A Common Goof Replacing Outlets
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- čas přidán 21. 02. 2011
- Visit thecircuitdetec... for more resources. 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.
- Jak na to + styl
Thanks for posting this. I had made this exact mistake and after two years had low voltage in outlets farther down the line. Cut back the insulation, tightened the wire back into place, re-installed and everything worked.
Another small reminder is that Black wires goes to brass colored screws (Hot) while White wires connect to Silver or Aluminum colored screws (Neutral) and to always wrap the wire in the direction the screw tightens (Clockwise)
True to an extent. You never know who wired the house prior to you. I have seen multiple colors of wires in conduit runs that were the "hot" wire because they did not wire correctly. The only way to be sure you are putting correct wire to brass side on receptacle is to check with voltmeter that you have the hot wire even though a black conductor "should" have been used If wired properly, but I never take for granted that just because the wire is black, it 100 percent of the time it has to be hot, so I always verify.
a white wire can be hot and wired correctly but it's supposed to be marked with a black band to signify its a hot wire.
Juan S yes I was told yrs ago black to brass to save your ass , that stuck with me
This is gonna sound weird. way back when..I remember thinking of the beverly hillbillies song..black gold - Texas tea ..the black/gold thing stuck with me.I guess it doesn't matter how you get there as long as you get there.
Tjfreak, Thanks for that tip. Its actually a great way for me to remember now. Like you said, whatever it takes. Thanks Bud !
I had a new house that was built in a lumberyard that was moved onto a foundation on my property. The electricians came out that afternoon and installed a service breaker box and hooked up all the pre-wired house circuits. One of my circuits did not work and I found they had not stripped the insulation back at all before they stuck it into the breaker lug. That was actually hard to diagnose because it looked fine.
I like the newer style outlets that have a clamping plate under the screw. No more wrapping the wire around for a good connection and easier removal than the holes in the back.
Good video. I had an outlet that people had hooked a space heater into at work. It became intermittent so an electrician came to repair it. It had been back wired like this and had overheated to the point where it was charred and crumbling. They do have safer back wired receptacles which you pout the wire straight in and then the side screws clamp it between 2 metal plates. They cost a bit more but it's worth it. The professional grade stay much tighter and hold the plug blades better than the cheap ones.
Henry Chinery Most of the GFCI outlets I’ve worked with have been made that way. Haven’t seen regular outlets made like that in a long time.
This video is best viewed (listened to) at 1.5 times the normal speed. Select the speed by clicking the "gear" icon.
He is a member of the slow talkers of America.
you have no idea how much you helped me...Thank you soooooo very much!!! God Bless You!
Good advice. Can't be too careful when working with electric fixtures. My first place was about 50 years old when I bought it. I eventually replaced all the worn out wall plugs & switches and noticed the old copper wiring was heavily tarnished where it was attached to the fixtures. I removed the tarnish with fine sandpaper held between thumb & forefinger. Don't know if this was necessary but my intent was to create best contact between wire and fixture. It's been 43 years and the house is still standing so guess it was safe to do it.
I like adding a couple of turns of tape around the outlet before it goes back in the box. The commercial guys who do the wiring where I work do that. Seems like an added bit of safety that doesn't add much time to the job.
We thankyou so much this really helped me my copper wires from the old outlet were too thick to put into the new outlet !!! Totally a genius idea!!:)
I would recommend using a square #1 Robertson screwdriver as opposed to a regular phillips.. for both, the terminations and for screwing the receptacle to the box.
Yes, here in Canada, the screws on receptacles all have the Robertson square hole (combined with a straight slot). The Robertson style is the best no-slip design I've ever seen, and has been in non-electrical use (like for wood screws) in Canada for at least 70+ years.
If you can get them, Milwaukee has a MEC type screwdriver that's both common and Robertson on the same tip. Seemed crazy at first, but shockingly effective.
Thank you for pointing this out, I recognized this scenario in so many of my outlets and fixed them. Thanks for sharing!
Aluminum wire was common in the late 60s /early 70s you can pigtail copper from the receptacle to the aluminum wire as long as the aluminum to copper splice is done properly with approved connectors
Those push-in rear connectors that use a spring clip (instead of a screw clamp) are an electricians best friend. They always fail and cause a service call which results in making money.
Another point many miss, including seasoned electricians is that you are showing a 15 amp outlet, designed for 15 amp service via 14 gauge wire, and you can use those install holes on the reverse side. Many choose to attach a 12 gauge wire to a 15 amp outlet only to discover a 12 gauge wire will NOT fit into the install holes, therefore you have to curl and tighten to the appropriate screws. A 20 amp outlet has a horizontal slot on the neutral side, and the 12 gauge wire attaches directly under the screw plate on these outlets, then tighten without curling the wire under the screw cap.
It isn't that 12 gauge wire can't be used with these 15-amp receptacles. It can, AS LONG AS the breaker is 15-amp.
+TheCircuitDetective Need to check the NEC. You can use 15A receptacles on a 20A circuit. 210.21 (B) (3) Receptacle Ratings. Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, receptacle ratings shall conform to the values listed in Table 210.21(B)(3).
You're right, of course. I must have had a little brain f**t. So I think you agree that Otto Roth 's comment was giving people a wrong impression -- as if 12 gauge wire always calls for a 20-amp rated receptacle.
TheCircuitDetective
The part that bugs me is if you have down stream wiring, and use the screw terminals to connect the source wires and output wire, the connection between them is less than 12 gauge ( the little wing between the terminals). Why can't they make them with full 12 gauge cross sections... I always wire nut the connection with pigtails to the plug because of it.
Otto Roth you are correct otto.the "plug " in part on the back is good for 15amps 14 guage wire.12 wont even go in it.says right on back of plug if ppl would take the time to read it
Disconnecting a ground wire from the gas pipe runs the risk of electrical current being transmitted into the home from an outside event. Grounding any metal pipe that comes into your home helps to protect your home.
Good video. Not to be overly critical but its preferred to get as much of a wire wrap under the head of the screw as you can. I pre-form the wire into a question mark shape using round nose pliers. I then open the loop just enough to slip it past the body of the side terminal then I close the loop under the head. I've recently begun using a torque screwdriver to tighten the side terminals to the manufacturer's spec.
Good warning, but the receptacles that I've seen for sale have stripping guides molded into the receptacle for both types of termination.
Pigtailing of the neutral may also be needed for a code compliant installation in a multiwire branch circuit (two or three "hots" sharing one neutral). See 300.13(b)
its not a good idea to have a shared neutral. if the neutral becomes disconnected you can have 120 v appliance suddenly have 240 v applied to them. I have experienced this once and managed to destroy 2 electron microscopes, a centrifuge and several computers. I just took the cover off an overfilled junction box and the neutral came off.....
thank you for not using those idiotic push-in holes.
Good example of the proper way to install switches & receptacles AFTER pig-tailing all of wires in the box.I never use the devise to feed the circuit through to the next outlet like many handymen & less experienced electricians do.
The metal that connects the two receptacles on a device is sufficient to handle the load that the circuit is designed to handle, if that weren't the case there is no reason to manufacture them in that manner. Not an issue of being professional or unprofessional. Nothing more than an individual looking at something and deducing without any supporting evidence that something is a hazard. In fact pig tailing in the manner you describe introduces multiple points of potential failure that otherwise wouldn't exist. Somewhat like the inspector that this small rural town had decades ago. He took it upon himself to introduce a rule that light switch legs on a 15 A. circuit use 12 gauge wire. Doesn't introduce a hazard but a silly notion all the same with no evidence behind it. The only case I'm aware of where pig-tailing in this manner is warranted is when mitigating an aluminium wire installation, when running new copper cable is nearly impossible.
the new decora plugs have a slot for two wires which slip behind a brass plate and the screw holds them firmly in place, easier and more effective than any other way
Black wires are hot, however a white wire with black tape can mean hot wire too. Depending on the current flow and receptacle function.
J K. True but the only time a white wire is used is in a switch loop using 2 conductor wire. Now NEC code requires 3 conductor wire. Black and red being your hots.
I was recently told by a licensed electrician that using tape for marking wires is no longer the preferred method. He just used a black marker.
Three way switch ?
CEC is the same in Canada as of 2018
Great bit of info never thought to look for this.
you also have to watch which way you install the "curl".do it the same direction the screw tightens.loose connections burn houses down!
Very good point!
Is a loose connection what causes arcing?
Yes, even when you purposely touch a live wire to ground, making a short circuit, any sparking that occurs is from your not touching them together solidly (and so also quickly) enough. With a loose connection on a circuit that is running something (a light, for instance) overheating will usually occur before actual arcing develops.That's a fire danger itself.
This completely depends on the user's skill level. Yes if you can curl and install on the terminal the way you are showing, then yes a better installation no doubt. As an electrical contractor I have seen extremely poor connection attempts at wrapping the wires where using the back stab connection would be a much better connection then a poor terminal connection. I've seen wire insulation melted back inches in some cases with a really bad terminal connection.
For the benefit of comment readers let me say that when Nick refers to "terminals" here he means the side screws. (The push-in contacts are terminals too, I believe.)
Always turn off the power be for you do the work
Whoa, with inside knowledge like that you just *have* to be an electrical engineer!
If you use the rear insert holes with the wire stripped to the proper length, are you supposed to screw down the side screws anyway? They always come from the factory as shown in your video.
There are some uncommon receptacles whose holes on the back will not hold onto wires at all, whose holes are not meant to. For these receptacles the side screws must be tightened to hold the wires in the holes tight. So always see if wires you have stuck in holes will easily pull out.
Good to know for amateurs like me. I was thinking about replacing all of my receptacles in my old house, too.
It's not hard to do at all. Just make sure you have a circuit power tester ($10-15 at Home Depot) to ensure the wires are cold before working on them. (Just because the lights in the room are off doesn't mean the outlets are also off...and I'm speaking from shocking experience!) :-)
Thanks for the tip
Excellent tip! Thank you.
good advice. And correct not to use the holes on back which create an inferior connection compared to using screws on side. So many bungling tradesmen out there!
Bounder Rabbit it has nothing to do with "bungling tradesmen ". The outlets are U.L. listed to be used with the push connection. It's much faster, and so will continue to be used in that manner because labor is the biggest part of a cost bid. If even one contactor is bidding the job based on the faster install time, anyone who doesn't, doesn't have a chance of getting the work. As long as people want to pay bargain basement prices, don't expect that to change.
The most common mistake people make is using a Philips head screwdriver instead of a #1 Robinson head. ; )
Do you mean the most common mistake that results in failure from overheating?
Some homes, San Antonio, Texas Area, were wired with Aluminum Wiring.
I understand that we need to use electrical outlets and/or switches that are
designed specifically for aluminum wires. Otherwise, we might be creating
a fire hazard. I have talked with many home owners who were not even aware
that home had aluminum wiring vice copper. I would really appreciate your
comments on this topic. Thank you kindly, Jose T
+Jose Trevino You are right. When aluminum was first used is was not known that it wouldn't get along well with the metals that receptacles are made with. Now it is known; therefore they have designed special receptacles and switches that will get along with aluminum.
+Jose Trevino we used to live in a house that used aluminum wiring, i smelled something awful but at first thought it was the baby (we had some family visiting) then i went to plug in my phone and i felt the outlet was really hot, we literally shut off the power right away and just took the receptacle out, turns out a small fire had indeed started, had i probably not went to plug in my phone we probably would've been homeless
THe devices you'll use are rated CO/ALR. That means Copper/Aluminum Revised. This has to deal with the materials and methods of termination to the device. Another solution is to use those Copalum connectors at every junction point. Ideal 65 "twister" nuts are not recommended, but see use in this scenario. The 65s are meant for wall ovens and the like.
I always pig tail my connections...
Feed wires become to short from peaple miss installing....thanks for that tip
I've seen many old outlet installations where the electrician didn't curl the wire at all---they just stuck the exposed straight end under the screw and cranked it down. Not too safe....
That's probably one of the reasons while the fire insurance sector developed the push in technology.
To 'stir the pot' regarding 'Outlets' from the other side of the world please see the following:-
General Purpose Outlet
it is an electrical term. The definition for GPO in the AS3000 - Australian Standard for Wiring Rules is "three pin flat pin 10 amp socket outlet" or power point as commonly known. But now there is no GPO. The definition was removed from the 2000 edition of the wiring rules, those power points are now defined as Socket Outlets.
Try GPO Whirlpool via Google
Tell people why. Without a good copper to copper connection it adds resistance. Also make sure your connections are clean, a bit of sand paper on your wires can't hurt old stock.
There's a reason using the holes on the back is known as "backstabbing"
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...
@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
Agreed. IBut if you take your Kliens and physically twist the wires together when pigtailing, as my employees are required to do, and use a quality brand wire nut, it should last forever. Not twisting your wires could ultimately melt the wire nut if the load beyond the splice is heavy. Besides, how many times have you removed a nut to check voltage only to have all the hots or neutrals spring apart. Aggrivating. My number 1 service call is power outage due to loose stab-loks.
Very keen observation. Thank you
"The hot wires normally are the black wires." Hahaha! If a weekend warrior has been modifying the electrical system, you cannot assume that. Literally, _everything_ needs to be questioned and checked.
Yes, but if it is also a weekend warrior who is now replacing the receptacle, he doesn't know how to check everything. In that case, just duplicating on the new receptacle what side of the old receptacle a wire came from shouldn't cause a problem.
The white wire goes to the silver colored screw and the black wire goes to the brass colored screw. The ground wire (green or green/ yellow stripe.) goes to a screw on the frame of the outlet.
Totally agree. Reversed hot/neutral has all kinds of potentially harmful issues. Always check - or just don't mess with it in the first place if you don't know what you're doing.
so from my understanding the electricity is alternating current , it goes one way then the other 60 times a second . so is it going in or going out ?
The movement of electrons does alternate, but a "hot" wire remains hot regardless, because it is still able to complete a circuit (circle) to ground. When we say about AC that power "goes out from the breaker," it is only because we need a directional way to talk about the PATH electricity is taking (whether in one direction or the other at this instant).
I have six wires on old receptacle four on screw two plugged in back. New receptacle has four screws and no holes for the two extra wires. What do I do? 2 black, 2 white and 2 red. The 2 were stuck into the back.
Easiest would be get a receptacle with screws and holes. Otherwise, put the blacks in a wirenut with a single new piece of wire. But take notice: red often means half the receptacle was controlled by a wall switch or is a different circuit. If so, confine the reds to (say) the bottom half, with blacks to the top, and break off the metal tab connecting top and bottom.
Great tip!!! I've always seen the push connectors as the territory of the lazy electrician or the clown doing "knock it out fast" piece work. I prefer the Industrial grade recepticles with screw and clamp plate over the type shown in the video. They don't even give the "goofs" the option of a push connector. I also prefer a large flat blade screw driver so I can get more torque on the screw and prevent any sort of resistance cycling at the wire/fastener interface.
+ramosel I agree on the flat screwdriver. I found the clamp plate method could easily end up loose too though.
I recently changed out the 3 duplex outlets in a surge suppressor strip which had push through for side wired with screw terminals outlets, new copper wire, and line cord, reinstalled in the CMOS. Screw connectors much more solid.
ramosel if you use the correct size Phillips tip screwdriver you can get the right amount of torque as well. I see so many people who use the wrong size tip or bit with their screws and want to know why it stripped out on them.. Duh.
Yes, but even the correct Phillips tip has a problem that limits torque. Phillips screwdrivers and screwheads are designed to deliberately cam-out ("slip") above a moderate torque level (rounded corners in the center of the screwhead), unlike a true crosspoint screwdriver and screw combination that is designed to lock tightly and not slip. This Phillips cam-out design was done deliberately in the earlier part of the industrial era, when factory equipment didn't have calibrated de-clutching yet, and these silly Phillips screws have remained in universal use since then.
Friend of mine worked at a Sunnyvale company that built satellites (the ones that go into space and are suppose to last 15 years without a failure). To watch him replace one of these was like watching brain surgery.
I never understood why code allows wire connections to be made connected into the push in type connectors on the back of outlets and switches.
I have never seen those push in type fail before and a google search showed nothing. Have they failed on you before? Those push in type have been around for 30 years and I have never seen one fail before.
Because some of these push-in connections do fail, I have been called to deal with a good number of them. But I have also been called to fix poor connections of the other sorts. I don't know if the failure is proportional or not.
Thanks for the info. Hooking up the wires with the screws is the better route to go. No doubt about it. I just didn't want to knock the push in connections because I haven't personally seen one fail before unless it was something stupid like someone not pushing the wire in far enough or something like that.
I've seen, arcing & Burn't wires, almost fires. when back-stabbed, back 20 years ago, was common, in kitchens. Counter top, caused a lot of fires, with #12 wire gauge.
Can you help? I replaced two receptacles and there is one UN-replaced receptacle in between (a 20A, 125V). The two replaced receptacles are 15A, 125V, and the one "upstream" of the other two WORKS, but the two others don't (the UN-replaced 20A and the replaced 15A). I don't know what happened -- could I have fried the 20A?
+desertgalsinLA Check how well you made the connections at the working upstream receptacle.
Your wire looks like it was stripped way too long. There is a strip gauge on the bottom of most new outlets this reason. To take the guess work out.
This is almost the point of this video. It is not clear whether the strip gauge is for when you would be pushing wires into the holes on the back or curling them under the screws on the side. In any case, we can't be held to the strip gauge anyway, because no one can strip wires that exactly.
The point of this video is based on the fact the strip gauge is for use with the push in option, not the screw terminal option. The reason he strip off as much as he did was to insure the insulation can't interfere with the screw.
A thin piece of metal connecting branch circuits or two pieces of bare copper twisted together tightly under a wire nut - I'd say the splice provides a more mechanically sound method for connecting two or more current carrying conductors. Don't different metals expand and contract due to temperature change? I've always thought that sometime down the line the screw could potentially back itself off this way, my reason for not feeding out through the outlet's screw terminals except for gfi's
That bit of metal you are concerned about has enough of a cross section to handle the current of the circuit. All metal moves with temperature changes, but's there's little evidence that the simpler screw terminals on the devices pose a threat under typical conditions. Older homes with aluminum conductors are a special case, to be discussed in different context.
Great tip!
I had a partial outage and I'm pretty sure the outlets were pretty old heck one was burnt up for the one going to the TV I don't live in the house anymore though.
So...
Which is a better attachment (current capacity, longevity, etc.), but not considering space and fitting inside the receptacle box:
Screw attachment
Hole attachment
I'd guess screw; but I'm not aware that anyone has compared the two scientifically. There is room for installer error with either one.
That's what I'm inclined to think.
Cheers,
So you have a Hot and Ground...where does a common go and what is it used for?
This video only shows and talks about the "hot," not any "ground." In regard to AC house wiring, almost nothing is referred to as the "common." (The non-traveler of a 3-way switch is called a common.) The white that would go to the other side of this receptacle is called the "neutral." And the green screw of the receptacle would receive the bare (or green) wire known as the ground.
Of course but you used a Philips screwdriver. A Robertson screw and screw driver allows one of tighten considerably more.
I agree with your drive-by comment. But the point of the demonstration is that even a fantastic screwdriver will not avoid the risk of meltdown, if insulation is trapped under the screw.
Agree one must not trap insulation under the screw.
Never seen sockets or switches supplied with Robertson (square drive) screws before. Older ones seem to be mostly slotted, newer ones slotted Phillips.
Here in Canada, the screws on receptacles all have the Robertson square hole (combined with a straight slot). The Robertson style is the best no-slip design I've ever seen, and has been in non-electrical use (like for wood screws) in Canada for at least 70+ years.
In the old days many connections would be soldered - take a look at an antique electric motor.
The "bond" no ground on that gas pipe is very important. If that gas pipe became electrified and had no path to ground it could cause an exlplosion.
Unfortunately the holes on the back of these american-used receptacles take a #14 wire and I have found most wire I come across already installed is #12 or a thicker wire. Looks like he might be using a #12 for demo purposes and it would be helpful if he identified.
I was using #14. If someone with #12 wires tried to push them into the back holes, they simply wouldn't be able to, since the new holes are too small to receive #12. I only mentioned back-hole use in passing. I hope it didn't throw people off.
@TheCircuitDetective Thanks...I dont suppose you feel like doing another video on how to connect several plugs together? :)
I replace a new ac 3 prong outlet , followed to wire to wire from old to new out let , now when checking with volt meter the [shorter] slot prong is hot to ground it is OK 120 volts it works fine. but in my mobile home has ALL its outlets are opposite the [long ] prong slot to to ground is 120 volts in a 1976 mobile home?
If the colors are also reversed - so white is hot and black is neutral, you may want to switch at the panel. Sounds like the whole unit is reversed.
Another tip when using lamp cord is that the neutral wire is the one with the bump or ridge on the side of the insulation.
Kenn you should never use lamp cord on an outlet
When replacing the cord to a lampholder socket, the neutral (wide slot) should be wired to the screw base side, the hot (narrow slot) to the switch and center lamp contact. If you do it backwards, you can shock yourself while changing the bulb, even if the switch is in the 'off' position.
Yea...I know a goof ball or two that would do such a thing as to tighten on the insulation and not even realize it.
Great advice, thanks!
Good point.
What about using a proper cable termination loop?
What's that?
Good tip!
Great video!!!
Thanks a lot for the advise.
I really wish outlets didn't have stab-in connections. Bad idea all around.
Thank you for the video.
I'm not even an electrician and I've replaced MANY outlets where the quick-connect feature had failed and caused burning of the outlet. Those damn things have HAD to kill dozens of people. The kind where the screw is used to pinch the wires after you put them in the hole are OK tho from what i've seen.
The instance industry drives codes and they have the larger data set The devices are still available has to show they aren't as dangerous as your limited data set proves to you. Money talks, money lost by insurance corporations talks the loudest. So the devices aren't starting fires in an alarming number. I help maintain many aspects of many residents of family and friends 40 years including electrical in which I have formal training . I have yet to replace a faulty deice that failed due to the push in connections. I'd worry more about electrical work done by someone who thinks they know what they are doing, and don't know a thing as they go about their sloppy workmanship.
PLEASE HELP!! I'm trying to connect a 2nd rectpcl for Xmas lights outside. The plug inside my house is split. The top is operated by a switch and the bottome is always live. Obviously they broke the tab in the middle.
Now, since I want my Xmas lights to be live always, would I have to pig tail to the bottom (live) part of the outlet to the outlet going outside for Xmas lights? Should I pig tail all 3 the ground, black and white?
I really need help so I'll greatly appreciate any help.
aggienica exterior outlets have to be GFCI protected, betting your inside outlet isn’t protected that way. Also, don’t mix inside and outside wiring, keep them separate.
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.
jayynecobb: this only applies to multiwire branch circuits that have one cable supplying 2 hots and 1 shared neutral. For a single pole 15 or 20 amp circuit supplying recetacles daisy chained together, the practice is completely acceptable.
I never use the cheater holes on the back, wish they would outlaw them.
They already have for #12 AWG; newer devices only accept #14 wires. But yes, I wish they would do away with them altogether!
David's Favorite Videos I always use the screws, I never trusted those little holes.
whats wrong with the cheater holes? i bought my house new & all the plugs are wired that way.. house is 40yrs old now & just starting to replace all the plugs.
terry wheatley the spring loses the tightness and become could be potential for the wire to not make contact, pull out, or could create a hot spot by not being tightly held.
terry wheatley They MIGHT be fine IF enough wire is inserted, but I've seen something like 2mm jammed into them. I personally would rather use the actual terminal screws. I understand that your house wiring is 40 years old and they are not a problem. But a new house assumably had an actual electrician do the install. OTOH, you are in the process of replacing them. My house was wired in 1928 (I know this because it's was my grandfather's house,He was an electrical contractor, and did the install.) Only the Kitchen and bath outlets have been redone ( new circuits in the 80's So, grounded and GFCI, per code). The majority of the original outlets are present in bedrooms,etc. and working after nearly 100 years. They are obviously wired on the terminal screws and wrapped around with friction tape. So there's that.
get one of the test lights with a neon bulb. touch one to the wire in question and touch the other with a finger.....if its the "hot wire" the bulb will glow. never do this with a tester with a incandescent lamp.
Thanks
Will this also cause low voltage in some outlets
Yes, that would be a common result.
One time I went to change an outlet and there were 6 wires all Back in the box and the we're all black cloth coverings. 100 year old plaster house. Outlet wasn't working to begin with. And looked pretty nasty with not much play in the wires. I just said forget it. I got out a tester and there was power in the box but no power going to the leads on the plug. I think somebody was fooling around with it before I got there.
So what you is basically saying is don't allow the insulation to be trapped under the screw. :)
This also applies to terminal ("chocolate") blocks too..!
The insulation must not be trapped under the part that is clamping the wire and making contact. It's ok if the insulation enters inside the port of the terminal block, just not under the actual screw, clamp, or whatever used for connecting the bare wires.
Good to know!!
thank you
If you're not aware of this information you should not be involved in electrical wiring. Wire size and circuit amperage should also be taken into consideration. You can burn your house down. This can not be over emphasized.
Is there anything that can be overemphasized?
I've been doing minor home electric repairs and upgrades for 20 years because of people like the circuit detector. Thanks!
Hiding info doesn't help anybody.
WHY would leaving a little insulation on under the screw head lead to HEATING? Makes no sense...
When electricity flows through something well (that is, when there is little resistance), very little heat results. But with more resistance, heat results there. A portable heater produces its heat because its element is resisting the flow of current to a degree.
Actually i just put all my outlets in... and i am having problems plugging things into the upper outlet... it doesnt want to fit... what can i do? The bottom one is perfect the upper ones feel like u can't use them...
Most new receptacles now are "tamper resistant." That will mean that both of the flat prongs of the cord you are plugging in have to enter at the same time and at the same angle. Otherwise the receptacle will resist. That might be what is going on.
TheCircuitDetective so should I try to take it out of the wall and bend the cords again behind it to try and see if its the way it was put in? Because it wont take a plug at all. :/
. No, I don't think how the wires were attached behind the receptacle would account for your problem. It could just be that the upper half of the receptacle is broken or has something stuck in it. So I would just replace the whole thing.
Thank you...informative!!
Motorcycles and cars red hot black always ground......why cant everything be standardized
In the UK before 2004 housewiring WAS red and black. Then for some reason they changed to brown and blue. You can't win.
Because AC mains power is multi-phase and a circuit can have more than 1 "hot" wire. It doesn't make sense for it to try and follow DC standards.
Thank you!!
i have an outlet that started acting up. i used a non contact voltage tester to probe the outlet. it would beep and light up quit for a few seconds then beep and light up again. it did this on top and bottom of recepticale and on both prong slots. any ideas?
I suppose the act of probing could affect the quality of wire-to-receptacle contact right at that outlet. If so, replacing that receptacle would solve the problem. Otherwise, I'm not sure.
TheCircuitDetective I tried it on an outlet that was replaced by a licensed electrician, when probing it lit up constantly but only on the right prongs. i suppose it wouldn't hurt to just shut off power and replace with new receptacle and check for damaged wires?
If the electrician was trying to solve the problem you had, he seems to have failed. Would he come back without a trip fee? The tester beeping for the left side may mean there is a poor white-wire connection there (or at another receptacle of the circuit). My website could guide you if you want to try to tackle the problem yourself.
TheCircuitDetective no I just used the non contact electrical tester to get an example off a replaced outlet. he replaced that outlet in the living room one of the wires was bad and caused problems, he replaced the wire also. this new problem outlet is in a seperate room. when I had something plugged in it would sometimes work then quit. I stopped using that outlet for now all together.
now a family member reported another outlet in that bedroom is starting to sometimes act goofy. maybe this is over my head?
It's up to you. If thecircuitdetective dot com sounds beyond you, you may need the electrician back. He's batting 1000 so far.
wow, thank you.
I never knew that!
Much appreciated!!
stripped off to much of the insulation it should come around in a nice circle and almost touch the wire on the left side of the screw
"too" much, not to.
+tripjet999 A spelling correction on a six year old comment? Wow! I hope you're a bot.
Seen that a billion times being a sparky myself.
Mr. circuit detective could you tell people what happens if this recepital with 2 different circuits and how to break the tab and about a ground pig tail to ground a box that is facinated to an cement block wall and why the case should be grounded as long as we a talking about receptical or switch that green screw in not there for looks . Thank and no discreptiful to your vid excellent thank you
Joe, I address some of those issues at my website (www.thecircuitdetective.com). I don't think that here is the place to do so. No harm in asking.
Why do they make outlets and cords with one prong wider? This makes it more difficult than it used to be when plugging in. I asked an old electrician about it once and he said something about "phaze", whatever that is. Do I care if my tools are not in phaze or whatever?
It's not extremely important but for instance when you are unscrewing a light bulb and your finger touches the threads of the bulb, they don't want you getting shocked from that. They want the little tongue down in the light socket to be what could shock. The prong width is not insuring "phase", it's insuring polarity.
So should I care if my tools are out of polarity, or whatever? I was thinking about grinding down all the wider prongs so I can plug my tools in either way, like the old days.
If it's just an inconvenience to plug in the "right" way, I don't think that justifies grinding a prong because it's not just you who may be using the tools, Some heir of yours might do something foolish that would show us an as yet unimagined reason polarity matters.
I just read that AC voltage has no polarity. I think I will go with that.
AC "polarity" is a different thing and it occasionally does matter. DC polarity is about positive versus negative charge, but AC polarity is about both-of-those charges (alternating) versus no-charge (=ground).
Why not use a better quality outlet like Pass & Seymour and not Leviton junk. Pass & Seymour technology has a robust grabber plate that grabs the wire like a vise and no need to make those old out dated wire curls.
Nice video but very out dated even for 2011.
Also I would like to add that Leviton (and you can see it in the video) stamps their plastic body onto the metal retaining tabs. P&S tabs are solid and are formed around the body so that the plastic body is cradled on the metal chassis making is 100x stronger and longer lasting.
When I encounter a Leviton device and remove it, I NEVER re-install it but replace it with P&S for the customer.
In my experience a "grabber plate" is not foolproof either (don't know if Pass & Seymour is different though). A bit of twisting this way and that as you are pushing the receptacle into the box, and those grabbers don't hold quite as strong as when you first tightened down.
And just how much more does the P&S cost?
A few penny's more, in my area (Indiana) they cost about $1.49 ea.
I must correct myself, I do not mean "grabber plate" as rather I should have said the metal bolting plate wraps behind the P&S devices. Leviton the bolt plate extends through the body of the device. This causes the plastic parts to eventually separate and fail having the plug pushed and pulled out of it over time. P&S the bolt plate is mounted behind the device holding the device like a cradle.
WRONG!!! Push terminal wire connections are for LAZY electricians and only (just) meet code. Rip open one your beloved Pass & Seymour outlets and look at the total contact patch that is made with the push in connection and then compare that to a loop around and screw down connection. Load that up with a 1500w heater over the cold months and tell me you'd feel comfortable with that setup in your own home. It's stupid, lazy and barely meets code. Stupid and lazy is what burns down houses and kills people but it makes profit so that's why it's allowed.
@ Sean Greene Why don't YOU take one a part and see that they are not like the older generation push in the back wire clips. They are designed with metal sandwich plates the way terminals on 3-phase starter relays are made. S0 stupid put that in your pipe and smoke it, your the lazy one to not research your material before posting.
I see a lot of hints here, and in other posts regarding the same subject, that should not need to be pointed out. If someone doesn't know that the screw should not hold the wire in place by the insulation, they should not work around electricity, period. Doing so can cause a high resistance connection and be the cause of a fire. Unless someone knows what they're doing, they should never work on a live circuit. 110 Volts can kill!! While I don't claim to one of the select few capable of learning about house wiring, a little training, combined with common sense, can go a long way.
I don't quite understand. "... a little training, combined with common sense, can go a long way." Toward what? Also, "If someone doesn't know that the screw ... they should not work around electricity..." Well, many people view the video precisely to learn about how the wire should sit under the screw. Do apprentices know everything before they are allowed to touch anything?
"training" in the case of hooking up an outlet would consist of knowing the difference between the hot and the neutral, and which one gets connected to which terminal on the outlet, for example.
I would expect a would-be apprentice to know when he walked through the door on his first day that insulation would have to be removed when making a connection. That would be common sense. Once he knows "everything", it's likely he would no longer be an apprentice.
Well looks like I need to go redo a few outlets.
If you are anything like me ... you will go to the fridge and get another beer and give it a little more thought ... maybe tomorrow
I am going to show my stupidity here. I live in a very OLD house in which all of the outlets do not have the ground plugs, and I wish to replace them. How do I ground the outlet?
Use a GFCI receptacle to replace old receptacles on 2-wire no-ground older wiring. I live in a 60-year-old house with that type of wiring and that's what I did. The GFCI will protect you from shock hazard. The circuit will still technically be ungrounded, but you will be able to use 3-prong plugs and have protection. The electrical code generally allows for such a replacement on older circuits. GFCI's cost about $12 each compared to about $1.50 for a standard receptacle, but it's definitely worth paying for the peace of mind, knowing you have protection.
Tip: Playback at 1.5x speed. Much more tolerable to listen to.