ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Photos for General Discussion Back Plugged Receptacle Failure

I've tried to put a stranded #12 into a Wago, just to see how it works.
The result was that 1/2 the conductor went into the connector, the other half formed a "beard" outside the Wago.
Hardly a timesaver. Cut it off, throw it away, restrip, try again, twisting wire with lineman's first. 3/4 in, 1/4 beard.
They're junk.

Hehe.....

Maybe it's just that we've never used push-ins here, but I just don't like the idea of such a connection carrying 15A.

Clamp 'em tight!

Glad to see some hard evidence. My hunch was right; but then again, anything can be unsafe in the wrong hands...

>Where did you get the information that the screw terminal are rated for the full circuit current, but the spring contacts are not?
Empirical evidence.

>It would seem to me that if this is the case, the listing information would make it clear.
Nope. The listing info states 15 A maximum.
But that is apparently overstated by about a factor of 10.

Virgil! Have you been in my MH again!?!

It's hinted at in the exception that allows 15-amp receptacles on 20-amp circuits. 15- and 20-amp receptacles of a given type ("pro", residential, spec, etc.) are internally identical.

The slot shape is the difference; they're rated by the plugs they are designed to reject. Note that 125- and 250-volt 20-amp receptacles both accept 15-amp plugs.

Regarding the Wagos mentioned above, the standard ones are _not_ rated for stranded wire! There are new-fangled ones with release buttons that are rated for stranded!

In Austria and Germany back-plugged receptacles (16A 250V rating, actual use 230V 16A) have more or less replaced any device with screws, Devices with open screws you have to bend the wire around actually havee been outlawed (at least in Germany) for a reason I don't remember.
The number of failures didn't increase damatically, so i assume the quality of the springs is simply better. :andy: (think it was him) once compared opened US and German backplugged sockets, and noticed the US one had brass springs that weakened over time whereas the German one had steel springs that hold up much better.
My opinion: I never had one fail and they are definitely very nice to wire. They're only a pain to get out again.

hey ranger

haven't been here for a while, and my favourite topic is hot again.
I believe the Screw/Pigtail system was discounted because it's not possible to make it protected of touching with your fingers. There are still some VERY cheap on-wall receptacles around in diy stores, that have screws and a square nut in an "U" shaped sheet, where you lay the wire in. They're junk, the sheet is too soft and widens when fixing the screw, the wire can jump out.

I have seen brass springs on connectors of very cheap 10A Light switches here, but not on Receptacles.

A very big & HiQ manufactor of receptacles, Busch&Jaeger, use spring contacts made by wago. Btw still not seen a molten wago yet

I've bought a few receptacles on my US vacation in may, I tried to remove a wire with pushing the metal release lever down, the wire came out but the (brass?) lever stayed in the "pushed" position .
Busch&Jaeger Parts have plastic Levers pushing the Spring to remove a wire, it works just fine.

Wagos for junction boxes are suitable for rigid-stranded conductors as it says on the box, but even I believe that's not a good way. Solid for regular push-wagos, nothing else. I use only the see-through ones, i don't know where the wire's at with the gray ones.

The new wago 222 series have levers for every connection and can grab stranded wires fine. But they're rather big.

[This message has been edited by :andy: (edited 07-31-2005).]

Andy, I thought the preferred method for European devices like switches and sockets was the following.

Insert wire into a little hole. Tighten the grub-screw (set screw for americans).

The screw clamps against the bare end of the wire.

Obviously the screws are recessed deep enough (like on terminal strips -- the famous U-boats) so that you can't touch them with a finger.

I have a socket made by ABL-Sursum (a very reputable and quality manufacturer in my experience) that uses such an arrangement.

Receptacles and switches used in South Korea (and manufactured domestically) use the back-stab method, with the wire being clamped down by spring action from the terminal.

Here we go again.....

I have taken apart the "trash" receptacles, and I find that they don't have much of a grip on the wire, usually only two thin points of contact. Many times, I am able to pull the wires out- easily. I also note they are listed these days only to #14, and solid wire at that.

I have never used "WAGO" brand connectors, but I did just use about 800 of the Ideal "In-Sure" variety on a job recently. Looking into the case, it appears that there is a lot more metal contacting the wire. Of the 800, I found only one bad connection after assembly, and maybe discarded a dozen during assembly.

As for stranded wire....Ideal set up a 'demo' at the local parts house, and the stranded wire was more than stiff enough to enter the connector easily. In the field has been a different matter. Using #12 MTW, I had some difficulty getting the wire to enter the throat of the connectors; #14 entered without a problem.
I don't know what wire Ideal used in their display, but it entered the connectors a LOT easier than the wire I got from the parts house!


Tex, the arguments you ascribe to Germany (steady spring pressure, etc.) have all been made here in favor of the 'back stab' devices. They have not been born out by experience.
One thing I really like about your "choc block" strips is that each wire is held by a separate screw.....even wire nuts don't always grab all the wires. You can also add/remove wires without disturbing power to the other wires (what makes you think I ever work 'hot?" :-) )