question about installation of 20 amp wall plug

You should not use a 20A receptacle on a 15A circuit, regardless of what the audio retailers say. This is not allowed by the NEC. There is the potential for longterm overloading of the 15A circuit.

A typical household circuit breaker will trip in the presence of either a bolted fault (i.e., dead short) or large overcurrent, depending on amount of that overcurrent.

The maximum continuous/longterm current draw allowed on a 15A circuit is 12A or 80%. When you install a 20A receptacle, there is the increased potential for longterm current draw to be as much as 100% to 110%, depending on the trip curve of the breaker, yet not have it trip. That is the reason for the prohibition ny the NEC.

Please see the receptacle ratings table in NEC Article 210.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/191557/Receptacle_Ratings_Table.jpg

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Kedoades,

As for the 20 receptacle it did not cause your problem.

If you have a volt meter I suggest you check the voltage and polarity at the recept.

Small straight slot contact is the Hot.
"T" shaped slot is the neutral.
"U" shape hole contact the safety equipment ground.

*Hot to neutral you should read 120V nominal.
*Hot to safety equipment ground 120V nominal. (This will tell you the polarity is correct.) Reversed polarity would not have caused your problem.....
*Neutral to safety equipment ground zero.

Could be the cheap intergraded amp shot crap all on its own.....

As for NEC code though.... a 20 amp receptacle can only be installed on a 20 amp branch circuit. Two or more 15 amp rated receptacles can be installed on a 20 amp branch circuit.

Please clarify ... the PS Audio Ports are rated for both 15amp and 20amp I'm told. Can they be installed in a 15amp dedicated line?

The receptacle has nothing to do with how much current is drawn, what is plugged into the receptacle does.

The receptacle has nothing to do with how much current is drawn, what is plugged into the receptacle does.
07-09-09: Tpreaves

True but the face plate of the receptacle configuration determines what plug can be connected to it.

The max continuous load that a NEMA 5-15P can carry by NEC code is 12 amps.

For a NEMA 5-20P plug it is 16 amps.

NEC says for a 120V 15 amp branch circuit the receptacle must be a 15 amp rated receptacle. Reason being so a piece of equipment with a 20 plug cannot be plugged into it.

As I said in my ealier post, the 20 amp recept did not cause the problem.

http://www.frentzandsons.com/Hardware%20References/plugandreceptacleconfiguratio.htm