Can I run my range hood on a circuit with a 20-amp breaker (as in 15-amp minimum), or does it really need a circuit with a 15-amp breaker?
yes no problem
Can I use a 15 amp GFCI on a 20 amp circuit?
Not to worry. In all likely hood you bought a 15 amp Load, 20 amp Pass Through type as they are very common. And if you look at the receptacle you took out you will see that it was only rated 15 amps as well. Again, 20 amp pass through. A True 20 amp receptacle has one slot at a 90 deg. angle to the other. But the one you took out didn't I'm sure. It is one of those odd situations in the NEC. How ever, you may find that it doesn't like the motor load and trips. If so, and if you are concerned about someone using the other half of a duplex receptacle that close to the washer (and sink?) then replace it with a single receptacle. Which, per code is what it should have been, but almost no one enforces that little detail. Same thing with refrigerator receptacles. Note to others: If someone cares to quote "chapter and verse" I would be happy to correct my comments if need be. Other wise, "keep your fingers off the TD button! (I say with a chuckle!)
What is the appropriate wire size for a 50 amp circuit breaker?
In the UK the process is quite long and considers things such as how the cable is installed (different methods will cause different levels of heat to be added to the cable), length of the circuit, protective device (some disconnect faster than others so this effects how it will disconnect in a fault).The answer therefore would depend on these factors but essentially you are looking for a cable that can cope with about 75 amps because then if there is any overload on the circuit the breaker is still going to be the thing that breaks first.In the UK for circuits that may have such overload such as socket outlets then we say our cable should be be 1.45 times the protective device rating.For circuits that don't have much chance of overload such as resistive water heaters or heating then you can get away with a smaller cable and in this case if it's a short run with nothing covering the cable then a cable that can cope with 55-60 amps would suffice. I would say 50 amps capacity would do but there is always a bit of flex with breakers. I've recorded and tested 6a breakers tripping at 8-9amps and 32amp type d tripping at 57 amps! Different Manufacturers vary so it's worth asking for the time/current chart from the manufacturer.I will be uploading the full design procedure to my website soon so if you want to see it in full then check Electrician in Brighton, East SussexIt will be there in a week.
What amperage does a UK plug socket supply?
The most common domestic socket, BS 1363 is wired with a 2.5mm2 ring main fed by a 30A fuse, to permit multiple sockets on the ring to be protected. The plug contains a fuse limiting the current, to a maximum of 13A, though fuses all the way down to 1A are availableClock connectors to BS 4568 are usually connected to lighting subcircuits fused at 5A, and contain a 2A fuse in the plug (the idea is that a fault clock will not disable lighting in the area)Older style connectors to BS546 are still available. These are supplied singly direct from the fuseboard (“spider wiring”) - radial spurs - and the fuseboard limits current to 5A, 10A, and 15A respectively. The 5A size is sometimes used for plug-in floor lamps controlled by normal wall mounted light switches, and is not separately fused in that case - the whole lighting subcircuit for several lamps is already fused at 5A.Caravans, Narrowboat shore supplies, and various industrial equipment may be fed with the 16A blue socket from the IEC 60309 range, and larger industrial equipment with the similar, but larger, 32A varient:
Can i use extension cord for over the range microwave hood?
i purchase an over the range microwave + hood combination recently. It need to be installed on top of the range and there is a cabinet above it (use to store vent pipe). The delivery guy told me they can't install it cause there is no outlet in the cabinet. I'm wondering if i could use an extension cord and connect it to the near by counter outlet (about 3-4 feet apart) The appliance required a 120 volt, 60 Hz, AC only, 15- or 20-amp electrical supply. The outlet near the counter top support 120 volt and 20 amp. If i use a 12 or 16 gauge extension will it do the job? i plan to have the extension cord attached to the wall so the cord goes around the back of the microwave to the cabinet. I also bought a "Wiremold C10" Cordmate Cord Channel to protect the cord. but since the cord will be hided between the back of the microwave and the wall, will it be safe to do so? should i worry about overheated? Thank you!
How many amps does my microwave oven draw?
Microwave ovens are typically rated in watts; often this is shown on the serial number plate. Or you can look it up on-line based on the model number.Divide the number of watts by your line voltage (e.g. 110v in the US) to get amps, because P (power) = V (volts) x I (current).So a 1100 watt oven / 110 volts is 10 amps.
Why does my electric motor shut off after running for about 20 seconds?
20 Seconds is the give away here, telling me you have a single phase motor.Chances are your RUN winding is out of order. 20 seconds is about the time a START winding will be able to run before an overload trip or circuit breaker trip. If the motor runs slower than usual in those 20 seconds, it is definitely running only on the start windings. Some motors have 2 capacitors: 1 for start and 1 for run. Very possible the RUN capacitor is burned out or shorted. If only 1 capacitor, that will be the start winding, and will be OK, so its the RUN winding that is faulty. You do not say “trip” which could also tell us the motor could possibly be a centrifugal switch start motor, which will not have any capacitors, and here, one of the RUN winding wires could be separated from the switch, cutting power to the run winding when the start-up speed is achieved.
Can I rewind a 95 Mustang Alternator to charge a 144v Electric Car main battery?
I've seen alternators, such as a prestolite 12v 140 amp, rewound with thinner gauge wire and with more winds and used as a regenerative brake (energized while coasting to use the car's forward motion to charge main battery pack) in electric vehicles. I was wondering if a 3G alternator from a 94-95 Mustang could be rewound the same way? What type of wire would I need to do this? What else, other than the actual stator rewinding, would need to be modified for this alternator to safely put out this high of voltage? Also, what effect would the original amp rating of the alternator have on the final result (they are available at 85, 130, 200, etc...)?
Is it safe to put a microwave and fridge in the same electric circuit on the wall?
Safe? Well, probably safe, since the circuit breaker should blow before anything ignites. But overloading circuits and causing the breaker to blow isn’t a good practice.When I did my kitchen remodel, I put in separate circuits for the microwave and the refrigerator. A microwave uses around 1500 watts. (here is one example) A refrigerator uses around 800 watts. Here is a source.So how much power can you put on a circuit? How many watts can a 15 amp circuit handle? According to this source, 15 amps can handle 1800 watts (and 20% less for continuous use.) Most household circuits are 15 amps. There isn’t enough capacity for a microwave and refrigerator. Even a 20 amp circuit would be close to its limit for both appliances (and really over the limit if you take off that 20% for continuous use.)Note, other countertop appliances such as toasters, induction burners, electric grills, coffee makers, etc. can draw a substantial amount of power, so you want to avoid using them with other appliances on the same circuit.