I saw on one of my Mike Holt videos that is allowed by the NEC to use 15 amp recptacles on a 20 amp circuit when you have multiple recptacles on the same circuit. Or a combination of lighting and recptacles. The video also said if you have a dedicated 20 amp circuit, the receptacle must be rated for 20amps. Does the same hold true for gfci recptacles?
gfci plug rating
- Thread starter difowler1
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15 amp duplex GFCIs are rated for 20 amp pass thru. They do make single GFCI recs if you want one- have never installed one though.
You will likely almost never see a 20a gfci installed on the 20a sabcs or bath in a home.
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kwired
Electron manager
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- NE Nebraska
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- EC
Only time they would have to be 20 amp receptacles is if they were a single receptacle on a 20 amp circuit. Duplex receptacle is more then one receptacle.15 amp duplex GFCIs are rated for 20 amp pass thru. They do make single GFCI recs if you want one- have never installed one though.
You will likely almost never see a 20a gfci installed on the 20a sabcs or bath in a home.
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- New Jersey
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- Journeyman Electrician (retired)
Using the words dedicated 20 amp circuit it's implied that there is only a single receptacle on the circuit so yes it would need to have an ampere rating greater than or equal to 20 amps but not less than 20 amps.
JFletcher
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- Williamsburg, VA
210.21(B)(1) and see tables 210.21(B)(2 and 3).
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
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- USA
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- Electrician ,contractor
Do you have a code reference that dedicated means a single receptacle?
What if the instructions for a Flat panel TV say's " dedicated outlet" so by your definition I could not have the Cable box or other TV related devices plugged in.
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- Licensed Electrician
It's getting to the point where every set of instructions for something that plugs in calls for a dedicated outlet.
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- New Jersey
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The NEC doesn't use the term dedicated that why I said it was likely implied to mean a single receptacle on an individual branch circuit. If the instructions called for a "dedicated outlet" it's anyone's guess what that actually means according to the NEC.
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
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- USA
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- Electrician ,contractor
In that case I don't think we should assume that dedicated means ONLY a single receptacle. It can mean just the outlet box or even something else.
What I am tired of is people saying that you need to install 20 amp duplex receptacles, or that you shall not install a duplex. When was the last time anyone here as seen a 20 amp cord connected residential Microwave, counter top appliance , or a washing machine?
If anyone of my million dollar customers ever does I will gladly install one of those 20 amp receptacles on their 20 amp circuits. If it was my original build I would do so for free if it was my mistake.
JFletcher
Senior Member
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- Williamsburg, VA
Since it isnt defined or mentioned in the NEC, "dedicated" is a meaningless word imo and couldnt be used to cite 110.3(B). For all we know, a sticker on the faceplate of the receptacle that says "TV only" or "[insert appliance name here] only", or saying "I hereby dedicate this receptacle to my new 72" flatscreen" is what was meant. Mfg of electrical gear should use NEC terms in their instructions, not common lingo.
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- Journeyman Electrician (retired)
My initial response was only to what was said in the OP, "The video also said if you have a dedicated 20 amp circuit, the receptacle must be rated for 20amps". In that statement I would assume that Mike Holt meant a single receptacle.
gfci rating.
gfci rating.
Here is the reason for the question. I did the (new construction) electrical work on a house in texas. It passed a fort worth tx inspection. The home owner had another inspector (i dont know who it was) check his house before the warranty ran out. The new inspector said that 20 amp gfci receptacles should have been used on the 20 amp circuits. All these circuits have numerous outlets. I could go put in the 20amp gfci's just to make him happy, but he already had someone else do it without notifying me first. I was going by what I have always seen done myself which was using 15amp gfci receptacles. Was I wrong? Is there a code reference?
gfci rating.
Here is the reason for the question. I did the (new construction) electrical work on a house in texas. It passed a fort worth tx inspection. The home owner had another inspector (i dont know who it was) check his house before the warranty ran out. The new inspector said that 20 amp gfci receptacles should have been used on the 20 amp circuits. All these circuits have numerous outlets. I could go put in the 20amp gfci's just to make him happy, but he already had someone else do it without notifying me first. I was going by what I have always seen done myself which was using 15amp gfci receptacles. Was I wrong? Is there a code reference?
JFletcher
Senior Member
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- Williamsburg, VA
You werent wrong. Code references already cited.
gfci rating
gfci rating
The 210.21 does talk about the recptacles, but I guess my question should have included, "is a gfci receptacle considered a regular receptacle" and i should therefore follow the same 210.21 rules when installing them.
gfci rating
The 210.21 does talk about the recptacles, but I guess my question should have included, "is a gfci receptacle considered a regular receptacle" and i should therefore follow the same 210.21 rules when installing them.
The HI does not know what he is talking about- 15a duplex receptacles (both standard and GFCI) are permitted on 20a ckts. If there will be only one receptacle (single) on the 20a ckt, it must be rated 20a or greater- a duplex counts as two receptacles.
Here are your code references that were posted earlier by JFletcher
V V V V V V
And as I alluded to earlier in the thread- how many 20a recs do you see on the required 20a sabcs or 20a bath ckt in any house.
JFletcher
Senior Member
- Location
- Williamsburg, VA
Same rules. See article 100 definition of receptacle as well (there is no distinction between GFCI, TR, WR, AFCI, etc)..
20A receptacles are only required on 20A circuits if it's a simplex (single outlet - eta: like a hotel PTAC with a single 6-20R). A duplex is 2 receptacles on a common yoke; even if that were the only device on a 20A circuit, a 15A duplex receptacle is permissible.
eta: 15A receptacles are rated 20A pass-thru, and the only difference between a 5-15R and 5-20R is the plastic face with the T shaped neutral, and the packaging/labeling.
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- Retired PV System Designer
A 20A receptacle is only required (as a design feature, not an NEC requirement) if it is expected or known that an appliance or tool with a 20 plug on the end of its cord needs to be plugged in. There are some, but they are rarely used on a general purpose receptacle circuit in the first place.
And a device that draws that much current would not be allowed on a multiple receptacle general purpose 20A circuit either.
And a device that draws that much current would not be allowed on a multiple receptacle general purpose 20A circuit either.
gfci plug rating
This is why i asked the question. An inspector said that I should have used 20amp gfci receptacles on the 20 amp circuits I installed in a new house. A fort worth inspector had previously passed the electrical with the 15amp gfci's. These 20amp circuits had numerous outlets.
This is why i asked the question. An inspector said that I should have used 20amp gfci receptacles on the 20 amp circuits I installed in a new house. A fort worth inspector had previously passed the electrical with the 15amp gfci's. These 20amp circuits had numerous outlets.
- Location
- New Jersey
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- Journeyman Electrician (retired)
Simply the inspector who said that you should use 20 amp receptacles was incorrect.
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