High electric bill because of loose connections?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Z

zinsco

Member
Location
San Diego, CA
Can loose connections at outlets cause the electric bill to go up?

I was thinking that loose connections cause more resistance and could cause there to be a higher draw. But would it be enough to signifigently raise the bill?

In homes, at least hear in Ca, residential electricians never pigtail and always plug all the wires into the quick stab holes of the outlets.

This is great for my job security, because loose connections are just about a given at any home even if it is new.

I all ways suggest to customers to replace the outlets and switches and have them pigtailed because of the presence of loose connections heating up. If it also affects their bill than that could be another reason.
 
No I don't think it will cause the bill to increase, at least not enough to worry about. The voltage source is not ideal and increasing the resistance on a branch circuit via a bad connection will most likely sag the voltage slightly to the outlet.
 
Well tract home contractors use the cheap .29 cent stab in the back outllets , it should be code to start off with spec. or tech spec outlets ,,,crap is crap no matter how you look at it? Same goes for switchs..
 
ce2two said:
Well tract home contractors use the cheap .29 cent stab in the back outllets , it should be code to start off with spec. or tech spec outlets ,,,crap is crap no matter how you look at it? Same goes for switchs..
Click to expand...
I don't think those cheap outlets are .29 cents anymore. Also if they are so crappy then why are they allowed? I like them and have them in my own home. In fact I replaced all of the nasty ivory outlets with brand spanking new white cheap backstab outlets and every one of them works and looks great! And even if I'm wiring a nice big spread out custom home I would still use the cheapo outlets, unless of course the HO or GC wants to pay me extra to use the expensive ones (I doubt either the HO or GC would ever think "hey I don't want the EC installing those run of the mill cheap UL listed, perfectly legal and safe white outlets, I'm going to request that he use the expensive ones which I'll never know the difference between, but i'll just feel safer and better, because I deserve the very best that life has to offer."). :)
 
steelersman said:
I don't think those cheap outlets are .29 cents anymore. Also if they are so crappy then why are they allowed? I like them and have them in my own home. In fact I replaced all of the nasty ivory outlets with brand spanking new white cheap backstab outlets and every one of them works and looks great! And even if I'm wiring a nice big spread out custom home I would still use the cheapo outlets, unless of course the HO or GC wants to pay me extra to use the expensive ones (I doubt either the HO or GC would ever think "hey I don't want the EC installing those run of the mill cheap UL listed, perfectly legal and safe white outlets, I'm going to request that he use the expensive ones which I'll never know the difference between, but i'll just feel safer and better, because I deserve the very best that life has to offer."). :)
Click to expand...

NO matter how you paint it you get what you pay for. I think experience has shown CHEAP back stabbed outlets are very good....service electrical contractors. When I did residential and customers asked us why these receptacles were allowed what we said about the installers was less than nice.
 
brian john said:
I think experience has shown CHEAP back stabbed outlets are very good....service electrical contractors. When I did residential and customers asked us why these receptacles were allowed what we said about the installers was less than nice.
Click to expand...

:roll:

While I wouldn't use the backstab method myself, I would not be speaking ill of a fellow electrician for using residential grade receptacles. Sure, go ahead and install CR15's in a house if that makes you happy, but don't look down on those who don't.
 
brian john said:
NO matter how you paint it you get what you pay for. I think experience has shown CHEAP back stabbed outlets are very good....service electrical contractors. When I did residential and customers asked us why these receptacles were allowed what we said about the installers was less than nice.
Click to expand...
I find it very hard to believe, in fact I totally don't believe it when you say that the customers were inquiring about why these recepts. are allowed! What a farse! I'm always humored when a commercial guy wires a house as if it were an office building, using metal boxes, all #12 wire, keeping lights on seperate circuits from outlets. Nothing wrong with that but I just find it amusing because I think they don't know the resi codes. Maybe you should focus on saying things less than nice about the manufacturers of these devices or possibly the UL or the NEC, and stop hating on the electricians who aren't breaking any rules by using these WONDERFUL devices. :)
 
Last edited:
steelersman said:
I find it very hard to believe, in fact I totally don't believe it when you say that the customers were inquiring about why these recepts. are allowed! What a farse! I'm always humored when a commercial guy wires a house as if it were an office building, using metal boxes, all #12 wire, keeping lights on seperate circuits from outlets. Nothing wrong with that but I just find it amusing because I think they don't know the resi codes. Maybe you should focus on saying things less than nice about the manufacturers of these divices or possibly the UL or the NEC, and stop hating on the electricians who aren't breaking any rules by using these WONDERFUL devices. :)
Click to expand...


Well said steelrsdude.
 
steelersman said:
Thanks Peter! And thanks for defending me and other electricians who are doing nothing wrong by using what is legal. :)
Click to expand...

I have spoken up on several occasions in the past in defense of residential grade devices, and will do so in the future. They are just fine for what they are intended for - a residence!
 
Guys, the topic is more about if loose connections cause the electric bill to go up or not than it is about cheap outlets.

That said, I will chime in on it.

The problem is not the outlets. Cheap or not cheap. I don't care what you use, if you pigtail you will keep the current and thus the heat down so low on almost all the outlets that it doesn't matter.

The loose connections happen because of (for lack of a scientific explanation) the heating up on usage and the cooling down when turned off. Over time there is expanding and contraction from that heating up and cooling down that causes the loose connections and than melted and burnt wires and outlets.

If you pigtail you lower the current running through each outlet so much that there is not enough expanding and contracting happening to matter. If you pigtail go ahead and use the cheap outlet and even the quick stab hole. It will be rock solid.

Than again, if you pigtail that connection is only as good as you make it. So you better twist your wires with your pliers and than it will be rock solid.
 
zinsco said:
That said, I will chime in on it.....
Click to expand...

Oh boy...

There is not a shred of evidence that pigtailing is a superior method to the terminal screws for a "feed through" connection as far as reliability goes. If the connection is heating up it means the connection is bad (loose terminal screw.) I've yet to see a screw that was properly tightened get loose.

Oh, and a bad wire nut splice will ruin your day just as fast as a loose terminal screw will...so there goes your theory about pigtailing. :smile:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top