tapping off of an existing circuit

sybrandy · Dec 5, 2007

Is there any way I can tap off of an existing circuit, protected by a 20 amp breaker, to feed two 15amp receptacles with #14 awg??

stickboy1375 · Dec 5, 2007

Yep, change the breaker to a 15 amp...

sguinn · Dec 10, 2007

sybrandy said:
Is there any way I can tap off of an existing circuit, protected by a 20 amp breaker, to feed two 15amp receptacles with #14 awg??

You could also make the tap as long as you used #12 awg, as long as it wasn't a dedicated circuit.

infinity · Dec 10, 2007

Why would you want to do this in the first place?

stickboy1375 · Dec 10, 2007

infinity said:
Why would you want to do this in the first place?

I was kind of afraid to ask that...

sguinn · Dec 11, 2007

infinity said:
Why would you want to do this in the first place?

I'm assuming the wire feeding the circuit is 12ga?

augie47 · Dec 11, 2007

why ?

why ?

infinity said:
Why would you want to do this in the first place?

The standard answer I get in the field is "I already had some #14" :grin:

LarryFine · Dec 11, 2007

sybrandy said:
. . 20 amp breaker . . . #14 awg

There's the problem: the breaker must be sized to the wire. The 15a receptacles are not an issue.

Where is Sy anyway?