NEMA 5-20r on a 15a circuit

[MCosentino87]

I renovated my house 7 years ago and the electrician we contracted installed 20a simplexes under most of my windows dedicated to AC units. They are small units, around 8-10,000BTU, 125v. The other day while doing some work to my house, I noticed my AC circuits are all on 15a breakers, 14g wire. I found in table 210.21(B)(2) that shows maximum connected load for a 20a receptacle is 20a. I get that the circuit is "safe" and properly rated/protected for the anticipated load, but isn't installing a 5-20 simplex an invitation to connect a 20a load? I can't find anything specific about this in the code. I work in commercial buildings and we don't even run 14g 15 amp circuits for receptacles.

 

[infinity]

A single receptacle is only required to as large as the circuit ampacity but it can also be larger. A 20.amp single receptacle is permitted on a 15 amp individual branch circuit. Same applies to a 50 amp range receptacle on a 40 amp circuit as they don't make 40 amp receptacles.

 

[MCosentino87]

A single receptacle is only required to as large as the circuit ampacity but it can also be larger. A 20.amp single receptacle is permitted on a 15 amp individual branch circuit. Same applies to a 50 amp range receptacle on a 40 amp circuit as they don't make 40 amp receptacles.

Thank you for that. What about table 210.21(B)(3)? It says for circuits rated at 15 amperes the receptacle rating must be "not over 15" (amperes)?
It makes the exception for 40-50 receptacles like you said, but not for a 20r.

 

[infinity]

Thank you for that. What about table 210.21(B)(3)? It says for circuits rated at 15 amperes the receptacle rating must be "not over 15" (amperes)?
It makes the exception for 40-50 receptacles like you said, but not for a 20r.

That's not applicable to a single receptacle on an individual branch circuit.