Wiring Electrical outlet

Any UL-listed 15 A outlet is rated for 20 A pass through.

Because there is NO benefit from this waste of money. THAT's why.

Today I purchased some duplex GFCI receptales and the 20amp/20amp pass through in the color I wanted was on sale cheaper than the 15amp/20amp pass through, so in this case I got the 20/20, otherwise I'd have the

Tom J

What if your multimeter is running Vista?

Good deal, just don't use them on 15 amp circuits

That will work. Use a GFCI outlet.

What do you mean NO benefit? What if someday he wants to plug in a 20 amp device?

This is apparently the only receptacle on the whole 12 guage wire, so there isn't even a question of added load from other items.

I think you are wrong and I think I know where you got the idea.

It is ok to use a 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp circuit, but not becasue the receptacle can carry 20 amps. Rather it is because no plug for a 20 amp device will fit into the slots in the 15 amp receptacle. But such a plug |- would fit into a 20 amp receptacle

You could pplug in two 15 amp items, such as heaters, one in each half of a 15 or 20 amp receptacle, and you'd be exceeding the capacity of the receptacle, but the fuse should blow when you do that. They say the fuse or circuit breaker is there to protect the wiring, but it occurs to me that it also protects the receptacle.

If IUC by pass-through they don't mean how much is used through the receptacle (by plugging something into it), but how much can go from the feed wires, through the metal parts on the sides, the bridges, and on to the next receptacle. Like when wires are connected to all four screws of the recep, two from the fuse box, and two going onto the next recep. Maybe it's pass-through that confused you, but that doesn't refer to how much can be plugged into that recep.

When was the last time you actually saw a 20 a device with a special plug?

True, but generally preferred wiring practice these days is to use pigtails for receptacles and not pass through the device itself. Common sense would dictate that an 89 cent duplex oulet is a dubious candidate for long term survival at the 20 amp level. Of course, everyone can make whatever decisiuon they are comfortable with. Cheers,

Joe

When I put one on a 2kW baseboard heater (was hard-wired in). ;-)

The inspector I had wanted to see pigtails for neutral and ground but didn't care about the hots (I pigtailed them anyway).

Why? The passthrough connection is just a "wire". Less than a buck for an outlet with 20A contacts, I'd agree.

Sure. I generally use the $.89 variety myself. I've never had one fail. Well, there is a broken one (plastic is cracked) in the livingroom that is scheduled for replacement.

A 2000 watt baseboard heater that was 120 volt?? hmmmmm . That's pushing the limits of a 20 amp breaker at 80%. Why would you switch it to a plug in?

You misspelled "exceeding".

A side question: why is the Canadian standard practice for kitchen outlets to use split duplex outlets (upper outlet on opposite phase from lower outlet) with 3-wire wire and 2-pole 15 amp breaker, while the US standard practice seems to be a single 20 A circuit feeding both halves of the outlet?

Each has advantages compared to the other.

Dave

Nec requires at least two circuits for the kitchen outlets, and with counter outlets being no more than 4 feet apart, it assures your appliance will be close to an outlet, but it doesn't guaranty that you have at least two circuits at all counter locations. The Canadian method makes good sense

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Make that a vanity kickboard heater.

That's what it is. I was quite surprised at 2kW too.

I didn't like the romex wandering out through a slot in the sheetrock under the vanity.

If you do, and mistakenly plug a 20A appliance in it will trip the breaker. The GFCI will realize that this was an improper tripping (since it's SURE it's on a 20A circuit), and start a fire anyway :-)

Yea, Really!! ;-)

Tom J