I am redoing my kitchen. All of the duplex outlets are on two 20 amp
12 awg wire breakers. However...all of the old outlets are rated for 15 amp circuits ? I have come across this in kitchens many times before.Can you use duplexes rated for 15 amps in the kitchen with 20 amp breakers...fed by 12 awg wires ? Is this a common practice and OK via NEC...or should you use the 20 amp duplexes with the horizontal little plug fitting on the receptacles ?
Thanks, TR
Personally I would replace them with 20amp outlets, good ones, not the
37¢ contractor specials. Use the screw clamp terminals not the stab connects. I am really fuzzy about it, but as I recall it is OK to use the 15amp outlets, but I just would not do it so I am not really sure.
Yes, 15A receptacles on a 20A circuit is perfectly fine. You may=20 not put a *single* 15A receptacle on a 20A circuit.
In the kitchen, maybe. I'd go for better outlets there, but I=20 don't think I'd bother with 20A outlets.
I agree 100%. I *never* use the stabs. I do like the ones where=20 the screw clamps the wire though. Almost as quick as the stabs but=20 as secure as a wire properly fastened by the screw. =20
It's fine. 15A outlets are rated for 20A feed through.
--=20 Keith
If these are counter top or anywhere near sink, they should be 20A GFI. If for fridge or dishwasher, dedicated 20A. If you are redoing kitchen, you probably want to look at adding circuits/ receptacles. Think through what you want before you start, this is the time to upgrade elec circuits if needed.
15a outlets are fine, unless there is just one outlet on the circuit; then it has to be 20a. Only reason to have a 20a outlet is to fit a 20a plug.
A DUPLEX outlet ( the standard type) is 2 outlets, not one, and thus a 15 amp duplex can actually be used alone on a 20 amp circuit, though in a kitchen the more outlets the better so you might as well have more. When I did my kitchen I used the 20 amp ones though to be honest I have never even seen a 20 amp kitchen appliance, I just thought they 'might' be made a little heavier duty than a 15 amp ones..probably wishful thinking but the price difference wasn't much.
FWIW: a couple of code books back, back stabbing of 12 gauge conductors became illegal and outlet manufacturers reduced the size of the back stab holes so only 14 gauge will fit
All the 15A outlets at the big stores are actually rated to 20A but only have 15A plugs. That is required by code, from what I understand. Thus, you can use them on a 20A circuit. In fact, if you look at a
15A GFCI outlet, you'll see that they rate the secondary feed circuit (the tabs for more outlets) at 20A.Mikey S. states an interesting point about a duplex outlet being 2 devices. I wasn't sure how that works with code, so I just put in a real 20A GFCI duplex outlet on the dedicated circuit in my new bathroom. The uncertainty wasn't worth possibly failing an inspection. Now it's the only place in the house where I could plug in my arc welder!
-rev
tr wrote:
For fridge and other essentials, I prefer to put an often used light on the same circuit so I will be aware when the breaker trips before the frozen food thaws.
The NEC prohibits installing lights on kitchen outlet circuits, other than ones plugged into the outlets
I think they's call that a 20A GFCI.
Isn't that just the countertop outlets?
I can't say exactly what you call them, but you can buy a GFCI with 15A plugs that'll feed a 20A circuit or a GFCI with 20A plugs that'll also feed a 20A circuit. They're both the same internally, of course, but one has the different shaped plug and costs 3X as much.
-rev
Mark Lloyd wrote:
Quite right Rev, it's called a 20 amp feed through
No, it's any outlet connected to the two or more required small appliance branch circuits.
I don't think that's correct -- do you have a Code cite for it? I see where the Code prohibits other *outlets* on those circuits (e.g. in other rooms), but I don't see a prohibition against lighting.
Here's all I could find . from the 2000 IRC
E3603.2 Kitchen and dining area receptacles.A minimum of
two 20-ampere-rated branch circuits shall be provided to serve
receptacles located in the kitchen, pantry, breakfast area and
dining area. The kitchen countertop receptacles shall be served
by a minimum of two 20-ampere-rated branch circuits, either
or both of which shall also be permitted to supply other receptacle
outlets in the kitchen, pantry, breakfast area and dining area.
You don't consider lighting outlets as "other outlets"?
I don't consider a light *fixture* (e.g. a ceiling light) as an outlet, and neither does the Code.
The code only prohibits having lighting outlets on the counter top receptacle circuits and although it permits the refrigerator to be supplied from such a circuit it does not require that. So a receptacle placed behind a refrigerator so as to be inaccessible for counter top use could be supplied from a lighting circuit.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.