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eldoitsolo · Jun 25, 2013, 05:58 AM

I have a house with 3 beds and a living room and dining room. I used 20 amp recepticles in the kitchen and for fridge and washer. Proper power for the 220 stuff. But on advice I used 15 amp receps throughout the house. Each room is separated and I ran everything but the lights with 12/2. I ran all the plugs in series giving power to the lights as well. In the bedrooms there is 4 plugs and an a fan/light. The living room has 8 recepticles but those are ran it two series of 4 running back to a junction box. The lights feeding off one. My question is will this work or should I do something. I don't have to pass inspecction but buti don't want troubles down the road. And also I AM BROKE. I do have plenty of 20 amp and 15 amp breakers. Right now I have the bedrooms on 15 and the living and dining on 20 amps. Can some one tell me what if anything I should do?

smoothy · Jun 25, 2013, 06:01 AM

Where is this that it doesn't have to pass inspection?

eldoitsolo · Jun 25, 2013, 06:05 AM

I guess that's not what I meant. I just wanted to know if it would work and what breakers I should use. I wanted an answer from that stand point

Stratmando · Jun 25, 2013, 07:27 AM

Many Places 15 Amps is used and Acceptable if on a 15 Amp Breaker. You can use 15 Amp recepticles for your 20 Amp circuits and is usually/commonly done.
Do Not use 20 Amp recepticles on 15 amp circuits.
The Bedrooms or more may need to be on AFCI Breakers, depending on Location.
I use 20 Amps everywhere, seems like wherever a 15 amp circuit is, People wish it had been a 20 aamp circuit. The labor is the main cost, the cost difference in #12 and #14 is small enough to Not use 15 Amp circuits in my opinion?
It take the same amount of time to run #12 as it does #14?

joypulv · Jun 25, 2013, 07:28 AM

What's the power at the main?
All my homes over the years were pre-1970 and had 15 amps for everything but kitchen and W/D. I've blown/tripped more of the 15 amp ones than I can count. I have fried two of them with repeated overloading. I can see your fan tripping. I can see your living room definitely being a problem, what with space heaters and electronics.
I'm not an electrician.
If you aren't going to get it inspected, do it right. Or cancel your HO insurance because they will deny any claim for all this DIY work.

Kyle_in_rure · Jun 25, 2013, 07:56 AM

If you used 12/2 wire, there is nothing wrong with putting your living room, dining room, etc. on a 20 amp circuit. However, if there is ANY 14/2 wire on a circuit, you have to drop down to a 15 amp breaker.

ma0641 · Jun 25, 2013, 08:18 AM

20 amp breakers can only be used on 12 AWG or larger. If you run 12 to wall outlets and then 14 from them for lights you have to drop back to 15 amp. 14 AWG must have a 15 amp or less breaker. Code allows a 15 amp outlet on a 20 amp circuit but only a 20 amp outlet on a 12 AWG circuit with a 20 amp breaker. Just remember that you can always run a smaller breaker on a larger wire. That is commonly done on "home run " wire. However, not the other way around.

eldoitsolo · Jun 25, 2013, 08:31 AM

So are the bed rooms no good? I thought those were the least of my problems. If using 15 amp receps in the living room is all right the should I just split them on a separate breaker? 2 15amps

Should I do something different in the bedrooms? They are on 15 amps now

joypulv · Jun 25, 2013, 08:52 AM

It depends on things like ceiling fans, hair dryers - what are you using. Generally there's no reason to need 20 amps there.

ma0641 · Jun 25, 2013, 10:26 AM

Bedrooms need to be on an AFCI breaker. If you connected the 14/2 light wire to a 12/2 circuit, you need to have a 15 Amp breaker.

stanfortyman · Jun 25, 2013, 03:35 PM

Or cancel your HO insurance because they will deny any claim for all this DIY work.

This urban legend has been disproved many times. It is simply not true.

stanfortyman · Jun 25, 2013, 03:38 PM

So are the bed rooms no good? I thought those were the least of my problems. If using 15 amp receps in the living room is all right the should I just split them on a separate breaker? 2 15amps

Should I do something different in the bedrooms? They are on 15 amps now

Please be careful taking advice from those who are not professionals and not in the trades. You are getting some erroneous information in this thread.

Bottom line: If you used #12 for a circuit, in the house you describe there is absolutely no reason to use 15A breakers.
Regardless if it is getting inspected now, it is almost certain that you should be using AFCI breakers. This is not a good fact considering you say you are broke.
Broke is not a good thing to be in the middle of a home renovation.

eldoitsolo · Jun 25, 2013, 05:54 PM

Lights are now on there own 15 amp circuits. The living room is still an issue. Should I leave it on a 20 amp. And are the bed room recepticles on 15 amp breaker OK?

eldoitsolo · Jun 25, 2013, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by stanfortyman

Please be careful taking advice from those who are not professionals and not in the trades. You are getting some erroneous information in this thread.

Bottom line: If you used #12 for a circuit, in the house you describe there is absolutely no reason to use 15A breakers.
Regardless if it is getting inspected now, it is almost certain that you should be using AFCI breakers. This is not a good fact considering you say you are broke.
Broke is not a good thing to be in the middle of a home renovation.

So are you saying I'm fine to put the 15 amp recepticles on twenty amp breakers?

stanfortyman · Jun 26, 2013, 03:39 AM

So are you saying I'm fine to put the 15 amp recepticles on twenty amp breakers?

Yes.
What most people seem to for get, or not know at all, is that a 15A duplex receptacle is two 15A receptacles on one yoke, with a 20A feed-through rating.

eldoitsolo · Jun 26, 2013, 06:30 AM

Oh wow its so clear now. Thank you

eldoitsolo · Jun 26, 2013, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by stanfortyman

Yes.
What most people seem to for get, or not know at all, is that a 15A duplex receptacle is two 15A receptacles on one yoke, with a 20A feed-through rating.

Thanks

Stratmando · Oct 29, 2013, 05:06 PM

99% of the time in most any home? You will find 15 recepticles, and they are I believe most commonly on a 20 Amp circuit, I NEVER Install 15 amp circuits, Unless a special Situation. Even then, #12 Copper.
A 20 Amp 120 recpticle has a perpinducular slot, along with the usual slot.

stanfortyman · Oct 29, 2013, 05:55 PM

I NEVER Install 15 amp circuits, Unless a special Situation. Even then, #12 Copper.

Question: Why not use 15A circuits for things like lighting?
And even more, why would you waste #12 wire on a 15A circuit?

I know the standard mentality is bigger is always better, but IMO that is not always the case.

Stratmando · Oct 30, 2013, 05:23 AM

Actually Code Down here has a Supplement to the National Electrical Code, We Cannot use #14, or Aluminum wiring. Even in the Days when Aluminum was allowed elsewhere, and later determined to be dangerous, Now I don't think you can use Aluminum anywhere.

Also I would not waste #12 on a 15 Amp circuit, I would be USING #12 on a 20 Amp Circuit?
Plus I don't carry #14?
They didn't use to be allowed to use Romex Down here as well, It has been allowed I believe since the Price of Raw materials has gotten so Expensive, they made the change.
I prefer to wire a house in conduit, as I believe Romex is Obsolete the moment is installed, Pulling an extra conductor is not possible.
Done without Romex and #14 for so long, it is Automatic, Habit.