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You must find the reason the existing breaker is tripping and fix it. If the circuit is overloaded, you will have to either move some of the load to a different circuit, or have the WHOLE circuit upgraded, including wiring and breaker.
You will need a licensed electrician to do any repairs or upgrades. You are not qualified to do this work.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
If you do this work yourself, always turn off the powerat the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicator
to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
It is not recommended to replace a 20 amp breaker with a 15 amp breaker unless the wiring is also changed to accommodate the lower amperage. The breaker should always be sized to the electrical load it is protecting to prevent overheating and potential fire hazards.
Yes, if the load is above 15 amps, and below 20 amp., then obviously can go for 20 amps. If the tripping is not due to the Internal wiring fault. Be careful with the above answer. If the wire feeding the 15 amp breaker is only #14 then putting a 20 amp breaker on the same circuit will allow the #14 wire to become overloaded. A better solution is to fine out what is causing the breaker to trip. Check out what other loads are connected to the same circuit and try removing them. Then does the breaker trip. Experiment by moving some of the loads to other circuits. Motors starting amps are 300% of their running current. If there is a motor connected to the circuit and the circuit is almost at maximum load the motor starting might be enough to trip the breaker.
Absolutely not. If the existing breaker is a 15 amp breaker then the wiring that breaker is protecting is AWG # 14 gauge wire. A 20 amp breaker is used to protect AWG # 12 wire. Installing a double 20 amp breaker is just asking for a fire.
Yes, the 15 amp breaker can have "20 Amp" (12 Ga.) wire run from it, but it would be a waste of money as 14 Ga. wire is less expensive.
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Does square D make a circuit breaker with a 15 amp and 20 amp breaker in the same breaker?
No tandem breakers are of the same value.
20 amp breaker power verse 15amp breaker power?
A 20 amp breaker can handle up to 20 amps of current before tripping, while a 15 amp breaker can handle up to 15 amps. This means the 20 amp breaker can support heavier electrical loads without tripping compared to the 15 amp breaker. It's important to match the breaker size to the electrical load to prevent overloading and potential hazards.
Can a 15 amp extension cord be plugged into a 20 amp breaker?
It is not recommended to plug a 15 amp extension cord into a 20 amp breaker because the extension cord may overheat and pose a fire hazard. It is safer to use a cord that matches the amp rating of the breaker to prevent potential electrical issues.
Can you use a double pole 15 amp breaker in place of a 20 amp single pole breaker for a 12000 BTU air conditioner?
No, it is not safe to use a double pole 15 amp breaker in place of a 20 amp single pole breaker for a 12000 BTU air conditioner. The breaker size must match the electrical requirements of the appliance to prevent overheating and potential fire hazards. It is recommended to consult with a qualified electrician to ensure the proper breaker is used.
Can you run a 20 amp machine on a 15 amp plug?
No, a 20 amp machine should not be run on a 15 amp plug because the plug is not designed to handle the higher electrical load of the machine. This could lead to overheating, tripping of the circuit breaker, or even starting a fire. It is important to always match the amp rating of the plug to the requirements of the machine.
Can a 20 amp breaker be replaced with a 15 amp?
Yes, provided that you don't really need 20 A on the circuit.
Does square D make a circuit breaker with a 15 amp and 20 amp breaker in the same breaker?
No tandem breakers are of the same value.
20 amp breaker power verse 15amp breaker power?
A 20 amp breaker can handle up to 20 amps of current before tripping, while a 15 amp breaker can handle up to 15 amps. This means the 20 amp breaker can support heavier electrical loads without tripping compared to the 15 amp breaker. It's important to match the breaker size to the electrical load to prevent overloading and potential hazards.
Can a 15 amp extension cord be plugged into a 20 amp breaker?
It is not recommended to plug a 15 amp extension cord into a 20 amp breaker because the extension cord may overheat and pose a fire hazard. It is safer to use a cord that matches the amp rating of the breaker to prevent potential electrical issues.
Can you use a double pole 15 amp breaker in place of a 20 amp single pole breaker for a 12000 BTU air conditioner?
No, it is not safe to use a double pole 15 amp breaker in place of a 20 amp single pole breaker for a 12000 BTU air conditioner. The breaker size must match the electrical requirements of the appliance to prevent overheating and potential fire hazards. It is recommended to consult with a qualified electrician to ensure the proper breaker is used.
Should 25 amps breaker be replaced by 20 amps?
For typical residential house wiring 12 AWG wire is required for a 20 Amp breaker. If you change out the breaker for a 25 A breaker you would have to rewire the circuit with 10 AWG. In that case you could up the breaker to 30 Amps. All outlets and switches should be rated at the same voltage and current as the breaker.
What size breaker is needed for a 1100 watt microwave?
A minimum of 15-amp breaker is "needed", but a 20-amp is often required by electrical code for that situation.
Can you run a 20 amp machine on a 15 amp plug?
No, a 20 amp machine should not be run on a 15 amp plug because the plug is not designed to handle the higher electrical load of the machine. This could lead to overheating, tripping of the circuit breaker, or even starting a fire. It is important to always match the amp rating of the plug to the requirements of the machine.
Can you hook a 15 amp and 20 amp breaker to a breaker box using 20 amp wire?
No, you should use wire that matches the lowest amp rating of the breakers connected to it. In this case, you should use 15 amp wire since one of the breakers is a 15 amp breaker. Matching the wire gauge to the lowest amp rating ensures the wire is protected from overheating in case of a short circuit.
What is the wire size required for 1800 watts for lamps?
14 gauge will handle it with a 15 amp breaker. If you use 12 gauge use a 20 amp breaker.
Can a circuit breaker be tripped by using 20 amp sockets instead of 15 amp sockets?
A circuit breaker protects the wires that the devices are connected to. If the devices that are connected to the circuit are 20 amps the wire size should be #12 wire fed from a 20 amp breaker. This breaker should not trip unless the circuit is overloaded or a fault occurs on the circuit. If the devices that are connected to the circuit are15 amps the wire size should be #14 wire fed from a15 amp breaker. This breaker should not trip unless the circuit is overloaded or a fault occurs on the circuit. Putting 20 amp sockets on this 15 amp circuit will work but the circuit is limited to the amount of load that can be plugged in. You will not get the full capacity of the 20 socket because the breaker will trip at 15 amps.
Can a 20 amp breaker be replaced with a 30 amp if small window unit causes lights to dim when compressor kicks in?
No, the breaker is there to trip at 20 amps because the supply wiring can only supply 20 amps max at that point. So a larger breaker could give you a house fire.
