Need electrician help

[weekender7]

I am building my own house. My BIL was a licensed electrician and was doing my electrical. He passed away. Now I have to finish on my own. I have 20A breakers in my panel. Do I need 20A outlets and light switches, or can I put in a 15A outlet and switch? I know I need tamper resistant outlets.

 

[Jimbee]

20 Amp breaker is for 12 guage wire and a 15 Amp breaker is for 14 guage wire

 

[weekender7]

I have 12ga wire.

 

[TJ]

I don’t know what code current electrical code you are under, but for general use receptacles, (not individual circuits), you are allowed to use 15 amp rated receptacles on 20 amp circuits as long as the load does not exceed 12 amps on that particular receptacle.

That would be highly, extremely, unlikely in a residential application. Typically a microwave may be an exception though. Most of the over the oven microwaves exceed 12 amps by a bit, so a 20 amp rated receptacle would be required.

It is possible that your State may have modified this part of the Electrical code, but highly unlikely.

The electrical code has read like this since at least 1984, the year I started.
The article sitting this is article 210, branch circuits.

20 years as an Oregon Electrical Inspector.
good luck

 

[slingerHB]

You will want to install 20amp devices. Not sure where you're located but all branch circuits (120v) here in NY that is new construction has to be arc fault breaker as well.

Sent from my SM-A426U using Tapatalk

 

[TJ]

Here is the code sitting this,
B) Receptacles

(1) Single Receptacle on an Individual Branch Circuit

A single receptacle installed on an individual branch circuit shall have an ampere rating not less than that of the branch circuit.
Exception No. 1: A receptacle installed in accordance with 430.81(B).

Exception No. 2: A receptacle installed exclusively for the use of a cord- and-plug-connected arc welder shall be permitted to have an ampere rating not less than the minimum branch-circuit conductor ampacity determined by 630.11(A) for arc welders.

Informational Note: See the definition of receptacle in Article 100.


(2) Total Cord-and-Plug-Connected Load

Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, a receptacle shall not supply a total cord-and-plug-connected load in excess of the maximum specified in Table 210.21(B)(2).

As always with code it’s perfectly understandable plain English!
Table 210.21(B)(2) Maximum Cord-and-Plug-Connected Load to Receptacle

Circuit Rating (Amperes)	Receptacle Rating (Amperes)	Maximum Load (Amperes)
15 or 20	15	12
20	20	16
30	30	24

(3) Receptacle Ratings

Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, receptacle ratings shall conform to the values listed in Table 210.21(B)(3), or, where rated higher than 50 amperes, the receptacle rating shall not be less than the branch-circuit rating.
Exception No. 1: Receptacles installed exclusively for the use of one or more cord-and-plug-connected arc welders shall be permitted to have ampere ratings not less than the minimum branch-circuit conductor ampacity determined by 630.11(A) or (B) for arc welders.

Exception No. 2: The ampere rating of a receptacle installed for electric discharge lighting shall be permitted to be based on 410.62(C).

Table 210.21(B)(3) Receptacle Ratings for Various Size Circuits

Circuit Rating (Amperes)	Receptacle Rating (Amperes)
15	Not over 15
20	15 or 20
30	30
40	40 or 50
50	50

undefined

 

[TJ]

Also, if you are switching receptacles on a 20 amp circuit the switch shall be rated 20 amps.

 

[weekender7]

Thank you all for the replies. I have all arc fault breakers. I have a dedicated 20A breaker and outlet for the over the stove microwave. I think I will go with all 20A TR outlets to be safe.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

This is why I hire electrical work. I’d kill myself.

 

[HuntHarder]

If you do anything, please make sure you pigtail out to each outlet and do not series them off the screws.
The amount of $$ savings in 15a outlets vs. 20amp outlets is hardly worth it. Just use 20a and continue on.

P.s. all the arc fault breakers code requirements is insane and causes lots of nuisance breaker trips with vacuums and such. Guess that's what happens when guys on NEC board are company heads for electrical components companies.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Remember some codes require dedicated circuits for certain devices. Refrigerator, garbage disposals, microwaves. Where I live #14 wire is not allowed for house wiring, #12 and larger depending on intended circuit use. In most cases #12 is all a residential home require on 120 volts circuits.