Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

[wag]

An electrician installed a 20 amp receptacle circuit (not multiwire) with 6 recepts., #12 wire, and 15 amp duplex receptacles. He wired them as feed thru (daisy chain) usin the 4 screws on the recept.
The inspector would not accept it. Said he had to splice the wires and leave a pig tail to connect to only 2 screws of the recept.
I cannot find anything like this in the NEC. 210.21 (B)(3) allows the 15 amp recept. 300.13 (B) covering continuity of the grounded conductor only applies to multiwire circuits. Any comments?

 

[sandsnow]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

In addition to the Code the UL guide states that feeding through has been investigated and found suitable under certain conditions. Your condition is OK. The inspector is mistaken.

UL guide excerpt:

Single and duplex receptacles rated 15 and 20 A that are provided with more than one set of terminals for the connection of line and neutral conductors have been investigated to feed branch circuit conductors connected to other outlets on a multi-outlet branch circuit, as follows:

Back wire (screw actuated clamp type) terminations with multiple wire access holes used concurrently to terminate more than one conductor
Side wire (binding screw) terminals used concurrently with their respective push-in (screwless) terminations to terminate more than one conductor
Single and duplex receptacles rated 15 and 20 A that are provided with more than one set of terminals for the connection of line and neutral conductors have not been investigated to feed branch circuit conductors connected to other outlets on a multi-outlet branch circuit, as follows:

Side wire (binding screw) terminal with its associated back wire (screw actuated clamp type) terminal
Multiple conductors under a single binding screw
Multiple conductors in a single back wire hole


END

Link to Guide info (may be a little easier to read

UL guide info for receptacles

 

[peter d]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

The inspector is wrong. It sounds like the inspector is enforcing his preference, not the NEC.

You are correct, there is nothing in the NEC about this.

This electrician that you speak of should respectfully challenge the inspector. That is, ask for an NEC reference to back up his ruling.

 

[laidman]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

I disagree although there is nothing against it in the code it is not a good practice. even though you will not cause a problem with an open nuetral as with a multi wire branch if you lift the nuetral with something plugged in down stream the nuetral becoms hot as there is no return

I have never allowed my men or now students to do this.

 

[peter d]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

Originally posted by laidman:
I disagree although there is nothing against it in the code it is not a good practice. even though you will not cause a problem with an open nuetral as with a multi wire branch if you lift the nuetral with something plugged in down stream the nuetral becoms hot as there is no return

I have never allowed my men or now students to do this.

Please explain why this is "not good practice." The reason you gave is very poor and not convincing.

I'm interested in the probabilty of this ever causing a problem.

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

I agree with peter. Why would this be considered "Bad practice"? I would actually call it standard practice. Either way the inspector is wrong.

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

I never did it personally, but I have nothing against it. Like Scott said, it is the standard practice.

 

[laidman]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

Any time you break a neutral and the circuit is hot the neutral going downstream from where you break it becomes enregized and if you handle it as a grounded conductor thinking it is safe it is energized through the down stream lload and that is a saftey hazard. you can do it if you wish but I do not think that this a safe way to wire any system.

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

Instead of teaching people to pigtail, teach them not to work hot!

 

[laidman]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

I do but after you leave the job who teaches the home owner or maintenance man not to work hot. Around here the AHJ's are enforcing this as an addition to the code. by local ordinance.

 

[wirenut1980]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

I think that might be going too far. How many extra miles must electricians go to protect homeowners from themselves?

 

[peter d]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

Originally posted by laidman:
I do but after you leave the job who teaches the home owner or maintenance man not to work hot. Around here the AHJ's are enforcing this as an addition to the code. by local ordinance.

Making and enforcing rules to protect unqualified people is a very slippery slope. It is a point of no return. It's just another sign of the sad state of affairs here in America. Once upon a time, people took responsibility for their own actions. Those days are long gone. :roll:

 

[laidman]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

I agree with how far do you have to go. Ask the courts. All you need is one law suit whether its your fault or not. Better to cover your *** .

 

[peter d]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

Originally posted by laidman:
Better to cover your *** .

Yeah, that's pretty necessary these days. But all that butt covering is costing people a lot of money.

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

Originally posted by laidman:
I agree with how far do you have to go. Ask the courts. All you need is one law suit whether its your fault or not. Better to cover your *** .

Why only this issue. There is an infinite number of things that could happen on any given installation. You have to draw the line somewhere. As has been said before, where's the body count? The NEC does not seem to see that this is an issue.

 

[gndrod]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

wag, what is your conclusion to the inspector's requirement? Was it local?

rbj, Seattle

 

[bigjohn67]

Re: Multiple Receptacles-feed thru or splice with pigtail?

If I may chime in:

first:"stab-lock" is a guaranteed service call.
We do allow our techs to "stab" the wires in the back of the outlets.

second: How is using all the terminals that are UL approved "not a good practice". the code clearly states that either 15 or 20 amp outlets are approved to be used on a 20 amp circuit to feed multiple outlets.
With one exception: If a 20 amp circuit is used to supply a single outlet it must be rated to the over current protection. In this case a 20 amp device must be used.

But then again, we can argue with the inspectors all day. The code clearly states that the local inspection code rules as long is does not substandardize the NEC.

Anyhow, the best advise it to know your local inspector and his requirements and bid the job accordinatly.

I have not , in all my years, met 2 inspectors who are consistant with each other or to the code, both local and national.

[ March 31, 2005, 09:49 PM: Message edited by: bigjohn67 ]