hi,
I have a craftsman 33 gal air compressor in my garage. when I turn it on, it will trip the breaker,
Well first, the size of the tank has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with this. What matters is the motor driving the compressor, and particularly the electrical requirements of that motor. You need to find out two things:
1. - The nominal rated horsepower of that motor, and
2. - It's maximum rated current draw, typically known as either "FLA" (Full Load Amps) or "LRA" (Locked Rotor Amps).
Do NOT trust any other source for this data except the "official" data plate attached directly to that motor. Compressor manufacturers are downright NOTORIOUS for lying through their teeth about this sort of stuff (particularly "Horsepower", since bigger numbers always SEEM better to the mostly-uneducated folks buying these things) in their advertising materials and even in the big flashy graphics emblazoned on the tanks & such.
the breaker is 15 amps. the garage is tied into the GFCI "Curcuit" for the kitchen as well.
That's not good on at least a couple of fronts, and even ignoring your air compressor woes.
I am wanting to know if the breaker can be switched out to a 20amp version without causing any risk &/or violating any safety/inspection codes??
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
You can
NEVER just swap out a breaker for a higher-rated one UNLESS you are absolutely certain that the original was UNDERsized vis-a-vis the wiring, which (for reasons I'll expand on in a moment) it near-certainly would not be.
The house is 4 yrs old & we bought it new... as well as watched it being built too
. A friend of mine said that it might depend on the type of wire used & if it can handle 20 amps without getting "hot"
As others have pointed out, your friend is exactly correct. Furthemore, with all the talk of shared circuits and such, it's clear that the builder who did your house was like most others, and pinched every penny he could during the construction process. Given that, the odds on him having used AWG 12 wiring (which is the absolute MINIMUM which would be required to use a 20A breaker) on a "15A" circuit is somewhere between "Slim" and "None".
Your friend is right. It comes down to basic electricity. If that entire circuit from end to end is wired with #12 wire, you can use a 20 amp breaker. If it is wired with #14 wire, you cannot increase the size of the breaker.
I agree; but just for the sake of complete clarity, make that
"If ANY OF it is wired with #14 wire, you cannot increase the size of the breaker"
Do it wrong, and you can have major problems.
Understatement of the day (if not week).
I will double check but I think that the kitchen/garage are the same.
"The same" in what way?
is there away to "see" what wire was used?
It will ("should") be marked every foot or so on the outer jacket. If you cannot see enough of the jacket to read those markings, you can get a "reasonable indication" (but NOT absolute confirmation) from the color of the jacket; AWG 14 NM-B cable usually has a white or off-white jacket; whereas, (at least newer) AWG 12 NM-B cable usually has a yellow jacket.
the house is 4 yrs old, but I think I can get my hands on the full set of plans, would that tell me.
Very doubtful.
also the house is built by a very reputable builder & I know the inspections were taking place.
You'd be surprised at what "penny-wise and pound-foolish" stuff even so-called "reputable" builders do every day.
Also, just because something meets code does NOT mean that it's done the best possible way. For that matter, just because something passed inspection on any given day does not REALLY mean it even meets code.
