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<blockquote data-quote="Silas Pradetto" data-source="post: 27593" data-attributes="member: 34">Re: Electrical safety question (xposted from PSW)The purpose of a breaker is to protect all downstream wire and components from too much current (most of the time too much current means too much heat, and therefore fire). There is absolutely nothing wrong with imposing a lower-rated breaker on a higher-rated connector and wire. Obviously, you won&#039;t have all the current you might need available, but using the amp versus not using it is probably more important than the slight loss in peak power.As TJ mentioned, it is NEVER allowable to do this backward. You cannot provide an unprotected load rated for 20-amps with a 30-amp supply.PS - NEC does allow for undersized, unprotected feeder in some extremely select tapped power situations. They would never be encountered in a portable power situation, though.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Silas Pradetto, post: 27593, member: 34"] Re: Electrical safety question (xposted from PSW) The purpose of a breaker is to protect all downstream wire and components from too much current (most of the time too much current means too much heat, and therefore fire). There is absolutely nothing wrong with imposing a [I]lower-rated[/I] breaker on a [I]higher-rated[/I] connector and wire. Obviously, you won't have all the current you might need available, but using the amp versus not using it is probably more important than the slight loss in peak power. As TJ mentioned, it is [I]NEVER [/I]allowable to do this backward. You cannot provide an unprotected load rated for 20-amps with a 30-amp supply. PS - NEC does allow for undersized, unprotected feeder in some extremely select tapped power situations. They would never be encountered in a portable power situation, though. [/QUOTE]

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