ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Receptacle connections

Another quickie;

When connecting a duplex receptacle in the middle of a cable run, do you usually prefer:

1. Pigtail on the recept. & wirenut to join the three wires together in the box,

-or-

2. Incoming & outgoing wires one each onto the linked terminals on the recept?

always pigtail myself.

What I do is largely governed by consideration of the neutral connection if multi-wire and then the amount of space in the box. Pigtailing old work is usually either impossible because of a lack of volume or the only option since the conductors are too short. Now that I am usually backwiring, pigtailing would be a waste of time and materials.

the device will not feel the circuits ampacity when pigtailed, so i do so when possible.

Yep, same here, pigtail when I can, but there's those times you can't...

Just wondered.

British twin (duplex) sockets only have one set of terminals, but they will accept 2 or 3 wires of the sizes normally used. I usually twist the wires together before inserting them.

We always pigtail.
I once had an inspector tell me I was in violation of the Code!! He actually took a connection apart in order to "teach me the right way."
The same inspector would not accept 30ft lbs of torque for 360 inch lbs (a real wizard).
I opened up a hot 4000A 480/277 service for him to inspect and demanded he put down his trusty aluminum Maglite. He looked at the busbars, then the light, and then rather sheepishly at me. He asked me to close the service back up, and never again gave me any trouble.

We always pigtail. In the cities of Omaha and Lincoln it is required by local code.
It also allows you to replace a bad outlet without dirupting the rest of the circuit when necessary.

Do you have to replace a receptacle hot very often? I assume this would be in something like an office where they don't want any other power shut off during working hours.

Put me into the Pigtail Only club also! It's just my preference, along with being a much "cleaner" method of splicing [IMHO].

Pauluk,
I hate to work a Receptacle change hot! Have done it before when the circuit could not be opened [as you mentioned], and will probably need to do it again - it's just sooooo much easier, safer and quicker to not work a live circuit.

P.S. Glad to have you on the board!


Scott SET