12AWG to 15A breaker... Allowed?

[Ken9876]

I love that show, and Frank is one of my favorate members of Mike Holmes' team. But I have to agree that somethings he says would not be correct, under US rules. I don't know if they are valid, under Canadian rules.

I love it as well, and I take into account that they are in Canada. I do really like what they are doing for people who have gotten the pipe. And the message he's trying to get across (find the right people and spend the money to do it right)

 

[justdavemamm]

I watch that show also , and have you noticed that most of the electrical panels shown in the shows have all the branch circuits coming in on both sides of the panel an hardly ever enter from the top of the panel.

Just curious is to why they do that and it looks funky to me.

The show last night had them replacing the main panel. IIRC the HO had some new branch circuits put in and they entered from the top, to which the electrician said was not to code and should have entered the right side. Strange. So rather than just fix that, they put in a whole new panel, sideways.

 

[radiopet]

Six inches won't be noticed? If it melts away under heavy load, I'm sure it will be noticed. Isn't that how fuses work?

lol....increasing the conductor size to reduce voltage drop has nothing at all to do with an increased heavy load. The OCPD is still limiting this load......most certainly you know this.

Now...if you have a large load like from a 60A circuit and pigtail down to lets say #12 AWG then you would be correct...it is a problem....but not when doing it for voltage drop considerations.

 

[Al Ewaldt]

20 amp breakers

20 amp breakers

Does anyone know where it is listed that you can not use 15 amp breakers in a commercial setting?-I have a inspector who insists that it is wrong-a 20 amp breaker is the minimum in commeral settings

 

[roger3829]

Does anyone know where it is listed that you can not use 15 amp breakers in a commercial setting?-I have a inspector who insists that it is wrong-a 20 amp breaker is the minimum in commeral settings

There is no NEC code against it. Maybe a local rule?

 

[radiopet]

Does anyone know where it is listed that you can not use 15 amp breakers in a commercial setting?-I have a inspector who insists that it is wrong-a 20 amp breaker is the minimum in commeral settings

Check the specifications on the submitted plans. Quite possible the engineer has specified 20A circuits for the installation. Depending on your municipal it may be an issue of the inspector wants it exactly as it is shown on the submitted and approved drawings....

 

[Npstewart]

I put in my specifications that 15A breakers are not allowed, however its not in there because its a requirement of the NEC.

 

[iwire]

I put in my specifications that 15A breakers are not allowed, however its not in there because its a requirement of the NEC.

Now why would anyone do that without looking at each job on it's own merits.

What happens when the equipment specifies a 15 amp breaker?

 

[cowboyjwc]

Does anyone know where it is listed that you can not use 15 amp breakers in a commercial setting?-I have a inspector who insists that it is wrong-a 20 amp breaker is the minimum in commeral settings

Another one of those "urban myth codes", along with you can't put lights and receptecales on the same circuit in commercial, the 100' between j-boxes and others.

 

[Npstewart]

Dont swim after you eat either

 

[Hendrix]

Dont swim after you eat either

That could be punishable by death :grin:

 

[LarryFine]

Dont swim after you eat either

That could be punishable by death :grin:

And, without due process.

 

[Al Ewaldt]

answer

answer

TY to all who answered-I too know the code does not cover it but was wondering if anyone else had a problem in this area or could find it somewhere-and yes if it is spected it has to be done!

 

[cpopinc]

12 guage

12 guage

We don't know Canadian code. Here you can do it. Family room says 12 guage wire but no refrence of breaker, right?

 

[Split Bolt]

First, I'll admit that I didn't read all 8 pages of this thread, so don't hate me if this was already covered. Whenever I run a 12AWG home run for a 15A circuit for voltage drop reasons, I will write "15 AMP MAX" with my sharpie on a small piece of the romex sheathing and slip it over the wire near where it connects to breaker. Also, I do this with all of the new circuits. It makes it easy when marking-out the panel and only takes a few seconds to write where the home run goes after pulling it!