Receptacle Rating

[mvannevel]

I origanall added this question to a post on Branch Circuits below, but thought I'd post it as it's own question. Table 210.21(B)(3) and Table 210.24 tell us that 15 ampere receptacles can be installed on 20 ampere circuits. Does this include the Small Appliance branch circuits, laundry circuit, and bathroom receptacle circuits? I say yes, but the opinions in the office seem to be split right down the middle. I see no difference between doing this on a general purpose branch circuit and doing it on one of the circuits that I mentioned. Your input would be valuable to our discussion.

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Receptacle Rating

Yes, they can have 15 amp receptacles.

210.11 says that the circuits must be 20 amp. The circuit, as addressed in 210.3, is rated by ther OCPD.

[ August 06, 2004, 09:07 AM: Message edited by: ryan_618 ]

 

[luke warmwater]

Re: Receptacle Rating

My short answer is Yes.
This has been debated on this forum before. I'll try to find the link.

 

[luke warmwater]

Re: Receptacle Rating

Here is one that might help.
The other one that I was thinking of is gone.

 

[charlie b]

Re: Receptacle Rating

The NEC is comprised mostly of ?This is OK? kinds of statements, with a smaller percentage of the text comprising ?This is not OK? kinds of statements. The game rules for using the NEC include this one:
</font>

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">?If it does not say that ?This is not OK,' then it is OK.?</font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Article 210.21(B) falls under 210, ?Branch Circuits,? Part II, ?Branch-Circuit Ratings.? Nothing in either of those two titles restricts the discussion to, or away from, any specific type of branch circuit. In other words,
</font>

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This article DOES say that putting 2 or more 15 amp receptacles on a 20 amp circuit is OK</font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"></font>

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This article DOES NOT say that putting 2 or more 15 amp receptacles on a 20 amp Small Appliance or Laundry circuit is not OK</font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"></font>

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Therefore, we may conclude that putting 2 or more 15 amp receptacles on a 20 amp Small Appliance or Laundry circuit IS OK</font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Will that perspective be enough to convince the other half of your discussion group?

 

[mvannevel]

Re: Receptacle Rating

Thanks guys. That was my contention all along. The only reasoning that the other half of the group can come up with is that in 210.24, it says that the summary of requirements in Table 210.24 is for "other than the receptacle circuits of 210.11(C)(1) and (2). But, they fail to read on to where it says that specific requiremnets are contained in 210.19, 20, and 21, and those requirements tell me in table 210.21(B)(3) that 15 ampere receptacles are allowed. At any rate, I've been passing houses with 15 ampere receptacles for a lot of years, and I'll continue to allow them.