The gauge of wire that is installed is not only supposed to be large enough to carry the necessary current, its gauge signals to subsquent electricians how much current they should expect will come from that piece of wire. It's my understanding that any such branch from an outlet that comes from a breaker (naturally) is supposed to be 14 ga. Don't tell an electrician, by the size of the wire that's installed, that 15 amps are available when only five or ten are.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything. "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
