Control/Dimming Question about budget dimmers...

[SteveB]

Maybe it's a trick of the wording ("branch circuits shall use minimum #12 THHN wire...") or something like that, which would imply 20A? I can't recite any particular code either, but I can ask a few journeyman electrician friends. Maybe @BillConnerASTC would know. I wouldn't be surprised if the OP's space is wired with #12.

It's possible the receptacles are actually rated as 20 amp edison, but at first glance you think 15. A look at the breaker would be informational.

 

[n1ist]

I have run #12 for 15A circuits before, due to voltage drop.

/mike

 

[MikeJ]

You might have 15 amp duplex outlets, but it very well may me a 20 amp circuit. Yes it is contradictory to common sense, but you will find many electrical codes to be a combination of commons sense and nonsense.

Multiple 15amp outlets are allowable on a 20 amp breaker; this is how most homes are wired.

 

[gordonmcleod]

In all comercial spaces all wireing is supposed (at least in Ontario) a minimum of #12
Many of the DJ cheap dimmers have very undersized Triacs with less than ideal heatsinking (in some cases I have noticed heat marks on the exterior cases)
Also the filtering is usually a round Bobine or a bar type inductor that is rather poor when it saturates for limiting noise (both filament and induced onthe line)