Examples of Equipment with a 5-20 Plug

[dave*99]

There have been many posts on GJ about the choice between 5-15 and 5-20 receptacles on a 20A circuit. The discussion picks up comments that there are very few appliances or equipment that actually have a 5-20P. My purpose in starting this thread is to collect examples of equipment that actually has a 5-20P. Who knows - it might help someone make their own conclusion on which receptacles they want to install.

I offer this up as the recent example I've seen.



This is my landscaper's masonry saw. It often gets plugged into a generator.

And it also gets plugged into this.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I dont have pics but i have seen a dewalt wood planner and a frozen food vending machine with 5-20p cord caps....

 

[mike93lx]

120v welders can come with a 5-20p

 

[Snapped-off]

Refrigerant recovery machine.

 

[theoldwizard1]

We had a full tower PC at work that used a 5-20P.

My son's company gym has a treadmill that use a 5-20P.

 

[u2slow]

This is a careful marketing/design thing.

What business is willing to chance having a large portion of returns on a mass-produced consumer product because a customer doen't have a capable circuit or the matching receptacle?

Edit: the last item I had with a factory 5-20p was a higher output coolant heater (for a truck).

 

[rlitman]

120v welders can come with a 5-20p

I guess anything is possible. I've seen 5-30P, but not 5-20P on a welder. The only place I've seen a 5-20P IRL, not in a store package, was on a large high-speed copier.

This is a careful marketing/design thing.

What business is willing to chance having a large portion of returns on a mass-produced consumer product because a customer doen't have a capable circuit or the matching receptacle?

Edit: the last item I had with a factory 5-20p was a higher output coolant heater (for a truck).

Exactly. 5-20P is like the NC17 of plugs.

 

[Norcal]

Had to install a 20A receptacle for a True 2-door reach in fridge.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

come to think of it, Ive seen a 5-20p on a very large copier

 

[mike93lx]

I guess anything is possible. I've seen 5-30P, but not 5-20P on a welder. The only place I've seen a 5-20P IRL, not in a store package, was on a large high-speed copier.

Exactly. 5-20P is like the NC17 of plugs.

I am pretty sure an old craftsman mig I had used a 5-20. Maybe I'm making **** up. Probably the latter

 

[micromind]

Point-of-use water heaters.

Floor sanding/cleaning equipment.

Air compressors.

Shop equipment.

 

[MrFreeze]

I am pretty sure an old craftsman mig I had used a 5-20. Maybe I'm making **** up. Probably the latter

My grandfather's Craftsman radial arm saw (circa mid 1970's, which I have since inherited) is dual 120/240V, and currently has a 5-20P plug on it. I had to wire a matching receptacle when it came to live in my barn. I also used to see these on heaters once in awhile, back when I worked in a hardware store during my high school days.

MrFreeze

 

[sparky 1971]

come to think of it, Ive 5-20p on a very large copier

Thanks for reminding me . I have one customer with three giant copier/printers that use both a 5-20 and a 6-20. I had to special order effing cover plates and, one of them is exposed so I had to buy 10 raised covers in order to get the one that I needed. If anyone needs a Raco 806C, https://www.hubbell.com/raco/en/pro...d-work-duplex1-406-in-dia-receptacle/p/141110 I've had nine of them sitting in my shop for about 10 years. If I remember correctly, the only 6-20 duplex the supply house had in stock was brown or I would have gone that route.

 

[sparky 1971]

Edit: the last item I had with a factory 5-20p was a higher output coolant heater (for a truck).

I had a friend call me and say he couldn't plug in the block heater on his new to him 1960's? John Deere 3020. I got over there and sure enough, it was a factory 5-20, but after I scrubbed 40 years of grease and gunk off of it, the nameplate said it was 1200 watts.

 

[mike93lx]

but after I scrubbed 40 years of grease and gunk off of it, the nameplate said it was 1200 watts

Lol. Like that would have changed anything. Did you clip the end off or twist the prong?

 

[56Willys]

Crown Macro-Tech 2402 power amps. I had two in my old stereo for bass and subwoofers.

 

[sparky 1971]

Lol. Like that would have changed anything.

It wouldn't have changed anything, but 1200 watts is only 10 amps. If they're gonna pull that ****, at least make it a 2000 watt heater.

Did you clip the end off or twist the prong?

It got chopped off and a shiny new end installed. The only time I tried twisting the end was on my PVC heater and I broke the damned thing off.

 

[dscheidt]

A fair amount of commercial countertop food service stuff comes w/ 5-20 plugs. Some of that is load, some is probably to keep it out of domestic use.

 

[dave*99]

Crown Macro-Tech 2402 power amps. I had two in my old stereo for bass and subwoofers.

Yup, the high power Crown amps have a 5-20P.

 

[Dagny]

Large window shaker air conditioners.

 

[PCustoms]

Large window shaker air conditioners.

Not any of the recent ones I had

 

[Codyboy]

My 240 volt 3hp unisaw has that type plug.
Never knew it had a name though 5-20, 6-20.
Hell idk.
I just went to the store and said yep. That looks like the one. Straight blade and a sideways blade.

ETA
I may be lying. Or forgetful.

I thing my unisaw has two side ways blades..

 

[sparky 1971]

My 240 volt 3hp unisaw has that type plug.
Never knew it had a name though 5-20, 6-20.
Hell idk.
I just went to the store and said yep. That looks like the one. Straight blade and a sideways blade.

ETA
I may be lying. Or forgetful.

I thing my unisaw has two side ways blades..

The 5-20 is 120 volt and the 6-20 is 240. They may look the same, but when side by side, the horizontal prongs are opposite.

The two sideways prongs is a 6-15, 15 amp 240 volt.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Large window shaker air conditioners.

120v or 240v?

 

[csp]

I am pretty sure an old craftsman mig I had used a 5-20. Maybe I'm making **** up. Probably the latter

Nope, you're probably not making it up. I had one too, the actual manufacturer of the machine was Century.

 

[johnre]

My first air compressor, back in the 1980s, was a Craftsman that was built by Devilbiss. It had a 5-20P, and was honestly rated 1 HP and 5.3 SCFM @ 90 PSI, just before the horsepower specs on compressors went bezerk. It really drew 16 A or so right before cutout, so yes it did need the 5-20P.

That motor wasn't designed to be rewired for 240 V. It seems like nowadays they would always design something like this for 120 V / 240 V operation, and when they do, I'd prefer to operate it on a dedicated 240 V line so it's not overloading a 20 A 120 V breaker that's serving multiple outlets. My 1200 CFM 1.5 HP dust collector is 120 V / 240 V, and I've wired it for 240 V, for example.

Actually found the manual for the compressor online:

 

[ipgenie]

I have an IOTA battery charger/power supply with a 5-20P plug. I bought a 100ft 10awg extension cord from HF a couple of years ago that also had that plug.

 

[KenC]

120v welders can come with a 5-20p

Yep, mentioned in another thread that I have a 20something YO Century like that. Italian made, now owned by Lincoln.

 

[nadogail]

I think I remember seeing them on Floor Buffers, probably in the late 50's or early 60's.

 

[dscheidt]

I think I remember seeing them on Floor Buffers, probably in the late 50's or early 60's.

I've seen them on commercial vacuums. I think there the purpose isn't the motor needs it, but it limits where it can be plugged in, so the cleaner isn't tempted to unplug something to plug the vacuum in. (at least until they twist the prong to fit a 5-15....).

 

[TRWham]

I've seen them on commercial vacuums. I think there the purpose isn't the motor needs it, but it limits where it can be plugged in, so the cleaner isn't tempted to unplug something to plug the vacuum in. (at least until they twist the prong to fit a 5-15....).

It seems to me even household vacuums are at the upper end of what a 15 A branch can supply. Have you ever felt the cord after a few minutes of use? They certainly get a bit warm.

 

[PCustoms]

It seems to me even household vacuums are at the upper end of what a 15 A branch can supply. Have you ever felt the cord after a few minutes of use? They certainly get a bit warm.

That's because it's 30' of the shittiest 18awg money can buy.

Got nothing to do with the 15A circuit

 

[Bert_]

It seems to me even household vacuums are at the upper end of what a 15 A branch can supply. Have you ever felt the cord after a few minutes of use? They certainly get a bit warm.

Even my 30yo Kirby is only 7 amps. No household vacuum is anywhere near the limit of a 15A circuit.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

It seems to me even household vacuums are at the upper end of what a 15 A branch can supply. Have you ever felt the cord after a few minutes of use? They certainly get a bit warm.

Circuit ampacity has nothing to do with whether an undersized cord gets warm…

 

[mike93lx]

Even my 30yo Kirby is only 7 amps. No household vacuum is anywhere near the limit of a 15A circuit.

My Miele is either 1200 or 1400w.

 

[Bert_]

My Miele is either 1200 or 1400w.

Still only 10 or 11.5 amps. Quite a ways from 15A. You can get 1800W from a 15 amp circuit. Unless you plan on vacuuming for 3 hours or more

 

[mike93lx]

Still only 10 or 11.5 amps. Quite a ways from 15A. You can get 1800W from a 15 amp circuit. Unless you plan on vacuuming for 3 hours or more

I know, just pointing out that your 7a vac isn't the limit.

And yes, the cord gets warm, even on a high end vac

 

[dave*99]

My Miele is either 1200 or 1400w.

I bet that *****.

 

[mike93lx]

I bet that *****.

Hard

 

[Wrench97]

120v or 240v?

120v my house came with one when I bought it back in the 80's that unit had to be from the 60's ...................