120V Electrical pig tails

[5030tinkerer]

A local electrician that is bidding my house construction project indicated that there was value in NOT using the back of duplex receptacles to daisy chain the romex between outlets. He said that by doing a 3 way pigtail in the back of each box, the outlets wouldn't be forced to pass the power through them that another downstream outlet was demanding.

This seems just like extra work to me since every Nema5 duplex receptacle I've looked at supports 20amp current pass through. What do you guys think?

 

[kennyd]

He is being super cautious, Sounds like a good man There certainly is nothing wrong with him doing it that way-and MUCH better than using the "back stab" method using the holes in the back of the outlets

 

[Diesel-ME]

I like to use 20Amp receptacles with back wires. They cost way more than the cheapy receptacles, but they are rated to be used for "back stabbing" with 12AWG wire. It saves space in the box plus there's no worry about a bad connection or too many wires twisted together. Over the life of the material, the difference in price for a few 10packs of 20Amp receptacles is well worth it IMO.

I trust that the manufacturer's engineers and U.L. know what they are doing when they design and test this stuff.

~paul

 

[slowrev]

I think pigtailing will be more likely to cause problems with loose wirenuts than looping thru the outlet.

I do not like the push in types though, I always use the screws with a good tite loop under the screw.

When I pigtail in my home I always solder the twist and then put a wire nut on as an insulator. I want no bad connections burning my home down.

Ben

 

[techman]

Using pigtails may require a bigger than standard electrical box. You need to consult NEC to see how many cu-in are available and what is used per code with extra wirenuts in the box.

paul

 

[Inspector507]

NEC does not require bigger boxes when using pigtails and/or wirenuts, they don't count towards the total cu in.
The receptacles are listed for a feed-thru application, but to each his own.

 

[SPIKER]

I'm in agreement with inspector not 100% needed but it is a good practice to use pigtails so that any bad outlet does not have to pass current through it to other devices so that extra loads arnt as big of a problem. slight heating in one device then is only that device's energy effecting it. if done RIGHT a wire nut is a great tool/device and will not come loose. also changing ONE device is easier when it is pigtailed in rather than using it as a feed trough...

Mark M

 

[450EXC]

If you pigtail to each receptacle you will still be able to use the rest of the circut if a receptacle goes bad. If you through-wire and the first receptacle goes bad then the remaining outlets on the circut are useless untill you repair the bad first one.

Of course it would probably break during a big project when you don't want to mess with replacing it right away.

 

[Luremaker]

In Ontario the code is you MUST pigtail or your wiring will not pass inspection. I think I would insist on at least the neutral wire being pigtailed.

 

[Marine1]

I was taught to always pigtail and to terminate at the screws and to never use the stab ins. Tape over the screws too in a metal box. I have seen tons of failures with those stab ins. If you take a receptacle apart that little stab in is just a small flat piece of metal with two gripping teeth. Not much holding it together.