a 20A circuit, since the total load will be distributed across multiple outlets, none of which should have more than 10-12A drawn from them. Well that’s the theory, at least. In reality many people probably tend to overload one outlet using outlet extenders, power strips and extension cords, because it happens to be slightly closer to their devices than nearby outlets, or isn’t covered by a sofa or desk and such. All the more so in older structures where there isn’t an outlet every 6 feet. Which is why maybe it might be a good idea to install 20A outlets even though code only requires 15A ones. Are there 20A-rated outlets that don’t use horizontal “T” openings and thus look like 15A outlets, which would have the advantage of being able to handle 5 more amps while not encouraging people to overload them even more because they won’t as easily know that they’re 20A outlets? But in my experience the real danger lies in cheap, underrated and poorly-made outlet extenders, power strips and extension cords, which make it vastly more likely that any given outlet will be overloaded, and extending the potential point of failure beyond the outlet itself, to say under a sofa or other combustible object. But how to stop people from buying and using these things, and overloading them?
I was “told” that the reason you do not install 20 amp outlets in a 20 amp circuit is because the cord allows you to plug in a 20 amp device. Therefore maxing out the circuit with one device. I was “told” that a 20 amp outlet in a 20 amp circuit must be on its own breaker with one plug. I live in MI. I would appreciate the advice! Thanks so much. Very confusing.
We have many of these issues. It is permissible to have many 10A power points on a single 15A ( 240V) circuit ( I think it is 14 of them). I had to fight with the electrician to get some new circuits put in. The trouble is that if current is drawn through ALL of the points it is easy to overload the system. And that circuit breaker won’t trip until you are WELL over the rating. A 15 Amp device requires a different power point. The metal is no heavier but the power point must be installed as one point only on the circuit so that it guarantees no one else can be using power of that circuit. You could achieve this manually if you knew what points were on the circuit and made sure that none of the others were in use at the time. However back to those blasted thermal breakers. If people insulate their homes and carelessly cover the wires they do not have air cooling. They overheat even at the rated current. (Similar to using an extension cord that is coiled up). If the breaker doesn’t blow at the rated current then … a house fire due to “electrical fault” is quite possible with extended time overloads. And the circuit breaker won’t trip. Bother.
The bigger issue is sub-dollar receptacles, no matter what the rating. Over time, I’ve replaced every one in the house. Three of them were a bit sparky, showing visible signs of failure. Another very practicle reason to have 20 Amp receptacles on 20 Amp circuit is so that you can visually see what you are plugging into.
15A duplex receptacles can handle a combined total load equivalent to one outlet of either 20A simplex or 20A duplex receptacles. manufacturers save money by using the same metal in the 15A receptacles as in the 20A receptacles. but if an external triplex or similar device is used to overload then you have problems. hopefully it’s just a breaker trip every time. if you do use a 20A breaker, the wiring must be rated for 20A.
when I worked retail, I tried to educate my customers about this…. the best answer to fix this issue is to wire the house with the 12 guage wire, but only use 15 amp breakers in the panel… (futureproofing?) heaters have been one of the major issues with this problems…. and thus causing burned wiring, outlets or even blown splices. I had a customer once who thought he could fix the problem by replacing the breaker with a 30 amp…. I told him, If you want a fire…… people are crazy!
As a residential electrician for many, many years and working at an electrical distributor for several, we had more 20a recep come in melted than 15. The problem is that employees (at a business), renters, or homeowners are gonna overload the recep. no matter if they are 15a or 20a multiple splitters…🤦♂️ That responsibility really falls on the renter or homeowner, not the electrician. It should be practiced that before one can be in a home, rented or bought, they should be required to be educated on certain aspects of home safety. But that will never happen…
Ok in this article it is described the dangers of plugging in space heaters into 15 amp receptacles because of the heat build up in the plug. This is exactly why 15 amp receptacles should be outlawed on a 20 amp circuit period. No exceptions exceptions. I have gone into older homes where iwaa called because it smelled an odd smell or the receptacle fell apart or had black marks. Every time a space heater was involved. Part of the point of having codes is preventinf fires that cost people their homes or their lives. For clarity im talking about only a 20 amp circuit breaker and wiring with 15 amp plugs. We dont know what people are going to plug into outlets. Sometimes we have to protect people from themselves
Got a question. I was always taught that you never use anything in a circuit lighter than the whole circuit was fused or breakered for. So, no #14 wire in a 20 amp circuit. However. when we get into a light fixture we almost always get a small wire, especially the new LED fixtures. So, code must allow this at some level. A lot of switches are just rated for 5 amps. So, can we go to smaller wire after a switch ? Say a 20 amp lighting circuit with #12 for the main run, but going to #14 after each switch to the individual LED fixtures that are only rated to draw 25-50 watts?
Just replaced a 20amp GFCI in my kitchen. The first electrical DIY I’ve ever done besides replacing a switch plate. It was the end of the chain (not sure if that’s what you call the series of receptacles on the circuit and the ground wire was not connected for some reason) I bought a 20amp to replace the one that stopped working and didn’t hook the ground but i did affix the no-ground sticker. Then I realized that the breaker is a 15amp. Is this bad? The microwave is on this receptacle and the toaster and tea kettle are on the previous and we don’t run both because the breaker will trip. Should I replace the receptacles with 15amps or just pay an electrician to replace the breaker with a 20?
The real issue is the quality of build of a 15 amp receptacle. There is a great range of quality. I would have no problem loading a 16 amp load on a 15 amp receptacle, if it was of high quality. Pay more, you will get a higher quality outlet. Instead of looking for a bargain, look for commercial grade. Yes it costs more, but it is way more safe at carrying heavy loads.
I have a question kind of related to this, I have a 15a dedicated circuit for my sump pump which needs to be GFCI protected. I have an old panel that doesn’t accept any new GFCI type breakers so I had to use a GFCI type receptacle to comply with code. The problem was that the receptacle is under my house and realistically if it was to ever to experience a ground fault without tripping the breaker I wouldnt find out until the next time I was in the crawlspace. What I did was replace the GFCI with a standard 15a duplex and put a blank face GFCI upstream on the home run (on the main floor of the house) so I can easily see if my sump pump is getting power. However, I was only able to find a blank face GFCI rated for a 20a circuit so that is what I used (still a 15a breaker for overcurrent protection). I am wondering if this is an electrical code violation since the GFCI wont trip from 15-20a, or if it is okay because its all still protected at the load center. Maybe this would make a good article? Thanks in advance!
ONLY HALF THE PROBLEM! The actual contact resistance rises every insertion of a plug as the cheap and minimal contact design relaxes contact force over time and use. Also rises from oxidation on plug and socket contacts. A space heater or air conditioner load (steady and maximal allowed by NEC 80% rule, enforced by UL if manufacturer obtains a listing) will generate heat at the contact depending on this resistance (I**2 x R), which all new outlets are fine handling, but normally used outlets of a cheap, minimal design variety become loose. Just compare your first insertion of a plug to the 100th insertion of a variety of plugs with different thicknesses and bent prongs! Only AFCI breakers will catch the sparking that occurs during a thermal runaway event. SO, a 20 A outlet DOES have the higher force contacts that likely last longer, but so do the higher grade 15 A receptacles, and they will be less expensive! I also see concerning contact design in the 20 A versions with the T shaped contact that I theorize has only one spring force handling all the thickness of the prong and the horizontal contact being what UL tests for 20A rating. It’s a theory, nut it COULD be that a 20A receptacle performs no better or even less with an appliance all having parallel blades. I wish NEC drove UL standards to include connection performance after simulated lifetime usage. It isn’t the new houses and new appliances that are burning up! The contact force degradation over normal use of the cheap outlets, power strips, and extention cords is shameful!
I use the 20 amp and the 15 amp Outlets strategically. I like to put the 20 amp Outlets in the kitchen, and also in the garage. If it’s an area that is going to have a lamp plugged in or a TV set then a 15 amp outlet is perfectly fine. And I’ll use a 20 amp outlet if I just have reason to believe that they are going to plug something like a space heater or a window air conditioner in, assuming it is a 20 amp circuit.
the breaker protects the wire. I think that’s pretty much what you said in this article anyway. I have taken apart tons of outlets and found plenty of 20A sockets with internals as thin and flimsy as 15A sockets. I have also found several 15A sockets as beefy as a good 20A socket. you get what you pay for.
Holy !@#$. I’m a complete amateur, but I’m shocked. I’m shocked that the code actually puts the safety onus on the end user. The breaker is meant to protect everything in the wall. Except if you under-rate a receptacle for that circuit… uhhh… well let’s just say it’s the user’s fault for going over 12A. I’m actually blown away by how bad and wrong this seems. How could the code be so bad? I always thought it was written in blood and is suuuuuper strict and safe.
Reminds me of a situation that happened to me when I built my house about 25 years ago. In my kitchen I have 6 recessed lights all on one dimmer. The cans are rated for 150W bulbs but my electrician assumed I’d never use more than 75W in any of them. As a result he broke off all the cooling fins on the dimmer to (I’m guessing) make it easier for him to install the dimmer. This reduced the wattage of the switch from 1000W to 600W. I had no idea he did this but I was painting the newly plastered walls and needed all the light I could get so I replaced all the bulbs with a 150W bulbs. While I was painting I happened to glance at the switch I could have sworn the white switch plate was not as white as it should be but shrugged it off as being my eyes. Continued painting and about 30 minutes later happened to glance at it again and this time there was no question that the switch plate was discolored. Touched it and realized it was hot, very hot. I shut the lights off and pulled the dimmer out. Thing had badly melted to the point where another half hour and I probably would have had a fire in the wall. Would have loved explaining to my insurance company how my still not quite finished house burnt down.
Question: Looking at that table, why would a 20 amp receptacle not be allowed on a 15 A circuit? I ask because in my basement I did that with an obscure outlet behind my water heater because I had an extra 20A receptacle laying around. I only have a box from my internet provider plugged into it. Should I put a 15A receptacle there, or will it be fine? It’s GFCI protected if that means anything.
The original reason for circuit breaker size was to protect the load side house wiring. But the code is not yet perfect and requires revision on a regular basis. The greatest risk now is with a 240 VAC Subfeed to your residential garage so as to recharge an electric vehicle. The cheaper 240 VAC receptacles will frequently overheat and even catch on fire. On higher power systems the protection devices are far more complex such that TCC time current curves need to be determined because a simple current fuse is inadequate for instantaneous current overloads that can cause arc flash. And that is why I had to learn to use ETAP to adequately design MCCs.
Yes NEMA 5–15R 15 amp receptacle OR 5–20R can be used as long as there are two or more duplex outlets not for a dedicated single 20 amp load. Remember that the ampacity of the wire needs to be suitable for 20 amp if a 20 amp breaker is used in either case Therefore use #12 CU. Larger in rare cases if it’s a long run. Branch wire size / breaker rating coordination is to protect the wire NOT the appliance. That’s why appliances that need over current protection have an internal fuse like microwave ovens. How does this work out? If an appliance actually needs a 20 amp circuit the neutral plug blade is rotated 90 degrees. That prevents plugging in a 20 amp appliance into 15 amp underrated branch circuit with #14 wire. Note that 5-15R and 5-20R receptacles are both 125 volt rated.
Only time that it would be a problem if you installed a single ( not the common duplex ) 25 amp receptacle for general use on a 20 amp breaker. You are allowed to install a single 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp breaker for a motor that might draw light inrush current on start up that would trip a 15 amp breaker. Examples would be an air compressor or some air conditioners. Waste of time to spend extra money for ANY 20 amp duplex receptacles outside of a large window air conditioner. Outside of the some what rare 20 amp male plug on a window air conditioner you will never see a 20 amp plug in a house.( Maybe a extra heavy duty circular shop saw ).
If you have a Tesla at home and you are not going to pay to put in a 220 plug, you can buy a 15 amp or a different 20 amp charger from Tesla. The 15 amp one looks like a regular 110 plug with a three prongs. The 20 amp one also has a three prong plug but they are one upright and the second is sideways. So, I’m not saying I did this . . . But you go to Home Depot and buy one of those up/down and sideways style 110 recepticals and just change the receptacle. Would that person have done something bad?? Just asking 👍👍 😇
You must not be familiar with UL requirements. A 15amp receptacle is required to be rated for 20amp pass through. A 15amp GFCI is required that the internal contacts be rated for 20amp. A 15amp receptacle is not weaker than a 20amp because it has been designed and listed for use on 20amp circuits. The difference between a residential grade 15 and 20 amp receptacle is the face configuration. If you plug 2 12amp space heaters in a 20amp duplex receptacle you will have the same problem as you will with a 15amp. Why do 20 amp cost so much more? I would guess when you manufacture 1000 15amp for every 20amp receptacle, the cost go down. The reason receptacles burn up I have always found to be due to poor connection. Loose screw on wire, stab lock connections, loose fitting plug or dirty connection. These problems may not be visible until you plug a high draw device into the circuit/receptacle.
What if you have special requirements when you need larger loads for certain areas of the home, and someone is paying good money to have them installed. Kitchens and Bathrooms for example need higher rating outlets, though you probably shouldn’t have outlets in the bathroom anyway because water and such, but besides that, running appliances like hair drier can draw a lot of power, and then you have electrical cookers that can draw a lot of power also for heating elements, and you have a fridge, a microwave, and that expensive $500 smoothie blender you’ve always wanted, and you’re running all of them at once.
Hahaha wow it surprises me how time flies, i remember your articles in your garage and if at some point you used be scared of the camera, well now you dont for sure, yo seem more relaxed more natural more you and i like, you are pro! You are nailing it, congratulations, haha it all comes down to the feria! That was funny
I have seen some older server rooms with a 15 amp recepticle on a 30 amp circuit. These are specificaly non duplex. They have a C on them. These are called cardinal recepticles. They have a night light plugged into them. I asked a guy who managed servers since the 70s. Just a quick way to tell if the circuit has power.
Ok I am so confused… electrical has always been my downfall Don’t know if you have a article already But I’m trying to understand … take one wall unit that has two outlets on it, does the whole unit have a rating or do both outlets have a certain rating? What’s the max you should plung in? If I have a power strip how does that effect it? And how do I calculate all lights and power being drawn from each socket? If I have three bulbs that are 50w bulbs is that 150w being drawn from that one outlet??? Is it being drawn from whole unit or just that one plug in???? This is probably confusing I kno what I’m trying to ask Just don’t kno terminology so … Any help is appreciated
Although obviously common and not a code violation, I have never liked the idea of using 15 amp receptacles on 20 amp circuits. Although it’s not likely to ever be an issue if common sense is used, that’s something we obviously can’t count on. In my opinion, the circuit breaker should protect EVERY part of the building’s electrical system from overloads regardless of what loads someone plugs into the receptacles.
It seems to me that any electrical code which relies on the consumer being aware of and following such restrictions is fundamentally flawed. Where I live in the UK, we have sockets (receptacles) that are commonly on 32A/240V circuits, and even being on a 40A circuit is possible. However, the plugs are rated to 13A, and all plugs are fitted with a fuse, which is rated to suit the device and its connecting cord. Thus a space heater will have been fitted with a 13A fuse, a table lamp with a 3A fuse. For some time, these have had to be pre-fitted by appliance manufacturers. Fuses also have to be fitted to adapters and power strips. Thus it’s not possible to overload the actual plug/socket connection as there is no fuse above 13A available to fit the plugs. So people can try plugging two 3kW space heaters into an adapter, and all it will do is blow the fuse. You can also daisy-chain power strips to your hearts content, and never draw more than that 13A current from the outlet (to be accurate, you might for a while as fuses, like breakers, do not pop immediately if subject to a mild overload, but the system is engineered to cope with that). The YouTuber website, technology connections, has a good rant about this problem, especially with power strips.
Putting a device load that’s suitable for a 20A branch into a 15A receptacle is not going to melt the receptacle. 15A receptacles are listed to pass through 20A from one pair of terminals to another so that they can be used in 20A branches. There’s a minor difference between the two in the faceplate and the extra horizontal contacts on the Hot terminal of the 20A. The whole reason for the difference between the two is so that utilization equipment with NEMA 5-20 plugs cannot be used on a 15A branch, by not permitting 20A receptacles on 15A branches (I’ve only ever seen one piece if equipment with a 5-20 plug, for a commercial kitchen). 15A receptacles are seen melting because they’re the ones used almost exclusively in dwellings, and the common reason is mechanical fatigue in the contacts leading to high resistance connections. I see this most often in hallways, since that it where people plug in vacuum cleaners, and people are lazy and just yank on the cord to unplug it. That receptacle next to the night stand that had a lamp plugged into it years ago and has never been disturbed since has a much easier life.
all of this was over my head. lets say i have all 20 amps in my breaker box, and i have all 20 amps(i guess those are the outlets with the sideways T?) outlets throughout the house(except for obvious features like dryer, waterheater, stove, things like that), will it damage anything i have plugged into the walls, such as but not limited to: tv’s, game consoles, toaster ovens(i prefer to cook with those over the full size oven, less power, faster, no preheating), table saws, internet router, a home oxygen thing if one might end up needed one day? or should one just stay with 15 amp breakers and outlets?
All the code is really saying is that it is expected that the total current load on the breaker would be no greater than 20;Amps. That generally would indicate that each receptacle would be carrying no greater than 3 amps each based upon that code permits a maximum of 6 receptacles per circuit. Therefore a 15 Amp receptacle would be overrated for a 3 amp load, by a factor of 5. The code cannot anticipate a receptacle being used for a 1800 watt load ( space heater ) along with other loads combined.
The amp rating only matters with what is plugged into it, the draw. That is why receptacles have different plug designs to prevent big draw appliances and tools from being plugged into a circuit or receptacle that can’t handle the draw. If you have 20am circuits, just put a 20amp receptacle on that circuit, don’t screw around.
The problem I have seen is portable heaters that are on high and thermostat is on max. The load is about 12 amps and is pretty much max for any outlet. 15 or 20 Amp does not matter. Eventually over time it gets loose and over heats the receptacle. You can touch the breaker, it will be hot too. Milk house heaters are dangerous and I have heard of many a house fire and more so in trailer houses that run out of propane burn to the ground. Some of which still have aluminum wires.
I’m going to say thank you for this. I think you just explained what is going on. I have a group of plugs in one room that got hot and quit working. I had a total of 1500w of draw on a pair of the plugs and it appears there are 4 plugs in the circuit. Everything is unplugged right now and the plan is to find the breaker on sat, identify the rating of the breaker, and replace all the plugs. I’m willing to bet they are 15 amp plugs and the 12.5a draw at the end of the circuit is what caused the issue. The real question is whether it is a 15 amp breaker or a 20 amp one. Ill add check the gauge of the wiring to see if I can up the amp rating of the breaker as well to my list of checks.
Any sparky’s know why this would happen?: 20a breaker stopped working, took it off panel and the prongs were starting to melt. House is old with all 14 ga wiring, so I put a 15a on instead (on a different spot in the panel). Also, lights would flicker pretty bad before this, and I thought it was because of neutrals not being bonded to the bus bar, and I tightened everything up, but that never did anything. After replacing the breaker with a 15a it’s stopped. I rent and have been trying to get my landlord to look into this issue for forever. I had to take this one into my own hands but I’m sure theres something that needs to be checked out by a certified electrician or POCO. The house doesn’t have a mast and wires from power line go directly to the house for one
Hey Dustin – I’ll keep this ‘SHORT’ (git’it?!?) . . . I thoroughly understood and enjoyed your humorous-detailed explanation on the ‘CODE’. I am that ‘Mr. Homeowner’ you mentioned, but NTL been cautiously fascinated with general electricity, amps, circuits and loads! I just wanted to say thanks!! Terrific work!
I rewired my house garage is all 20A GFCI for main outlets, a few in rafters are not GFCI, but also put a plug strip on cieling on GFCI. All the house outlets other than one or two are 20A tamper resistant. 20A GFCI for kitchen/bath. Ran a 50A 120/240V line in garage for welder, etc. Welders I got had cords that had to be updated anyhow were like 30A I just ran a 50A circuit to be safe. New welder cords are 50A though really only need 30A. Got a 30A 120/240 by my bench made adapter for that to go to 50A for my welder or to run welder on generator. I think I have converter too to go from the 50A 120/240 to the 30A 120/240.
Pretty simple reason they do this… Say the outlets in your living room are entirely on one circuit… Your TV draws 2 amps, a floor lamp draws 1, your surround sound 7.5, your computer (connected to the TV for media/gaming) draws 5. Pop goes a 15a breaker every time you turn the lights on. A 20a breaker will handle it, and the outlets will be just fine as long as you don’t plug everything in to the same outlet. This is common sense, and this is WHY the code is written the way it is. It’s not just “Oh, it’s what code says we can do.”
i live in an 80s trailer and they fucked up the wiring. the dining room, living room, hallway, and two bedrooms are all on one 15a breaker. i want to rip down all the walls and put 20a in the two rooms and a 15 for hallway living and dining room. we use a lot of power me and my brother both game and we use probably 600w of power for that alone then also use power for a/c or heater. so we want 20a in each of our rooms the problem is we only have 100a breaker and between the rooms and all ac and hot water tank we are maxed out so got to put in 200a. now the real problem to convincing my dad i know what I’m doing. he wont touch electrical because he’s watched people not come back from touching hot wires so he’s afraid.
I’m guessing that 99% of most people in the US and Canada are completely ignorant about this! I knew most of this about receptacles! but it also applies to power strips! I had a 20 amp receptacle connected to a 20 amp breaker 12/2 Romex with a power strip that must’ve been rated at 15A because it constantly tripped when I ran my 6.5Amp craftsman wet, dry vac, and my 3 hp skill-Saw 15Amp table-saw cutting 2×4’s with the blade fully extended, Plugged into it! when I unplugged the table-saw from the power strip and plugged it directly into the same receptacle It didn’t trip. ! However, I didn’t know that the circuit breakers don’t trip until they’re 130% of the maximum current rating of the circuit breaker itself a 15 amp or 20 amp. But 200% of the magnetic 🧲? That I don’t understand.
I expect this to become worse with EVs, especially with people who rent and can’t install a full sized charger. I’ve seen a number for sale which are “universal” and will allow the car to pull whatever it wants (120 or 240V up to say 50 amps) but have adapters so it can be used on anything from a 5-15 outlet to a big welder/dryer plug. Some reviews are like “this is great its on a 20A breaker and can draw more than the wimpy 12A the OEM ones do” oblivious to the max safe continuous load values and socket ratings.
Thank you so much! I love that you break down your explanation to code I interpret laws and regulations every day for my job but I’m not an electrician. This will help me make an informed decision in replacing a Dual Function AFCI/GFCI outlet in my kitchen that was fried by ants. The downstream outlet won’t work either because of it.