<<so I'd have to
either put a 15 amp outlet on a 50 amp breaker (which is bad)>>
having a circuit which can carry higher amperage than your device draws is
OK...you do this every day when you plug your 500 milliamp clock radio into
a 15 amp 110 outlet; putting a 15 amp load on a 50 amp circuit is safe...it
only wastes the cost of very large wire needed for the 50 amp circuit
rating. the load draws the current it needs; the circuit doesn't "force"
current into the load; the wiring in the wall heats up (proportional to the
square of the current). The circuit breaker prevents excess current draw on
the circuit..and hence overheating the wire/ meltdown/ fire... these
circuit breakers protect the house/ wiring, not the device plugged into the
circuit
I believe that the code where I live allows only one outlet per circuit for
220's; the outlet "style" is different for each current rating 15, 20, 30,
50. Note that the 20 amp outlet also accepts a 15A plug, as would be
predicted by the explanation above.
hope this helps a bit.
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