Surge suppressors

[Robert G. Brown]

On Fri, 1 Nov 2002, Bob Drzyzgula wrote:

> I belive that a "15A" outlet, e.g. a 5-15R, is designed to be able
> to safely carry at least 20A. Again, it isn't a matter of what
> will melt down the outlet's internal wiring, it's a matter of 
> the hole pattern in the front of the outlet.

That makes sense, and is what I had actually thought/hoped was the case
(although I didn't know the details about plug format and hole pattern).
So when they say a 15 amp circuit can have no more than a 15 amp
receptacle, it just means that you can't put in a plug that could accept
a 20 amp appliance.  Admirable.  If all "15 amp" receptacles can
actually pass 20 amps without melting down, even better, although that
picture I found on the web suggested that this is not strictly true.

  rgb

-- 
Robert G. Brown	                       http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/
Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305
Durham, N.C. 27708-0305
Phone: 1-919-660-2567  Fax: 919-660-2525     email:rgb at phy.duke.edu