ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area To Tape or not to Tape?

OK,

Assuming that We now know which way to install the receptacle ( )...
Should We tape it up first?

What are your thoughts on this?

(No Flames please)


Bill

Bill,

Waste of time & material. If the receptacle is properly secured, there should be no problem with the terminal screws contacting the sides of a metal box.

If the bare screws were a real problem, I'm sure either the NEC or some listing agency such as UL would have addressed it by now.

Tom

my 2 cnts;

the longevity of any termination depends on enviroment, i.e., vibration, heat , cold , dust etc.

so it depends, at least to me, where this would be.

The only advantage to taping would be to reduce accidents when removing an energized device. OSHA says we can't work on energized devices, so I see no reason to tape.
Don(resqcapt19)

I agree with the others about not using tape for the most part. Also some inspectors may think your hiding sloppy work (i.e. taping the wirenuts)On the other hand,when retrofitting a GFI recept. in a small handy box I sometimes tape around it. Especially if I feel the home owner is a do-it-yourself kind of person and is going to remove the cover when I leave so he can see how to wire the other GFI's I recommended installed.

usually i tape my devices.. if its a duplex rec or a switch in a 1900 box with a single mud ring on, i wont tape it, but when theres like a bank of switches or rec's (from 2 on up) ill wrap a ring of tape around em... when you have to work on it later, its real fun to have 5 devices out and having the screw tabs hit the other screws... i also tape when putting any device in a 180 box, or a gem box, just for safety.. if i have to go back in, i wanna be sure im protected, i have to work it live a lot

-m

I left construction to take up a maintenance position at a large OSB manufacturing plant about 14 years ago.

I now feel that besides being a waste of time and materials, its a real pain in the butt for the maintenance electrician if he needs to work on it later, especially when it is a wirenut. Its a real bummer having to scratch around the tape with your fingernail looking for the end.

I can see being extra safe with receptacles if you feel the need, but it sure helps to leave a little tail so the next guy can unwrap it. Besides, everyone likes a little tail

Matt

All OSHA rules and common sense aside...

I tape when I'm putting in temp recepts for construction sites, especially if I'm suspicious that the drywallers/carpenters/laborers will remove the recept on their own accord when I'm not around. Can't rely on 'em to open the CB...

These Recepts are usually GFCI and are abused during construction, so they are replaced during final punch-out with standard receptacles suitable for the area, without tape.

As far as tape around wire nuts... some manufacturers have taping wirenuts as part of their instructions, some ceiling fans and fixtures have these. Got to comply with the instructions, right?

I agree that nothing is harder to remove than 75 year old friction tape melded into a glob... but the "art" of taping is part of a sparky's legacy, right?

you got that right about the "havin a little tail" lol i am totally against taping a wirenut, just devices that need it, and its usually just a ring around it... it can be a pain in the ass, but trust me, im glad its there sometimes, when i get in a tight situation... heres a question for all of you.. raise your hands if youve ever run a 6-32 (on a device ring) or an 8-32 (on a round celing ring) in too far and "pinched" the insulation a bit.. happened to me a few times =o/

-m

Taping a device is an attempt to protect everyone from everything. As Don pointed out, we're not supposed to be working things hot, even though we have all done it.

Most of the time, when I find a taped device, 1/2 of the wires have been wrapped around the screws in the wrong direction, the equipment ground is twisted together without a wirenut & the box was not correctly grounded, instead, the eq. ground was connected to the receptacle.

Tom