wwhitney
In the Trades
More like if your shower is 2 gpm, and you run one line for your bathroom group, that line better be at least 2.5 gpm, in case someone uses the lavatory while the shower is running.
Cheers, Wayne
Cheers, Wayne
More like if your shower is 2 gpm, and you run one line for your bathroom group, that line better be at least 2.5 gpm, in case someone uses the lavatory while the shower is running.
Cheers, Wayne
One what? That cord is 16AWG and is rated 13A. So the user is supposed to ensure that what is plugged into it does not exceed 13A.
I don't think that's true. There are plenty of 15A hair dryers out there with 15A plugs.FWIW, a device that actually draws 15A would not pass UL certification with a 15A plug on it!
One what? That cord is 16AWG and is rated 13A. So the user is supposed to ensure that what is plugged into it does not exceed 13A.
Cheers, Wayne
That one's 14 AWG and so is rated at 15 amps.Ok here's one without that limitation:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Y4DXLA/
Can you elaborate on this?All my outlets are rated 20 amps or more....
To be a bit more precise, those are the 75C ampacities. The 90C ampacities are even higher, while the 60C ampacities are the familiar 15A/20A/30A. NM cable is restricted to a final ampacity not to exceed the 60C ampacity, even though it has 90C conductors inside.A little more digging, and I find that while the NEC ampacity table lists the ampacity of 14awg wire at 20A, it is required to be on a 15A or lower breaker, and 12awg is rated for 25A, but is required to operate on a 20A breaker, and there is a similar requirement for #10.
NEC code does allow for a 15A rated receptacle to be installed on a 20A branch circuit. Mainly because it's unfortunately done on a common practice. As a result, 15A rated receptacles have to be able to handle 20A. One of reason for 15A receptacles is cost and the labor to install. 20A wire terminations have the fastened and push connect connection are only allowed on 15A receptacles when using 14 ga wire. From a home builders perspective it's less expensive to build a home with 15A receptacles and 14 ga wire.
The current carrying capacity of wire is dependent on the wire gauge and the insulation and where it is used. 14 gauge NM wire in a wall can be used on circuits upto 15 amps. The same wire (if it has the appropriate rating or have been approved by UL/Intertek/TUV/etc) used inside a piece of equipment (not as a line cord) can potentially carry more than 15 amps (depends on the device and it's intended use).
There are many nuances when it comes to wire and that is why there is NEC, UL, ASTM, ASME, ASM & etc codes and standards, to control how a device is designed to when it is installed and used.
So are you basically saying it is safe to pass 20 amps through the wipers on a 15A outlet, if say a power strip is used? I think that is what I concluded. The outlets must be specified to handle the extra 5A, and I doubt it would save much cost per outlet to thin out the wiper since it needs to be strong enough to perform.
So its like saying you can install a shower, and the homeowner can only turn the water 80% of the way on.
Actually, it's not. The conductor ampacity is a continuous rating, so conductors with a 20 amp ampacity (adjusted for conditions of use) can carry 20 amp continuously without damage.When sized properly, the supply wires in the circuit don't generally get all that warm since the resistance is low. But, they are not perfect conductors, and they DO heat up. This is one reason why the 80% rule applies.
Actually, it's not. The conductor ampacity is a continuous rating, so conductors with a 20 amp ampacity (adjusted for conditions of use) can carry 20 amp continuously without damage.
The sole reason for the 80% rule is the limitations of thermal magnetic circuit breakers. There is apparently a mismatch between the way the damage curve for a conductor, and the heating curve of a thermal element in a circuit breaker, vary with different time periods. So if you calibrate your thermal element to protect conductors from overload on the scale of 5 minutes, you end up with a thermal trip level that will often trip even at safe currents at the 3 hour level. To avoid these nuisance trips on long time scales for continuous loads, you must upsize the circuit breaker; but as that would no longer protect the conductors properly at short time scales, you have to upsize the conductors to match the upsized circuit breaker.
Cheers, Wayne
This is awkward, but...
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