ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Branch Circuit Taps-Help!

Yes, you certainly can "pigtail down" to fit a device; just remember that the breaker must be sized to protect the pigtail. I wouldn't use stab-wiring in any case.

You can run #8 to a recepacle, and then use a smaller pigtail on the terminals, again as long as the breaker is rated for the smallest conductor it protects.

You'd have to do that anyway, to protect whatever gets plugged into a 15 amp outlet. Typically a table lamp with #18 zip cord.

There is one very specific difference between the pigtail to a receptacle and the cord of a lamp you plug in. You are only providing short circuit protection to the lamp cord, the lamp socket itself is defacto overload protection. In the case of the receptacle you have to provide overlaod protection too, since you have no control over what is going to get plugged in so 240.4(D) rules.
I suppose someone can still put a plug adapter in a lamp and plug in the 1440W heater but we can't save everyone.

The way I see it, you only increased the wire size for voltage drop across the run and the device isn't rated for more than 15 amps anyway, so you are absolutely going to put a 15 amp breaker in the panel.
What's the problem?
The #14 pigtail is good for the maximum the breaker will allow. no problem right?