Pigtails

[jgriffin02]

A friend is doing a major rewire on his house. He has no multiwire circuits. He wired the outlets using the side terminals as a pass-through rather than using pigtails. The circuit is #12 at 20 amps. The outlets are 15 amp. The building inspector doesn't like that he didn't pigtail and said that the 15 amp outlets are no good for 20 amp pass through. My friend contacted Leviton and they sent him documentation that shows that the outlets are rated at 15 amp supply, 20 amp pass through.

I cannot find in the code were it explicitly says that the device can be wired for pass through, only the implication that if the circuit is multiwire, the grounded neutral cannot be wired pass through.

Anyone know the NEC reference that would make this inspector happy (or not).

 

[ryan_618]

Table 210.21(B)(3).

 

[infinity]

With the exception of the multiwire neutral, pigtails are not required on the 15 amp device. The feed through rating of the device is 20 amps.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Pigtails are quality work but not required.Inspector needs to see the letter then should simply back off

 

[iwire]

Table 210.21(B)(3) is about as close as you will get.

The inspector must cite a code section failing the job or pass the job.

 

[iwire]

Not bad, four helpful responses in 2 minutes. 8)

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Since you received the paperwork you will also be able to cite 110.3(B).

 

[LarryFine]

This question seems to be a constant among electricians' forums. The conductive pieces of a 15-amp receptacle are of no less ampacity than are those of an otherwies-identical 20-amp receptacle.

Within a given quality/type range (spec, residential, etc.), the internal parts of 15- and 20-amp receptacles are the same. It's the slot shape that defines a receptacle's current rating, not the conductive parts.

The slot shape of a receptacle controls the plugs that may be inserted into it by rejecting plugs that don't fit, similarly to the way a breaker panel rejects tandem breakers to prohibit exceeding the quantity limit.

Ever see a 30a dryer receptacle with the conductive parts of less ampacity than the same style of 50a range receptacle? How about convertible range/dryer plugs with interchangeable neutral blades?

The whole idea is that the receptacle indicates the capacity of the circuit supplying it, especially for 15- and 20-amp receptacles. A 20-amp circuit may supply 15- or 20-amp plug-equipped devices.

However, an appliance or other equipment that would overload a 15-amp circuit comes equipped with a 20-amp plug, but a less-than-15-amp load may be supplied by either a 15- or 20-amp circuit.

 

[jes25]

Pigtails are quality work but not required.

I hear this all the time but I am not sure why. Is it quality just because it takes longer? I am refering to using the pass thru screws not he stab ins. The stab ins do seem to have a higher failure rate from my expeirence doing service.

 

[electricmanscott]

Pigtails are quality work but not required.

I'm thinking more opinion than actual fact.

 

[infinity]

Speaking of pigtailing, has anyone ever used these?

 

[petersonra]

Pigtails are quality work but not required.

I'm thinking more opinion than actual fact.

I tend to agree. My bad experiences with wire nuts would tend to make me prefer the pass through method rather than devices hooked up with pigtails and wire nuts.

Can't say as I like or dislike the back fed devices. Seems like a quick connection, but you guys claim a relatively high failure rate. I suspect this is a residential issue only, and I don't see much problems on residential work since the only residence I ever do any electrical work on or look at is in my own house.

I do have some bad experiences with wire nuts used in industrial control panels. I just dread seeing them used. Most of you guys seem to feel they work acceptably. My bad experiences with them make me very leery of seeing them used.

 

[chicar]

I'm with Jim W. I like pigtails. I also mechanically combine wires before using wirenuts by twisting wires with kleins. It also makes it easy to tuck the recept into the box.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Seen a fire start from the lack of pigtails.Luckily i was there and killed circuit fast and put out the flames.This would have easily been a fire had nobody caught it fast.The screws loosened over time.We always pigtail,no exceptions.Your trying to save time and it comes with a price.I am also a pretwister so pigtails almost never fail.

 

[Shockedby277v]

Infinity,

We used those on our last job and I think we're using em again on the next. They rock. Make joints during rough in, tuck into box and leave until recept install and trim out. The end of the plug comes with a lil baggy to prevents paint and dry-wall mud/dust contaminating it. The plug only fits in one way too, not to mention you can pull it out with-out any exposed hot parts. I don't know if it was the same brand but I give'em a ten out of ten.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

From Bob
"I do have some bad experiences with wire nuts used in industrial control panels. I just dread seeing them used. Most of you guys seem to feel they work acceptably. My bad experiences with them make me very leery of seeing them used."


this is an installation issue. Most of the time, the wirenut is just fine... I would start worrying about the installers.


One of the virtues of using pigtails for terminating devices is the fact that if the device itself fails, the circuit will continue to function. There is nothing more fun than trying to locate the failure in the circuit via a device, especially if the circuit is supplying more than one room... sometime even more than one floor level.

 

[dlhoule]

I'm with Pierre on this. Properly installed wire nuts are just fine. I don't think the failure rate is higher one way or the other if properly installed. I like pigtails because so many people have it in their heads that as long as you don't touch the black wire you won't get a shock. I can't count the number of times a HO has asked how he could get a shock off of the white wire. I used to try to explain why. Now I just tell them "if you call a qualified electrician, you can't." I still like to have things as safe as possible and I feel the pigtailing method is slightly safer because of old wives tale about no shock off white wire.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

I'm with Pierre on this. Properly installed wire nuts are just fine. I don't think the failure rate is higher one way or the other if properly installed. I like pigtails because so many people have it in their heads that as long as you don't touch the black wire you won't get a shock. I can't count the number of times a HO has asked how he could get a shock off of the white wire. I used to try to explain why. Now I just tell them "if you call a qualified electrician, you can't." I still like to have things as safe as possible and I feel the pigtailing method is slightly safer because of old wives tale about no shock off white wire.

I like the results if they do.They will never touch a wire again ever

 

[hardworkingstiff]

I like the results if they do.They will never touch a wire again ever

Never stopped me, :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[dlhoule]

I like the results if they do.They will never touch a wire again ever

Never stopped me, :lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: Never stopped me; I always wondered what had happened to you. Now I know. :twisted: :twisted: