A Common Goof Replacing Outlets

How hard can it be, you say? Watch out for this little pitfall! This master electrician demonstrates one of the ways the "simple" replacement of a receptacle can backfire. Just when you thought you were making your home safer by putting in these fresh (and stylish) outlets and switches, you may be setting those electrical connections up to overheat or fail. How to strip and curl wires properly.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• replace
• electrical
• outlets
• wire
• connections
• howto
• strip
• insulation
• installation
• repair
• diy
• instructional video
• tutorial

[PeterPug007]

Ok, so do you do let's say, three or four plugs connected to one circuit?

Someone mentioned pig-tailing so I'm trying to understand if it's to wire the plugs in parallel in case one fails or to avoid sending all the current through each receptacle on series?? Confused...

[TheCircuitDetective]

@PeterPug007 The video applies to avoiding loss of power at one receptacle (shown) or at several that are, as you say, "in series." Pigtailing ("paralleling") does avoid losing power to more than one receptacle, but only if the pigtail connection is done well. The same issue of tightening onto the wires' insulation can happen there, in the wirenut.

[kalijasin]

That's why you get the receptacles with the holes in the back. It wont let you physically insert into the hole if there is excessive insulation.

[TheCircuitDetective]

@kalijasin The problem I refer to is when the receptacle being replaced had wires stripped for the back holes but now the person wants to wrap the those same wire ends around the side-screws of the new receptacle. I'm warning people in that case not to trap insulation under the screws.

[chabrez]

Hello! American outlets are good, strong screws, low-resistance connections, etc. Russians outlets far more worse, if only you don't have for 10 to 50 dollars to pay for one unit. Any affordable outlets in my country is like piece of crap, really they are :) Sorry for my English and thanks for video!

[irish89055]

@chabrez Your English is perfect... American receptacles or outlets are good, though probably made in China now.. cost is under 75 cents each.. Good tip here

[TheCircuitDetective]

@kalijasin That is true. The old receptacle may have been one that didn't need as much insulation stripped off. Or a person starting with wires that aren't stripped at all may not strip enough off. But in that case they will probably figure out what to do, because the receptacle isn't grabbing the wire at all. I'm more concerned when just enough is stripped for the receptacle to grab the wire as it is inserted in the back holes, but not enough to grab it well (in a way that will last years).

[kalijasin]

@TheCircuitDetective In many cases the wire wont go into the back-stabs if there is to much insulation on the wire.

[TheCircuitDetective]

@jayynecobb What you say is only true of multi-wire branch circuits, that is, where there are two circuits sharing that neutral. The Code you cite is clear about this.

[TheCircuitDetective]

@kalijasin Strip gauges shown on the back of receptacles and switches are interesting. When a device has both side-screws and back-stabs, a switch may say the gauge is "for back wiring only," but a receptacle may not say one way or the other. In both cases a person won't know how much to strip for the side-screw method (versus back wiring).

[kalijasin]

That's why you cut it and use the gauge on the back to measure how much to strip.

[jayynecobb]

Cant wire directly to the NEUTRAL side then come off the other screw to the next receptacle (you can with the hot); you MUST instead run the neutral to a small "pigtail" or wire coming off the receptacle (NEC 2011 300.13(B)). This means white comes in to the box, and into a wire nut; a 5" or so wire goes to the silver (neutral) screw on the receptacle from the wirenut, then another wire comes out of the wirenut out to the next receptacle. Pigtail NOT required if this is the "end of line" outlet.