What Is A 5 20R Receptacle: Introduction & Uses
Shopping for an electrical receptacle, commonly known as a power socket or outlet, requires the same amount of due diligence as shopping for electrical cables and cords.
Naturally, you'd start by understanding the amount of electrical current the receptacle can handle. The current rating of an electrical outlet mainly depends on the current rating of the appliance served and the cords plugged into the socket.
Besides a receptacle's current carrying capacity, design is another crucial factor while shopping for these devices. The socket should be compatible with the types of plugs used in it. Before buying a power socket, other significant aspects include the brand and retail price.
The NEMA 5 20R receptacle is fast gaining traction as one of the go-to sockets. This post looks at the meaning of the 5 20R receptacles and why you should consider switching your standard power sockets for this product.
What Is NEMA 5 20R?
A NEMA 5 20R is a NEMA-approved straight-blade, 125-volt, 20-amp receptacle. But to fully understand what this receptacle is, it’s essential to break down the two main parts constituting the word – NEMA and 5 20R.
What Is NEMA?
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association, commonly abbreviated as NEMA, is North America’s largest trade association of electrical appliance manufacturers.
Founded in 1926 in Rosslyn, Virginia, the United States, NEMA’s core mandate is publishing the industry standards for electrical equipment. That ranges from cords and connectors to plugs and receptacles, consumer appliances, and even industrial-scale electrical machinery.
Like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that regulates food and drugs in the United States, NEMA ensures all electrical equipment meets the minimum quality and safety thresholds. The organization’s role aptly fits the purpose behind its inception, which is ‘to improve the state of electrical manufacturing in the United States.’
Besides publishing standards for electrical equipment, NEMA also lobbies on behalf of electrical equipment manufacturers and traders.
NEMA also has a medical division, the Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance (MITA). MITA deals in manufacturing medical diagnostic equipment like ultrasound and x-ray products.
What Does ‘5 20R’ Stand For In NEMA 5 20R?
NEMA assigns specific numbering patterns to its electrical equipment. The pattern typically consists of four primary identifiers, with each component having its distinct meaning within the phrase.
The first element in NEMA’s numbering system can either be a blank space or the letter L. This identifier determines whether an electrical plug or receptacle supports a straight-blade or twist-lock mechanism.
Straight-blade connectors are the common electrical cables featuring straight plugs. In contrast, twist-lock connectors are cords whose plugs include a locking mechanism that prevents the cable from coming loose accidentally. Once plugged into an electrical appliance, twist-blade cords can only be unplugged by twisting the prongs in the opposite direction.
Now, the 5 20R receptacle supports straight-blade connectors. Note that there’s no specific identifier for straight-blade electrical devices. The mere fact that there’s no L before the number means 5 20R is not a twist-lock receptacle.
The second identifier in NEMA’s numbering pattern denotes an electrical device’s voltage rating. In this case, the number is 5. According to NEMA, 5 represents a voltage rating of 125 VAC. For comparison’s sake, 6 would represent a VAC of 250.
Note that NEMA’s voltage rating denotes the maximum amount of voltage electrical equipment can be used with. Therefore, a 5 20R receptacle can only support devices utilizing a voltage of 125 and below.
The next element in NEMA’s numbering sequence represents the amperage rating of an electrical device. Most NEMA-approved appliances have an amperage rating between 15 and 30. In the case of our 5 20R receptacles, the amperage rating is 20 amps.
Note that just like the voltage rating, the amperage rating of an electrical device denotes the highest amperage the equipment can be used with. The 5 20R can support electrical appliances with lower amperage, such as 15 amps. But using the device with higher-amperage appliances could trigger electrical faults.
The fourth identifier in NEMA’s numbering system is a letter. The letter mainly appears next to the element denoting the amperage rating. But in a few cases, there may be a space separating the two elements.
This letter determines whether the device is a plug or outlet. Plug devices are denoted by capital P, whereas outlet devices are represented by capital R. In our case, it’s evident that a 5 20R is a receptacle and not a plug.
Considerations While Shopping for Receptacles
The first consideration while buying an electrical receptacle is establishing the outlet's current handling capacity. That capacity will depend on the voltage of the electrical appliance you intend to use the receptacle with.
The average voltage of electrical equipment should be matched with the voltage of the outlet it's used with. And as we've seen, the same logic applies to amperage.
It’s also best to opt for NEMA-approved receptacles. This way, you can rest assured the device has met the minimum threshold for quality and safety.
Other factors while choosing a receptacle include checking conductor size and count, cable jacket and material, temperature rating, brand, and cost.
Summary
Buying an electrical receptacle requires due diligence, which primarily entails understanding the power consumption needs of the appliance you intend to use with the outlet. We hope you can now make an informed choice before shopping for NEMA 5 20R or any other receptacle.