Is it code to pigtail devices?

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Electron_Sam78

Electron_Sam78

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Palm Bay, FL
We have a discussion going about whether it is code that a device such as a receptacle must be pigtailed and not rely on the device for continuity. We can only find a code section referring to grounding conductors. Is this code or best practice?

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wwhitney said:
250.148(B) (2011) applies to grounding conductors.

Cheers, Wayne
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Nothing really new there, Still does not require pigtail the ground wires. You are allowed to open the connection to remove a device. However you are not allowed to do so if this is a grounded wire. Open the neutral here and you can fry other components installed in the MWBC.
 
Electron_Sam78 said:
We have a discussion going about whether it is code that a device such as a receptacle must be pigtailed and not rely on the device for continuity. We can only find a code section referring to grounding conductors. Is this code or best practice?

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk
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Fire alarm devices must NOT be pigtailed, at least for IDC's and NAC's. You can pigtail devices on an SLC since they are all addressable.
 
Sierrasparky said:
Nothing really new there, Still does not require pigtail the ground wires. You are allowed to open the connection to remove a device.
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2011 NEC 250.148(B) said:
The arrangement of grounding connections shall be such that the disconnection or the removal of a receptacle, luminaire, or other device fed from the box does not interfere with or interrupt the grounding continuity.
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My reading is that this requires pigtailing. You must be able to remove the device without interrupting the grounding continuity. The wording is very similar to 300.13(B) on continuity of the grounded conductor in multwire branch circuits.

Cheers, Wayne
 
wwhitney said:
My reading is that this requires pigtailing. You must be able to remove the device without interrupting the grounding continuity. The wording is very similar to 300.13(B) on continuity of the grounded conductor in multwire branch circuits.

Cheers, Wayne
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As long as the continuity is established by bonding both conductors to the box rather than to the ground screw of the device, removing the device will not break continuity.
 
It is also common practice in commercial work to have the receptacle with one set of conductors on it-- this makes for ease of change without disruption down the line. Of course , the power should be de-energized but most of the time it is not.
 
wwhitney said:
My reading is that this requires pigtailing. You must be able to remove the device without interrupting the grounding continuity. The wording is very similar to 300.13(B) on continuity of the grounded conductor in multwire branch circuits.

Cheers, Wayne
Click to expand...

I would agree. The grounds must be pigtailed, and the neutrals in a multi-wire branch circuit must remain continuous, but the neutral on a two wire circuit that is feeding outlet to outlet does not require continuity by pig tailing or looping.
 
I pig tail all my receptacles one it makes them much easier to get back in the box, but two, if the connection is lost it makes it so much easier to find the bad receptacle, very common problem when you have home owners using those small portable space heaters, if I know ahead of time that this is what they will be using I not only pig tail but strip my tail extra long to wrap around both screws on the receptacle, never had one burn the terminals this way, I found an old house done this way and not one receptacle had any signs of heating around the receptacle screws despite the home owner using space heaters in every room.

But like was said, I do it by choice as it is not a requirement unless it is a MWBC
 
hurk27 said:
I pig tail all my receptacles one it makes them much easier to get back in the box, but two, if the connection is lost it makes it so much easier to find the bad receptacle, very common problem when you have home owners using those small portable space heaters, if I know ahead of time that this is what they will be using I not only pig tail but strip my tail extra long to wrap around both screws on the receptacle, never had one burn the terminals this way, I found an old house done this way and not one receptacle had any signs of heating around the receptacle screws despite the home owner using space heaters in every room.

But like was said, I do it by choice as it is not a requirement unless it is a MWBC
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I have found the problem with a heavy load like a heater isn't your connection at a screw terminal but rather the contact pressure between the cord cap and the receptacle is weak and that will still sink heat into your screw terminal and supply conductor.
 
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