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I think it's worth mentioning to install the wire loop in direction that the screw tightens. I have seen it installed counterclockwise and it straightens the loop out.
@@user-uy3pe1jy5c i promise simple things other people know, you have zero knowledge about. So instead of bringing other people down either say nothing or thank the person for the tad bit of information
I've been doing home repairs for 40 years. I NEVER knew that the small slot was the hot slot, why some wires were red and some were black, about the built in wire stripper gauge, the purpose of the built-in the wire stripper gauge, the wire bolster on the outlet, the removable tab to isolate the top and bottom outlet, or even the fact that the screw terminals are preferred over the push in terminals. One thing I have learned from UA-cam is that no matter now mundane a subject, I can almost always learn important details I never knew. Thank you so much. Like many of the readers here, I also notice you didn't mention how important it is to place the wire around the screw in a clockwise position. I figured this out on my own more than 35 years ago but this is the first time I have seen that it is "official code" (and understandably so).
"Black on brass", first thing I was ever taught as a kid concerning electrical outlets and switches. I also thread in the unused screws, especially when using gang boxes.
I’d say if you have been doing home repairs for 40 years and didn’t know all the things you mentioned then you have no business do electrical work. You have most likely been doing it wrong for 40 years. The hot vs neutral vs ground on outlets is very important and if you don’t understand the purpose of the wide slot and narrow slot on an outlet then you have no idea if it’s wired correctly. Your lucky your ignorance has not cause someone harm or caused a fire.
@@mrsmith8436 You are correct. Fortunately it’s only been my own home that has been exposed to the risk. I do always have black on brass, I just never understood why that rule was present. I still don’t understand why one side is hot and the other is not, since alternating current means that the current goes “back and forth” continually. My father 50 years ago taught me that “both wires are hot“ on all AC circuits. So as of today, I still don’t understand why one wire is considered hot and the other is not. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Have a good day. Maybe one day I’ll understand it better.
@@thhall459 The neutral (white) wire isn't hot unless the circuit is in use. The polarized plugs help ensure that when appliances/devices are plugged in, they can be switched off properly, according to how they are internally wired.
@@mrsmith8436 I am grateful for your counsel. Thankfully the only place I ever did this was my own home which my family and I have lived in for the past 34 years, and so far we have escaped tragedy. Regardless, I have always put the black wire on the brass terminal and the white wire on the other non-brass terminal. I just never knew why, because in my ignorance, I thought that AC (alternating current) meant both wires are always hot, and that there is no real distinction between the two. My ignorance was bolstered by the fact that most electrical devices can be plugged into an outlet either way. Anyway. Thank you and this UA-camr for correcting the error of my ways.
Took a class a couple of years ago re: home electrical DIY tasks, but your videos made me feel comfortable actually trying to replace receptacles (and switches from your other videos). Just completed 1 switch and 3 receptacles. (No shocks, no fires.) Thank you.
A lot of these small and important details are skipped in workplace training because so many people who teach just don't care. it's good to see videos where people take the time to explain the small things.
I just figured out why half the outlets in my mom's house haven't worked since she bought the place, despite the inspection being "perfect". Thank you!
I'm a pipefitter by trade but worked at an electrical supply business for 5 year which mean I don't know jack about the actual work of proper install. ( some basics ) I worked my way up in time to sales on counter and my Boss explained to NEVER TELL a home owner how to...period ! I 100% agree ...life & property too important to risk saving a few bucks . I learned from your video and didn't waist 30 minutes ...hit 👍 and Sub. Tks
johnson pham Usually it is OK. It happened to me only once when I was pushing a hot second outlet into a busy box. The wire were live, and I saw a big spark between the hot screw and a grounding wire. After that incident, I started to taped over the hot terminals in busy boxes.
This is great. I'm replacing outlets in a place I just moved into and the first outlet had just one wire to each side, the second had 2 to each side. Now I get why! Also picked up some great tips here, thanks!
Thanks for including the info on switched outlet connection. There are a lot of videos out there that cover the same basic info you did that over complicate things and create confusion. Appreciate your concise delivery.
It should have been mentioned that on a split outlet that it’s extremely important to make sure that the power/hot wire and the switched wire is getting its power from the same circuit breaker or fuse so that you don’t end up with 240 volts in the same outlet box. That is against code and can be deadly.
You are a life saver. I just replaced a switched outlet, didn't know about the connector tab and boom! it was no longer an issue after watching this video. Thank you!
I have been watching your electrical videos for several days & I have learned a great deal. I have been a DIY'r for a couple decades and I am lucky to be alive! Thank you for your content - well presented and easy to follow.
I've seen plenty of back stab connected outlets catch fire, especially from space heaters. The thin blade like contact has much less surface area, therefore higher resistance. Whereas the side screw connections provide more ample surface area to accommodate the amperage / voltage continuity.
@Sean Stevenson It is all about contact surface area. Backstab do not make enough contact and therefore create more heat at the small area it does (they tend to be more prone to corrosion issues as well). Terminal use (screw or back wire) have much more contact area. I never use backstab, nor do I use the device as the passthrough to another run by sharing the contacts. I always use a pigtail to provide a single wire for each connection on any device (hot and neutral). Always make sure to screw down those unused terminal screws.
I'm in the process of replacing all the outlets and switches, myself, in a late 50's mobile home, and everyone of them are back-stabbed. At the time I started this project, I didn't know there was a preference as to what method was preferred, but I'm glad I did it the right way. Thank you for this input!!
@@csimet thanks for your comment. I’ve been looking for an answer on how to wire a middle of run outlet. Whether to run a black hot incoming to the outlet and continue the run with another black on the other chrome screw. Likewise with the silver screws, by having a white wire on one screw and continue the run with a white wire off the other silver screw. That verses using a pigtail to provide hot and a white pigtail to provide neutral. That probably isn’t worded properly, but your response cleared it up in my thinking. Thanks.
I saw the title and thought -- "How basic! I'm not going to learn anything watching this..." -- 4 minutes in I learned three things I didn't know. This is great.. thank you
If the box is metallic, (usually they're much smaller than plastic or composite boxes), I like to wrap the terminals around with electrical tape before pushing the outlet into the box. People tend to shake the outlets when plugging or unplugging appliances, and it is possible to arc the box with hot side (if the metal box is grounded).
This guy really has the explanation down and everything except that correct as far as I'm concerned. One of the best out there in totally not trying to knock his knowledge n just add to it.
I was working for an electrician that had been one for over 40 years. He taught me to wrap the screws, hot and neutral, with quality electrical tape, especially in a metal box. Not over kill, professional and safer.
Focus more on tucking your wires back neatly. Absolutley no need for electrical tape on outlets or switches , coming from another experienced electrician.
@@tysonkauth7232 If you do everything right, you are probably right. Unfortunately people screw up (including the person who comes after you). I definitely like wrapping with electrical tape. (Saw a case once where the outlet shifted in the box over time and terminals shorted to ground).
It's a good idea to check and make sure the polarity is correct because I have run in to old homes that the white wire isn't neutral, it's hot, or all the wires are the same color. I have also run into switches that are wired on the neutral side of the outlet. You run into a lot of crazy stuff when you work on homes that were built in the 50's and before. A handy tool I use for quickly checking if a outlet it wired correct is a GB GRT-500 circuit tester. Provided the outlet isn't the old outlets that don't have a ground.
I have been replacing my 2 prong outlets in my 1925 old convent house with 3 prong, and got puzzled with white wire being on the hot side and black on the neutral. Only one wire for each side. There's no ground wire on those old outlets, but I've been screwing the green ground wire in the box, and some are grounded and some are not. I really need to just get an electrician in here and do the most expensive work needed, since some room lights and ceiling fan have a mind of their own and only turn on when they want to, and I get the AC tripping circuitry because there's too many outlets using the same line. 😢
O.K. AFTER 10 videos and 3 hours.... THANK YOU....1965 home....changing 3-way light to Xmas plug ... black red white.......thanks for a GREAT refresher. !!!!!
Ha ha! I thought I knew how to do this! I'm humbled. This video taught me a lot. Thank you for sharing! I looked at your Playlists and was hoping you listed your electricity videos and included a few more categories. Although, I searched for "electricity" and found several videos, so maybe that will make me happy. :D
@@EverydayHomeRepairs Well, my search brought up some good videos on your channel. I wasn't complaining and I appreciate very much the help you are giving all of us.
I've done a lot of my own wiring (DIYer) and found a couple of useful tips here like the guide on the receptacle and hole in the wire strippers. Cool! Thanks
I’m no electrician but wire my own place. I never knew about the measuring tab on the back of an outlet. And the hole in the stripping tool for making the curl in the wire is new to me. Thanks
A nice clear description of the basic wiring of an outlet with details of making a shepherd's hook as well as the possibility of one outlet available for lamp lighting. Thank you. You have mentioned tightening down unused terminals in the past.
I watched multiple outlet exchange videos, and none of them showed how to wire when you want to use a light switch independently. Great video, thank you good sir.✌️
Two things to add. Tighten down those unused connectors and wrap the outlet with electrical tape. What's your preference for orientation of the ground prong?
I'm not a sparkie but have wired about 40-50 houses, and this video just taught me things I never knew. Mostly the little notch to hold the insulated wire, and the spot to measure where to strip the insulation. That's the kind of thing separates the true professionals, imho, and apparently the guy who taught me was not one.
Every DIY video they always say, "I hope this video helped" or some shit like that. But this one actually did help. I found some information useful. Theeenks!
Thank you sir... Very well explained & illustrated... I'm about to install ( 4 ) outlets in my attic, a pair on each gable end to each side of my window openings... I recently installed ( 3 ) ceiling light fixture boxes on my cross supports at 6000 lumens on each light fixture. My goal is to wire off of the outer light fixtures to a outlet at each gable end & then run a extension wire off of each outlet to the other outlet, giving me a total of ( 4 ) hot outlets, i.e. always on... What you have demonstrated here will make me double check my light fixture connections where the hot, i.e. black is on the gold & the neutral, i.e. the white is on the silver screw connections & I now know I went out of code where I doubled up on a ground wire in the center light fixture, I will correct this with a pigtail whereas the outer light fixtures each have their own individual ground connections & again I will double check my gold & white connections whilst I'm in there one last time... Just one final comment here, per the electrical code for better than three years now, the neutrals now go from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock per the manual, if they aren't, you're out of code & amazingly enough, a good many electricians are NOT aware of this newer code to this very day, lol! All the best, Bill... :~)
one other simple thing, that a newbie may not know. They should make sure to wrap the copper in a clockwise manner around the screw terminal. I know that's the way you did it in the video, however some may not realize that is the way to do it.
Very true, it pulls the wire in as you tighten it. I also almost never use a philips to tighten, I use a flathead or a hybrid (flathead/square) driver as I can get more torque to insure bonding.
You worked it but didn’t mention that the wire should loop around the screw in the clockwise direction that the screw is tightened so maximum force can be applied when tightening.
Tony Manero, but he DID connect the black wire loop Correctly on the brass terminal, no ??? So perhaps, he was thinking that people would watch and do it the same way..
Who installs recitals with the ground terminal at the 12 position? I see a lot that the ground hole is at the 6:00 position. I was taught and it might be wrong, always install with the ground at the 12:00 position. Why? If a child is playing say with a metal object butter knike ect and a plug is partly loose both positive and negative terminals are exposed and almost always will shock you or potentially kill you. But if the recipital is installed with the ground at the 12:00 position in the same situation the first and hopefully only contact is to the ground terminal. Just a random thought.
@@MJ0U812 90% of plugs I see has the ground hole at the 6:00 position. I think it may be because a lot of plugs that are wired with a 90° plug that is designed to allow the plug and wire hug the wall. A lot of those plugs have the grounding prong on the bottom. I guess it also depends on where the plug is being used and what is being plugged into it. Another one to blow your mind, some older houses had the lugs put in sideways.
Excellent and informative video. Hints: Remember that saying, "Black on Brass, White on White." After attaching the hot and neutral wires, you should wrap electrical tape around the outlet to cover all the termals. When using the tape, you might want to remove the mounting screws. They will get in the way.
There is a small square hole beneath the screw (on some brands of Duplex) that you can shove the stripped wire into and wrap it CLOCKWISE around the screw. Insulation should not be under the terminal screw. ALWAYS have the conductor going CLOCKWISE so it tightens under the screw correctly. End of wire to the Right.
That strip guide is really for “stabbing” the wire in the back of the receptacle, not necessarily for “wrapping” around the screws. As a NJ state licensed electrician of 22 years, I do very much appreciate the advice to wrap and not stab the wires in the back of the receptacle.
@@catspaw3815 trust ol’ Sparky; He’s right. The strip gage is not long enough for wrapping the copper around the set screw. If the exposed copper is too short, there is a tendency to have the set screw pinch the insulation. This potentially results in a loose connection, so eventually could lead to arcing and eventually fire. There isn’t much worse in the field of electricity than a poor connection.
Excellent video. Extremely well explained and I was able to learn about the issue I was having with the red wire connection also some very helpful tips in general. Great job!
I do have a wire stripper like yours, but I usually use another kind. It automatically gauges the wire and makes a perfect strip. It looks kinda like a crimping tool/cutter thing. A bit pricey but well worth it in convenience.
when this house in Missouri was built in the 1970s they backstabbed all the outlets and switches, and my house has aluminum wiring. They used receptacles and switches designed for copper only. Needless to say, the backstabbing caused numerous issues, so I went through and changed all devices to co/alr. some wire ends actually burned off. can't believe I never had a fire
@@SG-zh5xd You don't need to rewire a home with aluminum wiring, but you need to be careful when working with it. If you're working on a major project, you might want to anyway, just to make life easier in the future. Any fixtures (outlets, switches, etc.) need to be approved for use with aluminum (e.g. labeled CO/ALR, CU-AL or AL-CU). Fixtures not approved for use with aluminum are often (but not always) labeled with "AL" surrounded with the "no" icon - don't use these. Aluminum-approved fixtures can cost more than copper-only fixtures. Any splices/joints involving aluminum (e.g. wire nuts) needs to be coated with an approved anti-corrosion compound. Joints on aluminum wiring should be inspected every few years, which of course, is an expense. If you don't have experience with this, call an electrician who knows how to do this. If you do it wrong, those joints can overheat, which is always a bad thing.
@@SG-zh5xd Was this a city building inspector, who can make legally-enforceable demands? Or was it a pre-sales inspection, who can only recommend that a buyer make certain changes contingencies for a sale?
Just wanted to say thank you for keeping it simple yet informative and safe. Really appreciate the time you gave to explain everything for some one like me who didn't want to guess
67 years old: watching you I just learned that I have been using my wire stripper incorrectly. You show that just rocking the stripper a bit after clamping down on the wire will cut the insulation. I always, incorrectly, rotated the stripper back and forth to cut the insulation, which never worked that well. Thanks!
Make sure you test the wire for the correct gauge before using the wire stripper. By choosing the wrong gauge on the stripper and attempting to strip the wire, you can nick the copper of the wire or cut off some copper strands of wire if using stranded wire. There are usually two separate gauges marked on a wire stripper. One side is labeled for stranded wire and one for solid wire. They are not the same stripping hole on the wire stripper for both types of wire.
excellent video. First video that I have seen that states " the small receptacle is the "hot" side and the large is the neutral side. Great tip !!!!! Thanks for the wire loop tip too.
John Sessoms That should be as simple as using the other unused hot and neutral screws on the outlet to feed power to I believe 4 to 5 outlets max on a circuit.
I always screw in the unused screws so they don’t catch and nick wires in the box. You should show techniques for pushing the plug back into the box. That is often he toughest part of the job. The hook around the screw should always be positioned so that tightening the screw closes that hook rather than opening it up.
Hey, I appreciate your knowledge, it was very straight forward and now I have more confidence in performing some basic electrical work around my house. Thank you.
This was a good video and very informative to me since I am not an electrician by any means. I know a little and now I've learned a little more, thank you for sharing this knowledge.
wow, like many others I just want to say that I learned more useful information about wiring an outlet in your short concise video than I ever knew before! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing the switch outlet. I was confused about why my brand new outlet made my lights always on and my switch not turning off these lights. now i know!
Thank you so much for a great video. Really good teacher. I learned a lot. I did not know about the built-in wire stripping gauge and retainer features. Thank you! New subscriber!
Learned something new today. Small slot to hot side. Large slot to neutral side. To me, it’s always: brass = hot. Silver = neutral. Never thought about the sizes of the slots going to hot or neutral.
Another little trick you might want to mention. Sometimes when outlet or switch boxes are installed (prior to drywall or finish surface) the box is secured too deep on the framing stud. The "ears" that you see on the very ends of the outlet are to stop the outlet from being installed too deeply into the drywall. If the outlet is installed too deep the cover plate will not seat properly. Also, drywall installers are notorious for cutting out the boxes with too much of a gap between the box and the drywall. This will make the "ears" ineffective in keeping the outlet from securing to the box without going too deep. (hope I explained that clear as mud) There's a trick I learned from the master electrician I was an apprentice under. Take a length of bare copper wire and wrap it around the screw between the outlet and the box to use as a spacer to make the outlet flush with the outside of the drywall.
@@dianavp9054 Take a screw that is the same size as the screw used by the outlet to secure it to the box and wrap a copper wire around it a couple time then cut it off. The coil you've made can be used as a spacer between the outlet box and the outlet which will in effect make the outlet stick out further and seal the cover plate correctly. I hope that helped.
Took out a ceiling fan and was wiring an outlet for a tv ceiling mount. I just flipped the light switch off and someone turned it on while I had a handful of hot wires. It's scary at first but it really felt kinda good after I got up off the floor. I recommend flipping the breaker too.
When you break the tab for the switched outlet, you must break the tab on BOTH sides and use TWO white neutral wires, because the two hot wires could be coming off of two separate 15A breakers. If you use a single white wire, it could carry 30A instead of 15A and catch on fire.
@@sparks8218 if it’s coming from the same circuit, but if it’s two different circuits, you need a breaker tie so that both circuits are cut off simultaneously to prevent potentially having the an unexpected load still flowing across that shared neutral.
If they are from different circuits, absolutely true. In addition to the reason you cite, a GFCI or AFCI breaker on the circuit will trip if the return wire doesn't go all the way back to the same breaker the hot wire came from. On the other hand, if the switch and the always-on lead come from the same circuit, then a common return is fine because it's all one circuit.
If you're doing the wiring you should know that. If you didn't run the cable then look in the switch box. If a 2wire w/ground is the source and both the black and red wires are deriving their power from that same cable, then you know.
Don't confuse traditional back-wiring using the push clamps shown in this video with using the side clamps found on better receptacles. For less than 50 cents more in big box stores, you can buy receptacles with a side clamp. I feel the side clamp method is safer and easier than looping wire around the terminals as there is less chance of a looped wire not being fully seated under the terminal. Also, novices tend to bend the wire into a loop so sharply that it creates a breaking point. Spend a few cents more and buy a side clamp style.
Agree that those are 2 different things and also for beginners as you outlined that is probably a safer route to get a properly wired outlet. Thanks for the feedback.
One thing I would add concerns a situation where there is more wires coming into a utility box from another cable. There should not be more than one wire under each screw terminal in order to be done properly. This means that wires are to be common, i.e. black with black to a pigtail to the screw terminal.
I agree with you. Don’t ever use those darn push in connectors. I’ve had a few failures regarding those in my own home. They randomly stop working, crackle, and snap sometimes with a load and with the heat and cold cycling. I’ve personally never used them for that reason but my entire house was wired that way when I purchased it. Also avoid daisy chaining the receptacles because when that push in connector fails on one, you lose all the subsequent receptacles in the line. Then you’re hopping room to room trying to figure out which Is the first in the series. I’d also advise to remove the screw clamps from the receptacles that come with them and use the screw alone with the hook around wire method. There’s almost 0% chance of failure. :) be safe!
Mr. Sleep Agreed. I used the name brand Wago connectors very briefly a year ago and while tugging on the wires in a 3 gang box, I pulled out a wire accidentally with very little effort. The point of contact to the conductor is just so very very small. I threw out the bags of connectors I had and never went back. They may be safe overall but they just don’t give me the warm fuzzy secure feeling that I get when I twist the wires together with my electrical pliers and then squeeze it all down tightly into a good quality nut. 😁. If someone is trying them out, I’d recommend trying to twirl the wire in the connector or just rock them back and forth a little. You’ll find that they are very loose overall.
the brass or hot side screws may also be plated in an oxide or black finish. In the U.S. hot side wires can more than just red or black which are the most common. The hot wires can basically be any color other than white and green, though I have not seen the latest copies of the NEC, so there might be more reserved colors now. The neutral should always be white, and the ground should be either bare or green. I generally do not use the quick connects, as it is a problem with making changes later. People undertaking such projects themselves should check the local codes. I have seen outlets where the screw was tightened over a partly insulated wire on either the hot or the neutral, which resulted in bad contact between the wire and the outlet terminal resulting in arcing and failure. Loose screws on the terminals could cause the same. If there is resistance to electrical current in the junction, it will cause heat with is proportionate to the square of the amount of current drawn through the outlet. For you math freaks out there, the power evolved in heat at the junction is equal to the square of the current multiplied by the resistance in the junction. Since power is linearly proportional to the current at constant voltage, for house wiring the heat evolved at the junction will therefore be a function of the square of the power drawn. Something that might be good enough and not fail when a 10 watt cell phone charger is plugged in may fail when a 1500 watt space heater or an 1800 watt hair dryer is plugged in because it will cause thousands of times more heat to be evolved at the junction. From my experience, those two appliances, hair dryers and space heaters, expose a lot of issues because of the power and hence the current that they draw, not that that is the way you would like to find out that you have a problem. I have seen fires in junction boxes which require opening up the walls to replace cables and wiring. Flame proof junction boxes can prevent what would otherwise be a house fire. If you do not know what you are doing, this can be dangerous. Smoke detectors and arc fault circuit breakers can add an extra layer of protection in case of these types of bad junctions, but they are not a substitute at all for proper wiring.
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I think it's worth mentioning to install the wire loop in direction that the screw tightens. I have seen it installed counterclockwise and it straightens the loop out.
Good Eye !!
Nice!
Yes great curves 👍🏻
It's a shame that has to be said.
@@user-uy3pe1jy5c i promise simple things other people know, you have zero knowledge about. So instead of bringing other people down either say nothing or thank the person for the tad bit of information
I've been doing home repairs for 40 years. I NEVER knew that the small slot was the hot slot, why some wires were red and some were black, about the built in wire stripper gauge, the purpose of the built-in the wire stripper gauge, the wire bolster on the outlet, the removable tab to isolate the top and bottom outlet, or even the fact that the screw terminals are preferred over the push in terminals. One thing I have learned from UA-cam is that no matter now mundane a subject, I can almost always learn important details I never knew. Thank you so much. Like many of the readers here, I also notice you didn't mention how important it is to place the wire around the screw in a clockwise position. I figured this out on my own more than 35 years ago but this is the first time I have seen that it is "official code" (and understandably so).
"Black on brass", first thing I was ever taught as a kid concerning electrical outlets and switches. I also thread in the unused screws, especially when using gang boxes.
I’d say if you have been doing home repairs for 40 years and didn’t know all the things you mentioned then you have no business do electrical work. You have most likely been doing it wrong for 40 years. The hot vs neutral vs ground on outlets is very important and if you don’t understand the purpose of the wide slot and narrow slot on an outlet then you have no idea if it’s wired correctly. Your lucky your ignorance has not cause someone harm or caused a fire.
@@mrsmith8436 You are correct. Fortunately it’s only been my own home that has been exposed to the risk. I do always have black on brass, I just never understood why that rule was present. I still don’t understand why one side is hot and the other is not, since alternating current means that the current goes “back and forth” continually. My father 50 years ago taught me that “both wires are hot“ on all AC circuits. So as of today, I still don’t understand why one wire is considered hot and the other is not. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Have a good day. Maybe one day I’ll understand it better.
@@thhall459 The neutral (white) wire isn't hot unless the circuit is in use. The polarized plugs help ensure that when appliances/devices are plugged in, they can be switched off properly, according to how they are internally wired.
@@mrsmith8436 I am grateful for your counsel. Thankfully the only place I ever did this was my own home which my family and I have lived in for the past 34 years, and so far we have escaped tragedy. Regardless, I have always put the black wire on the brass terminal and the white wire on the other non-brass terminal. I just never knew why, because in my ignorance, I thought that AC (alternating current) meant both wires are always hot, and that there is no real distinction between the two. My ignorance was bolstered by the fact that most electrical devices can be plugged into an outlet either way. Anyway. Thank you and this UA-camr for correcting the error of my ways.
Took a class a couple of years ago re: home electrical DIY tasks, but your videos made me feel comfortable actually trying to replace receptacles (and switches from your other videos). Just completed 1 switch and 3 receptacles. (No shocks, no fires.) Thank you.
A class? I was looking for something like that but found nothing in my area. Just assumed they don't want people doing their own electrical work.
@@surferdude642 ⁰
A lot of these small and important details are skipped in workplace training because so many people who teach just don't care. it's good to see videos where people take the time to explain the small things.
I just figured out why half the outlets in my mom's house haven't worked since she bought the place, despite the inspection being "perfect". Thank you!
Kahli21 Why? Please share.
I'm a pipefitter by trade but worked at an electrical supply business for 5 year which mean I don't know jack about the actual work of proper install. ( some basics ) I worked my way up in time to sales on counter and my Boss explained to NEVER TELL a home owner how to...period ! I 100% agree ...life & property too important to risk saving a few bucks .
I learned from your video and didn't waist 30 minutes ...hit 👍 and Sub. Tks
Always tighten down any un-used terminals as well. This minimizes the potential for contact with the box and or loose ground wires etc.
For sure, thanks for the reminder 👍
I also wrap electric tape around the terminals.
Damn this is a major tip... I didn’t do mine and I just finished. Now I’m worried lmao
Yes and wrap the outlet or switch with electrical tape. Same goes for any wire nuts used.
johnson pham Usually it is OK. It happened to me only once when I was pushing a hot second outlet into a busy box. The wire were live, and I saw a big spark between the hot screw and a grounding wire. After that incident, I started to taped over the hot terminals in busy boxes.
Been afraid of doing electrical repairs, but recently replaced our double receptacle. This channel is gold if you want to do it right. Thank you.
Great video. One thing I always do is tighten down any terminal that is not in use. This makes it less likely of a terminal touching the box.
Cheers
Correct! Glad another electrician noticed that too.
Another good tip ! Or wrap in black tape .
Sorry I wouldn't have pontificated so much had I seen your post! You are absolutely correct!
@@RonSch123 îuuiiiii
Thank you for the info
This is great. I'm replacing outlets in a place I just moved into and the first outlet had just one wire to each side, the second had 2 to each side. Now I get why! Also picked up some great tips here, thanks!
Thanks for including the info on switched outlet connection. There are a lot of videos out there that cover the same basic info you did that over complicate things and create confusion. Appreciate your concise delivery.
Thanks Russell!
It should have been mentioned that on a split outlet that it’s extremely important to make sure that the power/hot wire and the switched wire is getting its power from the same circuit breaker or fuse so that you don’t end up with 240 volts in the same outlet box. That is against code and can be deadly.
You are a life saver. I just replaced a switched outlet, didn't know about the connector tab and boom! it was no longer an issue after watching this video. Thank you!
I have been watching your electrical videos for several days & I have learned a great deal. I have been a DIY'r for a couple decades and I am lucky to be alive! Thank you for your content - well presented and easy to follow.
I wish I had your videos back in the 70s when I grew up and did work on my parents house. THANKS for these videos!
I've seen plenty of back stab connected outlets catch fire, especially from space heaters. The thin blade like contact has much less surface area, therefore higher resistance. Whereas the side screw connections provide more ample surface area to accommodate the amperage / voltage continuity.
Good to know. Thanks.
Things should be outlawed.
@Sean Stevenson It is all about contact surface area. Backstab do not make enough contact and therefore create more heat at the small area it does (they tend to be more prone to corrosion issues as well). Terminal use (screw or back wire) have much more contact area. I never use backstab, nor do I use the device as the passthrough to another run by sharing the contacts. I always use a pigtail to provide a single wire for each connection on any device (hot and neutral). Always make sure to screw down those unused terminal screws.
I'm in the process of replacing all the outlets and switches, myself, in a late 50's mobile home, and everyone of them are back-stabbed. At the time I started this project, I didn't know there was a preference as to what method was preferred, but I'm glad I did it the right way.
Thank you for this input!!
@@csimet thanks for your comment. I’ve been looking for an answer on how to wire a middle of run outlet. Whether to run a black hot incoming to the outlet and continue the run with another black on the other chrome screw. Likewise with the silver screws, by having a white wire on one screw and continue the run with a white wire off the other silver screw. That verses using a pigtail to provide hot and a white pigtail to provide neutral. That probably isn’t worded properly, but your response cleared it up in my thinking. Thanks.
I saw the title and thought -- "How basic! I'm not going to learn anything watching this..." -- 4 minutes in I learned three things I didn't know. This is great.. thank you
Thanks Chad!
If the box is metallic, (usually they're much smaller than plastic or composite boxes), I like to wrap the terminals around with electrical tape before pushing the outlet into the box. People tend to shake the outlets when plugging or unplugging appliances, and it is possible to arc the box with hot side (if the metal box is grounded).
Hey Erik, thanks for the feedback and many others seem to share your thoughts on playing save with a couple of wraps with electrical tape.
Thank you for the video. After watching it, I changed out an outlet in 10 min. I rely appreciate the time you took putting up this video. Great job
This guy really has the explanation down and everything except that correct as far as I'm concerned. One of the best out there in totally not trying to knock his knowledge n just add to it.
I was working for an electrician that had been one for over 40 years. He taught me to wrap the screws, hot and neutral, with quality electrical tape, especially in a metal box. Not over kill, professional and safer.
Focus more on tucking your wires back neatly. Absolutley no need for electrical tape on outlets or switches , coming from another experienced electrician.
@@tysonkauth7232 i disagree. I think its common sense in metal boxes. Not plastic or course.
@@tysonkauth7232 If you do everything right, you are probably right. Unfortunately people screw up (including the person who comes after you). I definitely like wrapping with electrical tape. (Saw a case once where the outlet shifted in the box over time and terminals shorted to ground).
It's a good idea to check and make sure the polarity is correct because I have run in to old homes that the white wire isn't neutral, it's hot, or all the wires are the same color. I have also run into switches that are wired on the neutral side of the outlet. You run into a lot of crazy stuff when you work on homes that were built in the 50's and before. A handy tool I use for quickly checking if a outlet it wired correct is a GB GRT-500 circuit tester. Provided the outlet isn't the old outlets that don't have a ground.
Hey Jeff, thanks for the feedback and agree those outlet testers are super handy and I also carry one in my standard tool bag now. Take care 👍
I have been replacing my 2 prong outlets in my 1925 old convent house with 3 prong, and got puzzled with white wire being on the hot side and black on the neutral. Only one wire for each side. There's no ground wire on those old outlets, but I've been screwing the green ground wire in the box, and some are grounded and some are not. I really need to just get an electrician in here and do the most expensive work needed, since some room lights and ceiling fan have a mind of their own and only turn on when they want to, and I get the AC tripping circuitry because there's too many outlets using the same line. 😢
O.K. AFTER 10 videos and 3 hours.... THANK YOU....1965 home....changing 3-way light to Xmas plug ... black red white.......thanks for a GREAT refresher. !!!!!
Ha ha! I thought I knew how to do this! I'm humbled. This video taught me a lot. Thank you for sharing!
I looked at your Playlists and was hoping you listed your electricity videos and included a few more categories. Although, I searched for "electricity" and found several videos, so maybe that will make me happy. :D
Thanks for the feedback and am probably overdue to build out a few more playlists. Cheers!
@@EverydayHomeRepairs Well, my search brought up some good videos on your channel. I wasn't complaining and I appreciate very much the help you are giving all of us.
My favorite of all the videos I've seen on replacing an outlet. Thank you!
I've done a lot of my own wiring (DIYer) and found a couple of useful tips here like the guide on the receptacle and hole in the wire strippers. Cool! Thanks
Happy to help and good to hear you got value 👍
Yes great information 👍🏻
This is the best video for direction. Thank you, I now have another outlet in the garage.
I’m no electrician but wire my own place. I never knew about the measuring tab on the back of an outlet. And the hole in the stripping tool for making the curl in the wire is new to me.
Thanks
Happy to help 👍
A nice clear description of the basic wiring of an outlet with details of making a shepherd's hook as well as the possibility of one outlet available for lamp lighting. Thank you. You have mentioned tightening down unused terminals in the past.
Sir I’ve replaced many of these over the years but still learned something from this video. Very well explained. Thanks so much
Thanks Edwardo, cheers!
So what is that something you learned, if you don't mind me asking?
@@andriyshapovalov8886 the common tab that needs to be broken off for a switched outlet
Excellent video. This video explained the core concepts that most electricians assume everyone knows.
Clear , simple & Calm which is very appreciated. Thank You. I did subscribe, I like your teaching style.
I have ocd and can tell when someone has it... great video. Great teacher. Smashes the like button a million times until I broke it
I watched multiple outlet exchange videos, and none of them showed how to wire when you want to use a light switch independently. Great video, thank you good sir.✌️
Two things to add. Tighten down those unused connectors and wrap the outlet with electrical tape. What's your preference for orientation of the ground prong?
I'm not a sparkie but have wired about 40-50 houses, and this video just taught me things I never knew. Mostly the little notch to hold the insulated wire, and the spot to measure where to strip the insulation.
That's the kind of thing separates the true professionals, imho, and apparently the guy who taught me was not one.
Very well done! I have been doing this a very long time and I haven’t seen a video this good on switched circuits for DIY.
Thanks
Hey Frank, thanks for the kind words.
I am an old timer and I forget the basics. This is a huge benefit for me.
Every DIY video they always say, "I hope this video helped" or some shit like that. But this one actually did help. I found some information useful.
Theeenks!
Happy to help!
Thank you sir... Very well explained & illustrated... I'm about to install ( 4 ) outlets in my attic, a pair on each gable end to each side of my window openings... I recently installed ( 3 ) ceiling light fixture boxes on my cross supports at 6000 lumens on each light fixture. My goal is to wire off of the outer light fixtures to a outlet at each gable end & then run a extension wire off of each outlet to the other outlet, giving me a total of ( 4 ) hot outlets, i.e. always on... What you have demonstrated here will make me double check my light fixture connections where the hot, i.e. black is on the gold & the neutral, i.e. the white is on the silver screw connections & I now know I went out of code where I doubled up on a ground wire in the center light fixture, I will correct this with a pigtail whereas the outer light fixtures each have their own individual ground connections & again I will double check my gold & white connections whilst I'm in there one last time...
Just one final comment here, per the electrical code for better than three years now, the neutrals now go from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock per the manual, if they aren't, you're out of code & amazingly enough, a good many electricians are NOT aware of this newer code to this very day, lol!
All the best,
Bill... :~)
one other simple thing, that a newbie may not know. They should make sure to wrap the copper in a clockwise manner around the screw terminal. I know that's the way you did it in the video, however some may not realize that is the way to do it.
Thanks Mario, completely agree and thanks for calling out that point.
I was going to say this.
Very true, it pulls the wire in as you tighten it. I also almost never use a philips to tighten, I use a flathead or a hybrid (flathead/square) driver as I can get more torque to insure bonding.
Thanks,I live in an apartment and it takes week's for minor repairs,not priority, did it myself with your video in about 10 minutes!!!!👍
Nice work!
You worked it but didn’t mention that the wire should loop around the screw in the clockwise direction that the screw is tightened so maximum force can be applied when tightening.
💯 thanks for the call out. 👍
Yes, I noticed that, too
Tony Manero, but he DID connect the black wire loop Correctly on the brass terminal, no ??? So perhaps, he was thinking that people would watch and do it the same way..
Who installs recitals with the ground terminal at the 12 position?
I see a lot that the ground hole is at the 6:00 position. I was taught and it might be wrong, always install with the ground at the 12:00 position. Why? If a child is playing say with a metal object butter knike ect and a plug is partly loose both positive and negative terminals are exposed and almost always will shock you or potentially kill you. But if the recipital is installed with the ground at the 12:00 position in the same situation the first and hopefully only contact is to the ground terminal. Just a random thought.
@@MJ0U812 90% of plugs I see has the ground hole at the 6:00 position. I think it may be because a lot of plugs that are wired with a 90° plug that is designed to allow the plug and wire hug the wall. A lot of those plugs have the grounding prong on the bottom. I guess it also depends on where the plug is being used and what is being plugged into it. Another one to blow your mind, some older houses had the lugs put in sideways.
Excellent and informative video. Hints: Remember that saying, "Black on Brass, White on White." After attaching the hot and neutral wires, you should wrap electrical tape around the outlet to cover all the termals. When using the tape, you might want to remove the mounting screws. They will get in the way.
Fantastic set of instructions - Easy to understand ! Thanks for the tutorial!!
Hey Alex, thanks for the kind words. Happy to help!
ur tips on "how to" are very helpful. Hadnt replaced an outlet in years so ur demonstration was great.
There is a small square hole beneath the screw (on some brands of Duplex) that you can shove the stripped wire into and wrap it CLOCKWISE around the screw. Insulation should not be under the terminal screw. ALWAYS have the conductor going CLOCKWISE so it tightens under the screw correctly. End of wire to the Right.
That strip guide is really for “stabbing” the wire in the back of the receptacle, not necessarily for “wrapping” around the screws. As a NJ state licensed electrician of 22 years, I do very much appreciate the advice to wrap and not stab the wires in the back of the receptacle.
Good point, thanks for the feedback.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs i think it's for both...it sure does look like it's the perfect length
@@catspaw3815 trust ol’ Sparky; He’s right. The strip gage is not long enough for wrapping the copper around the set screw. If the exposed copper is too short, there is a tendency to have the set screw pinch the insulation. This potentially results in a loose connection, so eventually could lead to arcing and eventually fire. There isn’t much worse in the field of electricity than a poor connection.
@@jakesully5402 Yeah, but at 6:00 in the video he is clearly mentioned to not have the insulation up under the screw.
@@jakesully5402 Thanks for that, great comment thread, great comments throughout, I am learning so much so quickly :-)
great review. thank you. wiring my shed for electric. do not wire all the time so forget things that make a difference. great teacher
These are the most thoroughly explained videos I have watched. Thank you for taking the time to explain.
Great video! Simple and to the point. All the other videos I looked at were complicated and confusing! Thanks!!
Nice! Happy that you got some value from the video.
Really great info. Thanks this helps me a lot as I’m doing some updates around our house
Glad it was helpful! 👍
Excellent video. Extremely well explained and I was able to learn about the issue I was having with the red wire connection also some very helpful tips in general. Great job!
Its videos like this, that i turn to YT to gain some knowledge. Liked and subscribed!
I do have a wire stripper like yours, but I usually use another kind. It automatically gauges the wire and makes a perfect strip. It looks kinda like a crimping tool/cutter thing. A bit pricey but well worth it in convenience.
Those are pretty handy. I used to use a stripper like that but more for electronics.
when this house in Missouri was built in the 1970s they backstabbed all the outlets and switches, and my house has aluminum wiring. They used receptacles and switches designed for copper only. Needless to say, the backstabbing caused numerous issues, so I went through and changed all devices to co/alr. some wire ends actually burned off. can't believe I never had a fire
ok so you need to rewire the house ? When I have seen Aluminum here they gut the wiring not always .
@@SG-zh5xd You don't need to rewire a home with aluminum wiring, but you need to be careful when working with it. If you're working on a major project, you might want to anyway, just to make life easier in the future.
Any fixtures (outlets, switches, etc.) need to be approved for use with aluminum (e.g. labeled CO/ALR, CU-AL or AL-CU). Fixtures not approved for use with aluminum are often (but not always) labeled with "AL" surrounded with the "no" icon - don't use these.
Aluminum-approved fixtures can cost more than copper-only fixtures.
Any splices/joints involving aluminum (e.g. wire nuts) needs to be coated with an approved anti-corrosion compound.
Joints on aluminum wiring should be inspected every few years, which of course, is an expense.
If you don't have experience with this, call an electrician who knows how to do this. If you do it wrong, those joints can overheat, which is always a bad thing.
@@Shamino0 I have seen a house inspection flag the aluminum wiring they had to rewire the whole house around 8K
@@SG-zh5xd Was this a city building inspector, who can make legally-enforceable demands? Or was it a pre-sales inspection, who can only recommend that a buyer make certain changes contingencies for a sale?
@@Shamino0 it was pre -sale demand they did it
Just wanted to say thank you for keeping it simple yet informative and safe. Really appreciate the time you gave to explain everything for some one like me who didn't want to guess
Brilliant, thank you, I couldn't figure out why the new outlet wasn't working with the switch. Had no idea I had to snap a connector off. Thank you
Nice Greg, yeah I bet that happens to about 50% of the people in your same situation. Easy to miss the tiny tab you need to break off.
This feature is described at 7:30 in the video.
Wow. I have installed some of these but never knew of the tricks. Thank you for sharing
Happy to help!
Very good information. This was the best training on something that you don't think about much until you have to do it. Thanks
Hey Albert, thanks and we are always happy to help.👍
So many great tips. Been doing DIY electrical for decades, too bad I didn’t see this video 20 yes ago!
If you haven't set anything on fire, you're probably doing ok.
67 years old: watching you I just learned that I have been using my wire stripper incorrectly. You show that just rocking the stripper a bit after clamping down on the wire will cut the insulation. I always, incorrectly, rotated the stripper back and forth to cut the insulation, which never worked that well. Thanks!
Voltage tester! Who would have thought.
My husband just gets one of us to feel the screws, says they shouldn’t be too hot. Now I know why.
Builds character 😉
I. Should have married you
After all, your life insurance is paid up, right?
@@stevelux9854 yes
Finally an actually good video teaching this stuff.
Make sure you test the wire for the correct gauge before using the wire stripper. By choosing the wrong gauge on the stripper and attempting to strip the wire, you can nick the copper of the wire or cut off some copper strands of wire if using stranded wire. There are usually two separate gauges marked on a wire stripper. One side is labeled for stranded wire and one for solid wire. They are not the same stripping hole on the wire stripper for both types of wire.
Am i the only one still using a razer blade to strip wires still??? lol give me a automatic stripper plz...
Wow that was so useful to actually have a tour of the outlet and see the subtle details. Thank you so much.
As someone with a degree in culinary arts and a minor in communications, I can say this is good.
As you are a minor amount of brain you could just...... STFU! LMAO YOU DOLT!
As a human who has teleported his physical body ... Y'all are wasting time!
excellent video. First video that I have seen that states " the small receptacle is the "hot" side and the large is the neutral side. Great tip !!!!! Thanks for the wire loop tip too.
You might want to do a video that shows how to wire the receptacle when there are multiple outlets on the same circuit.
Great suggestion!
John Sessoms That should be as simple as using the other unused hot and neutral screws on the outlet to feed power to I believe 4 to 5 outlets max on a circuit.
@@koshnaranek2317 I would recommend pigtails to each receptacle in multiple receptacle boxes.
Definitely has made me more confident going into replacing the outlets in our new home.
I always screw in the unused screws so they don’t catch and nick wires in the box.
You should show techniques for pushing the plug back into the box. That is often he toughest part of the job.
The hook around the screw should always be positioned so that tightening the screw closes that hook rather than opening it up.
0
Thanks so very much for this lesson. You also taught me how to use the Wire Cutter I just bought with the 14 gauge size!
I needed that!!!
Hey, I appreciate your knowledge, it was very straight forward and now I have more confidence in performing some basic electrical work around my house. Thank you.
Lololol omg yer funny
The receptacle installation was done nicely and correctly. Now I can send this to my students since everything is remote because of Covid19. Thank you
2020 is the year of online learning for sure.
The red wire was not wrapped around the screw
Good tips, and some unknown for some electricians, clearly explained. Thanks !!!!!!
Thanks for the kind words!
@@EverydayHomeRepairs 99
Thank you. I really need the further explanation. I hardly worked on electrical stuff and just starting to get interested in woodworking.
I was SHOCKED how great of a video this was!
oh man 😂
This was a good video and very informative to me since I am not an electrician by any means. I know a little and now I've learned a little more, thank you for sharing this knowledge.
Didn't know some important tips and rules before watching your video, Thank you so much for your sharing!!!!!
Glad it was helpful! 👍
wow, like many others I just want to say that I learned more useful information about wiring an outlet in your short concise video than I ever knew before! Thank you!
Glad it helped 👍
See my general comment. Be sure to test both ( upper and lower ) portions of the receptacle.
Thanks for sharing the switch outlet. I was confused about why my brand new outlet made my lights always on and my switch not turning off these lights. now i know!
Glad I could help!
Thank you so much for a great video. Really good teacher. I learned a lot. I did not know about the built-in wire stripping gauge and retainer features. Thank you! New subscriber!
Thanks Alan and welcome to the channel!
Learned something new today. Small slot to hot side. Large slot to neutral side.
To me, it’s always: brass = hot. Silver = neutral.
Never thought about the sizes of the slots going to hot or neutral.
#neverstoplearning 👍
Brass is the darker metal, and is for the darker (black or red) wire. White (return) wire to the white metal.
here's another for you. it applies to receptacles with the ground at the bottom: "right will bite"
Best video I've seen so far that really explains everything.
Another little trick you might want to mention. Sometimes when outlet or switch boxes are installed (prior to drywall or finish surface) the box is secured too deep on the framing stud. The "ears" that you see on the very ends of the outlet are to stop the outlet from being installed too deeply into the drywall. If the outlet is installed too deep the cover plate will not seat properly. Also, drywall installers are notorious for cutting out the boxes with too much of a gap between the box and the drywall. This will make the "ears" ineffective in keeping the outlet from securing to the box without going too deep. (hope I explained that clear as mud) There's a trick I learned from the master electrician I was an apprentice under. Take a length of bare copper wire and wrap it around the screw between the outlet and the box to use as a spacer to make the outlet flush with the outside of the drywall.
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@David S ... I don't quite understand what you mean by "the screw between the outlet and the box. Would you clarify please? TY
@@dianavp9054 Take a screw that is the same size as the screw used by the outlet to secure it to the box and wrap a copper wire around it a couple time then cut it off. The coil you've made can be used as a spacer between the outlet box and the outlet which will in effect make the outlet stick out further and seal the cover plate correctly. I hope that helped.
@@davids7209or use an adjustable box so the box protects the entire receptacle.
Great video. I learned a couple of those little things that no one remembers to tell you that’ll make it easier!
Sooooo helpful thank you. Gettimg the stupid loop in took me forever without your video.
Thanks!
Took out a ceiling fan and was wiring an outlet for a tv ceiling mount. I just flipped the light switch off and someone turned it on while I had a handful of hot wires. It's scary at first but it really felt kinda good after I got up off the floor. I recommend flipping the breaker too.
That will wake you up, be safe out there.
When you break the tab for the switched outlet, you must break the tab on BOTH sides and use TWO white neutral wires, because the two hot wires could be coming off of two separate 15A breakers. If you use a single white wire, it could carry 30A instead of 15A and catch on fire.
Good to know. I have always broken both tabs.
Not necessarily. If the two hots are opposite phase, you can use one neutral wire.
@@sparks8218 if it’s coming from the same circuit, but if it’s two different circuits, you need a breaker tie so that both circuits are cut off simultaneously to prevent potentially having the an unexpected load still flowing across that shared neutral.
If they are from different circuits, absolutely true.
In addition to the reason you cite, a GFCI or AFCI breaker on the circuit will trip if the return wire doesn't go all the way back to the same breaker the hot wire came from.
On the other hand, if the switch and the always-on lead come from the same circuit, then a common return is fine because it's all one circuit.
If you're doing the wiring you should know that. If you didn't run the cable then look in the switch box. If a 2wire w/ground is the source and both the black and red wires are deriving their power from that same cable, then you know.
You just saved me so much headache about breaking the tabs. Thanks!
Glad I could help!
Worth noting always wrap the wire in the direction of the turn (tighten). Up from the left, over the top and down on the right.
💯Thanks for the feedback!
Agreed
Wish I has watched this 4 days ago. Thoroughly presented. Thanks.
You bet!
Don't confuse traditional back-wiring using the push clamps shown in this video with using the side clamps found on better receptacles. For less than 50 cents more in big box stores, you can buy receptacles with a side clamp. I feel the side clamp method is safer and easier than looping wire around the terminals as there is less chance of a looped wire not being fully seated under the terminal. Also, novices tend to bend the wire into a loop so sharply that it creates a breaking point. Spend a few cents more and buy a side clamp style.
Agree that those are 2 different things and also for beginners as you outlined that is probably a safer route to get a properly wired outlet. Thanks for the feedback.
Thank you for pointing out the strip gauge on the back of the outlet... that is super helpful!
One thing I would add concerns a situation where there is more wires coming into a utility box from another cable. There should not be more than one wire under each screw terminal in order to be done properly. This means that wires are to be common, i.e. black with black to a pigtail to the screw terminal.
Great tip on the 'built in strip gauge" for the handy DIY'ers like me!
Thanks Tim!
@@EverydayHomeRepairs you're very welcome!
I agree with you. Don’t ever use those darn push in connectors. I’ve had a few failures regarding those in my own home. They randomly stop working, crackle, and snap sometimes with a load and with the heat and cold cycling. I’ve personally never used them for that reason but my entire house was wired that way when I purchased it. Also avoid daisy chaining the receptacles because when that push in connector fails on one, you lose all the subsequent receptacles in the line. Then you’re hopping room to room trying to figure out which Is the first in the series. I’d also advise to remove the screw clamps from the receptacles that come with them and use the screw alone with the hook around wire method. There’s almost 0% chance of failure. :) be safe!
Hey Adam, thanks for the feedback and example of the issues you have seen with the push connections. Sounds like a pain.
I’ve never had an issue with the push tabs...knock on wood. Agreed the screws are almost 0% chance of failure.
That’s why I don’t understand why people like wago’s, it’s the same thing as the push in connections on the back of outlets. 🤷🏽♂️
Mr. Sleep
Agreed. I used the name brand Wago connectors very briefly a year ago and while tugging on the wires in a 3 gang box, I pulled out a wire accidentally with very little effort. The point of contact to the conductor is just so very very small. I threw out the bags of connectors I had and never went back. They may be safe overall but they just don’t give me the warm fuzzy secure feeling that I get when I twist the wires together with my electrical pliers and then squeeze it all down tightly into a good quality nut. 😁. If someone is trying them out, I’d recommend trying to twirl the wire in the connector or just rock them back and forth a little. You’ll find that they are very loose overall.
Great tutorial, just the refresher I needed. I got the job done, thanks!
the brass or hot side screws may also be plated in an oxide or black finish. In the U.S. hot side wires can more than just red or black which are the most common. The hot wires can basically be any color other than white and green, though I have not seen the latest copies of the NEC, so there might be more reserved colors now. The neutral should always be white, and the ground should be either bare or green. I generally do not use the quick connects, as it is a problem with making changes later. People undertaking such projects themselves should check the local codes. I have seen outlets where the screw was tightened over a partly insulated wire on either the hot or the neutral, which resulted in bad contact between the wire and the outlet terminal resulting in arcing and failure. Loose screws on the terminals could cause the same. If there is resistance to electrical current in the junction, it will cause heat with is proportionate to the square of the amount of current drawn through the outlet. For you math freaks out there, the power evolved in heat at the junction is equal to the square of the current multiplied by the resistance in the junction. Since power is linearly proportional to the current at constant voltage, for house wiring the heat evolved at the junction will therefore be a function of the square of the power drawn. Something that might be good enough and not fail when a 10 watt cell phone charger is plugged in may fail when a 1500 watt space heater or an 1800 watt hair dryer is plugged in because it will cause thousands of times more heat to be evolved at the junction. From my experience, those two appliances, hair dryers and space heaters, expose a lot of issues because of the power and hence the current that they draw, not that that is the way you would like to find out that you have a problem. I have seen fires in junction boxes which require opening up the walls to replace cables and wiring. Flame proof junction boxes can prevent what would otherwise be a house fire. If you do not know what you are doing, this can be dangerous. Smoke detectors and arc fault circuit breakers can add an extra layer of protection in case of these types of bad junctions, but they are not a substitute at all for proper wiring.
Good stuff Richard, appreciate you dropping some knowledge bombs. Cheers!
Best video I have seen on wiring an outlet. Thank you