Upgrade outlets in 380?

Haden

Haden

Active Member
May 27, 2020
482
Madison, Alabama
Boat Info
2001 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer
Engines
Twin 8.1l Mercury w/V Drives
Would it be possible to upgrade the outlets in my 380 to something like this?
upload_2020-8-13_10-48-35.jpeg

upload_2020-8-13_10-48-55.jpeg
 
Sure. But don't put a 20a outlet in there if you don't currently have one. Stick with the 15a if that's what you currently have.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Sure. But don't put a 20a outlet in there if you don't currently have one. Stick with the 15a if that's what you currently have.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Excellent. I assume it’s 15amp. Thank you for pointing that out!!
 
Just to be clear, it's OK to put a 20A receptacle on a 15A breaker... just not the other way around. But it may be confusing to someone if they see a 20A receptacle when it will only deliver 15A.
 
I have a few of those type of outlets in my house. They work great. Worth the expense and few minutes of electrical work.
 
Only problem I found putting them on the boat was matching the trim around all of the other outlets/switches etc. and color.
 
JimG said:
Just to be clear, it's OK to put a 20A receptacle on a 15A breaker... just not the other way around. But it may be confusing to someone if they see a 20A receptacle when it will only deliver 15A.
Click to expand...
Jim, I believe you wrote that backwards. A 15a receptacle can go on a 20a breaker, not the other way around. If you put a 20a receptacle on a 15a breaker, you run the risk of pulling 20amps through a 15amp system and causing a fire (although, in reality, the breaker should pop, first).
 
Lazy Daze said:
Jim, I believe you wrote that backwards. A 15a receptacle can go on a 20a breaker, not the other way around. If you put a 20a receptacle on a 15a breaker, you run the risk of pulling 20amps through a 15amp system and causing a fire (although, in reality, the breaker should pop, first).
Click to expand...
No, I got you on this one... if you put a 15A receptacle on a 20A breaker and then draw 20A, the 15A receptacle can overheat and fail. Just because you put a 20A receptacle on a 15A breaker does not mean you can pull 20A!
 
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Lazy Daze said:
Jim, I believe you wrote that backwards. A 15a receptacle can go on a 20a breaker, not the other way around. If you put a 20a receptacle on a 15a breaker, you run the risk of pulling 20amps through a 15amp system and causing a fire (although, in reality, the breaker should pop, first).
Click to expand...
I was thinking the opposite, if you have a 15A outlet, on a 20 amp breaker, you could pull 16-20 amps, no CB pops, but the outlet melts and fire... because it can only handle 15Amps. the outlet does not have a breaker to stop the current.... not an electrician, though!!
 
Todd we agree... and I'm not an electrician (at least not licensed), but I am an electrical engineer.

Sorry to the OP for drilling down into this.
 
JimG said:
No, I got you on this one... if you put a 15A receptacle on a 20A breaker and then draw 20A, the 15A receptacle can overheat and fail. Just because you put a 20A receptacle on a 15A breaker does not mean you can pull 20A!
Click to expand...
Ah-ha! :) But, a 20amp plug has one blade turned 90* so it CAN NOT be plugged into a 15amp outlet.

The reason a kitchen, for example, is required to be wired with 20amp breakers/receptacles and 12g wire is not (necessarily) because there will ONE appliance pulling 20amps - but there could be multiple, high-demand (each, say, 8-10 amps) running at the same time.

You can always put a smaller outlet on a bigger circuit, but you can not put a bigger outlet on a smaller circuit. You can tow a little boat with a big truck, but you can't pull a big boat with a little truck.

"Sorry to the OP for drilling down into this." Why? I like the interaction! :)
 
Lazy Daze said:
You can always put a smaller outlet on a bigger circuit, but you can not put a bigger outlet on a smaller circuit.
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Still wrong Dennis... That's like saying you can put 14AWG wire on a 20A breaker... that's a NO-NO! That's like saying you can put a 500W light bulb on a 100W fixture... another NO-NO!
That's like saying I can put a 400HP sticker on my 350 Mags and get 400HP out of them! :)
 
Here's an option...replace your 12v plugs with these...

upload_2020-8-13_15-49-12.png


Exact fit...
 
The size of the breaker need to be equal or less than what the wire gauge can support. You can install either size outlet knowing that if the draw exceeds the breaker, it will pop and the wire won't burn up.

If you do go with the 20 amp receptacle and plug in a 20 amp appliance, you run the risk of your 15 amp breaker popping.

Bottom line is either outlet is ok as long as your breaker is the correct size for your wire.
 
JimG said:
Still wrong Dennis... That's like saying you can put 14AWG wire on a 20A breaker... that's a NO-NO! That's like saying you can put a 500W light bulb on a 100W fixture... another NO-NO!
That's like saying I can put a 400HP sticker on my 350 Mags and get 400HP out of them! :)
Click to expand...

Jim, Dennis is correct. The breaker is protecting the wire. You can run 12 gauge wire with a 20 amp breaker and install all 15 amp outlets. This is exactly how my home kitchen is wired.
 
Yes, 20amp outlets can be installed on a 15amp circuit.
The last I knew, 15amp outlets can be installed on a 20 amp circuit, as long as there is more than one. I know thats not how its written in the code book, but thats the gist of it.
It could have changed, I'll look it up if anyone cares.
I personally wouldn't spend the extra money on the 20amp outlets for a 15amp circuit.
I put a couple of those in my camper, and boat this past year. They are very tight fitting!
If your wires are connected through your existing outlet, I would recommend pigtailing the wires.
 
So it looks like I was wrong. You can not install a 20amp outlet on a 15amp circuit.
I'm so out of the code anymore working maintenance.
Haven't worked construction in 11 years.
We have to take code update, but they can't cover everything.
Look at table 210.21(B)(3).
20200813_135510.jpg
 
I guess it's the engineer coming out in me... it just doesn't make since to install 15A devices on 20A capable circuits. Thanks @wryman for the code. At least they don't want you to put a single 15A on a 20A circuit. The code makes allot of assumptions that the user will distribute the load over several outlets. I wouldn't be surprised if that code changes. Sorry to doubt you Dennis... carry on!
 
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A duplex outlet is considered two outlets.
One other thing I thought about to the OP.
Those outlets can not be used to replace a GFCI, only the downstream regular outlets.
 
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