ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Pigtailing vs. Wiring-thru normal outlets

thanks for the pix Frenchy, maybe you could find something on your side of the pond to post for us to compare with here?

Trumpy,it's that takeoff , or pigtail method where the circuit isn't broken by the device, vs. the circuit running through each device>

[img]http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS-Vvn8sSiFMoXlgCHNyk-XcdBXP7lwGxJVJ8yMjpCx3tsYNxJ_8A[/img]
(this would be backstabbing, btw, the screw terminals are not being used here)

[img]http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSePSM2T4ysrJdeHDd_NLhj0oWVAvV5yxBN2nGx6cd1bIqb_kFKmg[/img]
(this is what it is broken down)


Further, we are allowed to do either on 20A circuitry using 15A devices listed for 20A feedthrough

~S~

i guess i blew the UBB code....

Marc:
Nice response to Trumpys question.

A great example of a picture being better than 1000 words.

okay, more coffee, and.....

Keep in mind that 'backstab' devices are only rated for 14 ga (AWG) solid conductors.

Nice graphics ~s~!!!

Keep in mind that 'backstab' devices are only rated for 14 ga (AWG) solid conductors.

yup, what's it been now? 15 years?


Nice graphics ~s~!!!
about time....posting without being properly caffinated is just criminal!

~S~

As usual, I am late but I used to feed through unless there were more than 2 conductors per phase on the device. In other words, 2 black or white. I have seen where guys would install 3 or more black wires in the device and then try to push that receptacle back into the box.

That was tough to do IMHO, That would be the big reason to "pigtail" the device. It is easier to push the 2 wires than 6 or 8 wires.

I find it interesting that absolutely no one has claimed a fondness for the original manner of wiring receptacles.

Remember when the sparky simply removed a section of insulation from a wire that passed uncut through the box, then wrapped that section of the wire around the screw?

I can't think of a better way to do it - unwrapping the wire (which goes more then 3/4 of the way around the screw) isn't all that easy, and a good connection is assured.

I thought about that, but it's a bit impractical to do when you work with cable, as opposed to single conductors I guess.

I recently encountered a place where someone had taken such a folded-over conductor, flattened it and pushed into a backstabbed receptacle... that didn't go well! I think that was the first and only overheated European backstab device I've ever seen. Those receptacles only take 2 conductors per terminal, but he had 3, so he tried to get two into one hole.

Reno:
Yes, I remember doing receptacles that way, with stranded THW & THHN on pipe jobs, but not with solid.

I still prefer a pigtail.