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what outlet to use? 15 or 20 amp?

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12-09-00, 05:19 PM

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I previously posted a question about taking one circuit (which is currently 20 amps and has the furnace as well as outlets on it) and making two new ones. I've been advised to use a 15 amp breaker and 14/2 for the furnance and a 20 amp breaker and 12/2 for the outlets. Here's my question - if I have a 20 amp breaker and 12/2 do I use standard grounded 15 amp outlets or do I have to use 20 amp outlets?

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12-10-00, 01:53 AM

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You may use either a 15 or a 20A receptacle on a 20A circuit.

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Originally posted by davelila
I previously posted a question about taking one circuit (which is currently 20 amps and has the furnace as well as outlets on it) and making two new ones. I've been advised to use a 15 amp breaker and 14/2 for the furnance and a 20 amp breaker and 12/2 for the outlets. Here's my question - if I have a 20 amp breaker and 12/2 do I use standard grounded 15 amp outlets or do I have to use 20 amp outlets?

Thanks.

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12-10-00, 09:40 AM

John Nelson

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With one exception. If you only have one recepticle on a 20-amp circuit, it must be a 20-amp recepticle.

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Electrical - AC & DC
U.S. Wiring

on Dec 10, 2000

In the U.K. our wiring has 3 colors brown = live, blue = neutral and green = ground wire. I have just taken the plug off a U.S. wire and need to reconnect can you tell me what green, black and white wires correspond to please?Read More
Electrical - AC & DC
Puzzled on this

R

racotterel on Dec 09, 2000

Hey WG. since you answered the question may be you can tell me what happened here. I took out the old appliances and coming out ot the box wast 3 wires, 2 black and 1 white. Very thick and hard to work with, but I did. Now I had to hook up the oven and the cook top to this so since the same was already there, there was no need to change out the breaker on the amp ( which was 2 50 amp in fuse box). The wire connection was as such 2 blacks for range and oven to 1 black from wall, 2 red to 1 black. all white to white and the range had red black and green, the green I connected to the white from wall. The oven had red, black, white and ground. The ground was grounded to the box. All was connected with those clamps that has like a nut on a u shape piece and all was covered in plenty of tape. I had a electrician check it and he said it was done correct, when I turned the breaker on there was a pop and the line that comes in to the house from power line one burnt off. The power company had to come out and fix and said it was nothing that I could have done. They said it was a matter of timing but my question is why did it happen as soon as I flipped back the breaker was it the sudden demand or possible problem. Everything is working but just curious for an answer...............Thanks. this was for a posting on 12/4 which was answered by WG Title Kitchen appl. [Edited by racotterel on 12-10-00 at 07:32]Read More

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