115V outlet failure

[astronut]

Originally Posted by RonL

I believe that I saw somewhere that if you tighten down the side screws on back stabbed outlets it tightens against the back stabbed wire. I have a circuit that I just pulled out that that was working intermittently that I need to shut the breaker and see if this is true.

I dont know if it is true either but I have heard the same thing bout the back stabbed outlets. But, I always use the screws and screw the wires down since I dont trust the wire stab portion.

[Norcal]

Originally Posted by astronut

I dont know if it is true either but I have heard the same thing bout the back stabbed outlets. But, I always use the screws and screw the wires down since I dont trust the wire stab portion.

While I am not a fan of backstabbed/push and pray connections, have taken out large numbers of 50 year old Eagle Electric backstab only receptacles that were in good condition other then being worn out, (poor plug retention) but the brass tabs were wider then current production.

[Shade Tree Welder]

Originally Posted by RonL

I believe that I saw somewhere that if you tighten down the side screws on back stabbed outlets it tightens against the back stabbed wire. I have a circuit that I just pulled out that that was working intermittently that I need to shut the breaker and see if this is true.

Originally Posted by astronut

I dont know if it is true either but I have heard the same thing bout the back stabbed outlets. But, I always use the screws and screw the wires down since I dont trust the wire stab portion.

Your talking about 2 different outlet types.

True back stabs are just that for solid wire where the only thing holding the
wire is spring tension inside the recpt.

The ones where you can tighten the screw are a pressure plate design and
are not back stab. Even is it kinda looks the same they are very different.
The pressure plate design is a very good design.

[Norcal]

There are 4 ways of connecting receptacles.

1) Screws, wire is wrapped around a screw, used on the budget devices. CO/ALR devices are also this way CO/ALR, is the designation for 15/20A devices rated for copper or aluminum conductors, AL/CU is the marking for 30A & above devices rated for copper or aluminum conductors.

2) Backwire, "push and pray" used with #1 as current UL standard require that 14 AWG is the maximum wire gauge used with backwire, in the past there were backwire only that would accept 12 AWG, & some would accept 10 AWG.

3) Pressure plate, wire stripped to the proscribed length is inserted into the back of the device and a plate attached to a captive screw is tightened to secure the conductor.

4) Pigtail, a length of wire is factory installed on a device, early GFCI receptacles were equipped that way, some higher end devices are available that way, but quite rare.


Push and pray is for solid copper conductors only, pressure plate terminals can be used with solid or stranded copper conductors.

[Shade Tree Welder]

Nocal, thanks for saying it better.