New one on me!

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tshea

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
OSHA inspector claimed this one: 15Amp duplex receptacle must be on a 15Amp circuit breaker because it is a 15Amp device (it is on a 20Amp breaker and has #12 wire.

Also, the NEC is junior to OSHA requirements, thus any OSHA requirement supercedes or is superior to the NEC.

("I wish I worked for the governement and could make up my own rules")

I tried to reason with him, but to no avail. He said this was a verbal warning and next time we would be cited. I asked, politely and with humility, who is supervisor was because we need to talk.

I have a call into the supervisor.

Oh Boy!!
 

mivey

Senior Member
1926.404(b)(2)(i) Single receptacles. A single receptacle installed on an individual branch circuit shall have an ampere rating of not less than that of the branch circuit.

1926.404(b)(2)(ii) Two or more receptacles. Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, receptacle ratings shall conform to the values listed in Table K-4.

1926.404(b)(2)(iii) Receptacles used for the connection of motors. The rating of an attachment plug or receptacle used for cord- and plug-connection of a motor to a branch circuit shall not exceed 15 amperes at 125 volts or 10 amperes at 250 volts if individual overload protection is omitted.

TABLE K-4 - 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.
___________________|________________________

[edit: had to clean it up]
 
Last edited:

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
mivey said:
1926.404(b)(2)(i) Single receptacles. A single receptacle installed on an individual branch circuit shall have an ampere rating of not less than that of the branch circuit.


1926.404(b)(2)(ii) Two or more receptacles. Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, receptacle ratings shall conform to the values listed in Table K-4.

1926.404(b)(2)(iii) Receptacles used for the connection of motors. The rating of an attachment plug or receptacle used for cord- and plug-connection of a motor to a branch circuit shall not exceed 15 amperes at 125 volts or 10 amperes at 250 volts if individual overload protection is omitted.
TABLE K-4 - Receptacle Ratings for Various Size Circuits________________________________________________________________ | | Receptacle Circuit rating amperes | rating | amperes______________________________________|________________________ |15 ...................................| Not over 15.20 ...................................| 15 or 20.30 ...................................| 30.40 ...................................| 40 or 50.50 ...................................| 50.______________________________________|________________________


Seems like the OSHA guy is correct.
 

tshea

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
nakulakdid you ask him for the osha code section ?He was extremely unreasonable. He did not have any facts other than I am an OSHA inspector...
480sparkyInstead of 'reasoning' with him, did you show them 210.21(B)(3)? Or Table 210.24?
Didn't have code book handy. Wouldn't have mattered...OSHA overrules NEC...

I'll let you know what supervisor says...
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
C3PO said:
It looks like that mirrors NEC Section 210.21(B)(1) and Table 210.21(B)(3)
It should be ok. :confused:

It does, it is taken from the NEC.

Roger
 

tshea

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
mivey said:
1926.404(b)(2)(i) Single receptacles. A single receptacle installed on an individual branch circuit shall have an ampere rating of not less than that of the branch circuit.

1926.404(b)(2)(ii) Two or more receptacles. Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, receptacle ratings shall conform to the values listed in Table K-4.

1926.404(b)(2)(iii) Receptacles used for the connection of motors. The rating of an attachment plug or receptacle used for cord- and plug-connection of a motor to a branch circuit shall not exceed 15 amperes at 125 volts or 10 amperes at 250 volts if individual overload protection is omitted.

TABLE K-4 - 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.
___________________|________________________

[edit: had to clean it up]

Look at the table: 20Amp circuit rating can have 15 or 20 Amp receptacle!
OSHA guy said NO 15Amp devices on 20Amp circuit!
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
tshea said:
Look at the table: 20Amp circuit rating can have 15 or 20 Amp receptacle!
OSHA guy said NO 15Amp devices on 20Amp circuit!

OSHA guy is wrong even even if though he thinks otherwise.

Roger
 

mivey

Senior Member
Is it a single receptacle?

[edit: nevermind. Anyway, that is what the guy must be thinking]
 

realolman

Senior Member
1926.404(b)(2)(ii) Two or more receptacles. Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, receptacle ratings shall conform to the values listed in Table K-4.


20 .......................... 15 or 20.


Sounds like that's what you got to me.
 

KentAT

Senior Member
Location
Northeastern PA
It appears as though the determining factor is the number of receptacles that are on the circuit.

If correct, IMO if there is only one receptacle "installed on an individual branch circuit", then the recep must be rated same as the circuit. Kinda makes sense in that the max current your circuit should see is limited by what you can plug into that one recep, and that if your recep is a 15A one then why allow your conductors to be protected at 20A since all current should be going to your one device. I imagine this rule is looking for a quicker trip, if that makes sense...

Again, IMO if there is more than one receptacle, than you can use 15A or 20A receptacles. After all, the 15A are still 20A feed-through.

In your case, since yours is a DUPLEX receptacle and therefore more than one receptacle exists, I feel you would fit into the latter and be able to use a 15A or 20A recep on your 20A circuit. Makes sense because the 20A max current would be able to be shared by more than one device.

I know, I know, nobody is asking what makes sense...:grin:

Kent
 

mivey

Senior Member
But it is fun to beat up on an OSHA inspector for a change. I just would not be as mouthy with them as I would a local elec insp.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
It seems that the inspector is saying that there is only one receptacle. Even though it is a duplex, it is still *one* receptacle. (Otherwise it would be 'receptacles')

What does not make sense to me is why you need to have a 20 amp receptacle if there is only one, but as many 15 amp receptacles as you want if there are more than one.

Also, look real close at the receptacle. Some receptacles that will not accept a 20 plug are rated at 20 amps anyway. Some are not. I always try to get receptacles that are rated at 20 amps but configured for 15.

To make things even more confusing, a 20 amp configured receptacle will still accept a 15 amp plug.

When was the last time you saw a 20 amp plug on a device made for residential use?

This is one of the strangest rules in OSHA / NEC I know of.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
The inspector is probably thinking that a duplex device is a single receptacle. A duplex is not a single device or we could never use our 15 amp recep. on any kitchen counter circuits. I believe the dude is misinformed.
 
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