20amp Breaker on 14/2 Wire ???


  #1  
Old 01-24-05, 08:56 AM
RichOx
Visiting Guest
Posts: n/a
20amp Breaker on 14/2 Wire ???

I bought a pressure washer that is rated at 15amp. I have it pluged into an outlet in my garage that is also tied into other outlets and the garage lights. This is all run on 14/2 wire and was run to a 15amp breaker. Every time I would hit the trigger on the wash wand the breaker would trip and the lights would go out. Without doing to much thinking I bought a 20amp breaker and swaped out the 15amp one. Now when I press on the trigger its fine but the lights go a little dim.
I am worried I did the wrong thing. Will this over heat the wire and cause a fire?
 
  #2  
Old 01-24-05, 09:09 AM
J
Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: United States
Posts: 17,733
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Yes, you did the wrong thing. Put the 15-amp breaker back, and then try to remember to turn everything else on the circuit off before using the pressure washer. Or run a new circuit. You can always use another circuit in the garage anyway.
 
  #3  
Old 01-24-05, 09:11 AM
C
Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 926
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
14 amp wire on a 20amp breaker is a fire hazard and a code violation...put that 15 amp breaker back in.

If you don't have a different circuit nearby to run that pressure washer off of, I'd suggest running a new circuit with 12-2 and using that 20amp breaker to feed it...You could then use this new circuit to run any big toys (pressure washer, table saw, etc) without worry about overloading a circuit. Just run the toys one at a time. Be sure to use a GFCI outlet on this new circuit, unless that new breaker you bought is a GFCI breaker.
 
  #4  
Old 01-24-05, 10:19 AM
RichOx
Visiting Guest
Posts: n/a
Thanks

Thanks Guys
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: