Skip to main content

Timeline for Outlet in Kitchen Not Working

Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0

10 events
when toggle format what by license comment
Dec 10, 2018 at 23:26 comment added Harper - Reinstate Monica @DavidSchwartz their cords may not be able to handle 15A if sandwiched into a wall and packed with insulation. Cordage is designed to exist in free air and in-wall installation is prohibited. That changes the ampacity.
Dec 10, 2018 at 23:24 comment added Harper - Reinstate Monica @dwizum because there's a special exception in Code to allow 15A receptacles on 20A circuits. It bookends with UL rules requiring 15A receptacles to be rated for 20A passthru. As a practical matter, this means 15A and 20A receptacles are made with the same guts.
Dec 10, 2018 at 22:48 comment added David Schwartz @dwizum That same reasoning would say that no device can plug into a 15A circuit unless it has a cord that can handle 15A. But there are certainly electric devices with cords that can't handle 15A. In an ideal world, they'd all have fuses in their plugs. But that's rare in the US.
Dec 10, 2018 at 22:25 comment added supercat @dwizum: The difference between 15A and 20A receptacles is that the former will only accept plugs for devices that are designed to draw 15 amps or less, while the latter will accept plugs for devices that will draw up to 20. Both kinds of receptacle are designed to be safe for use with a 20A breaker, and devices with 20A cords are rare enough I doubt most people would know why they have wonky plugs.
Dec 10, 2018 at 22:04 comment added manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact @dwizum See diy.stackexchange.com/questions/151480/…
Dec 10, 2018 at 21:48 comment added dwizum @manassehkatz can you provide a reference for that? A 20A circuit with a 15A receptacle sounds like a recipe for disaster. If you put a load on the receptacle that's over 15A but under 20A, you're exceeding the rating on the receptacle but not by enough to ensure tripping the circuit.
Dec 10, 2018 at 20:56 comment added manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact @JimStewart Actually, if I have been reading things right on DIY for the last several months - technically two 20 A circuits but the receptacles can (and typically are) 15 A.
Dec 10, 2018 at 20:54 comment added Jim Stewart When did the code change to the current requirement that a kitchen must have two 20 A receptacles on two separate breakers?
Dec 10, 2018 at 20:36 comment added Mike S Good info. It's a pretty fair estimate that my wiring probably predates current code requirements.
Dec 10, 2018 at 20:31 history answered Harper - Reinstate Monica CC BY-SA 4.0