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?

Reply to
Greg and Kelly Carr
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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

Reply to
Speedy Jim

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

Reply to
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

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Reply to
John Grabowski

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.

Reply to
John Hines

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

Reply to
Greg

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.

Reply to
Childfree Scott

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.

Reply to
Bill

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

Reply to
zxcvbob

Reply to
Phil Munro

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

Reply to
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

Reply to
zxcvbob

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