Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

[televizora]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

You can also bring a dried piece of wood to stand on.

Stop doing stupid things. At university, we had electrical safety course. We specially accented on working without cutting the power, because if you work in manufacturing plant, cutting the power is usually not an option. There is special equipment to work with live wires. Insulated tools, insulation gloves, insulating boots, insulating "carpets" And they are specially RATED for the maximum safe voltage before the dielectric breakdown can occur.
If you can cut the power - Do it. Especially if you are not a pro.

[keeney123]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

Stop doing stupid things. At university, we had electrical safety course. We specially accented on working without cutting the power, because if you work in manufacturing plant, cutting the power is usually not an option. There is special equipment to work with live wires. Insulated tools, insulation gloves, insulating boots, insulating "carpets" And they are specially RATED for the maximum safe voltage before the dielectric breakdown can occur.
If you can cut the power - Do it. Especially if you are not a pro.

Actually dried wood is a very good insulator. Sometimes one can not put on those big insulated gloves, especially when you working in a small metal trough that is attached to a metal machine shop building and you are working on a 600 volt line live. You learn that wooden ladders with a wooden plank between them makes a good insulator to ground.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

I remember when our teacher in high school told us about this place he went to where they were playing with high voltage wires and the guy took this wooden pole and touched it to one and it actually exploded! It wasn't soaking wet either, but the voltage or maybe it was amperage, I dunno, was soooo high, that (let me see if I remember this correctly), it heated the little bit of water inside of the wood at such a rate that it turned to steam or something and actually made it blow up.

This wasn't 600V though, we're talking thousands of volts, like 50,000 volts or something ridiculous like that, stuff you probably won't find in most people's houses.

Your guy's stories just reminded me of that story, so I thought I'd share.

Here's a link to the wallplate I purchased:
https://store.leviton.com/collection...nt=18216750467

Here's a link to the GFCI outlet I purchased:
https://store.leviton.com/collection...nt=28152712387

What do you guys think of the colours? I think it'll look pretty nice. I like how the GFCI outlet has a colour change kit. That means if we get tired of the Rich Navy, we can just buy a new colour and easily change it out. That could be fun.

[televizora]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

You learn that wooden ladders with a wooden plank between them makes a good insulator to ground.

Wood can be not very bad insulator between the earth and line, but this doesn't worth a sh... when you touch by mistake simultaneously the line and the neutral, trying to repair the equipment you are talking about.
Also, can you guarantee that someone didn't spill a water on the ladder, making it much worse insulator than you expect?

[keeney123]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

I remember when our teacher in high school told us about this place he went to where they were playing with high voltage wires and the guy took this wooden pole and touched it to one and it actually exploded! It wasn't soaking wet either, but the voltage or maybe it was amperage, I dunno, was soooo high, that (let me see if I remember this correctly), it heated the little bit of water inside of the wood at such a rate that it turned to steam or something and actually made it blow up.

This wasn't 600V though, we're talking thousands of volts, like 50,000 volts or something ridiculous like that, stuff you probably won't find in most people's houses.

Your guy's stories just reminded me of that story, so I thought I'd share.

Here's a link to the wallplate I purchased:
https://store.leviton.com/collection...nt=18216750467

Here's a link to the GFCI outlet I purchased:
https://store.leviton.com/collection...nt=28152712387

What do you guys think of the colours? I think it'll look pretty nice. I like how the GFCI outlet has a colour change kit. That means if we get tired of the Rich Navy, we can just buy a new colour and easily change it out. That could be fun.

At fifty thousand volts it will go to where it wants to. I saw a power company guy working on a 128KV line with a cracked insulator. Every time he got with-in a foot of the line the electricity would jump out at him with a zap. He was in a insulated bucket truck. His solution was to grab the line with one hand while working on the line. This way it charged him up to the same potential and as long as he did not let go he was fine.

[keeney123]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

Wood can be not very bad insulator between the earth and line, but this doesn't worth a sh... when you touch by mistake simultaneously the line and the neutral, trying to repair the equipment you are talking about.
Also, can you guarantee that someone didn't spill a water on the ladder, making it much worse insulator than you expect?

They would have to splash the water on the whole latter and the scaffold board to get to you. The water would reduce the resistance only where splashed. Someone would have to be pretty evil to do this. In 1973 I am not sure they had all those precaution in Florida. When my Master Electrician worked on High Power Lines in the 1950's in Alabama I am pretty sure they did not have all those safety equipment. I am all for using the latest equipment, turning off the power and using every safety precaution that can be taken. Even with all of this something can still go wrong. That is why I made my profession in the electronic field. Usually when a person gets killed by house current it is because it goes from one hand to another and across their heart. Their heart stops. Still people will work on house current live. Many times these people do not have the money for and electrician or the equipment to work relatively safe. When I tell a person to use a dry wood board under feet it will only protect them from one hand to ground. If they work on live electricity it will not protect them going from one hand on a live wire and the other on ground. Stj address this in his post of using heat shrink tubing on the shaft of the screw driver. I would also use it on the handle.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

At fifty thousand volts it will go to where it wants to. I saw a power company guy working on a 128KV line with a cracked insulator. Every time he got with-in a foot of the line the electricity would jump out at him with a zap. He was in a insulated bucket truck. His solution was to grab the line with one hand while working on the line. This way it charged him up to the same potential and as long as he did not let go he was fine.

I've seen a video of someone working on those high powered lines like that but I want to say in the video I saw, the guys were in a helicopter. If I remember the teacher's story correctly, the guy didn't even have to touch the line for the electricity to arc. He did more than use just wood though. It was some sort of demonstration. The teacher said they used metal poles and had on special clothing and all that stuff. I want to say, even with the wood, it was arcing before he touched it there and it exploded. I'd imagine only the top exploded and not the whole thing.

There's always a chance the teacher exaggerated a bit as well.

[keeney123]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

I've seen a video of someone working on those high powered lines like that but I want to say in the video I saw, the guys were in a helicopter. If I remember the teacher's story correctly, the guy didn't even have to touch the line for the electricity to arc. He did more than use just wood though. It was some sort of demonstration. The teacher said they used metal poles and had on special clothing and all that stuff. I want to say, even with the wood, it was arcing before he touched it there and it exploded. I'd imagine only the top exploded and not the whole thing.

There's always a chance the teacher exaggerated a bit as well.

If the wood went between the lines it would explode. There was a pet monkey that got loose in Florida and the second he grabbed the other line he kind of exploded. The Master Electrician I worked for told me that when they install new high voltage lines they have to make sure the bends in the wire were not at right angles. He said if they were at right angles then when the power was first turn on the line the electrical energy would shoot through the wire insulation at the bend and go straight out. I do not know if this is true. I have a tendency to believe it is as this man was a very stand up guy. He use to own a electrical supply house and one company that had credit with him went bankrupted leaving him over $100,000 in debt in the 1960s When I worked for him in 1973 he had just paid off that debt. He was 72 years old.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

There was a video of some monkey getting electrocuted in some company on some tracks I think it was. He looked really dead and everyone was saying how sad it was, but then one of his monkey friends came over and brought him back to life some how. Some animal experts were really interested and were trying to figure out how he brought him back.

I don't remember what they decided. When I say monkey, I really mean a monkey like creature. I have no idea if it was actually a monkey or not.

My receptacle shipped today. I thought it shipped the day I ordered it, but eh. It's coming via UPS and I have a tracking number, although it's not valid quite yet.

[keeney123]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

There was a video of some monkey getting electrocuted in some company on some tracks I think it was. He looked really dead and everyone was saying how sad it was, but then one of his monkey friends came over and brought him back to life some how. Some animal experts were really interested and were trying to figure out how he brought him back.

I don't remember what they decided. When I say monkey, I really mean a monkey like creature. I have no idea if it was actually a monkey or not.

My receptacle shipped today. I thought it shipped the day I ordered it, but eh. It's coming via UPS and I have a tracking number, although it's not valid quite yet.

Sounds like you are excited to do this? Just be as safe as you can, you have a lot to live for.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

Yeah, all the home improvements I'm excited for, but money isn't always the greatest, so we have to prioritize right now. The outlets I didn't want to replace yet, but I think doing one at a time isn't bad. We're not just going for a regular outlet. We want something that looks real nice.

I kinda like the Renu series because you don't see any screw holes, you can switch the outlet colours out for a decent price, they have a nice collection, they got a lot of colours to choose from, etc. It'll be interesting to see if the colours I picked go good with the bathroom.

I gotta save a lot more money for the breaker panel upgrade. I think I'm just going to hire someone to upgrade that for me instead of doing it myself.

[stj]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

too bad they dont come in clear.
you could put a neon lamp in the box behind the plate!

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

too bad they dont come in clear.
you could put a neon lamp in the box behind the plate!

The wallplates? I've thought about getting some of the switches / receptacles that light up. It's kinda night to have a lighted switch in the hallway, so when guests come, they can find it, or maybe in the bathrooms. Having lighted receptacles could be nice in places like that as well.

The ones I've looked at though all seem to have trouble with LED lights. For example, the light switch that I wanted was made by Leviton I believe. The 120VAC switch though wasn't recommended if you have LED lights. If you have 240VAC, you're fine. But the switch would flicker or make the LED lights flicker, so we passed on the idea.

[stj]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

neons will work.
maybe you can get a clear frame that fits behind the plate.

i have seen in the u.k. a clear frame you sandwich between the plate & wall that has a neon in the edge - it creates a halo of light around the plate!

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

Oh cool, can you find me a link? I'd like to see these. Also, ever hear of Z-Waze?

[stj]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

z-waze? no.

the plate you could create with some acrylic sheeting.

here it is:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291991145787

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

I meant Z-Wave. Sorry. Here's a link to some Z-Wave products: http://www.z-wave.com/

Various companies (ie, Leviton, GE, etc) make Z-Wave products. Essentially, wireless devices (switches, fan controls, receptacles, just about everything). It could be cool.

Here, we call a normal receptacle one gang. If the wallplate has a spot for two receptacles / switches, it's called a two gang wallplate. Where the receptacles / switches screw into, we call that an electrical box. They make one gang boxes, two gang, three, four, etc. Where you're from, do they do the same? That looks bigger than a one gang box.

I was thinking if it fit, maybe I could put it between the wall and the wallplate and perhaps it could shine a glow onto the switch. It might give it this cool shadow type effect, where the wallplate itself doesn't light up, but it looks like behind it is being lit up and shining off onto the switch. Do you think that'd work?

[redwire]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

I also put the Leviton Renu wall switches in my place, its a bit expensive but they are much nicer than Decora. Hard to find colors other than white/black/red at Home Depot.

Instead of the switches being lit, I have a few LEDs on all the time.
Best move I did was put in a blue LED in my bathroom light fixture. In the middle of the night you can see well enough. No blast of full lights. Also stuck a white LED in the doorbell for the hallway. Like a nightlight.

I'm still using X10 for my remote lights/outlets. Works good for me.

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

I also put the Leviton Renu wall switches in my place, its a bit expensive but they are much nicer than Decora. Hard to find colors other than white/black/red at Home Depot.

Instead of the switches being lit, I have a few LEDs on all the time.
Best move I did was put in a blue LED in my bathroom light fixture. In the middle of the night you can see well enough. No blast of full lights. Also stuck a white LED in the doorbell for the hallway. Like a nightlight.

I'm still using X10 for my remote lights/outlets. Works good for me.

I don't even think we had the black and red at my Home Depot. I had to order them of Leviton's website to get the colours we wanted. I almost went for the Decora, but I think the Renu is a nicer choice. Thanks for your input. Did you do the entire house, and if so, did you keep the same colours throughout the house? Do you switch the colours for the wallplates and the switches / receptacles ever? I notice for the GFCI receptacles, it's only 7$ or so for a new colour.

I was thinking of adding some of the nightlight receptacles. Leviton sells some, they fit into a single gang box but their only purpose is to provide light. They look pretty neat.

I was hoping we could find LED light bulbs where you could change the colour temp using a dimmer, so at night, you might go for a cooler or warmer temp than you'd go for during the day. But I couldn't find any that had adjustable colour temps. They might not exist.

[stj]

Re: Using higher amperage receptacles with lower amperage breakers

here you have a wallbox, and a plate.
the switch, socket etc is part of the plate - we dont have it in 3 parts.
it's safer in many ways.
there is one exception, industrial/comercial multi-gang light switches, sometimes known as grid-switches have the plate seperate.