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Posted by Chip C on February 27, 2008, 12:42 pm
>
> > Does the color Red signify anything special in a 20 amp 120 V duplex outlet.
> > Our local Habitat for Humanity Store has a lot of them for sale at a very
> > good price. Could one use them for replacement outlets if needed or would
> > that violate some wiring color code?
>
> Red indicates that the outlet is connected to an emergency generator
> in the event of a power outage. You usually see them a lot in
> hospitals. Electrically they are the same as regular outlets. I'm not
> sure about code issues using them as regular outlets.
I don't think it's code, certainly not for residential purposes,
possibly sector-specific like health care. For home use, I think
color is personal choice. Certainly a lot of folks will assume you've
got that circuit on backup power, but we know what happens when people
assume,
BUT if they're 20A t-slots, code DOES restrict where you can use them.
Certainly they should not be used on a 15A/14-ga circuit. I used to
think code restricted them to *single-outlet* dedicated 20A/12-ga
circuits, but have been told recently they're ok on multi-outlet 20A/
12-ga circuits. But for general purpose around-the-house replacements,
be careful.
(And I'd consult with the other residents. If some of the outlets
around my house showed up bright red, I think I'd get complaints.)
Chip C
Toronto
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