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20amp v 15amp

I'm the furthest thing from an engineer so layman's terms would be appreciated.  A friend of a friend has an Audioquest Niagara 5000 he's looking to move quickly.  The 5000 requires a 20amp power cord, which is fine; I'm happy picking one up.  My outlet is only rated for 15amps.  My question is, will I only really benefit if I replace the 15amp wall outlet with a 20amp wall outlet?

cjlundberg
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,496 posts
 

Probly.

lak's avatar
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lak
4,529 posts
 

You most likely need a 20 amp breaker along with the proper gauge wire run to a 20 amp outlet.

nmolnar
37 posts
 

At minimum you need a power cord with a 20-amp IEC-C19 plug end and the other end with a standard 15amp IEC male plug. See AudioQuest Monsoon Power Cable (2 meters/6.5 feet) Power cable with 20-amp IEC-C19 plug at Crutchfield As a preferred upgrade, you should have a new 20 amp dedicated circuit installed (new 20 amp breaker, 12 AWG cabling and a 20 amp outlet. This would realize the full potential of the Audioquest Niagara 5000. The new power cable would continue to be compatible with the 20 amp upgraded circuit.

gs5556
1,209 posts
 

If  the wall outlet is 15-amp 125V then you'll need either a 20 amp to 15 amp plug adapter or a one foot 20/15 power cord. Each are less than 10 dollars. But if you know how to replace a receptacle, then install a combo 15/20 amp 250V receptacle. Fits perfectly in the same box.

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