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I am finally getting around to wiring my shop. I had a single 120V 20 amp circuit covering the perimeter of the 900 sq ft garage. I will have two 120V 20 amp circuits. I also will have a 220V, 20 amp circuit.
Shall I use 20 amp outlets?
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Why of course. They are much heavier duty than the 15amp outlets.
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(02-06-2019, 08:40 PM)Cecil Wrote: I am finally getting around to wiring my shop. I had a single 120V 20 amp circuit covering the perimeter of the 900 sq ft garage. I will have two 120V 20 amp circuits. I also will have a 220V, 20 amp circuit.
Shall I use 20 amp outlets?
As long as everything is wired with #12 wire.
John T.
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There is probably no need unless you have tools that have 20A configured plugs. 15A outlets meet code on 20A lines. All of the circuits in my house and shop are 20A with 15A outlets. I have never had a tool or appliance that I couldn't plug in.
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I have 3 dedicated 220 outlets in the shop. I ran #10 wire so I could run a 30 amp breaker or less. I still had to pull another replacement wire ( #8 ) to a 50 amp breaker for my arc / tig welder. Sometimes you can't for-see an addition to the tools.
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It's what Bob said. You can, but things with 120V/20A plugs are fairly rare. I did use the 120V/20A outlets, and can't think of a single time they had a 20A plug stuck in them.
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02-07-2019, 07:18 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-07-2019, 07:19 AM by Admiral.)
When I did both my first and second shop, I did use 20a outlets, which were also GFCI protected. What ever you choose to do, get the better commercial quality outlets, I'm partial to Hubbell, Lowes sells them but HD does not. Also, consider mounting the outlets in the box with the ground hole on top; in a shop environment should something metal drop between the plug and outlet, it won't short out the circuit.
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(02-07-2019, 07:18 AM)Admiral Wrote: Also, consider mounting the outlets in the box with the ground hole on top; in a shop environment should something metal drop between the plug and outlet, it won't short out the circuit.
That's the kind of thing that sounds great in theory but when is that ever going to happen? Well, it actually did happen, in my last house, with a thin aluminium straight edge. It was standing up for some reason on my bench, or I fumbled it, or something (25 years ago - it's getting foggy) and it went over slowly like a tree falling, flat to the wall. And landed on the neutral blade of a plug in a flush wall receptacle. One in a million, and all that, but if it had happened from the other side (the right side), it would have landed on the hot blade. The plug must have been out just enough. Like one of those proctology oddity stories - one in a million accident, doc; one in a million.
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Use spec grade receptacles. Nylon. 15A or 20A. 15A receptacles are rated for 20A pass-through, and for 20A total on a single duplex receptacle, which is why you can use them on a 20A circuit. I prefer pigtails, so pass-through current doesn't matter, but 15A is legal on 20A circuits as long as there's more than one receptacle (a duplex counts as two, by the way). Don't use back-stab (spring loaded wire connection) cheapie receptacles, not to be confused with back-wired using actual clamps with screws, which are much better and the only way to fly with stranded.
If it's being inspected, be aware that your area may require tamper-proof receptacles, for both 15A and 20A (120V).
Tom
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(02-07-2019, 07:20 AM)TDKPE Wrote: Use spec grade receptacles.
Pluse 1. They only cost about $3 or $4 each. Use this type on where the receptacle will be used for high currents and or high use from plugging in and out. Kitchens and bathrooms are prime examples. Roly
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