Switch rating on a circuit ?

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ritelec

ritelec

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Jersey
A 20amp single pole circuit feeds a duplex receptacle through a single poll toggle switch,

The duplex receptacle can be rated at 15 amp. Should the switch be rated at 15 or 20 amp?

Wondering ?

Thank you
 
Try 404.14 (F) seems to indicate that the switch would be rated for the breaker size or 20 amps.

Exception: where a snap switch is used to control not more than one receptacle on a branch circuit the switch shall be permitted to be rated at not more than the receptacle.

If you have a single switched 15 amp receptacle then the switch could be rated at 15 amps.
 
growler said:
Try 404.14 (F) seems to indicate that the switch would be rated for the breaker size or 20 amps.

Exception: where a snap switch is used to control not more than one receptacle on a branch circuit the switch shall be permitted to be rated at not more than the receptacle.

If you have a single switched 15 amp receptacle then the switch could be rated at 15 amps.
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True, but can a single 15 amp receptacle be on a 20 amp circuit?
 
infinity said:
True, but can a single 15 amp receptacle be on a 20 amp circuit?
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If you have four 15 amp duplex receptacles on a 20 amp circuit, and four snap switches, each controlling a single receptacle, you'd be OK.
 
MAC702 said:
If switched by a 15A switch, can the receptacle be a 15A duplex, or must it be a single?
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You could switch half of the duplex by breaking the tab and leave the other side hot all the time.

The idea is that the switch has to be rated for the highest load that can be connected. What is the highest load that can be connected to a single 15 amp receptacle? If you switch a duplex you could plug in two appliances that could exceed the 15 amp rating.
 
Never given this any thought before. Seen 15 amp switches many times on 20 amp circuits supplying multiple receptacles.
 
kwired said:
Never given this any thought before. Seen 15 amp switches many times on 20 amp circuits supplying multiple receptacles.
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I'm sure that plenty of them have passed inspection because no one really gives it a second thought.

I doubt that it would be considered dangerous, if a switch goes bad it just goes bad.
 
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