Switched Outlets I want to change my house outlets that are 15A-125V with 20A-125V?
Will there be a negative effect on my house if I switch my outlets to 20A 125V ...I'm changing them because they are old and they have been painted on I don't know how many times and I am moving in some new roommates... pretty much the room is getting a face lift....new carpet... new paint.. new outlets/switch. and also my house is not grounded yet but I'm planning on doing it later on it was built in 1975.
You cannot arbitrarily increase your wall outlet amperage without completely replacing your #14 AWG wire with #12 all the way back to your main circuit panel and replacing that 15 amp circuit breaker with a 20 amp breaker.
With that being said, there's a loophole in the law.
In order to accomodate the problem that you have, God has created the 15 and the 20 Amp Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Outlets. They are quite similar in that they do not depend on a GROUND wire connection, and they're perfectly legal.
The 15 amp outlet accomodates 3 prongs in each of its two duplex outlets, a short one (hot) a taller one (neutral) and the smallest one (ground).
The 20 amp outlet can be used with two different styles of plugs, they are standard plug which can fit into the 15 amp outlet, and the 20 amp plug who's neutral prong is perpendicular to the hot prong (the face of the neutral is a T slot).
Ask the guy at the home store to show you the differences between all of them.
DO NOT REPLACE YOUR 15 AMP OUTLETS WITH 20 AMP OUTLETS--THEY ARE ILLEGAL,AND WILL VOID YOUR FIRE INSURANCE!
I recently had a home inspection completed and I was not present to answer or ask questions. One of the things they want me to do is the living room "requires wall switch and light fixture or switched outlet". My question pertains to the switched outlet, since this sounds like an outlet that is operated by a switch? Am I right about this or is this something else entirely. I do have an outlet that is operated by a switch, unfortunately my brother was not aware of this and the inspector could not figure out what the switch was for, since I currently have nothing plugged into this outlet. Any and all help will be appreciated. What is a switch receptacle? This is what I need to know for sure. Thanks again.
The electric code requires either a ceiling light controlled by a switch, or a switched receptacle where you can plug in a lamp. Some people do not care to have a ceiling light fixture. It has nothing to do with cheap contractors. Call the inspector and tell him you do have a switched receptacle outlet.
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