jeff48356
Senior Member
- Location
- Livonia, Michigan
I would like to propose a change to the next revision of the NEC:
I've seen countless times where a circuit has lost continuity, where the customer reported that part of a circuit suddenly quit working, and I traced the problem to a poor connection at one of the wall receptacles on the circuit. Every single time, it was that the original electrician used the back-wire stab-in terminals instead of taking a few extra seconds to bend loops in the wires and use the screw terminals. These tend to fail over time, even creating a fire hazard due to the loose connection and the wire insulation heating up and crumbling or burning.
I would like to see a change where the Code no longer allows such connections, and that all connections to devices must be made using screw terminals. Back around the late 90's, Leviton stopped making devices that allowed #12 wire to be used, and only made the holes big enough to accept #14 wires. They should have simply eliminated these altogether, rather than just the modification. But with my proposed Code change, they would be required to eliminate them and only provide screw terminals.
Any opinions?
I've seen countless times where a circuit has lost continuity, where the customer reported that part of a circuit suddenly quit working, and I traced the problem to a poor connection at one of the wall receptacles on the circuit. Every single time, it was that the original electrician used the back-wire stab-in terminals instead of taking a few extra seconds to bend loops in the wires and use the screw terminals. These tend to fail over time, even creating a fire hazard due to the loose connection and the wire insulation heating up and crumbling or burning.
I would like to see a change where the Code no longer allows such connections, and that all connections to devices must be made using screw terminals. Back around the late 90's, Leviton stopped making devices that allowed #12 wire to be used, and only made the holes big enough to accept #14 wires. They should have simply eliminated these altogether, rather than just the modification. But with my proposed Code change, they would be required to eliminate them and only provide screw terminals.
Any opinions?