AC electrical puzzlement

[Curt Harms]

I don’t know when they finally went out of favor. I never used them in any of the house I ever built.

I don't know either, maybe after the 10th house fire they caused? I had previously rewired the appliance receptacles with the heaviest loads - microwave and toaster oven - except for the refrigerator which is very difficult to access the plug.

[Jack Frederick]

I am weak electrically. I learned about proper wiring of receptacles, grounding having to trouble shoot the heating equipment I sold, in this case the Rinnai Energysaver DV wall furnaces. They are extremely reliable and early in the game I took the bait. The unit doesn’t work, it must be the unit and I would get lost testing out every leg off the board. Still intermittent operation. Today’s appliances, the better ones all use flame rectification to prove flame as pilot lights are long gone. Tech services is telling me to check the ground. The ground is testing good. I can’t get 24 hours of good operation out of the unit. Before replacing it I asked the owner if I coulld run it off an extension cord on another circuit. He was a great and very patient guy. We did it and the unit just purred along. I went back, pulled the receptacle and as it came out the hot and ground stayed “stabbed in”. The neutral stayed in the box pointing out at me. Sometimes it would make, sometimes not. Terminated the screw connections on the receptacle and that unit is probably still running 25 yrs later. Stab in connections became a primary discussion in all the contractor trouble-shooting classes I did in the years after.

[Jim Becker]

I don't know either, maybe after the 10th house fire they caused? I had previously rewired the appliance receptacles with the heaviest loads - microwave and toaster oven - except for the refrigerator which is very difficult to access the plug.

Curious, Curt...about when was your development built? This house here near DelVal went up in 1993 and it's "chock full" of back stabbers and other interesting things.

[Cameron Wood]

I don't know either, maybe after the 10th house fire they caused? I had previously rewired the appliance receptacles with the heaviest loads - microwave and toaster oven - except for the refrigerator which is very difficult to access the plug.

I have twice traced dead circuits to the refer receptacle- vibration and/or cycling had work hardened the wire at the terminal causing it to break.

[Jim Koepke]

I have twice traced dead circuits to the refer receptacle- vibration and/or cycling had work hardened the wire at the terminal causing it to break.

Wires breaking at termination can also be caused by an inexperience contractor nicking the wire when they strip it with their wire cutters.

It seems there is a lot of controversy concerning backstab receptacles. From what others have mentioned on other sites there can be a lot of failures with them being indicated.

My experience with them is almost nil. Using the screws to secure the wires has always been my choice. After all, the wire stabbed into the back is held in place be spring action. When the wire is shoved into the box, stresses are placed on the wire through bending. Over time there will be heat in the outlet to cause weakening of the spring action. If multiple outlets are daisy chained via the backstabbing, there are too many chances for failure.

That may be why they have fallen out of favor with those in the electrical professions.

I like to use 20 amp receptacles even though code allows 15 amp.

As long as the wiring can support a 20 amp load. A lot of wiring is done with 14 gauge wire that wouldn't be too good with a 20 amp load.

jtk

[Tom M King]

I’ve never used no.14 wire for any receptacle circuit. Don’t remember ever seeing a 15 amp. Receptacle circuit.

[Jim Koepke]

I’ve never used no.14 wire for any receptacle circuit. Don’t remember ever seeing a 15 amp. Receptacle circuit.

It may be something more common in prefab or factory homes. Likely not many of those worth a restoration project.

jtk

[Tom M King]

Even the 1974 house that I bought for a rental, which was considered a tear-down, has 12 ga. wire in the receptacle circuits. That's the one I had trouble with those back stab devices in.

Also, there is some variation in receptacles sold as 20 amp. Some just look like 15 amp devices with the extra slots on the face. Others, maybe sold as HD or industrial are built much heavier. It's the heavier ones I buy. I think the box stores sell both.

[Tom M King]

I've used these needle nose pliers dedicated to one job since the 1970's. I ground the groove so that a twist of the wrist forms a perfect half loop for side wiring. I think every new house I ever built used these. I just went out to the truck and took this picture. The electrical toolbox with drawers sits on the seat behind the drivers seat. These still get used sometimes. I also finally learned to turn the iphone sideways for taking upright pictures for here.

[Cameron Wood]

I have some of those!
IMG_4945.jpeg

[Tom M King]

Did you grind that or did it test a hot wire for you?

[Cameron Wood]

Did you grind that or did it test a hot wire for you?

One at least half a dozen mishaps over the years- mostly strippers. Still, that's only one every 7 years or so, on average.

[Tom M King]

I have one pair of lineman's pliers that are also good strippers for 10 ga.

[Jim Koepke]

These are my favorite pliers for making a hook to go around a screw or post.

Jeweler's Pliers - Round Nose Plyers.jpg

The smaller pair was given to me by my dad. He had them since before I was born.

jtk