Back stab receptacles

[rc/retired]

I always found backstabbing puzzling. I mean how much time are you going to save even on a whole house? Like 20 minutes?

Yeah. There is/ was a house builder in my area that would guarantee you a house in 45 days. From a hole in the ground to final paint.
One day I did 29 inspections for them. Water/sewer and underground plumbing.
If you could not keep up with their schedule, you were excused.

Ron

 

[Fred B]

Do guys still stab wires?

I wouldn't. But not to be confused with the back wire that has a screw to tighten down, or even the new Lever-lock.

 

[kec]

It was changed a number of years ago to only permit 14 AWG for the back stabs. Originally you could use 12 AWG.

Had a service call last week, 4 non working outlets in a room. CB was not tripped. Removed one outlet and found the installer
ran 12 awg and forced the wires into the 14 awg holes. Found the one not making contact. That qualifies as hack work.

 

[CoolWill]

Thank you for that. We, UK. don't as far I'm aware.

Yes, but what voltage? And is it a single voltage everywhere?

 

[Besoeker3]

Yes, but what voltage? And is it a single voltage everywhere?

For residential UK and EU it is 230Vac. For Industrial it is mostly 400Vac. For larger industrial systems it is for paper mills and similar it is 11 kV or 132kV

 

[jim dungar]

Had a service call last week, 4 non working outlets in a room. CB was not tripped. Removed one outlet and found the installer...

...That qualifies as hack work.

Just like receptacle I found last week, where the installer pushed the neutral wires in too far, into a feed through 'back wired' receptacle, pinching the insulation. I dont know how it worked for 4 years before finally failing. It was the only device not pigtailed.

 

[Birken Vogt]

The crazy thing is, we have had good Wagos for years now. Why can't device mfrs convert their contacts to work the same as Wagos. Yes I am aware of that one Leviton outlet that has Wagos built in but it ought to be simpler and easier than that even.

 

[hbiss]

I had a back stabbed Decora switch in a bathroom. It was for the fan and had another on each side of it, one for the fan light and the other for the vanity light. All three switches were crooked or pushed back into the box. Whoever installed them cracked the three gang plate trying to use the screws to pull them put flush. When I took the plate off, I see that the box was full of #12s, they used the same 20A circuit they ran for the GFCI receptacle for the lights and fan. I took all the screws out and when I went to pull the center switch out it wouldn't move and broke apart. There were 4 #12s on it, two backstabbed and two from a single conductor that was skinned in the center and wrapped around the screw. Probably used a hammer it pound that poor switch in.

-Hal

 

[nizak]

Is there a receptacle that you can back stab 6 conductors?

I will see if there’s a name on them.
House was built in 74’ .

 

[James L]

Recps used to allow #12 backstab, UL listing changed to #14 only maybe 20 years ago

More like 30

I remember the cheap azz company I was working at when the change came, and I worked there from Oct 92 til Aug 94

They had us drilling out the holes on the backs of the (Eagle) receptacles to make the #12 fit again

 

[James L]

For the record, I love back stabbing devices.

I won't stop unless they're made unavailable.

For me it's a combination of ease of install, time of install, and longevity of finished product.

I mean, we don't think anything of a power tool failing after 10 years of daily use.

But let a back stabbed receptacle fail after 47 years and the sensationalists come unglued

 

[ptonsparky]

For the record, I love back stabbing devices.

I won't stop unless they're made unavailable.

For me it's a combination of ease of install, time of install, and longevity of finished product.

I mean, we don't think anything of a power tool failing after 10 years of daily use.

But let a back stabbed receptacle fail after 47 years and the sensationalists come unglued

And besides, that’s what we have AFCIs for.

 

[CoolWill]

For the record, I love back stabbing devices.

I won't stop unless they're made unavailable.

For me it's a combination of ease of install, time of install, and longevity of finished product.

I mean, we don't think anything of a power tool failing after 10 years of daily use.

But let a back stabbed receptacle fail after 47 years and the sensationalists come unglued

It isn't so much that the 47 year old back stab failed. It's that the 2 year old back stab failed but the 70 year old side screw wired device is still going. I agree with you about back stabbing, in some cases. I make up receptacle boxes with pigtails so that even if the receptacle fails, it won't affect anything downstream. So sometimes, if a customer is being extra cheap and difficult, I'll back stab those devices and get down the road

 

[hillbilly1]

I believe the change by UL was in the early 80s. Not exactly sure.

I think it was in the early 80’s

 

[James L]

I think it was in the early 80’s

'92 to '94
I remember when it happened, while at the first company I worked for

 

[kwired]

Yeah. There is/ was a house builder in my area that would guarantee you a house in 45 days. From a hole in the ground to final paint.
One day I did 29 inspections for them. Water/sewer and underground plumbing.
If you could not keep up with their schedule, you were excused.

Ron

If you were the inspector and not in one of those areas where they can choose their inspectors, you sort of have the ability to set their schedule to your pace.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I am curious is this discussion just limited to our little clique here. And 90% of tract homes are still getting backstabbed by somebody who has never read a forum in his life nor cares that they exist.

 

[James L]

I am curious is this discussion just limited to our little clique here. And 90% of tract homes are still getting backstabbed by somebody who has never read a forum in his life nor cares that they exist.

I've met all kinds of people out in the field who are always crying about the boogeyman backstabs

Here's all you need to know about their argument - there seems to be nothing moderate about their experience with burnt receptacles. Either they've seen one burnt one every 4 years or they see 50 per week.

Gimme a break

 

[kwired]

I've met all kinds of people out in the field who are always crying about the boogeyman backstabs

Here's all you need to know about their argument - there seems to be nothing moderate about their experience with burnt receptacles. Either they've seen one burnt one every 4 years or they see 50 per week.

Gimme a break

I mostly encounter one every few years that has failed to make contact anymore or maybe even may be intermittent in making contact. Majority of them were originally installed in 60's or 70's. I've seen just as many or even more failed terminations that were landed under the screws, most those tend to turn into the "glowing connection" for some time before they fail in a totally open state. When the face of the receptacle was burned I mostly attribute those failures to weak plug to receptacle contact and the supply connections to the receptacle may have some heat damage but not as serious as when that connection was the initial failure point.

 

[James L]

I mostly encounter one every few years that has failed to make contact anymore or maybe even may be intermittent in making contact. Majority of them were originally installed in 60's or 70's. I've seen just as many or even more failed terminations that were landed under the screws, most those tend to turn into the "glowing connection" for some time before they fail in a totally open state. When the face of the receptacle was burned I mostly attribute those failures to weak plug to receptacle contact and the supply connections to the receptacle may have some heat damage but not as serious as when that connection was the initial failure point.

Exactly the same here.