Taping electrical outlets?

[Teken]

I have been busy with pre-wiring my garage outlets. One of the things I have seen and have been told to do is tape up the perimeter of the electrical outlets once the final wiring is done and the recepticle is ready to be screwed into place.

I haven't been doing this in past jobs I have done. But, it stands to reason a little extra electrical tape wrapped around the terminal screws would give the person an extra level of safety.

I have a few friends in the electrical trades, mostly commercial business. Some of them say no problem and they also do it. Others say don't do it because it may affect the heat dissipation of the outlet.

They also say some inspectors may frown upon seeing the tape wrapped around the plugs body / housing.

I know it's not code here where I live, but would like to read what some of you guys believe is the best method.

Good, bad, indifferent I welcome the information . . .

Regards

EVIL Teken . . .

 

[Junkman]

That is the way that I did my home 25+ years ago, and to this day, not one of them has failed from heat or any other type of failure.

 

[BioHazard]

I'd bet everything I own it won't hurt anything, but I don't really see the advantage either...

 

[Norcal]

I'd bet everything I own it won't hurt anything, but I don't really see the advantage either...

IMO it's a waste of tape & since most residential uses plastic boxes not going to do a bit of good.

 

[mrb]

A proper installation will not require tape, and installations with tape generally are frowned upon as amature. Same goes for wire nuts.

 

[Norcal]

A proper installation will not require tape, and installations with tape generally are frowned upon as amature. Same goes for wire nuts.

agreed.

 

[Bull]

What do pros use if not wire nuts?

The electricians that I have seen over the years have all used them. What is the better method?

 

[oleguy]

the reference is to not tape wire nuts.

 

[Bull]

Ahh!

I thought that maybe ******** electricians used some obscure connection type I had never heard of.

My mistake.

 

[MrMark]

Tape is a good idea, IMO. Doesn't hurt a thing and gives extra protection when working around the outlet, e.g., when painting or changing coverplates. The screws are close to the surface and are a danger. It is just a good idea done by old heads that know what they are doing. I have seen the "pro's" on this old house do it too.

Not required by code but done by smart money.

It also protects against shorting against the bare ground wires in a crowded box. So it's just not for metal boxes.

Nice video shows what "pro's" do

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,1618107,00.html

 

[tfi racing]

If you feel its a benefit and you sleep better at night-why not?
I just think its a waste of good tape,but those guys that make it (in China,of course)gotta eat too!

 

[welderwink]

i was an electrician for years before changing trades to welding. tape around outlets is not required by code. although a lot of inspectors wanted to see them taped. it only takes 4 extra seconds to tape them and tape isnt that expensive ( you dont need the 3m 33+ tape). i always taped them and labeled everything as a courtesy to whoever would be doing something after me. too many times did past electricians leave stuff untaped and labeled. but tape on a wire nut is just bush league.

 

[BioHazard]

Ahh!

I thought that maybe ******** electricians used some obscure connection type I had never heard of.

My mistake.

They're called "Wago's".

 

[Aceman]

It is just a good idea done by old heads that know what they are doing. I have seen the "pro's" on this old house do it too.

Not required by code but done by smart money.

It also protects against shorting against the bare ground wires in a crowded box. So it's just not for metal boxes.

Nice video shows what "pro's" do

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,1618107,00.html

I didn't know watching the "pro's" on This Old House made you the authority on taping receps.

Smart money says not to waste time and $ taping devices in a box. If you can't fold conductors back into the box without laying them across the "hot" screws, you're doing it wrong.

I do tape wirenuts when wiring motors.

 

[welderwink]

I didn't know watching the "pro's" on This Old House made you the authority on taping receps.

Smart money says not to waste time and $ taping devices in a box. If you can't fold conductors back into the box without laying them across the "hot" screws, you're doing it wrong.

I do tape wirenuts when wiring motors.

how much time does it actually waste? about 5 seconds a box. and tape is rather cheap. i was a "pro" and taped almost every box, inspectors liked to see that, and bosses did too.

 

[rodnok1]

I tape everyone metal or plastic, I've taken a couple apart that were fried because of no tape, I think the PO had loosened the outlets when they installed panelling and did not turn off the breaker first.

 

[mrb]

I tape everyone metal or plastic, I've taken a couple apart that were fried because of no tape, I think the PO had loosened the outlets when they installed panelling and did not turn off the breaker first.

those werent 'fried' due to no tape, they were damaged from someone doing something improper.

 

[JustBob]

First time I ever used a wirenut, I taped it and was quickly told not to!

I started out as an electrician in the marine field, wirenuts were not allowed, 8 gauge and larger... copper lug bolted to spec, one layer vc tape, 1/4" min layer 3m 33, followed by a few layers of 3m 88.
Easy to get on, but after the 33 vulcanizes... its hell to get off.

 

[Junkman]

A proper installation will not require tape, and installations with tape generally are frowned upon as amature. Same goes for wire nuts.

taping wire nuts goes back to the days that wire was cloth covered, and the wire nuts were made of ceramic. Even the tape back then was cloth impregnated with a glue surface. Back then, it was needed and probably would have been required, but there wasn't much of a code or code enforcement. Being old does have its advantages sometimes....... like knowing why and when wire nuts were taped...

 

[kbs2244]

I learned the trick from industrial maint electricians.
They said they did it because of the vibrations in the plant.
The same reason they used stranded instaed of solid wire.
They taped the wire nuts also.
Same reasoning.
I sometimes do it, sometimes not.
But I always do it if there is any posibilty of vibration shakeing the box.

 

[mrb]

I learned the trick from industrial maint electricians.
They said they did it because of the vibrations in the plant.
The same reason they used stranded instaed of solid wire.
They taped the wire nuts also.
Same reasoning.
I sometimes do it, sometimes not.
But I always do it if there is any posibilty of vibration shakeing the box.

if virbration is an issue, wire nuts should not be used. If the tape is the only thing holding the wire nut on, then the wire nut is not doing its job of keeping the conductors together and the connection will overheat and the wirenut and tape will melt.

 

[thammel]

Ok, here's my story on taping.

It's not necessary at all and will be a minor pain in the **** in the future if any work is done to the receptacle or switch, BUT here's WHY you might want to tape...

Typically all the wiring is done before drwall. You tape and pull the receptacle/switch out of the box and leave it hanging to make it easier for the drywall people to use rotozip or whatever they use for cutting the drywall at the boxes. This is what I did recently. When done, I left the tape on - no need to remove it.

Tom

 

[babzog]

I have been busy with pre-wiring my garage outlets. One of the things I have seen and have been told to do is tape up the perimeter of the electrical outlets once the final wiring is done and the recepticle is ready to be screwed into place.

An electrician I hired last year as part of a reno job did that. I suspect part of his rationale was preventing shocks or shorts since those particular switches/plugs were live but final mudding and painting wasn't complete.

I did that myself to a few outlets when I had to replace some drywall downstairs.. great trick!

 

[Teken]

Thanks for the feed-back guys. For the little effort and 50 rolls of free 33 speed tape on hand, why not?

I just did it for peace of mind, it goes with out saying proper folding of the wires is paramount anyways!

 

[mrb]

Ok, here's my story on taping.

It's not necessary at all and will be a minor pain in the **** in the future if any work is done to the receptacle or switch, BUT here's WHY you might want to tape...

Typically all the wiring is done before drwall. You tape and pull the receptacle/switch out of the box and leave it hanging to make it easier for the drywall people to use rotozip or whatever they use for cutting the drywall at the boxes. This is what I did recently. When done, I left the tape on - no need to remove it.

Tom

devices should not be installed prior to drywall, and you cant install your devices prior to rough inspection. Furthermore its more work for the drywall installers to have to cut around devices hanging out of the boxes than if the boxes were empty with the wires properly tucked inside. Also, there is much higher probability a wire will be damaged when installing drywall in this fashion.

 

[1Garageman]

I learned the trick from industrial maint electricians.
They said they did it because of the vibrations in the plant.
The same reason they used stranded instaed of solid wire.
They taped the wire nuts also.
Same reasoning.
I sometimes do it, sometimes not.
But I always do it if there is any posibilty of vibration shakeing the box.

That's I nice tip!

 

[welderwink]

wouldn't it be better to either use bugs or solder wires together if in a place with lots of vibrations? its not like they use wire nuts and tape in cars.

 

[Teken]

wouldn't it be better to either use bugs or solder wires together if in a place with lots of vibrations? its not like they use wire nuts and tape in cars.

High heat rated solder would have to be used in that case . . .

 

[walrus]

if virbration is an issue, wire nuts should not be used. If the tape is the only thing holding the wire nut on, then the wire nut is not doing its job of keeping the conductors together and the connection will overheat and the wirenut and tape will melt.

Tape wouldn't be but vibration may cause the nut to back off. Tape it and it can't back off. I do it in equipment with motors, does it help? Who knows but I was taught that way so...

 

[MrMark]

LOL, electricians worried about the cost of 3M super 33 tape (if they even splurge and buy that over the Chinese **** 99 percent of them use) at $3.00 at roll! They are wasting big money using that EXPENSIVE 3M tape on a job. Hell, they might use a WHOLE $$$$$3.00 roll on a house. Electricians crack me up with their "cost saving measures". Same as painters buying cheap paint on a job to save $200 on a house paint that costs 4K in labor and will last 10 years longer with the good paint.

I've heard of some shaky justifications for things before, but the "save $$ on tape" is the best yet.

The simplest and most unassailable justification is that it is just safer when the cover plate is removed for painting and drywall work.

Building inspector told me long ago taping an outlet is a sign of a good electrician.

 

[Mickey O]

Out here the old timers do it, I do it occasionally, sometimes when there are two devices in a single box. Everything here is in metal boxes and in metal conduit but I see more of a potential problem with romex in metal or plastic boxes with the bare ground wire possibly hitting a terminal, guess it must not happen much but it seems like it would.

 

[MrMark]

Exactly. Two devices in a box = crowded box and ground wires must be carefully folded, especially when leaving 8-10 inches of wire, the bare ground wires end up near the screws. It is critical to fold very carefully and taping the outlets is good extra protection should the outlet get jostled with use over time.

So many reasons to do it, almost no reason not to do it except saves $$$$$$. Funny.

 

[Mike83]

how much time does it actually waste? about 5 seconds a box. and tape is rather cheap. i was a "pro" and taped almost every box, inspectors liked to see that, and bosses did too.

Takes me 20 seconds just to find where the end of the tape is on the roll!

Then I started making an effort to fold over the end

 

[mrb]

High heat rated solder would have to be used in that case . . .

generally speaking, solder is not an acceptable method of joining wires in electrical systems. Where vibration is an issue crimped connectors should be used (like ideal 412 type with the insulating cap) or polaris blocks for larger conductors.

 

[Teken]

generally speaking, solder is not an acceptable method of joining wires in electrical systems. Where vibration is an issue crimped connectors should be used (like ideal 412 type with the insulating cap) or polaris blocks for larger conductors.

I agree, and have never seen solder on any high voltage terminations. My reply was with respect to his solder question.

We have high temp solder that requires a 4000 watt heat gun assembly just to melt the solder. Even that is not safe to use on high voltage termination.

 

[walrus]

Building inspector told me long ago taping an outlet is a sign of a good electrician.

And you believe that? TFF

 

[MrMark]

Yes, combined with the reasons stated above in favor of the practice, and the lack of reasons stated against the practice, the answer is quite clear for those willing to learn, as few as those may be.

 

[Aceman]

Yes, combined with the reasons stated above in favor of the practice, and the lack of reasons stated against the practice, the answer is quite clear for those willing to learn, as few as those may be.

Lack of reasons?

I only need one, it's not required and it's a waste of time. I don't know about you but I've got better things to do than worry about future painters removing coverplates. Leaving tape around hot devices still doesn't make it safe.

The fact you and your so called inspectors, "pro" tv electricians, and anyone else who you think backs up your reason, well they don't really matter to me. I do this stuff day in and day out. I can't remember the last time a recep screw shorted to a ground wire that I installed. But I do know I didn't waste time taping the hundreds of devices between then and now for no reason.

 

[Bull]

Sparks are starting to fly in here!

Can't we all just get along?

 

[Junkman]

Sparks are starting to fly in here!

Can't we all just get along?

Nooooooooooooooooooo