15 amp recepticals on 20 amp circuit


  #1  
Old 01-16-11, 04:30 PM
palmcoast's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 124
Received 2 Upvotes on 1 Post
15 amp recepticals on 20 amp circuit

Still trying to help a friend of mine and we came across a circuit that he has in his family room (4 recepticals) that is a 20 amp circuit breaker 12/2 wire but only has 15 amp rated recepticals. Is this legal? If so does anyone know what the purpose of doing this would achieve? Wouldn't it cause a point of resistance and defeat the purpose of a 20 amp breaker and 12/2 wire. I had suggested that the room may have been origanally a dining room but he tells me no.
 
  #2  
Old 01-16-11, 04:43 PM
chandler's Avatar
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 36,607
Upvotes: 0
Received 9 Upvotes on 8 Posts
As long as it is a "pass through" situation with the receptacles, yes it is code. It concerns the overall carrying capacity of the entire circuit rather than a single location.
You are more likely to have several 3, 4 or 5 amp appliances on this circuit as opposed to one that will pull enough current to cause a problem with the 20 amp circuit.
 
  #3  
Old 01-16-11, 04:57 PM
pcboss's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Maryland
Posts: 13,976
Received 194 Upvotes on 170 Posts
As long as there are two or more places to plug into the circuit it is legal to use 15 amp slot receptacles. They are still rated for the 20 amp feed-thru.
 
 

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