Wiring 2 receps in a double box. Let’s say this is middle of run so line in and out of box. Do you pigtail to first recep and then jumper to second? Or jumper between receps and series wire into #1 and out of #2?
In either case, do you pigtail 2 grounds or use a jumper of some sort?
Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.
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Replies
How about ... pigtails to BOTH receptacles?
How about ... pigtails to BOTH receptacles?
I'm thinking that might get crowded with six pigtails (with grounds), but it's why I asked, don't think I've ever had to deal with it before. Have you done it like that?
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
It's the only way I do it. My only change over the years has been away from wire nuts, to releasing Wago-type connectors whenever there are more than three wires to join together.
What do you think of push-in connectors like these?
http://www.idealindustries.com/products/wire_termination/push-in/in-sure.jspThey look like they make much more surface contact with wires than back-stab receptacles do and would also seem to be more secure with multiple wires than wire nuts where often one wire can remain loose, especially pigtails as they are prone to being twisted in the course of connecting to a device or being pushed into the box.BruceT
I have no problem with those connectors, except for the fact that you cannot remove them. If you need to open up connections - say, for troubleshooting, or to replace a fixture = you need to cut them off. Wago -who invented this type of connector- have a new version that has an individual clamp on each wire. You can remove and reattach wires at will. These are my preferred connectors. Expensive, but worth it ... if you have more than three wires.
Actually you can remove the wires from the WAGOs.
What you do is pull on the wire and twist or rotate it at the same time. Sorta like unscrewing the wire.
~Peter
If pigtails are so great, why don't the receptacles just come with pigtails soldered onto them? That would save a whole set of connections at every receptacle.
pigtails are great !! FWIW, P&S and Hubbell sell a plug and socket thingy , where you wire-nut or crimp the plug to the feeders and then snap that into the special receptacle.. both claim it "saves" timeand I'm sure the sockets are NOT interchangeable between brands, though I can't be certain since I have not had the pleasure of using them, but since I deplore gimmicks I probably would choose not to use them anyway, so I'll keep pigtailing........ and pre-twisting the wires before I use a wire-nut.edit: BTW I haven't used solid wire since the mid 80s so jamming a few feet of of wire into a box is always fun
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Edited 8/29/2008 6:46 pm by maddog3
Well, you asked for my preference. That it's not one of the choices presented isn't my fault. And, actually, there are receptacles marketed with pigtails - look at the pass % Seymour "plug-tail" as one example. The NEC does require a certain amount of 'free wire' for every wire that is spliced in a box. The effect of this is, I believe, to require your jumpers to be at least 6" long - so no more of those nice, tight, 2" jumpers, please.
Lne in and line out with one pig tail jumpered to the second socket for each wire. I also like to insulate the ground with a green sleeve when there is many wires in a box.
Do you jumper the grounds or 2x pigtail? Is it OK to put two grounds under one screw?
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
"Do you jumper the grounds or 2x pigtail? Is it OK to put two grounds under one screw?"Except that you should never put 2 wires under one screw it is 1/2 dozen of one or 6 of the other.You can loop the wire around a screw and continue to the next one. That is easy with bare ground.It can be done on the insulated wires also, but it a little tricky to strip off the right amount in the middle of a wire.This is probably something that I would do differently each time.But I would probably favor pigtailing off in coming and outgoing cables and then dasy chain from one receptacle to the other.Specially if it is #12 wire. You are only havign to bend on set of wires back into the box..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
What do you think of push-in connectors like these?
http://www.idealindustries.com/products/wire_termination/push-in/in-sure.jspThey look like they make much more surface contact with wires than back-stab receptacles do and would also seem to be more secure with multiple wires than wire nuts where often one wire can remain loose, especially pigtails as they are prone to being twisted in the course of connecting to a device or being pushed into the box.BruceTPS: sorry for the duplicate post. I couldn't find a way to address to both you and Renosteinke and posting to "ALL" would not send e-mail notification to the particular people whose opinions I wanted to hear.
BruceT
A comment and a question:I found that while "daisy chaining" the ground wire meant fewer wire nuts that had to be crammed into the device box, the GRCI's that I had were set up so that just pushing the wire into the "backwire" (not to be confused with "backstab") slot was a lot easier than trying to daisy chain around their ground screw.Question: do you guys regularly put electrical tape over the terminals on switches and receptacles? I did this where I had lots of bare ground wires stuffed into the box, but wondered if I should have done it on every one to achieve "best practice"...Thanks, Casey
I tape receps and switches when pushing into a metal box, otherwise I dont.
I dont like the idea of those push plugs. The only time I have ever seen a recep have a problem (unless it was physically broken) was the push connector that fried.
That is a pain when you have to figure out what happened to 4 receps and gotta take them apart to figure out which one is the beginning of the loop.
(not always the closest to the panel)
"I dont like the idea of those push plugs. The only time I have ever seen a recep have a problem (unless it was physically broken) was the push connector that fried."If you are talking about RECEPTACLES with BACKSTAB connections they use a much different systme than the Wago or Ideal push in wire terminals..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
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http://www.idealindustries.com/products/wire_termination/push-in/in-sure.jspFor those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
I don't like what is generally referred to as "backstab", but the "backwired" receptacles and GFCIs that I use have the wire tightened by the connector screws. The receptacles run about $3.50 each.
I use the backwired GFCI's but use the lesser expensive receps and switches and screw them down most of the time.
The Wago is another version of the Ideal.I have not used them enough to be 100% confident in them. And you have to bust them or cut the wires off if you need to make any changes. But I have used the when they are a good option. Usually in the when the wires are already way short.I have never seen the releasable Wango's.But here they are.http://www.wago.us/products/325.htm
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Thanks for all the input. I even learned a few things. Those releasable Wagos are certainly a cool idea. And I had no clue that a modular thing like the P&S Plug Tail existed, also a great idea, but @ $10 per recept., I can't see many ion my future!
Sounds like the concensus on the push in connectors is generally positive. I've avoided them 'cuz I hate looking back and thinking "if only I'd.....". Think I'll give 'em a whirl.
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Like Bill tells it, I 'loop' the ground from ground screw to ground screw. Tricker with the live and neutral but can be done.
Personal preference, but I almost never use pigtails.
I'll put lugs on stranded wire and jumper between grounds before resorting to pigtails.
If it's 12 gauge I'd do anything that keeps the wires in the box to an absolute minimum.