20amp IEC connector with a 15amp plug PC? ??

Audio, Don't worry about the cord. Worry about the home AC circuit. A 20 amp wall plug accepts a horizontal blade as well as a vertical one. What we are trying to avoid here is drawing 20 amps to something that cooks at 15. If your equipment needs 20 amps, feed it that. You will be happy you did. Z.

Good question, I can't really figure that one out either. I currently have 4 pieces of equipment which require 20A female IEC power cords, yet the male plug ends are the same as my power cords with 15A IEC's. So what is the difference? I would think that you would have to change plugs on both ends of a cord to alter the current capability. Maybe it's just to sell more cords.

FWIW, to make it more confusing, many also sell adapters, so you can use a 15A IEC into a 20A IEC.

Cheers,
John

Zieman, "if equipment needs 20amps feed it that". This is my confusion. I do knw that a 20amp wall plug can accept a 15am or 20amp plug. However, if an equipment needs 20amp IEC like my CJ350, why does most 20amp power cord comes with a 15amp plug? " Worry abt the home AC circuit"? If the wall plug is 15amp isnt that the max draw by the amp? is that is so isnt a 20amp IEC redundant? Pardon my confusing tq

Equipment manufacturers are starting to use 20amp IEC inlets on their gear because it is a more solid connection than the 15amp IEC.

First I would bet the cord is not listed by UL or any other recognized testing agency.

Under UL guidelines a NEMA 5-15P plug, (15 amp), cannot be connected to a continuous load of more than 12 amps.
A NEMA 5-20P plug a continuous load of more than 16 amps.

NEC allows 2 or more NEMA 5-15R (15 amp) receptacles to be connected to a 20 amp branch circuit. (A duplex receptacle is two). But because of the requirements placed on the NEMA 5-15P the continuous load should never be more than 12 amps. NEC also says the receptacle shall not have a continuous load of more than 12 amps placed upon it.
Remember many 15 amp convenience outlets, receptacles, are connected to 15 amp branch circuits. That's why a 20 amp plug will not plug into a 15 amp receptacle.....

Now to your equipment with an 20 amp IEC connector. I doubt it would ever draw more than 12 amps continuous load. Continuous load? 3 or more hours..... Check the data plate on the back of the unit. Usually rated in watts or VA. Divide by 120V that will give you amps.

Audioblazer I also have a cj350 and I use a PS Audio Statement Xtreme power cord. It has a 15 amp IEC so I use a 20IEC to 15IEC connector from voodoo audio (bought here on the Gon). I am using a 20 amp circuit to the amp with PS Audio Power Port recepticle (accepts 20 amps). Not sure this answers your question. Neither cj nor PS Audio felt there would be any issues with what I was doing. PS Audio didn't offer a pure 20 amp IEC end on their power cords at the time; don't know if they do now or not. PS Audio also commented that there would be no issues with connecting there power cord to a 20 amp circuit.

Chuck

If the equipment is Listed and has a 20 amp IEC connector my interpretation is the plug on the cord supplied with the equipment must also be 20 amp.
Jea48

Yes, the supplied power cord does have a 20A female IEC connector, however, the male cord on the other end is a standard 15A connector. I think this is where the confusion lies. Why is there a 20A female IEC connector on one end of the cord, and a standard 15A male connector on the other end?

Cheers,
John

Audio, No, the blades are the same size. Just the ORIENTATION differs. The wire in the cord (almost always) is the same size. The NEC sets standards as if we are all idiots, because it only takes one, if you know what I mean. If you want to feed the CJ 20A, verify 12ga leaving your panel, change the breaker AND the wall outlet. Plug your cord in and thank me in the morning. I would blank off any other recepticles on that circuit as well as dymo that wall plate 20A (idiot proof). You now kinda sorta have a dedicated circuit. You will hear it and you will like it. Z.

Jea48, CJ350 stock PC comes with a 15amp plug.
It doesnt make sense. As far as I understand it , shouldnt equipment with need a 20amp IEC comes with a 20amp plug which rightfully should be connected to a 20amp dedicated circuit with 20amp circuit breaker to maximise whatever current the equipment need? Refer to this link http://www.sweetwater.com/expert-center/techtips/d--01/09/2001
The only logic I can think of is that most house wiring is basically 15amp circuit with 15amp circuit breaker, hence, the 15amp plug. Happy listening

Perhaps the 20 amp IEC is for marketing. Perhaps there are very few components that actually consume "20 amps".

You guys are making a mountain out of a molehill. The reason some 15A audio equipment is using the C19 connector is exactly as I said previously - because it's a more solid connection.

First I would bet the cord is not listed by UL or any other recognized testing agency.

Jea48, how much do you want to bet? :-)

I am looking at a box full of about twenty NEMA 5-15p to IEC C19 cords that are UL and CSA listed. The computer industry has been using them for decades.

Rex, I concede to your challenge. Obviously I was wrong..... After doing some research I have found the IEC connectors are in a category all their own. The oddest thing I noticed the same connectors can be used for either 125Vac as well as 250Vac. To my knowledge I cannot think of any other plug and receptacle device that allows that here in the US.

The problem I have understanding the UL/CSA listing is where is the protection for the non savvy consumer that buys a piece of equipment that has a 20 amp IEC connector, that has a FLA rating of 16 amps, and did not come with the manufacturer supplied cord with a 20 amp plug. The guy that sold him the equipment lost the the factory cord and plug but threw in one that fit the IEC connector and had only a 15 amp plug.

The buyer knows beans about what we have been discussing here. He plugs the unit in, powers it up and everything seems to work fine. The branch he plugged into is only a 15 amp circuit and the wire is being overloaded. Hopefully the breaker will trip open. You would be surprised how many 15 amp breakers won't trip at 15 amps. Where is the protection.....
The cord and plug is not idiot proof, jmho.

Now here is an example that to me mirrors the same thing that is allowed with the IEC 20 / 5-15P power cord . As per NEC I cannot make a power cord with a NEMA 5-20R receptacle on one end and a NEMA 5-15P plug on the other end...... Can you see the difference?

Where is the protection.....
The cord and plug is not idiot proof, jmho.

I agree that it's not idiot-proof, but I'm not sure that it matters. How many threads have you seen here and on other forums where chooses (or advises someone else) to do something blatantly foolish with electricity or electrical connections in the name of audiophilia? How many times have you heard some audiophile say that the NEC is too cautious or just plain wrong? Way too many times, I reckon. Make something idiot-proof, and a more resourceful idiot will come along.

Anyway, the saving grace (pun intended) is that there are almost no consumer audio products that actually need more than the rated power of a 15A convenience outlet. The few that do that I'm aware of have hard-wired power cords. You'd have to saw off the factory plug and put a NEMA 5-15P on there in order to plug it into a 15A outlet.

I wonder why some of us install 20amp dedicated circuit when I dont think at any 1 time our equipment needs to draw more than 15amp ( read some where the most is around 12amp). Am I right or I got it wrong? tq

Audioblazer, Are you saying one piece of equipment draws less than 15 amps or the combined draw of everything in the system is less than 15 amps? Not all systems are created equal.

Rember that start up surges on some amplifiers can trip a 15amp breaker. I have known some that can trip a 20amp breaker depending on what else was running simultaneously.

A 20 amp circuit with appropriate wiring will have a lower impedance than a 15 amp cicuit.

Don_s, I dont knw for sure whether any hifi set up will draw more than 15amp. From what I read most do not exceed 12amp. That is why I started this thread to get some education. I maybe wrong I suppose tq

Audio, Amps, for one, like current and enjoy AC with low impedance. There are at least two classes of connectors NEMA specs as 120 or 240v. I use BOTH on one of my Krell amps. I had it built for 240v, so it has a 20A IEC input and a 20a 120/240v male. 20A (single) wall outlet. How much current (I know that is a big word for some of these forum pontificators) do you think a 5x200 amp will draw as it sees lower and lower impedances? Such as when the volume goes up? How much better do you think a product capable of drawing power will work when supplied with that power? Z.

Zieman writes:

I had it built for 240v... How much current (I know that is a big word for some of these forum pontificators) do you think a 5x200 amp will draw as it sees lower and lower impedances?

When playing multi-channel music or movie soundtracks, the real-world max current your amp will draw is between 5 and 8 amps at 240v. That's full-tilt, all channels active.

Rex, has it right and in the proper perspective. Even if one's amp is pulling 1200 watts, that is 10 amps current. At turn on or start-up the amp might 'pull' more amps to charge the capacitors, but then that is for a 'miili-second' and no cause for concern.

Microseconds concern me. Dynamics concern me. 800x5 @2ohm equals what for draw? I wish I had three phase! Any mathematicians or EEs ever wonder why some Levinsons, Halcros, should I go on(?), are ONLY available 240v 60hz? Sixth grade math anyone? Z.

Rex, I got a toughie for ya here. 8amps at 240v equals what at 120? Didn't this start with a question as to why mfgrs are putting 20A IECs on equipment? Ever see an amp with TWO 15A IECs? And instructions to utilize TWO different circuits? Z.

Zieman, dont knw much abt current stuff.
Rex, I spoke to my dealer and its seems 20amp IEC is use simply because it provide better connection. I have a CJ preamp with 15amp IEC and it cant hold a transparent PLMM connector properly.Need to prop up the connector so that its stay properly connector. So based on that logic, my dealer and you make sense.Happy listening and merry Christmas

I think you guys are saying its ok for me to just replace the connector on the amp end with a 20amp and I can keep the rest of the cable and the wall plug same?

Also, it will be ok for me to use  Shunyata Research Shunyata - 15Amp Cable to 20Amp Component Adapter (ea)Accessories Price $150.00

Many have said the Shunyata is way to go as there will be no loss in sound?

Just don;t want to mess up the ARC REF 75SE but was pretty sure I wouldn't but reading this you guys know an awful lot more than I do.