Outlet spark

[Rburt5]

I was running a circular saw in my garage when my daughter said she saw an outlet in the living room spark. The outlet is on the same circuit as the one my saw was plugged into. The breaker is a 20 amp and the outlets are 15 amp. I pulled the outlet that she said sparked and don’t see any signs of burn. Is this as simple as replacing my 15 amp outlets with 20s?

 

[Reach4]

I pulled the outlet that she said sparked and don’t see any signs of burn. Is this as simple as replacing my 15 amp outlets with 20s?

No. 15 amp outlets on a 20 amp circuit is fine. They are built pretty much the same as the 20s, but don't have the t-shaped hole that the 20s have. So they don't accept the fairly rare 20 amp plug.

You could replace it with another 15 if you want to heed your daughter's observation.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

A spark there would indicate the saw outlet was feeding through that receptacle and there is a loose wire. Usually NOTHING to do with the outlet itself.

 

[Rburt5]

Thanks for the help. I replaced the outlet just to be safe. HJ are you saying the wires may have been loose where they attached to the outlet that sparked? Or could they be loose inside any of the receptacles along that circuit?

 

[Jadnashua]

A spark is the electricity jumping a gap, which implies a loose connection or higher voltage than the internal gap is designed to handle.

 

[hj]

IT would have been WHEREVER the spark occurred.

 

[Rburt5]

IT would have been WHEREVER the spark occurred.

Thanks. The new outlet should take care of it then. I’ll still have a pro come look at it to make sure.