Local Electric codes
>> Doug_G: Well, that's weird. If they're 20A circuits they ought to be 20A plugs.
> Tesla 940: My place in New Mexico is all 20amp breakers with 12 gauge wire yet all the outlets (except laundry room) are 15 amp. I was told NM electric code prohibits the use of 14 gauge.
20A outlets used to be seen and sold commonly. The kind that would accept blades both vertical & horizontal. I used these to replace worn-out sockets routinely over the years. Nowadays, I've discovered, new homes only have the vertical blade outlets for 15A max appliances. They are still wired off 20A breakers with 12ga Cu wire, but this is to allow several kitchen appliances to operate at the same time off a single breaker, total draw being less than 20A hopefully.
Today very few appliances draw over 1500W, and those that do usually are given their own breaker & dedicated outlet. E.g.: '1000 watt' microwave draws 1450 watts, 2 door fridge draws 1344 watts, commercial washer draws 1440 watts (the 3 biggies in my house).
Yesterday I brought home an 1800 watt appliance that has a plug with one horizontal blade and one vertical blade. So it will require a new dedicated 20A outlet (NEMA 5-20). Luckily this can tap into the nearby bath countertop circuit since both bathroom countertop outlets are off the same 20A breaker. And this bad boy cycles on for up to one hour at a time.
In this 2009 double-wide half the breakers are 15A on 14ga circuits. These are for ceiling lights, fans and bedroom wall outlets. The thinking here is that what is the biggest anticipated wall-outlet appliance in a bedroom: perhaps a 55in plasma tv? So maybe 600 watts? NM electric code probably allows this on manufactured homes- just my guess.
And to charge the Tesla I'm running a new 240v 40A breaker 8ga (x3) to the J1772 charger for 30A delivery. Probably will also tap in a NEMA xx-30 outlet at the charger location for running an air compressor or hooking up an RV, etc.
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