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-   -   15 or 20 amp GFCI receptacle? (http://www.houserepairtalk.com/f9/15-20-amp-gfci-receptacle-12789/)

SBay_ecologist 12-22-2011 01:17 AM

15 or 20 amp GFCI receptacle?
 
Hello All:

Do I need 20 amp GFCI's?

Backgorund info:

Upon the recommendation I got from this forum, I am about to replace a few of my two-prong receptacles with GFCI ones.

Some are in the kitchen, and some are in the lving room and bed rooms.

One of them-- you may have read my earlier story about an arcing receptacle-- is for the microwave.


Thanks.

JoeD 12-22-2011 07:06 AM

You can use either.

nealtw 12-22-2011 07:07 AM

If the breakers are 15 amp use 15 amp plugs, 1 gfi for each breaker.

kok328 12-22-2011 07:10 AM

That depends on the circuit.
What is the wattage of your microwave?
Is this a 15 or 20 amp breaker?
Is the guage of wire correct for the breaker on this circuit?
A 15amp breaekr will have 14AWG wire a 20amp breaker will have 12AWG wire.
You will not want to put a 15 amp GFI on a 20 amp circuit

speedy petey 12-22-2011 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kok328 (Post 65364)
You will not want to put a 15 amp GFI on a 20 amp circuit

Why not??? You are aware that 15A GFI's are rated for 20A feed through, right?

When was the last time you needed a 20A configured receptacles for anything general in a home? I am not talking about a dedicated appliance, A/C or power tool.

There is simply NO reason to use 20A receptacles in a general use residential application. This is for the US, I believe Canada has different rules.

JoeD 12-23-2011 11:21 AM

You are correct about Canada. The receptacle has to match the circuit. A 20 amp circuit has to have 20 amp receptacles. They can be the T slot version that accepts 15 amp plugs or they can be the dedicated 20 amp version with the horizontal only slot.


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