Receptacle Wiring

[Little Bill]

My own guidelines:

If there are two cables in the box, I only pigtail the ground, using the receptacle to pass thru. AFCI and GFCI receptacles are rarely pigtailed unless I just need protection at that one receptacle.

If there are three or more cables, I pigtail everything rather than using the backstabs on the device.

Istm that most commercially trained electricians pigtail everything and resi sparkies just the ground. Not pigtailing is a bit faster and there's less actual* box fill since there are two less wagos/wirenuts. Calculated box fill is the same either way.

If there are two+ receptacles/switches in the box, I tail to all rather than using one wire looped around a screw on each device.

I do the same here! good practice I think

So if any one of those wires comes out of the back of the receptacle then you lose all other receptacles Downstream of it. Seems like an easy way of getting out of pigtailing, just so you can do it faster.

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The post you quoted and the other that was related to it didn't say they "back stabbed"

 

[MAC702]

Both methods, depends.

Same here. It depends on how busy I am on rough-in or hope not to be during trim.

But 96% of my work is remodel and repair, so I don't do enough "rough now / trim later" to establish a real pattern.

 

[MAC702]

So if any one of those wires comes out of the back of the receptacle then you lose all other receptacles Downstream of it. Seems like an easy way of getting out of pigtailing, just so you can do it faster.

I've seen lots of backstab failures, enough to never use that method, but none of those failures has been from the wiring 'coming out of the back.'

Or are you referring to loose screws on a "back-wired" device, which uses clamps?

Any method can be done with care or carelessly, independently of how quickly it is done. Just don't exceed your skill level.

 

[Setscrew]

I've seen lots of backstab failures, enough to never use that method, but none of those failures has been from the wiring 'coming out of the back.'

Or are you referring to loose screws on a "back-wired" device, which uses clamps?

Any method can be done with care or carelessly, independently of how quickly it is done. Just don't exceed your skill level.

Any method you use, if a wire comes loose you lose everything Downstream. It doesn't matter if it's wired in the back or side wired either way if you lose a wire, which can easily happen just by pushing it back in the box can, you will lose everything Downstream.

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[JFletcher]

So if any one of those wires comes out of the back of the receptacle then you lose all other receptacles Downstream of it. Seems like an easy way of getting out of pigtailing, just so you can do it faster.

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Even 15A receptacles are rated 20A pass-thru. Yes, if a wire burns out, you lose everything down stream, but I dont use the backstabs, but the sidescrews, which have to be used anyway with the pigtail-all method. Making more connections with pigtailing takes more time and creates more potential failure points. Yes, if a wire burns out and you lose a string of receptacles, it can take a few extra minutes to find the point of failure. It's also more likely a customer will call you if he has 5 outlets w/o power instead of one. While that may sound slightly self-serving, it's far less likely the customer will use an extension cord as permanent wiring from a good outlet if a string of them fails.

Wires if installed correctly do not pop-off when pushing a receptacle back into a box. If that happens to you, it's likely your connections are poor, the wires arent folded properly, or the box fill is too high, resulting in having to mash the wires back to get the device in.

Keep in mind that GFCI receptacles are almost never pigtailed, rather they may have up to 4 sets (2 line, 2 load) of wire pushed thru the back and secured by the pressure plates, which can accept a pair of wires. Using the sidescrews to tighten those pressure plates is not the same as backwired or backstabbed, which I might use only on the end-of-line receptacle and 1 cable in the box. Pigtailing to GFCI receptacles affords no downstream ground fault protection, ditto the new AFCI receptacles.

 

[JohnE]

A. I'd splice them.

 

[BostonPedro]

I pigtail hots, neutrals and grounds.
I was commercially trained and as someone has stated it seems that almost all commercially trained electricians pigtail while those trained in residential pigtail less often. The only thing I never pig tailed was kitchen and bathroom circuits but I don't use a GFCI anymore in those spots choosing instead to use a GFCI or Arc fault/GFCI combo breaker so they are pig tailed now also

 

[MAC702]

... It doesn't matter if it's wired in the back or side wired either way if you lose a wire, which can easily happen just by pushing it back in the box can,...

That's where I'm calling BS, unless you are purposely using hyperbole for some reason.

That's is in no way something "easily" done, especially with a proper connection.

I've seen more wires fall out of piss-poor wirenut jobs than screws.

 

[Frank DuVal]

I'm with Mac. I do not think it is easily done (losing a wire pushing the receptacle into the box) if you make the connections correctly. I've never experienced it myself.

I pigtail three or more conductors to a side of a receptacle, use pass through of device for two conductors. I make up the switch box wires on rough in to keep from dealing with all "white" (or whatever color they spray painted the room...) wires on trim out.

Frank DuVal