The largest 1-pole circuit breaker that can be used to protect a 12 AWG copper Type SJO flexible cord is ___ A.

The largest 1-pole circuit breaker that can be used to protect a 12 AWG copper Type SJO flexible cord is ___ A.

• A. 25
• B. 15
• C. 20
• D. 30

Answer: (A)

Overcurrent protection for a flexible cord is sized to the cord’s ampacity as listed in NEC Table 400.5. For a 12 AWG copper Type SJO flexible cord, the ampacity used for protection is 25 A. That means the largest single-pole breaker you can use to protect this cord is 25 A; a 30 A breaker would exceed the cord’s rating and could overheat the cord, creating a safety hazard. While smaller breakers (like 15 A or 20 A) would also protect the cord, they’re not the maximum size permitted by the cord’s ampacity.

Overcurrent protection for a flexible cord is sized to the cord’s ampacity as listed in NEC Table 400.5. For a 12 AWG copper Type SJO flexible cord, the ampacity used for protection is 25 A. That means the largest single-pole breaker you can use to protect this cord is 25 A; a 30 A breaker would exceed the cord’s rating and could overheat the cord, creating a safety hazard. While smaller breakers (like 15 A or 20 A) would also protect the cord, they’re not the maximum size permitted by the cord’s ampacity.