Just ordered a mini!

Post general questions about operation of your new Mini here. Due to many similarities with the original VII you should also check the VII forum.
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Bossman

Just ordered a mini!

Post by Bossman »

I can't wait till it gets here! I was going to buy a used s2 but decided I wanted support being my first real machine. I went with the mini in red from CCS. I even got really lucky and found a dedicated 20a outlet in my kitchen. It's not the 120volt outlet but it's the only thing on the circuit its on a 20 amp breaker and all the wires going to the kitchen are 12awg. There is a chance it also powers the outside outlet, I didn't test that because it's never used. Anyway, do I need to change the outlet or can I use the adapter but run it in 20amp mode? I realize all the disclaimers that go along with that but is anybody doing it?
MDL
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Re: Just ordered a mini!

Post by MDL »

Generally kitchens are wired on 20A breakers although builders often use the cheapest 15A outlets that they can buy. I would suggest buying a good 20A outlet and replacing the outlet where you are going to install the mini. It will cost you all of a few dollars and take ten minutes to swap out the outlet. If you use the adapter and run the machine at 20A you will technically being overloading the cheap 15A outlet. In reality that is unlikely to cause a fire but why take the risk?
Bossman

Re: Just ordered a mini!

Post by Bossman »

Very true. I ordered an outlet :)
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chas
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Re: Just ordered a mini!

Post by chas »

There's nothing inheritly inferior about a 15A outlet that makes it unsuitable for 20A appliances. It's just that 20A appliances have a different pin configuration so you need a 20A outlet in order to plug it in. I think the real reason that they use 20A circuits in a kitchen but 15A outlets is because there are usually at least two outlets on each 20A kitchen circuit and you can plug multiple appliances in while not exceeding 20A. However, the 20A S1 actually consumes 20A so you need to be sure that you have one dedicated 20A outlet on that 20A Circuit.
Chas
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