5 ms·
Not if they plug into a traditional wall outlet. There are rules and laws about these things. If the outlet has a T-slot on one side, it can take 125V 20A plug
by pflats 14y ago
Not if they plug into a traditional wall outlet. There are rules and laws about these things.
If the outlet has a T-slot on one side, it can take 125V 20A plugs (125*20 = 2.5kW) as well as the traditional 125V 15A plugs. They're different plugs. You can't pull 20A across 15A wires. That's how you get electrical fires (or, ideally, blow fuses/trip circuit breakers).
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector
- jlgreco 14y agoAh yeah. I was thinking that the T-slot ones could handle much more power than that.
- lostlogin 14y agoIt's amazing what a wall socket will do under duress. I was drilling a hole in an exterior wall and accidentally draped the power cord into a puddle at the exact point where the drill cord met the extension. I got a big shock (I had contact with the puddle) with some effort dropped the drill that I was sort of force clenching, and ran/stumbled inside and turned off the mains. I couldn't work out why the fuse didn't blow until I pulled it out. Someone had stuck a paper clip across it, presumably after running out of fuse wire. The extension lead had welded its contacts to the drill lead as well. A lucky/unlucky combo that has taught me a lesson in electrical safety.