Code question-feed through receptacles

[weisinger electric]

Is it NEC compliant to wire 120 volt 15 amp general purpose receptacles in series using the quick connect feature on the receptacle with out pigtailing the branch conductors. This is a residential application for a 20 amp 120 volt branch circuit.

 

[roger]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

Yes, as long as it is not the neutral of a multi-wire branch circuit. See 300.13(B)

Roger

[ September 01, 2003, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: roger ]

 

[iwire]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

Roger you are fast, so I will add that the grounding conductor must be pigtailed.

I just ran into some store fixtures that had two 12 awg solids stacked under the one ground screw. :roll:

Bob

 

[curt swartz]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

What size wire are you using for this 20 amp circuit? The "quick-wire" holes only except #14cu wire.

 

[roger]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

Hello Bob, fast uhh? Car edited it was making me dizzy

Curt, I didn't think about that. Of course if it's an older home it may have been before the change in these receptacles.

Roger

[ September 01, 2003, 06:38 PM: Message edited by: roger ]

 

[iwire]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

That 20 amp circuit on backstabs went right past me.

Bob

[ September 01, 2003, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]

 

[Guest]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

Originally posted by curt swartz:
What size wire are you using for this 20 amp circuit? The "quick-wire" holes only except #14cu wire.

I am very curious to hear more about this. Can you cite any references? I just bought a Broan/Nutone heat/vent/light/night-light ceiling unit and the furnished switch ONLY allows backstabbing for the heater and fan switches. It also specifies a 20-amp circuit and 12 AWG wire for the circuit. I hate backstabbing. I especially hate backstabbing a 1500-watt heater switch as is mandated by the design of the switch! I know I can put a 4-gang box in my bathroom and wire it all separately, but it's a small bathroom and I would like to avoid that and use the factory switch unit.

Link to install guide for model 732 unit with model 770 4-function switch:
Model 732 install guide

Spec sheet link

 

[gary]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

U.L. still approves the use of #12 CU with "Quick wire" switches.

 

[noxx]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

If this is a remodel application be sure to check the home-run. Nearly all new construction 20A circuits are run out in 12-3 NM cable, meeting the definition of a multi-wire branch which would make series-wiring in violation.

I do hope however that this is a question of theory rather than of application. In practice, series wiring of receptacle circuits is a service call waiting to happen. Pigtailing provides a better connection and removes the circuit load from the receptacle yoke, there is no valid reason to not do it.

 

[noxx]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

And yes, you couldn't really do it anyway, as UL listed quickwire receps max out at #14, making it a 15A circuit in the first place....read right on by that, it's late here.

 

[iwire]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

Awwt, here is some info on the speed wire terminals for outlets from the UL white book.

Screwless terminal connectors of the conductor push-in type (also known as ??push-in-terminals??) are restricted to 15 A branch circuits and are for connection with 14 AWG solid copper wire only. They are not intended for use with aluminum or copper-clad aluminum wire, 14 AWG stranded copper wire, or 12 AWG solid or stranded copper wire.

Single and duplex receptacles rated 15 A and 20 A that are provided with more than one set of terminals for the connection of line and neutral conductors may be used to feed a single set of branch circuit conductors connected to other receptacles on a multi-outlet branch circuit. These devices have not been tested for tapping off more than one circuit from the receptacle by utilizing both the side-wiring and back-wiring terminals on an outlet.

I could not find anything on the switches, but I have not had coffee yet, I will look later.

Bob

 

[weisinger electric]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

Thanks for the great response to my question. To answer a few of the questions posed. The application is new construction. The wire size is 12/2 wg romex. Thanks to your response, I found one reference in the code book 300.13 (Mechanical and electrical continuity)-(b)which addresses this question.
As a matter of good craftsmanship I have always instructed my electricians to pigtail to the receptacles which keeps the application compliant with 300-13(b)and eliminates the small tab from carrying any down stream load not to mention the problems associated with removal or failure of a device in series with a load. I just needed some more justification. Thanks

 

[Guest]

Re: Code question-feed through receptacles

Have you ever really thought about the concept of quickwire (speedwire/backwire/backstab)? It relies on a spring. Springs move. Also, the wire is round. The spring is flat. Best case there is only a couple of molecules of contact between the round wire and the flat spring. The spring and the wire are usually dis-similar metals. They are not to far away from each other on the metallurgy scale but they are not identical (the wire is copper, and the spring is clad with some silver colored alloy). My point is the surface area of the spring to wire contact is very minimal. I could not be any worse. The spring is not even cut on a bias to maximize it's surface area contact with the wire-- the spring is cut at 90 degrees, while the spring to wire contact is more like 60 degrees. So just the sharp edge of the spring is contacting less than one degree of the circumference of the wire. The connection is subject to heat, cool, energized, unenergized, expansion and contraction forces. Oh, and let's not forget oxidation, corrosion, and arcing.

Even wire nuts rely on a certain amount of surface area for contact.

We have gone from soldering and/or screws to and/or wire nuts and finally to a little-itty-bitty-springy-thingy.

What a crappy system!

End of rant.

[ ieSpell caught six spelling errors in this post before I submitted it. I own the grammar and there is no grammar utility that I know of for forum text box posts and replies. Sorry! ]