Replacing 15 amp Switches with 20 amp

[SavvyCat]

I know for a fact I should not put a 15 amp switch on a 20 amp circuit. But is there anything nasty that will happen by putting a 20 amp switch on a 15 amp circuit?

I am replacing light switches and I bought 20 amp because that's what all the lights in my last house were on. Thought the same was true in the new house, and it was with the first switch. But when I opened up the next two, they were just 15 amps. I installed the 20 amps I had already bought. I peeked in the next one before I bought more, and it's 20. I haven't found any rhyme or reason for the mixed switches, and I really don't want to go around opening up all the outlets, counting them up, closing them, and opening them again if it makes no difference.

Thoughts?

SC

 

[Sparky617]

With a switch it won't make any difference. The load (lights, appliances) determine the amperage draw, the breaker and the wire are what control the amperage through the circuit. If you load up 20 amps of load on a 15 amp circuit the breaker will trip. The switches control the flow on/off but do nothing towards protecting the circuit.

You can put a 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp circuit but not the opposite. A 20 amp duplex receptacle in the US and Canada has a sideways T for one of the terminals. Something that requires a 20 amp circuit will have a plug with the one terminal turned 90 degrees to the other so it will only fit in a 20 amp outlet. You won't find many things in residential appliances that require 120VAC 20Amp circuits. Window AC units are the most likely things.

Here is a link on outlets and plugs. http://www.electrical101.com/receptacles.html

 

[SavvyCat]

Thanks for mentioning the receptacles, because I may or may not do those as well, but they're already all white. The only reason for changing them would be if they were ivory. I noticed the ones in the garage have the T.

 

[Sparky617]

The garage ones are probably 20 amp. They should also be protected by a GFCI outlet at the head end or a GFCI breaker.

 

[SavvyCat]

That make me think of another question, if you don't mind. There is a GFCI in the garage, but the inspector noted there should be one at the receptacle by the stove. There are none in the kitchen at all, and I always thought the ones by the sink/water source should be GFCI, as both in the master vanity are next to dual sinks. Is that not the case? Was he indicating that's where the head end is for the kitchen?

 

[Sparky617]

Your kitchen outlets should be on a GCFI as well. Try tripping the ones in your bathroom and garage and see if the kitchen circuits go out with those. It could also be on an outdoor outlet or basement outlet.

If none of those kill your kitchen outlet and you don't have a GFCI breaker in the panel consider installing a GFCI breaker or an outlet on the first circuit from the panel in your kitchen. Installed properly it will protect all the downstream outlets.

Figuring out the first outlet is of course the fun part. Generally it will be the one closest to the breaker panel, but who knows without looking inside the walls.