20a 125v single receptacle

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GoldDigger

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Michaelmechanic said:
I'm curious Why the blade is able to go horizontal on receptacle.
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The standard which applies is that a male cord end on equipment which requires a 20A circuit will have one blade horizontal, so that it will not fit into a 15A receptacle.
Meanwhile, a 15A male plug will fit into either a 15A or a 20A receptacle because of the T slot in the latter.

A little more: The standard for 240V 15A is two horizontal blades, while the 20A has one horizontal blade and one vertical blade, but because the fixed horizontal is on the opposite side of the three blade array, the male will not fit into a 20A 120V receptacle either.

Looking at the NEMA configuration diagrams is almost interesting this way.

Then there are the diagonal slots..... :)
 
electricalist

electricalist

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I ask myself the same thing. Some things are just funny. It is acceptable to use a 15 amp duplex (2) outlet on a 20 amp circuits. Because its not possible to pull 16 or more amps on both outkets and for sure not 10 of then. If its a single devuce/outlet it has to be rated for 20 amps and the neutral slot is sideways. Then some office guy says hey my copier keeps tripping the breaker, theres nothin else on with it cause it has one then sideways cord things that only fits in dedicated plugs. You look around the room and all the plugs are 20 amp spec grade. Why cause im sure one my voworkers did it. 20 a breaker gets 20 a wire and 20 a device. ..personally I put 15 a devices and dedicated gets single outlet
 
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Strathead

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electricalist said:
I ask myself the same thing. Some things are just funny. It is acceptable to use a 15 amp duplex (2) outlet on a 20 amp circuits. Because its not possible to pull 16 or more amps on both outkets and for sure not 10 of then. If its a single devuce/outlet it has to be rated for 20 amps and the neutral slot is sideways. Then some office guy says hey my copier keeps tripping the breaker, theres nothin else on with it cause it has one then sideways cord things that only fits in dedicated plugs. You look around the room and all the plugs are 20 amp spec grade. Why cause im sure one my voworkers did it. 20 a breaker gets 20 a wire and 20 a device. ..personally I put 15 a devices and dedicated gets single outlet
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You can't fix stupid. The configuration of the receptacle itself is designed to limit the load to the current carrying capacity of the receptacle. I think that the requirement that a single receptacle be rated for the size of the breaker is there merely to assist in preventing work arounds. It is probably a useless code. I doubt there are many houses or offices that don't have power strips. Also, I have worked for four Electrical Contractors in my life, and I am pretty sure that every one of them has rigged a way to defeat the 20A plug limitation on Greenlee benders, hot boxes, tuggers etc. So if we are doing it, then you can bet that everyone else is.
 
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SceneryDriver

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The differentiation between 15A and 20A 120v receptacles has always confused me. If the plug's blade material was thicker so as to carry more current, I could see the value in it, but the blades are exactly the same. In fact, I've purchased several right-angle cord caps that allowed you to flip the neutral blade horizontal or vertical to fit the given application.

Is is supposed to do with the receptacles, and how they're constructed internally? I'd sort of buy that argument, but why not simplify things?


SceneryDriver
 
electricalist

electricalist

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electricman2 said:
I have seen a few 20amp plugs with the horizontal prong twisted to fit a 15 amp receptacle.
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I swear I stopped doing that many years ago the day I was explained the reason for ul listings. Not bashing on where I came from but ive seen and been told way worse than that was ok. " ur an electrician ur here to figure out how to make this work now get on the roof take these channel locks, without insulation, and these split bolts and tie that weather head in. And dont touch the ground" . Id say can I wear my gloves , im kinda nervous hahaha youll get use to it your an electrician arent you. . Boy those days were crazy
 
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GoldDigger

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SceneryDriver said:
The differentiation between 15A and 20A 120v receptacles has always confused me. If the plug's blade material was thicker so as to carry more current, I could see the value in it, but the blades are exactly the same. In fact, I've purchased several right-angle cord caps that allowed you to flip the neutral blade horizontal or vertical to fit the given application.

Is is supposed to do with the receptacles, and how they're constructed internally? I'd sort of buy that argument, but why not simplify things?


SceneryDriver
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It is not necessarily any difference in the construction of the receptacle or the plug. The purpose us to identify a receptacle connected to a 20A circuit on that side and equipment that requires a 20A circuit on the other.
The larger amperage and higher voltage NEMA standard configurations do the same thing but with the larger differences in current they also have more visible differences in construction.
Getting back to the 15/20 situation, any differences in design and construction are more likely to be out of sight inside the receptacle than in the case of the plug. And the differences there are more likely to be significant in terms of ampacity.
The 20s are also tested differently for UL.
 
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FREEBALL

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hahahahahahaha boss said one time throw these bolt in sq D breakers in and here stand on this cardboard so you don't get wrapped, he also keyed the phrase " break time, I gave you a break when I hired you" hahahahaha yea years past we used to wire temp light strings with 277 and series wire the bulbs just to mess with him the fun we had but yea device configurations are for the devices they service kinda like 15 amp feed through GFI on a 20 amp circuit.
 
electricalist

electricalist

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You guys crack me up. Oncor said trench had to be 4' free of anything rocky etc u know the drill . Were in this trench about 4 hrs my elbows were bleeding cause turning around was a btch. Me and Dan starting to look pale. Then the boss pulls up says you guys need a break . We tried for 10 min to get out.. so damn weak. I climbed on dan to get out then pulled him out. Sat down and the jacka-- said breaks ovet get back to work
 
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FREEBALL

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must have been before OSHA got strict hahahahaha we too worked like that we got our boss back though we were pooring a duct bank with (not sure of conduit name but ect comes to mind) thin wall pvc concrete backed 12 4 inch conduits in a duct bank the form blew at 1630 in the evening and he said go grab some rebar and 2x4's we said you gave us a break when you hired us and and you gave us a time we got off he was pissed we walked down got water and went back up to finish job but yeah man remember those days. we had his truck strapped to a crane to place on concrete deck one friday night also he came out and caught us. hahahahahahaa yeah those were the days
 
electricalist

electricalist

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Large custom home subdivision. 15 pole light n/w We wired the houses. Same jacka $$. Builder ask as a favor get them on tonight its friday .boss says men here are your checks if you stay you did it for me and the company. If you decide to I wont be mad. So we all left. He was a mad mf on mobday
 
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