Thread: 20 amp circuit
View Single Post
cabmandone cabmandone is offline
Brew Master
 
cabmandone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Delphos OH
Posts: 32,387
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rapewta View Post
Well if you get out your NEC (National Electrical Code) book or your Ugly's, You are correct.
A compressor that has a starting current at 6 times the running current (15 amps) and only runs continuous for a couple minutes is not going to heat up #14 THHN or any Romex protected by a 20 amp thermal circuit (Home Depot) breaker.
The electrical engineers that come up with the codes always over protect.

40 years in IBEW and IAM. Everything from 500 thousand volt transmission protection to
lowly 12 thousand volt distribution circuits and God forbid... House wiring... a 15 amp running current @ 120 Vac on a #14 wiring circuit protected by a 20 amp beaker is not going to cause any electrical problems.
Code? No.
No way in hell I'd give that advice. A malfunction in the compressor and the wire melts down and so does the house.
Do it the way it's supposed to be done.
__________________
Nick
Old 04-11-2019, 04:42 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #26 (permalink)