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So I just replaced all my 15A outlets with 20A...but realized most breakers are 15A
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:02 am
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:02 am
how much of a fire hazard is this? should i pull them all and swap with 15s?
the old outlets were in poor shape; many were cracked and were installed 30-40 years ago. was painting my interior and wanted to freshen up all my switches and outlets.
22
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:04 am to CAD703X
Replace the breakers
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:04 am to CAD703X
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:04 am to CAD703X
Just uninstall them and exchange them on Amazon for the right size.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:04 am to CAD703X
It’s still safe. The breaker will trip at greater than 15A.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:04 am to CAD703X
20A outlets on 15A breakers will just throw the breaker.....right? why would there be a fire hazard? iI would think the fire hazard would be the opposite, 15 amp outlets on 20 amp breakers.
BTW i want to install 2 220 outlets..... it doesnt look too hard.
BTW i want to install 2 220 outlets..... it doesnt look too hard.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:05 am to CAD703X
I don’t think that’s how you’re supposed to do it.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:05 am to CAD703X
I'm surprised the house isn't already on fire. Evacuate now and consider the house and everything in it to be a lost cause.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:05 am to CAD703X
I'm not an electrician so this could be a very stupid and ignorant response, but I'd imagine if the breakers are lower than the outlets, you'd be okay. The outlets would handle 20A but are only being fed 15A.
Electricians: Correct me if I'm dumb.
Electricians: Correct me if I'm dumb.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:06 am to magildachunks
quote:
Replace the breakers
brilliant!
hadn't even considered that. that would probably be a much easier process. i wouldn't be running all over the house trying to twist wire around screws that doesn't want to twist.
my hands are torn to pieces today from swapping 30+ outlets and probably 20 lightswitches.. i have new respect for electricians.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:07 am to CAD703X
quote:
how much of a fire hazard is this?
It's not a hazard at all. Your receptacles can withstand a current that's higher than the current that your breakers will trip at.
The issue would be if you flip-flop the current ratings (15A receptacles on 20A breakers).
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:07 am to Btrtigerfan
quote:
It’s still safe. The breaker will trip at greater than 15A.
is there an advantage to swapping 15A breakers to 20 or given this should I just leave it alone?
eta i'm thinking leave it alone because i am POSITIVE i missed a few 15A outlets here and there.
THANK YOU OT!
This post was edited on 2/5/18 at 9:09 am
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:08 am to CAD703X
I don't think 20A outlets on 15A breakers is dangerous. I don't think so anyway. Drawing more than 15 through the outlet should trip the breaker. The reverse is problematic - drawing more than 15 through a 15A outlet won't trip a 20A breaker but will burn up the outlet.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:09 am to CAD703X
quote:
Replace the breakers
you stupid frick
This will just amplify your current fire hazard
You know the breakers are sized for the panel amps right?
You can't just change them all without calculating the amps and making sure it doesn't overload.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:09 am to Btrtigerfan
quote:
It’s still safe. The breaker will trip at greater than 15A.
yep stop fretting. The breaker is there to protect everything "downstream" of the breaker. ie, wires, switches, plugs, devices.
The only way you could've screwed things up is if you replace the 15a breaker with a 20a. That would most likely be a mistake.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:10 am to CAD703X
You're fine.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:11 am to CAD703X
Don’t swap the breakers. They should be matched with the size wiring used. You def don’t want to overload the wiring.
You should be fine the way it is. The 15A breaker will prevent overloading anything.
You should be fine the way it is. The 15A breaker will prevent overloading anything.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:11 am to CAD703X
All the electrical circuits in your home are rated to handle a certain amount of electrical flow (amps). When too many amps flow through a circuit, the wires overheat and can catch surrounding materials (like insulation) on fire.
Luckily, your circuit breaker detects when there’s too much electrical flow and “trips” (breaks the circuit).
For example, let’s say you have a circuit with wiring rated to handle 15 amps. To protect all the wiring in that circuit, a 15-amp circuit breaker is installed. And if more than 15 amps flows through the circuit, the breaker trips.
The tripping breaker is not the problem, but a sign that you have a problem somewhere that could cause your wires to overheat and start a fire.
Now let’s say you decided to upgrade that 15-amp breaker to a 20-amp breaker. You’ll now have a circuit breaker that will allow up to 20 amps of electricity to wiring that is only rated to be safe up to 15 amps.
See the problem? You’re creating a fire hazard!
Sure, the breaker is less likely to trip. But it’s at the expense of damaging your home and putting your family at risk.
That’s not a tradeoff you want to make.
Luckily, your circuit breaker detects when there’s too much electrical flow and “trips” (breaks the circuit).
For example, let’s say you have a circuit with wiring rated to handle 15 amps. To protect all the wiring in that circuit, a 15-amp circuit breaker is installed. And if more than 15 amps flows through the circuit, the breaker trips.
The tripping breaker is not the problem, but a sign that you have a problem somewhere that could cause your wires to overheat and start a fire.
Now let’s say you decided to upgrade that 15-amp breaker to a 20-amp breaker. You’ll now have a circuit breaker that will allow up to 20 amps of electricity to wiring that is only rated to be safe up to 15 amps.
See the problem? You’re creating a fire hazard!
Sure, the breaker is less likely to trip. But it’s at the expense of damaging your home and putting your family at risk.
That’s not a tradeoff you want to make.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:12 am to CAD703X
quote:
my hands are torn to pieces today from swapping 30+ outlets and probably 20 lightswitches.. i have new respect for electricians.
That's because electricians don't use their hands to twist wires around an outlet. They make tools for this, cad.
I'd swap the outlets out if it were me. You can buy bulk boxes of outlets and switches at lowes for less than a buck a outlet. Breakers aren't universal best I can recall and might be costly to replace all of your 15A breakers.
Posted on 2/5/18 at 9:12 am to CAD703X
NO DO NOT replace the breakers YET
pull some of that wire and check the gauge wire is not cheep and if the house was wired with 14 ga thats what a 15 amp circuit takes 20 amp takes 12 ga using 14 can cause a problem I wouldn't do it. so pull some wire and check it they may have used 12 look at the fuse box where you can see the insulation on the wire and it will tell you what ga it is.
pull some of that wire and check the gauge wire is not cheep and if the house was wired with 14 ga thats what a 15 amp circuit takes 20 amp takes 12 ga using 14 can cause a problem I wouldn't do it. so pull some wire and check it they may have used 12 look at the fuse box where you can see the insulation on the wire and it will tell you what ga it is.
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