Electrical help please!

I need to replace outlet recepiticals because of them being loose and plugs falling out. I know the outlet needs to be rated the same as the breaker. My breaker has 2 different amps on it. I think I need 15 amp outlets but not sure. Anyone who definitely knows please help. Here’s pic of breaker.

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Thats a tandem breaker, usually for cramming more breakers into a panel that is running out of space. Think of it as 2 separate breakers for your purposes. If you flip the 15 amp breaker off and it kills power to whatever receptacles you’re looking to replace, then they’re on the 15 amp circuit.
Sound easy enough?

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Household outlets in :us: and :canada: = 15amp (1800w max)

Anything else and you’d know why you need the difference.

15 and 20 amp plugs look almost the same but the 20’s have a variation to make sure something that NEEDS 20amps can only be plugged into the 20.

I have a dedicated 20amp installed in my basement for the bulk of my indoor garden so I can balance the rest on the other standard 15amp circuit.

Just make sure you have a lamp plugged into the outlet you want off so you know it’s 100% off.

@420noob 30amp is usually things like: AC units, water heating systems, and dryers. 40amp your looking at your oven or a sauna.

Yes there is a sauna in my home.

No I do not use it.

Yes I want to.

No i’m not paying to sweat inside when I can just go gardening.

:+1:

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I have one to, it is my apartment in the summer here in Florida with the A/C off all day. :neutral_face:

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@420noob

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so, what like 36 hours into that and your toilet water is green?

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It is only green because slim jims are not meant to be a substitute for real food for that length of time.

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Reminds me of that time I had the purple gatoraid for a whole day.

Next day my shit was green.

I still can’t explain it but shit happens and sometimes it’s green!

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They are pushing people to use those tandem breakers now a days.

But definitely replace the receptacles with 15amp ones. Youd want to size your wire up to 12 gauge for 20 amp receptacles. - and size up your breaker too!

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So you have to replace both if one blows?

No thanks. :+1:

(Still better than the good old pushmatic system I had to replace)

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They still sell the old ones, but this new panel I put in recently suggests you use tandems instead of singles. So yeah, one side is faulty, they both go. I don’t even have half the sides landed on most of mine. It’s weird balancing loads when you have to account for both of the tandems circuits on one phase.

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Oohh outlets. Ok

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When buying your outlets might want to consider a better grade. They go from $.50 to $5. The better ones usually commercial grade will secure the wire tighter. Usually what they have on a GFCI. Might consider a GFCI at the beginning of your run. The last one I bought had arch fault protection as well.

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Spend $5 to save 50K.

:+1:

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Nothing wrong with a Slim Jim supper. :laughing:

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Not after a hurricane comes trough and knocks out power for sometime. Then it becomes breakfast, lunch, and dinner… :nauseated_face:

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I had two 20-amp circuits put into my garage for all my electrical needs. I got a professional; I watched my dad test if an outlet was live by placing a wire hanger into it while holding a sock around the end. That was when I decided never to do my own electrical. It does not run in our family.

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If the plug isnt pulled out frequently in NZ we just bend the prongs on the plug slightly to make them a good fit.:joy:

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:rofl:
:heavy_plus_sign:
:sob:

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15amp circuits are usually for lights and basic stuff (clocks, TV, radio)

20amp and above are specialty circuits for appliances and such that are going to require a lot of juice to run like washing machines, fridge, freezers.
anything that produces heat will be on 30amp and above (stove, heaters, furnace, dryer)

this is all “built to code” standards. not all electricians follow them so be cautious.

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