15 amp breaker replaced with a 20 amp?

digitalvideo

I'm using Siemens/Murray breaker panel. I was told on other forums that Square D doesn't make specific breakers that should be put in a Siemens/Murray panel.

digitalvideo

My panel/breaker box is a Murray, the big latch on the front door to open it says Murray on it and the big sticker on the inside door says Murray.

Catalogue # is LC3040B1100

There's numbers punched or indented into the bottom metal part of the box: 5419504

I'll make sure to let the "new" electrician know to put in a Siemens circuit breaker, but what if it's a Murray breaker? Are they the same breaker just different label?

Does it have to be a AFCI breaker, can it be a 15 amp non-AFCI breaker from Siemens/Murray.

digitalvideo

I got up on a chair with a flash light and got my face as close as possible to the wire and this is what it says...

It's a white wire...

E194030 (UL) 14/2 NM-B 600 Volts


I wanted a 2nd opinion from a licensed electrician so earlier I went to the Massachusetts official govt website Mass.gov and looked up the list of all licensed electricians by the state in my city. I contacted one that is well known in the city that is a Master Electrician/Journeyman Electrician Type Class A. I told him everything and he said everything you guys have said, that the original electrician did a lot of wrong and bad things. I'll call back up this new electrician man and schedule a appointment and he'll be free hopefully before Thanksgiving, he said he's got 8 appointments already before Thanksgiving.

AudioGenics

good to hear...
pretty fun stuff once you get over the initial OMG factor ...

seanb47

thanks for the interesting info

digitalvideo

I don't know if I asked this question but if a 20 amp circuit breaker is connected to a 15 amp circuit can it damage the connected electronics like a plasma tv, bd player and cable box? Does it increase the odds of bad surges or spikes?

ben62670

Recently CT has been requiring the arc fault breakers for the bed rooms only. I told him of the issue and without a doubt the standard 15 amp breaker prevent that.

disneyjoe7

No I don't feel you have a higher bad surges or spikes. You have an issue to fire down your house if a breaker is bigger then the wire current, you don't understand what to look at. You need another electric person to see your electric box.

And yes I'm serious, if a breaker is 20amp but the wire is 15amp pulling 20amps will heat the wire like a toaster.

ben62670

Put a standard breaker in. No big deal.

disneyjoe7

Ben, if he can't figure out what wire is used in the electric box. I don't think he could replace a circuit breaker, without ......


Not knowing what you're looking like, You're safe or you live in a toaster. Who knows for sure, I would everyone to be safe.

digitalvideo

I had a electrician come earlier and he replaced the 20amp circuit breaker with a 15amp circuit breaker, it's a non-AFCI amp. So everything is fine now. Thanks everyone, I learned a lot!

I told the electrician the story and he said the AFCI's are horrible and people are trying to get the cities and state to get rid of them or reform the regulations. I believe it's a city or state law in Massachusetts to have AFCI's in the basement and many electricians are hesitant or just wouldn't come to my house to take the 20amp out and replace it back with a 15amp.

digitalvideo

Tiitin holmes wrote: »

Typically electric stoves are wired with Number 10 wire, which can better handle the current load. Also, 20 amp breakers with a heater on the same circuit is just not a safe situation.

What do you mean by "electric stoves" ? and "20 amp breakers with a heater on them" ?

I now have a 15 amp circuit breaker on a 14 gauge wire which is what it's suppose to be.