20 Amp circuit with 15 Amp sockets

[tmyoung]

I'm setting up a small electric brewing system for use in my apartment. The breaker board in my unit has three 20 Amp circuits labeled "Kitchen," but all of the sockets in my kitchen appear to be 15 Amp sockets. I have been setting up my system for 20 Amps. Would it be safe to use the 15 Amp outlets?

 

[iijakii]

Just use two 1500 watt elements and two different circuits. Or spend $5 and change the outlets...

 

[jeffmeh]

Just swap out the 15a outlets for 20a outlets.

 

[JoshuaW]

Spend the cash to change the outlets. Its probably okay, but it's also not much money.

 

[Shawn_Brewin]

Take it from an Electrician and call an Electrician! IMOA if they changed the breaker just to give them a little more power in the kitchen (which i have seen tons) your wiring in the wall might be undersized... Undersized wires, start house fires! (as my old boss used to say!)

 

[MrNatural]

Take it from an Electrician and call an Electrician! IMOA if they changed the breaker just to give them a little more power in the kitchen (which i have seen tons) your wiring in the wall might be undersized... Undersized wires, start house fires! (as my old boss used to say!)

Exactly! You need to check the wire gauge in the circuit.
12 gauge- you'll be good
14 gauge- you'll be toast

 

[Hammy71]

It was typical and legal for houses to be wired using 15 amp receptacles on a 20 amp circuit in the past, and may/probably still is in some areas. If you read the back of the 15 amp ones you'll see they are rated for a 20 amp feed through capacity. The logic is/was most appliances by themselves don't draw more than the amperage rating of the 15 amp receptacles. Having said this, as an electrician, if you know for sure the circuit is wired with 12 awg wire and a 20 amp breaker, then go spend the couple of bucks and swap out the receptacles for the 20 amp ones. Will it really matter? Probably not, but for the peace of mind, Why not?

 

[Onkel_Udo]

It was typical and legal for houses to be wired using 15 amp receptacles on a 20 amp circuit in the past, and may/probably still is in some areas. If you read the back of the 15 amp ones you'll see they are rated for a 20 amp feed through capacity. The logic is/was most appliances by themselves don't draw more than the amperage rating of the 15 amp receptacles. Having said this, as an electrician, if you know for sure the circuit is wired with 12 awg wire and a 20 amp breaker, then go spend the couple of bucks and swap out the receptacles for the 20 amp ones. Will it really matter? Probably not, but for the peace of mind, Why not?

Yep...in particular before a basic kitchen required a minimum of 6 110V circuits just to meet the NEC, small appliance circuits were almost always 20 amp with 2 or more 15 amp duplex outlets.

Heck, I remember when a piece of 12/3 (or even 14/3) was used to feed the dishwasher/garbage disposal and just required tying the two breakers together.

 

[gtmaus]

It is legal NEC code wise to install 15a outlets on a 20a circuit. Since 15a outlets are rated for 20a. Just make sure you actually have 12awg wire on those 20a breakers.

 

[tmyoung]

Thanks for the wisdom. I'll check my gauge and install the outlet if I can. I'll probably do a discrete outlet so my property manager doesn't notice.

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

I changed out the 15amp GFCI outlet in my kitchen on the circuit I'm planning to use for my 2000W mini-eBIAB.

Glad I did turned out the ground wasn't connected to anything just cut off to the sheathing. I was pretty pissed off, especially since I had to make a jumper to connect the new outlet.

Now I have to go through the house and check all my outlets because of some idiot.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Now I have to go through the house and check all my outlets because of some idiot.

Just get a $4 outlet tester...works a charm.

Oddly, the GFCI wourks just as well without the ground wire but does require a label saying "no equipment ground".