Using device for splice

Status
Not open for further replies.

user 100

Senior Member
Location
texas
What if you run only one circuit wire to the respective terminals, such as a dead-end receptacle or wire-nutted splices with pigtails to the receptacle. There's no splice and you still have to meet the requirement of 406.5(G) and 406.6.

Insulating conductors, namely spliced conductors, versus making terminals touch safe are two different (but similar) purposes.

PS: I've never been one to tape my receptacles. Just pointing it out for discussion.

Ok, I'll just leave it like this- there is nothing in 110.14(B) that mentions receptacles specifically-merely splicing devices/methods (I get your point about dead end)but it does mention an "identified insulating device" which could include a faceplate(?) and there is nothing in 406 that says the receptacle terminals themselves have to be insulated- in the absence of such a requirement, it is not required.:)
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
If you have two circuit conductors potentially carrying the same current, they have to be spliced or joined in some manner. In this case, the red and white jumpers are circuit conductors. Read the UL listing category text that permits feed-thru. That makes it a splicing device identified for the use.

Assuming you are correct for the moment, if I run pigtails from wirenuts, then no splice at the receptacle = no tape. There are millions if not billions of untaped duplex receptacles in the US that are wired feed thru, and probably 0.5% of them are taped. Are the untaped ones a violation?

There isnt even a definition of a splice in article 100. If a receptacle is a listed splicing device, basically a $2 wire nut, could I use them in place of wire nuts, say in a breaker panel, as long as they are taped, or otherwise adequately insulated?
 

James L

Senior Member
Location
Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
Occupation
Electrician
If a receptacle is a listed splicing device, basically a $2 wire nut, could I use them in place of wire nuts, say in a breaker panel, as long as they are taped, or otherwise adequately insulated?
A receptacle is quite frequently used in place of wire nuts. Recently, I wired a kitchen where a 30" tall desk was being replaced by a 36" tall base cabinet. I had to move the receptacle up but it was wired from below.So they were going to get a splice box to make the wire longer. I asked if they want the splice box in the base cabinet or in the pantry on the other side of the wall.Next question was do you want wire nuts with a blank plate or a receptacle? Didn't matter to me which one I used, it served the same purpose.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Assuming you are correct for the moment, if I run pigtails from wirenuts, then no splice at the receptacle = no tape. There are millions if not billions of untaped duplex receptacles in the US that are wired feed thru, and probably 0.5% of them are taped. Are the untaped ones a violation?

There isnt even a definition of a splice in article 100. If a receptacle is a listed splicing device, basically a $2 wire nut, could I use them in place of wire nuts, say in a breaker panel, as long as they are taped, or otherwise adequately insulated?

For the sake of the OP (who is an apprentice) we should forget any notion that a receptacle used for a feed through needs to be taped. :slaphead:
 

user 100

Senior Member
Location
texas
For the sake of the OP (who is an apprentice) we should forget any notion that a receptacle used for a feed through needs to be taped. :slaphead:

Agreed- let's not add any more unnecessary confusion (he is still learning) and suggest something is/ could be required by code when it is not. :)
 

Little Bill

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
Not seeing how a branch circuit with an open neutral is going to hurt anyone.

Wife plugs in her brand new electric skillet into a MWBC that has an open neutral. Smoke comes out before anything is even cooking. Now you (as an electrician) had just added to that circuit and failed to pigtail the neutral and neutral comes loose from a terminal.
Skillet in question lands up beside your head.
Need I say more?:p

Plus you get no dinner!:huh:
 

JonwoN

Member
Location
OREGON
Without opening a code book and spewing my attempted interpretation, which would not suffice i am sure. I will merely tell you all how i was taught by journeymen before me :). I remember a quick talking old man saying "In commercial you cant use the device as a feed through." He was implying that you must pigtail neutral and hot conductors to each device. A different journeyman said Think about the next guy! If you have to replace a faulty receptacle, a feed through method would cause an outage downstream whereas; a pig tail method would allow for replacement without disturbing the business'es operations. Weather or not it is code, the code is the minimum standard This is how i choose to wire in all commercial buildings because it makes sense to me and its a better wiring method!
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
The worst zap I ever got was from an open neutral, other than once with a 277 lighting circuit down my arm to t-bar.

And if the device was line to line connected the shock from an getting between an open circuit conductor would be even worse.

Touching live conductors is a bad idea.



For the average electrical user? Yes, really.

OTH for someone poking around carelessly with live circuits maybe Darwin at work.
 

James L

Senior Member
Location
Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
Occupation
Electrician
For the average electrical user? Yes, really.

OTH for someone poking around carelessly with live circuits maybe Darwin at work.

That's what I had in mind. Some homeowner opening it up to change their receptacle, and he doesn't need to turn off the breaker 'cause he's dunnit a hunnerd times'
 

mopowr steve

Senior Member
Location
NW Ohio
Occupation
Electrical contractor
Without opening a code book and spewing my attempted interpretation, which would not suffice i am sure. I will merely tell you all how i was taught by journeymen before me :). I remember a quick talking old man saying "In commercial you cant use the device as a feed through." He was implying that you must pigtail neutral and hot conductors to each device. A different journeyman said Think about the next guy! If you have to replace a faulty receptacle, a feed through method would cause an outage downstream whereas; a pig tail method would allow for replacement without disturbing the business'es operations. Weather or not it is code, the code is the minimum standard This is how i choose to wire in all commercial buildings because it makes sense to me and its a better wiring method!


I too was taught by a older man with the same philosophy (maybe they had the same instructor)
Although I still follow this method..... You and me may not have a leg to stand on anymore as we must turn Off the circuit anyway while doing work on it. Unless we have all our PPE on.;)
 

JonwoN

Member
Location
OREGON
I too was taught by a older man with the same philosophy (maybe they had the same instructor)
Although I still follow this method..... You and me may not have a leg to stand on anymore as we must turn Off the circuit anyway while doing work on it. Unless we have all our PPE on.;)

We must de-energize general use 120v receptacle ? I thought we were General Journeyman. I have gloves , electrical tape , safety glasses and a dream.
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
We must de-energize general use 120v receptacle ? I thought we were General Journeyman. I have gloves , electrical tape , safety glasses and a dream.

The first time you see 120V blow up in your face, you'll probably start reaching for breakers rather than a pair of gloves. Not talking bolted faults with 750MCM, but a 12ga wire, on a 20A breaker that never thought of tripping, blowing itself into pieces.

There are incredibly few exceptions for working live. "It's only 120V" is not one of them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top