[cryoparts]

What he said!   

Peace,

Lee

1. To play it safe, always replace outlet with same amperage rating as circuit breaker.
2. Never change out a 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp breaker (unless you change the wire gauge).
3. Install wires according to instructions that came with the outlet.
4. Better yet, have an electrician do it.

This is a public forum. We all offer opinion on different topics. All of our interpretations are only opinions. For anyone to do any wiring or installing of any device on his own, wheather right or wrong is his/her own problem. Some of us have pointed out different interpretations of the NEC and have offered opinions only. I am not a licensed electrician. You do as you see fit. If you want real answers, see point #4 above.

Wayner

[bprice2]

1. To play it safe, always replace outlet with same amperage rating as circuit breaker.
2. Never change out a 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp breaker (unless you change the wire gauge).
3. Install wires according to instructions that came with the outlet.
4. Better yet, have an electrician do it.

This is a public forum. We all offer opinion on different topics. All of our interpretations are only opinions. For anyone to do any wiring or installing of any device on his own, wheather right or wrong is his/her own problem. Some of us have pointed out different interpretations of the NEC and have offered opinions only. I am not a licensed electrician. You do as you see fit. If you want real answers, see point #4 above.

Wayner

 Ok...now I'm worried.  Why did my response spark (pun) a sudden influx of disclaimers?   

[cryoparts]

Don't stress.    

According to my interpretation of the NEC, as long as you have a dual gang (which is just a receptacle with two plugs) 15A receptacle installed on a 20A line, you are fine. 

The point I was trying to make, and I think Wayne as well, is that we are NOT electricians, so take what we have to say with that in mind. If there is any doubt or worries in your head, pony up the green for an electrician to come give everything his blessing.  Then you know all is well! 

I think I have made a mountain out of a mole hill, and I apologize for that.  Certainly not my intention...

Peace,

Lee

Ok...now I'm worried.  Why did my response spark (pun) a sudden influx of disclaimers?   

[bprice2]

Don't stress.    

According to my interpretation of the NEC, as long as you have a dual gang (which is just a receptacle with two plugs) 15A receptacle installed on a 20A line, you are fine. 

The point I was trying to make, and I think Wayne as well, is that we are NOT electricians, so take what we have to say with that in mind. If there is any doubt or worries in your head, pony up the green for an electrician to come give everything his blessing.  Then you know all is well! 

I think I have made a mountain out of a mole hill, and I apologize for that.  Certainly not my intention...

Peace,

Lee

Ok...now I'm worried.  Why did my response spark (pun) a sudden influx of disclaimers?   

On second thought the house has been wired this way for 15 years, and yet she still stands.  Perhaps is I who makes mountains of mole hills. Still, I would like to know whether the copper wiring may have been tricked out a little to enable the 15A receptacles to work with the 20A breakers.

And, to get back on topic...it seems the Cooper 5352V-SP's I installed do improve or change a few things.  Bass seems a little more prominent, but I'm not sure yet whether its better.  Decay does seem a little more extended to me, but the jury's still out on that too.  I don't think I'll know for sure until I'm allowed an unencumbered (alone and quiet) late nighter with the volume at sufficient levels.

[mjosef]

On second thought the house has been wired this way for 15 years, and yet she still stands.  Perhaps is I who makes mountains of mole hills.

Mhnn...one time during the course of replacing a cracked receptacle for a client, I discovered that the outlet was wired in reverse, after installing the new outlet, wired correctly, on throwing the breaker I got a big "splat" which tripped the breaker....turns out all the other outlets on that circuit was wired the same way...reversed. SO had to find and correct them all.
It had been working fine that way for who knows how many years, the house never burnt down either.
And the lesson is... aa

If you have already installed more than one outlet, I would suggest you change the breaker to 15A to match the 15A receptacles.

[JLM]

Basically there are two options for residential wiring (keep these gauge/breaker sizes together):

14 gauge wiring with 15 amp circuit breakers, or;

12 gauge wiring with 20 amp circuit breakers.

Either can safely be used with 15 amp receptacles.  15 amp receptacles are cheaper than 20 amp and rarely do applicances need more, so it is common to see 15 amp receptacles installed on 12 gauge/20 amp circuits.  OTOH I had to swap out a 15 amp receptacle for a 20 at the washing machine because it had a 20 amp plug, but our entire house is 12 gauge/20 amp circuits (or bigger), so it was OK.

Swapping out a 15 amp breaker for a 20 on a circuit with 14 gauge wiring is even a more siginificant code violation and potentially much more dangerous than installing a 20 amp receptacle on a 14 gauge/15 amp circuit.  Now, if you never run more than a 15 amp load through that circuit or receptacle, in theory you're safe, but the potential for overload would exist and that's the risk here.

These are all time tested rules that are there for protection of the public.  If you read the NEC (National Electric Code, that virtually all U.S. building codes are based upon) you'll find the residential to be much simplier but "stiffer" (prescriptive) than the general electrical code where there is somewhat less chance of "amateur playing around".

Insurance companies could refuse a claim for any work not done to code (which would require a properly licensed electrican doing the work under permit and obtaining final approval by the code authority having jurisdiction).

[mcallister]

any electricians in the Dayton, Ohio area that may be able to add a dedicated 20 amp line looking for an extra job please PM me!!

[michaelv]

after reading this, i think i will have to put 5362 on sale and get 5262 or Furutech 15A to be on the safe side. 

Question:   If wall outlet is 15A receptacle , but the power conditioner has 20A receptacle even though the piece is rated for use 15 A  (such as PS Audio Ultimate Outlet high-current 15A), is it violated the code?

 I have PS Audio UO. It said 15A high current, but the receptacle is 20A version. If so, PS Audio didn't do it right . I thought PS Audio should know this better than anyone else.

OK, everyone just to clarify the below.

According to table 210.21(B)(3) of the NEC code, a 15A branch circuit can only have a 15A receptacle attached.  A 20A branch circuit can have either a 15A or a 20A receptacle attached. 

As the material is copyrighted, I will not cut and paste it, however, if you wish to read the code, please visit:

http://www.nfpa.org/freecodes/free_access_document.asp

...and go to article 210 page 70-51 for the chart.

FYI--While I neither endorse or recommend that a person installs a 20A receptacle on a 15A circuit, it is done all of the time by audiophiles. 

Lee

Hmmm...  Double check this please. 

It is my understanding that a 20A receptacle is NOT for use on a 15A breaker.  The reasoning is that a 20A device could be inadvertently hooked up to a 15A rated circuit, draw too much current through the wire (provided the breaker failed and did not trip), heat the wire up and potentially cause a fire.   

I think a 15A "dual gang" receptacle can be used on a 20A circuit, however.

I am not an electrician, though.  I will encourage one of my customers who is to come and clear up the confusion.

Lee 

A slight correction is needed here. A 15 amp receptacle is a NEMA L5-15R. A 20 amp receptacle is a NEMA L5-20R. A 15 amp plug (L5-15P) can be plugged into either a NEMA L5-15R or L5-20R. A NEMA L5-20P plug will not fit into a NEMA L5-15R receptacle. Therefore it is acceptable to use a 20 amp receptacle in a 15 amp circuit (controled by the 15 amp breaker). It is not acceptable to have a 15 amp outlet on a 20 amp breaker. Note: assuming the correct wire gauge is used for either branch circuit.

Wayner