Is it code to pigtail devices?

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Electron_Sam78

Senior Member
Location
Palm Bay, FL
We have a discussion going about whether it is code that a device such as a receptacle must be pigtailed and not rely on the device for continuity. We can only find a code section referring to grounding conductors. Is this code or best practice?

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Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
250.148(B) (2011) applies to grounding conductors.

Cheers, Wayne

Nothing really new there, Still does not require pigtail the ground wires. You are allowed to open the connection to remove a device. However you are not allowed to do so if this is a grounded wire. Open the neutral here and you can fry other components installed in the MWBC.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
We have a discussion going about whether it is code that a device such as a receptacle must be pigtailed and not rely on the device for continuity. We can only find a code section referring to grounding conductors. Is this code or best practice?

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Fire alarm devices must NOT be pigtailed, at least for IDC's and NAC's. You can pigtail devices on an SLC since they are all addressable.
 

wwhitney

Senior Member
Location
Berkeley, CA
Occupation
Retired
Nothing really new there, Still does not require pigtail the ground wires. You are allowed to open the connection to remove a device.

2011 NEC 250.148(B) said:
The arrangement of grounding connections shall be such that the disconnection or the removal of a receptacle, luminaire, or other device fed from the box does not interfere with or interrupt the grounding continuity.
My reading is that this requires pigtailing. You must be able to remove the device without interrupting the grounding continuity. The wording is very similar to 300.13(B) on continuity of the grounded conductor in multwire branch circuits.

Cheers, Wayne
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
My reading is that this requires pigtailing. You must be able to remove the device without interrupting the grounding continuity. The wording is very similar to 300.13(B) on continuity of the grounded conductor in multwire branch circuits.

Cheers, Wayne
As long as the continuity is established by bonding both conductors to the box rather than to the ground screw of the device, removing the device will not break continuity.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
It is also common practice in commercial work to have the receptacle with one set of conductors on it-- this makes for ease of change without disruption down the line. Of course , the power should be de-energized but most of the time it is not.
 

Gregg Harris

Senior Member
Location
Virginia
Occupation
Electrical,HVAC, Technical Trainer
My reading is that this requires pigtailing. You must be able to remove the device without interrupting the grounding continuity. The wording is very similar to 300.13(B) on continuity of the grounded conductor in multwire branch circuits.

Cheers, Wayne

I would agree. The grounds must be pigtailed, and the neutrals in a multi-wire branch circuit must remain continuous, but the neutral on a two wire circuit that is feeding outlet to outlet does not require continuity by pig tailing or looping.
 

hurk27

Senior Member
I pig tail all my receptacles one it makes them much easier to get back in the box, but two, if the connection is lost it makes it so much easier to find the bad receptacle, very common problem when you have home owners using those small portable space heaters, if I know ahead of time that this is what they will be using I not only pig tail but strip my tail extra long to wrap around both screws on the receptacle, never had one burn the terminals this way, I found an old house done this way and not one receptacle had any signs of heating around the receptacle screws despite the home owner using space heaters in every room.

But like was said, I do it by choice as it is not a requirement unless it is a MWBC
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I pig tail all my receptacles one it makes them much easier to get back in the box, but two, if the connection is lost it makes it so much easier to find the bad receptacle, very common problem when you have home owners using those small portable space heaters, if I know ahead of time that this is what they will be using I not only pig tail but strip my tail extra long to wrap around both screws on the receptacle, never had one burn the terminals this way, I found an old house done this way and not one receptacle had any signs of heating around the receptacle screws despite the home owner using space heaters in every room.

But like was said, I do it by choice as it is not a requirement unless it is a MWBC

I have found the problem with a heavy load like a heater isn't your connection at a screw terminal but rather the contact pressure between the cord cap and the receptacle is weak and that will still sink heat into your screw terminal and supply conductor.
 
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