(1) 20amp breaker/circuit, (3) 15amp receptacle, (3) Gavitas drawing 4.6amps each, OK?

[2klude]

Well as the title says, I'm in the process of laying out the electrical in a new build. I've got 5 rows of 3 lights and if I can get 3 lights on 1 circuit it will make the layout look really clean.

If I run a 20 amp breaker/circuit, and have (3) separate 15mp single outlet receptacles on this circuit, 1 for each light, will I run into any issues because each receptacle is only rated for 15amps? The lights are going to be drawing 4.6amps each at 240v, so technically I'm under the 15amp draw, just wondering if I'm splitting it up over (3) receptacles makes a difference.

I know you will say just go buy a 20 amp receptacle but I've got a ton of these 15amp ones and would like to use them.

 

[J232]

Don’t use 15 amp on 20 amp wiring, do that part right.

 

[J232]

Run multiple 15 amp breakers otherwise.

 

[2klude]

Run multiple 15 amp breakers otherwise.

That was the original plan, (2) lights on (1) 15 amp breaker, but now, with the way the room is layed out it would look so much cleaner if I went with (3) lights per circuit. I guess i'm going to go out and swamp the 15amp receptacles for 20 amp ones. I'm getting mixed opinions. Guys on another forum are telling me it's ok. My electrician is telling me it's 100% safe but is going to double check in his code book tonight if it's up to code. Wire we are using is 12-2 bx.

 

[2klude]

This post sums up the responses on another forum....

"Your good, 1 light is 4.6 amps, that is well below the 80% threshold for the 15 amp receptacle.
And the 3 lights at 4.6 amps equals 13.8 amps, which is below 80% for the 20 amp breaker."

The way he writes it makes sense to me, but I have little knowledge on electrical. It's kind of how my electrician explained it to me. The electrician wasn't 100% certain though, I could just tell he was second guessing himself.

 

[mile.high]

Is your property and safety not worth the $10 or so it costs to fix this? You’ll probably be fine but with electrical when things go wrong they go WRONG.

 

[J232]

Yeah it’s not about if it can handle it, I wouldn’t let any electrician touch my shit if they think running 15amp receptacles on 20s is 100% safe... lol wtf, find a new trade buddy.

 

[mile.high]

Yeah it’s not about if it can handle it, I wouldn’t let any electrician touch my shit if they think running 15amp receptacles on 20s is 100% safe... lol wtf, find a new trade buddy.

First, I’m not sn electrician and I don’t do any of my own electrical, so don’t take this as scripture, but I do think the electrician is correct when he says it’s up to code. But it’s not exactly safe. Hypothetically say 2klude goes on vacation and has someone watch the grow, one of the receptacles goes out and he gets one of those 3 headed extension cords to plug everything into one receptacle to get them back on.

Overloads the receptacle and then what?

Yes, if everything goes to plan you are safe, but what if things go wrong?

 

[2klude]

Yeah it’s not about if it can handle it, I wouldn’t let any electrician touch my shit if they think running 15amp receptacles on 20s is 100% safe... lol wtf, find a new trade buddy.

Yeah, I hear ya. I've got so much invested in this build might as well do it right. I went to home depot and they gave me a store credit. I swamped then all out for 20 amp receptacles. I had to go to 2 stores to get the quantity I needed.