Back Stab Receptacles

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ericsherman37

ericsherman37

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Location
Oregon Coast
If it has the means for it, and generally they only allow for #14 solid copper.

But I wouldn't recommend it - 90% of the service calls I go on where someone is reporting a section of lights and/or plugs in their house that stopped working, it usually winds up being a receptacle or switch with a back-stap connection that went south. I don't trust them and I always wrap the wires on the screws.
 
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emahler

Senior Member
ericsherman37 said:
If it has the means for it, and generally they only allow for #14 solid copper.

But I wouldn't recommend it - 90% of the service calls I go on where someone is reporting a section of lights and/or plugs in their house that stopped working, it usually winds up being a receptacle or switch with a back-stap connection that went south. I don't trust them and I always wrap the wires on the screws.
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90%? don't go on many service calls?
 
brantmacga

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
GeorgeB said:
Solid only, I believe; the OP's user name suggests to me that he MAY be pulling stranded.
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Why spoil the fun of letting someone spend hours trying to get stranded wire into a back-stab recep?


And I seem to be in the small minority of persons who have never experienced a problem w/ back-stabbed connections; not with my work or anyone else I've gone behind.

All of my 14ga installations are back-stabbed.
 
ericsherman37

ericsherman37

Senior Member
Location
Oregon Coast
brantmacga said:
Why spoil the fun of letting someone spend hours trying to get stranded wire into a back-stab recep?


And I seem to be in the small minority of persons who have never experienced a problem w/ back-stabbed connections; not with my work or anyone else I've gone behind.

All of my 14ga installations are back-stabbed.
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Most of the ones I've seen are older... 10 years or more maybe. Some older plugs don't even have a side-wire option, they're stab-in only.
 
brantmacga

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
480sparky said:
10 YO and older would accept 12. I think the requirement to allow only 14 was in 2000.
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Really?


We were purchasing devices that accepted #12 back-stabs well into 2005-06 when I was an electrician for another company.


When the supply house started stocking devices that only accepted #14, my boss at the time finally decided that was enough to start using #14 everywhere allowed on resi work.
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
brantmacga said:
Really?


We were purchasing devices that accepted #12 back-stabs well into 2005-06 when I was an electrician for another company.


When the supply house started stocking devices that only accepted #14, my boss at the time finally decided that was enough to start using #14 everywhere allowed on resi work.
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That was the last year they were allowed to be manufactured. It didn't prevent the sale or use of those already in stock.
 
kbsparky

kbsparky

Senior Member
Location
Delmarva, USA
brantmacga said:
...When the supply house started stocking devices that only accepted #14, my boss at the time finally decided that was enough to start using #14 everywhere allowed on resi work.
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I saw one old salt rebel against the #14 limitation. He actually drilled out the holes in the back of the new devices so that #12 would fit in there ... :mad:
 
iaov

iaov

Senior Member
Location
Rhinelander WI
The more expensive Hubbles have a back stab of sorts in that you can install the wire from the back but you are screwing it down in the terminal. These connections are very reliable. But the receptacles are expensive.
 
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