25A breaker with 5-20R???

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Ears3311

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I am having trouble with this issue. The piece of equipment discussed below is not a motor and doesn't have overload protection.

Piece of equipment with nameplate value of 17A. Continuous operation, so this equates to 21.25A. The next size breaker is 25A. However, the piece of equipment comes with a standard 5-20P so I have it being connected to a typical 5-20R.

Is this allowed or does the 25A breaker not protect the receptacle?
 
You cannot protect the 20 amp receptacle with a 25 amp breaker. If the cord and plug are supplied by the manufacturer as part of the equipment simply provide the proper receptacle and OCPD to match the receptacle.
 
I don't see how that meets code. If they say that the current draw is 17A and it will be used for continuous operation, I can't put it on a 20A branch circuit.
 
There are other options

There are other options

You could install a twenty five ampere circuit and terminate it in a thirty ampere receptacle outlet. You then have to change the units cord or it's cord cap.

Cord and plug connected equipment is usually listed by an electrical testing lab. If it is listed with a twenty ampere cord cap then we can use it on a twenty ampere circuit.
 
Is the item listed as shipped?

If it is you could contact the listing lab and ask them why it is OK.

Can you give some more info?

You say it is a continuous load, but is it?

The definition of continuous load is when the maximum load will be longer that 3 hours.

If this item has loads that cycle, heaters, motors etc. it is not a continuous load even if you use it continuously.
 
hornetd said:
You could install a twenty five ampere circuit and terminate it in a thirty ampere receptacle outlet. You then have to change the units cord or it's cord cap.
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Could I?

What about 110.3(B)?
 
(B) Installation and Use. Listed or labeled equipment
shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions
included in the listing or labeling.

They don't have instructions saying it needs to be on a 20A branch circuit. I thought this rule was more for MCA and MOCP for motors.
 
I would suggest use 10 AWG for the circuit feeding the outlet but protect it with a 20 amp overcurrent device and 20 amp rececptacle to match the list cord assembly with unit
 
Ears3311 said:
Piece of equipment with nameplate value of 17A. Continuous operation, so this equates to 21.25A. The next size breaker is 25A. However, the piece of equipment comes with a standard 5-20P so I have it being connected to a typical 5-20R.

Is this allowed or does the 25A breaker not protect the receptacle?
Click to expand...

Could the name plate value already have the 125% built in as most A/C units?
The name plate would list the max breaker size as 20 amps.
 
What piece of equipment is it? I ran into same senario with a Tea Brewer that drew 17 A and had a 5-20 P on the cord. They said it would be used all the time so I figured continuos load on it and said that the plug and 20A ckt would not work. Come to find out the machine doesn't draw the full 17A for more than 3 hours so it wasn't considered a continuos load and the plug and receptacle ended up being correct.
 
It is a ETD machine at an airport. Turns out, I don't think it is continuous (max load for 3 hours or more). However, it is tough to get documentation on it because of security reasons. How did you find out it didn't draw the full 17A for more than 3 hours?
 
No chance that i would ever protect a 20 amp receptacle with more than a 20 amp breaker.Also i would not modify the listed equipment.Most likely as has been pointed out already is that the 17 is including the 125%.
 
Ears3311 said:
Ok but without documentation I shouldn't assume that the 17A takes into account the 125%.
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Personally I don't think that you need to take anything into account. And forget about documentation, the equipment is wired by the manufacturer with a 20 amp plug. Install a 20 amp receptacle and OCPD and forget about it.

My 1875 watt hair dryer has a 15 amp plug on it. That means that I can plug it into a 15 amp receptacle and dry my hair even though it may draw more than 15 amps.
 
Ears3311 said:
Can you tell me what kind of hair dryer (including model #) it is? I'd love to check out a cut for it.
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I can't find a model # on it. It just says Conair 1875.
 
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