Yellowed receptacles just a cosmetic issue, or something more?

[dwasifar]

Many of the receptacles in my house have yellowed from their original white, some quite markedly:



That is not an ivory receptacle. Sixteen years ago, when the house was built, it matched the plate. The receptacle yellowed and the plate stayed white. I would say about a third of the receptacles in the home look like this now.

My question: could this somehow affect the integrity of the plastic? Or is it just a cosmetic inconvenience?

Edited to add: The receptacle pictured is a Pass & Seymour, if that makes a difference.

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, you have a cosmetic problem that can be solved by soaking them in a Strong Tri sodium phosphate solution. I have purchased Tri Sodium Phosphate in Painters Supply Stores.

Replacing them with Better Grade New ones might be more economical.

 

[LXCam]

Heat will cause them to darken as well. And considering the upper receptacle is darker then the bottom, I'd suggest you double check the connections and or how well it feels when you plug something in. If its making a poor connection, that might be the issue. Or it could just be age all though P&S have always been a quality product.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

maybe its my monitor but the plate doesnt look white either. id say the receptacle is ivory and the plate is almond....

you can take the receptacle out and see if theres a model # on it. color code might be on the model #

 

[dwasifar]

Heat will cause them to darken as well. And considering the upper receptacle is darker then the bottom, I'd suggest you double check the connections and or how well it feels when you plug something in. If its making a poor connection, that might be the issue. Or it could just be age all though P&S have always been a quality product.

The upper receptacle? Do you mean the one on the left?

Hard to imagine how it could be heat. There is usually a lamp plugged into that side, but it's rarely turned on, and it's only a 12.5W LED bulb. I'd be more inclined to suspect it's picked up some sort of outgassing from the vinyl plug body.

maybe its my monitor but the plate doesnt look white either. id say the receptacle is ivory and the plate is almond....

you can take the receptacle out and see if theres a model # on it. color code might be on the model #

Yeah, that's just the light. The plate is still white. And the body of the receptacle is still white where light doesn't hit it:



So I feel like maybe this is ABS plastic and it's yellowing from UV exposure, in which case I'd expect it to eventually become brittle.

By the way, don't blame me for that untightened hot screw. That's the builder's doing.

 

[LXCam]

The upper receptacle? Do you mean the one on the left?

Hard to imagine how it could be heat. There is usually a lamp plugged into that side, but it's rarely turned on, and it's only a 12.5W LED bulb. I'd be more inclined to suspect it's picked up some sort of outgassing from the vinyl plug body.

You so rarely see receptacles installed horizontally I just figure your pic was sideways. But yes, the left. And considering you don't have any kind of load on it, I doubt its a connection/heat issue.

 

[cgrutt]

There's a product called Retro-brite that might help. It's pretty much hydrogen peroxide in gel form. You need to spray it on and expose to UV light, which can be as simple as letting it sit out in sun. Haven't used it myself but supposedly does a good job restoring yellowed plastics.

 

[dwasifar]

You so rarely see receptacles installed horizontally I just figure your pic was sideways. But yes, the left. And considering you don't have any kind of load on it, I doubt its a connection/heat issue.

Yeah, that's kind of what I figured. This is northeastern Illinois, where metal boxes and EMT are still required in residential applications. The boxes are all 4x4 steel with horizontally mounted mud rings. I don't know if horizontal is required, but it's how it's always done around here.

Although if I were installing a receptacle vertically, I'd be inclined to put the ground on top.

 

[dwasifar]

Thanks guys. If I'm going to pull the receptacles out, new ones are going in. But I'm saving the advice about Retro-Brite and trisodium phosphate for other restoration projects, like for instance my shower pan and jacuzzi jets.

 

[Zeke]

Before you go into any trouble, wipe them with denatured alcohol. 50/50 chance.

 

[Jmellc]

They do discolor over time. I always told people not to worry about it if the look of it wasn't bothersome. I have faded ones at my house and I only replace them when they don't hold a plug any more.

 

[dwasifar]

I bought a box of spec grade Eaton receptacles and I'm just going to replace these residential grade devices as needed. With any luck the nylon composition of the spec grade devices will be more resistant to yellowing. (Plus made in USA, as opposed to China for any residential device you'd buy today.)

 

[rlitman]

I bought a box of spec grade Eaton receptacles and I'm just going to replace these residential grade devices as needed. With any luck the nylon composition of the spec grade devices will be more resistant to yellowing. (Plus made in USA, as opposed to China for any residential device you'd buy today.)

They all yellow. Nylon just as much from what I've found, but the nylon is at least less likely to chip and crack when abused.

 

[dwasifar]

They all yellow. Nylon just as much from what I've found, but the nylon is at least less likely to chip and crack when abused.

Good to know.

 

[Metal-Marc]

Replace them all with Decora white outlets and switches.

 

[ycgoat]

I am sure you know but I can’t help myself

turn off the power before changing the outlets or wetting with a cleaner.

 

[CJ7VFR]

...I'm saving the advice about Retro-Brite and trisodium phosphate for other restoration projects...

After you replace the old receptacle you posted about originally, with a nice new white one, try the Retro-Brite on the old one and post a picture of how it turned out. We would love to see the results!

Jim

 

[rlitman]

After you replace the old receptacle you posted about originally, with a nice new white one, try the Retro-Brite on the old one and post a picture of how it turned out. We would love to see the results!

Jim

I'd suggest not using chemicals to restore the color of a receptacle. They may work well ad taking the orange out of the Commodore 64 in your closet, but the old plastic will be brittle from age, and anything you do to the surface will likely make it even more brittle. That thin plastic covering is all that keeps you away from the live components inside, and you don't want it cracking open.

There's also the risk of chemicals directly getting into the outlet, or even vapors, either of which can corrode the contacts, leading to thermal failure. Or if any cleaning agent you use is conductive...

 

[CJ7VFR]

I'd suggest not using chemicals to restore the color of a receptacle. They may work well ad taking the orange out of the Commodore 64 in your closet, but the old plastic will be brittle from age, and anything you do to the surface will likely make it even more brittle. That thin plastic covering is all that keeps you away from the live components inside, and you don't want it cracking open.

There's also the risk of chemicals directly getting into the outlet, or even vapors, either of which can corrode the contacts, leading to thermal failure. Or if any cleaning agent you use is conductive...

He told us he is going to replace all his old faded receptacles with new ones. He's not trying to restore the faded ones and then put them back in. I was saying after he pulls an old faded receptacle, and replaces it with a new one, try the Resto-Brite on the old one and see what happens to it and post a picture so we can see it. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, the Resto-Brite does.

Jim

 

[rlitman]

He told us he is going to replace all his old faded receptacles with new ones. He's not trying to restore the faded ones and then put them back in. I was saying after he pulls an old faded receptacle, and replaces it with a new one, try the Resto-Brite on the old one and see what happens to it and post a picture so we can see it. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, the Resto-Brite does.

Jim

Sure. I'm not disagreeing with you at all. Just a bit with other posts suggesting he can should them up.
If it were my house, I'd probably just leave them in place, so long as my tension tester says they're still holding the plug blades fine.

 

[mikedodge]

I can see replacing ones that are visible when they don't match the cover plates but for the cost of new ones I'd be changing them too over trying to re whiten them.
Almost all of ours are off white to begin with.

 

[dwasifar]

Replace them all with Decora white outlets and switches.

I thought about that, even posted about it, but then I would be obliged to replace every receptacle and plate in the house, which is a much bigger and costlier undertaking.

 

[dwasifar]

I am sure you know but I can’t help myself

turn off the power before changing the outlets or wetting with a cleaner.

I would never spray a wet cleaner into a live outlet.

Typically I do turn off the power before working on a circuit, but I always try to treat the wires as if they are live. There have been times when I've had the breaker off and still been surprised to see a spark when unhooking a neutral inside the box, meaning something somewhere is sharing a neutral with another circuit.

 

[southalabama]

I am sure you know but I can’t help myself

turn off the power before changing the outlets or wetting with a cleaner.

The pressure washer doesn’t play well with energized outlets

 

[yhprum]

I’ve tried the hydrogen peroxide gel thing and it works but a year later the yellow has returned. I found a quick spray with white krylon plastic paint works wonders and doesn’t re yellow over time.I’m also would have concerns about hydrogen peroxide causing corrosion to the metal bits in the plug.

 

[LOW1]

And Buy plates which are the same brand as the outlets. One manufacture’s white is likely different than another’s. There are dozens of different shades of white.

 

[dave*99]

I’ve tried the hydrogen peroxide gel thing and it works but a year later the yellow has returned. I found a quick spray with white krylon plastic paint works wonders and doesn’t re yellow over time.I’m also would have concerns about hydrogen peroxide causing corrosion to the metal bits in the plug.

Painted receptacles and switches are a safety hazard. Home inspectors will often cite them in their report.

 

[yhprum]

Good to know Dave 99

 

[dwasifar]

Today I replaced four yellowed receptacles in the dining room, which was a little frustrating because those four outlets were on three different circuits. Two were on the living room circuit, one was on the kitchen refrigerator circuit, and the remaining one was on the kitchen countertop GFCI circuit (and is therefore GFCI-protected). I would really like to know what was in the electrician's head when he made those choices.