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Home > Archive > Home Repair forum > February 2008 > Outlet Color
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| Old_Boat 2008-02-26, 8:25 pm |
| Does the color Red signify anything special in a 20 amp 120 V duplex outlet.
Our local Habitat for Humanity Store has a lot of them for sale at a very
good price. Could one use them for replacement outlets if needed or would
that violate some wiring color code?
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| Mikepier 2008-02-26, 8:25 pm |
| On Feb 26, 8:45=A0pm, "Old_Boat" <Old_B...@thelake.com> wrote:
> Does the color Red signify anything special in a 20 amp 120 V duplex outle=
t.
> Our local Habitat for Humanity Store has a lot of them for sale at a very
> good price. Could one use them for replacement outlets if needed or would
> that violate some wiring color code?
Red indicates that the outlet is connected to an emergency generator
in the event of a power outage. You usually see them a lot in
hospitals. Electrically they are the same as regular outlets. I'm not
sure about code issues using them as regular outlets.
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| "Old_Boat" <Old_Boat@thelake.com> wrote on 26 Feb 2008 in group
alt.home.repair:
> Does the color Red signify anything special in a 20 amp 120 V duplex
> outlet. Our local Habitat for Humanity Store has a lot of them for
> sale at a very good price. Could one use them for replacement outlets
> if needed or would that violate some wiring color code?
At the company I used to work for, they indicated an isolated-ground
circuit.
--
Steve B.
New Life Home Improvement
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| S. Barker 2008-02-26, 9:25 pm |
| Those are orange.
s
"Steve" <respond@online.newsgroup> wrote in message
news:Xns9A50CA9AF1E15184365720018436572@66.250.146.128...
> At the company I used to work for, they indicated an isolated-ground
> circuit.
>
> --
> Steve B.
> New Life Home Improvement
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| G. Morgan 2008-02-26, 9:25 pm |
| Old_Boat wrote:
>Does the color Red signify anything special in a 20 amp 120 V duplex outlet.
>Our local Habitat for Humanity Store has a lot of them for sale at a very
>good price. Could one use them for replacement outlets if needed or would
>that violate some wiring color code?
>
I think they usually signify a circuit on a backup generator.
--
I kill all Google Group posts, you can too.
Take back Usenet <--> http://improve-usenet.org
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| letterman@invalid.com 2008-02-27, 3:25 am |
| On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:53:00 -0800 (PST), Mikepier
<mikepier@optonline.net> wrote:
>On Feb 26, 8:45_pm, "Old_Boat" <Old_B...@thelake.com> wrote:
>
>Red indicates that the outlet is connected to an emergency generator
>in the event of a power outage. You usually see them a lot in
>hospitals. Electrically they are the same as regular outlets. I'm not
>sure about code issues using them as regular outlets.
Yes, it is for generator equipped outlets where life support machines
are connected. I dont know about the code, but in a home, why should
it matter. Heck, they sell designer colored outlets these days, not
just the ivory and brown like they once had. Because of what the red
ones are intended for, they are likely top quality, and probably cost
between $5 and $10 new. If they're cheap, buy them. For a workshop or
garage where you run power tools, they would be superior.
I found this information on:
http://www.safety.vanderbilt.edu/re...s/hcs_jcaho.htm
If the lights go out in the Medical Center, what should you do?
Wait 8-10 seconds; the emergency generator will turn on the power.
Check that all essential equipment is plugged into red outlets and all
life support equipment is properly functioning. Disconnect or turn off
non-essential equipment that may be plugged into emergency power (red
outlets). Examples of non-essential equipment include: fans, personal
portable equipment.
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| On Feb 26, 8:45 pm, "Old_Boat" <Old_B...@thelake.com> wrote:
> Does the color Red signify anything special in a 20 amp 120 V duplex outlet.
> Our local Habitat for Humanity Store has a lot of them for sale at a very
> good price. Could one use them for replacement outlets if needed or would
> that violate some wiring color code?
When I worked at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, I learned in
commercial settings these are solely used to indicate emergency
electrical power (usually a generator) in the event of a power outage.
Ours at JHSPH were not only 110-15, but many higher voltage and
amperage configurations, for the deep freezers in which decades' worth
of study samples were kept. Imagine if BGE had one of its frequent
power glitches and your freezer with blood samples and the like from
the earliest days of studying AIDS suddenly couldn't maintain -135
degrees C!
In a residential setting I don't think it would matter if you used
these outlets. The only issue I would see is someone coming in later -
say if you sold the house - and getting confused.
And on a personal note, from the spouse of a Habitat Development
Director, thanks for supporting a ReStore!
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| Chip C 2008-02-27, 1:26 pm |
| On Feb 26, 8:53 pm, Mikepier <mikep...@optonline.net> wrote:
> On Feb 26, 8:45 pm, "Old_Boat" <Old_B...@thelake.com> wrote:
>
>
> Red indicates that the outlet is connected to an emergency generator
> in the event of a power outage. You usually see them a lot in
> hospitals. Electrically they are the same as regular outlets. I'm not
> sure about code issues using them as regular outlets.
I don't think it's code, certainly not for residential purposes,
possibly sector-specific like health care. For home use, I think
color is personal choice. Certainly a lot of folks will assume you've
got that circuit on backup power, but we know what happens when people
assume,
BUT if they're 20A t-slots, code DOES restrict where you can use them.
Certainly they should not be used on a 15A/14-ga circuit. I used to
think code restricted them to *single-outlet* dedicated 20A/12-ga
circuits, but have been told recently they're ok on multi-outlet 20A/
12-ga circuits. But for general purpose around-the-house replacements,
be careful.
(And I'd consult with the other residents. If some of the outlets
around my house showed up bright red, I think I'd get complaints.)
Chip C
Toronto
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| Old_Boat 2008-02-27, 8:25 pm |
|
"Kyle" <acts2024@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:d245a44c-3b86-4dbb-a970-fe3b988bc321@k2g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> On Feb 26, 8:45 pm, "Old_Boat" <Old_B...@thelake.com> wrote:
>
> When I worked at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, I learned in
> commercial settings these are solely used to indicate emergency
> electrical power (usually a generator) in the event of a power outage.
> Ours at JHSPH were not only 110-15, but many higher voltage and
> amperage configurations, for the deep freezers in which decades' worth
> of study samples were kept. Imagine if BGE had one of its frequent
> power glitches and your freezer with blood samples and the like from
> the earliest days of studying AIDS suddenly couldn't maintain -135
> degrees C!
>
> In a residential setting I don't think it would matter if you used
> these outlets. The only issue I would see is someone coming in later -
> say if you sold the house - and getting confused.
>
> And on a personal note, from the spouse of a Habitat Development
> Director, thanks for supporting a ReStore!
No problem, it is my favorite store!. On another note, the State Fire
Marshal inspector was in my shop today doing his inspection, so I asked him
about the red outlets. He did say that they are usually for emergency power,
but there is no problem using them for regular outlets in a home. So in that
case, guess I will have a Scarlet and gray OSU motif in my workshop! Red
Outlets with Gray covers!
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| OSU would require a black and orange motif in my neck of the
woods!
--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)
dgriff237@7cox.net
"Old_Boat" <Old_Boat@thelake.com> wrote in message
news:47c60af3$0$30702$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> "Kyle" <acts2024@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:d245a44c-3b86-4dbb-a970-fe3b988bc321@k2g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>
> No problem, it is my favorite store!. On another note, the State
> Fire Marshal inspector was in my shop today doing his
> inspection, so I asked him about the red outlets. He did say
> that they are usually for emergency power, but there is no
> problem using them for regular outlets in a home. So in that
> case, guess I will have a Scarlet and gray OSU motif in my
> workshop! Red Outlets with Gray covers!
>
>
>
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| Mark Lloyd 2008-02-27, 9:25 pm |
| On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:14:52 -0500, "Old_Boat" <Old_Boat@thelake.com>
wrote:
[snip]
>
>No problem, it is my favorite store!. On another note, the State Fire
>Marshal inspector was in my shop today doing his inspection, so I asked him
>about the red outlets. He did say that they are usually for emergency power,
>but there is no problem using them for regular outlets in a home. So in that
>case, guess I will have a Scarlet and gray OSU motif in my workshop! Red
>Outlets with Gray covers!
>
>
I have one outlet that is half red and half green. It's just used for
holiday lights.
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent
force for atheism ever conceived." -- Isaac Asimov
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