20A outlet update on property with Quick-wire

[Dolfan]

I'm trying to update my rental property from old almond colored outlets to white. In doing this I have found in the kitchen and dining area the circuits are 20A. I didn't realize this and purchased only 15A standard residential outlets.

But the issue I have found was that the Quick-wire holes on the back of the outlet seem to prevent the 20A wire gauge from going in. I confirmed using these on a 15A circuit and all is good.

So I've searched online for 20A residential outlets but can't seem to find any that use the Quick-Wire? I'm wondering if this is potentially a code change in more recent years and 20A outlets don't allow this? Since the outlets are already wired via the Quick-Wire it would make the job so much faster, I'd like to do it that way but of course, if I have to I can do the side wire method if all else fails.

And I also assume that all 20A outlets have the little extra horizontal slot on them now to show they are 20A?

 

[acer66]

Quickwire in like back stabbing?
If so that should be avoided and I would just wrap the wire around the screws.

Since this is a rental you might want to make sure that you have gfci’s in the kitchen where needed.
Iirc within 6’ from a sink.


No need for 20A receptacles, your 15A are fine.
You only need a 20A receptacle on a 20A circuit if there is only one receptacle and a duplex counts as two and then you are allowed to use 15A receptacles.

 

[Dolfan]

Yes, Quick-Wire I think is a trade name but yes it's the back stabbing. It just makes things way faster as they are already setup that way.

Yes GFCI's are in all the "wet" places already.

 

[alfredeneuman]

They changed the holes some time ago because of too many failures.
Get a recp. that has screws.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I'm trying to update my rental property from old almond colored outlets to white. In doing this I have found in the kitchen and dining area the circuits are 20A. I didn't realize this and purchased only 15A standard residential outlets.

This is by code and you can use 15a outlets on a 20a circuit as theyre rated for 20a pass-thru

But the issue I have found was that the Quick-wire holes on the back of the outlet seem to prevent the 20A wire gauge from going in. I confirmed using these on a 15A circuit and all is good.

So I've searched online for 20A residential outlets but can't seem to find any that use the Quick-Wire? I'm wondering if this is potentially a code change in more recent years and 20A outlets don't allow this? Since the outlets are already wired via the Quick-Wire it would make the job so much faster, I'd like to do it that way but of course, if I have to I can do the side wire method if all else fails.

you should never use the "push-wire" terminals. Theyre nick-named back-stab for a reason.

Always use either looped wire under screw or spec grade with pressure plate...

no you wont find 20a outlets with the push-wire terminals.....

And I also assume that all 20A outlets have the little extra horizontal slot on them now to show they are 20A?

20a outlets have always had a T-slot design. this is to allow 20a plugs to be able to plug into them vs no t-slot on 15a outlets preventing 20a plug from plugging into them...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Yes, Quick-Wire I think is a trade name but yes it's the back stabbing. It just makes things way faster as they are already setup that way.

Yes GFCI's are in all the "wet" places already.

youll not think that when they burn up and fail and you have to go back and replace them later.

BTW GFCIs dont have push-wire terminals. they have pressure plates....

 

[Dolfan]

Wyllesdiesels, thanks a bunch for the details. I'll start wiring with the hook and screw method.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Wyllesdiesels, thanks a bunch for the details. I'll start wiring with the hook and screw method.

i used to do lots of service calls. cant count the number of times had a dead outlet call for half a room and it turned out to be failed back-stabbed outlet after i pulled a few outlets out.

if you want really good connection, buy spec grade outlets...

 

[justsam]

Get yourself some WAGO wire connectors for those wires in the boxes that are just too short, need to be pigtailed, etc. These are lever action, not push in. Very easy to reconfigure if any wiring error is made, or need different configuration.

https://www.homedepot.com/s/wago%20wire%20connectors?NCNI-5

 

[tdkkart]

https://www.homedepot.com/s/wago%20wire%20connectors?NCNI-5

I clicked that link 1/2 a dozen times and got everything from drapes to paint.

 

[acer66]

I clicked that link 1/2 a dozen times and got everything from drapes to paint.

I only tried once but that seems to be a thing now with at least HD links here.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I clicked on it too, and came to the closest thing they stock...Ideal brand port connectors.

 

[65ranchero]

After reading a earlier post about Wago connector and looked up the spec on it and I think they indicated it was rated for 22 to 14 gauge wire.
Do they make a larger size for 12?

Edit. I was just looking at the 221 series

Never mind ! I had to reread the specs

 

[Jim greengo]

Dont forget tamper resistant outlets.

 

[nadogail]

I never buy the lowest price receptacles, the middle grade ones are, IMHO, demonstrably superior.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Dont forget tamper resistant outlets.

Why? The OP doesnt need them..... Cant stand those...

 

[dscheidt]

youll not think that when they burn up and fail and you have to go back and replace them later.

BTW GFCIs dont have push-wire terminals. they have pressure plates....

I took one out of my house that had only push terminals. It probably dated from the early 80s or late 70s.

 

[Jim greengo]

Why? The OP doesnt need them..... Cant stand those...

I'm not a huge fan of them either but since it's a rental and hes upgrading it's not a huge deal to cover his *** for an extra buck or so per outlet.
Omaha and council bluffs have those damned rental property inspections annually now because of A holes who wont fix **** on rentals,its just gives the pricks 1 less thing to ***** about.

 

[Jim greengo]

I took one out of my house that had only push terminals. It probably dated from the early 80s or late 70s.

It was pretty common on new construction around here in the 80s,its been a big no no with inspectors here for 30 plus years.

 

[aandpdan]

Dont forget tamper resistant outlets.

Why? The OP doesnt need them..... Cant stand those...

By Code, pretty much ALL replacements have to be tamper resistant. It was a requirement since 2014 in most places. You can't "grandfather" it either. NEC 406.4(D)(5). Check with your AHJ.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

By Code, pretty much ALL replacements have to be tamper resistant. It was a requirement since 2014 in most places. You can't "grandfather" it either. NEC 406.4(D)(5). Check with your AHJ.

like snake--oil AFCIs, I dont care for them...

 

[Norcal]

like snake--oil AFCIs, I dont care for them...

They don't want the little darlings to hurt themselves.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

After getting education on the GJF many years ago I stopped using Quickie-Wire/back stabbing of outlets. I started buying the better "spec grade" that had the "external screw-pressure-pate back wire clamps" on the side of the outlet. Much easier to install versus wrapping the wire around the external screw and much more reliable than "Quickie-Wire/back stabbing" method. When was anything that had "quickie" in its name any good?

 

[PoorUB]

When was anything that had "quickie" in its name any good?

I will take "quickie" over "no" anytime!

 

[dscheidt]

like snake--oil AFCIs, I dont care for them...

good ones are basically unoticable, once they've had a dozen or so insertion cycles.
**** ones are **** forever.

conversation we had with some friends, who'd just moved into a new house.

her: I had these damn tamper resistant outlets
me: good ones work better
her: they all ****
him: we had them in the condo
her: No, we didnt.
him: we did..
her: i never had problems plugging in things
him: I installed them when Kid#1 was born. (Kid was five)
her: Hrmph.

 

[ArcReactorKC]

I'm not a huge fan of them either but since it's a rental and hes upgrading it's not a huge deal to cover his *** for an extra buck or so per outlet.
Omaha and council bluffs have those damned rental property inspections annually now because of A holes who wont fix **** on rentals,its just gives the pricks 1 less thing to ***** about.

As much as I really hate government oversight and regulation. I do for once have to say "good somebody is watching these assholes". I know a lot of landlords and property management companies got completely screwed over the last couple of years but to be honest some of them had it coming. The last place we rented an iron pipe to copper connection in the ceiling started leaking. I saw the discolored ceiling and called them immediately. It took over 3 months to get them to actually fix it. By the time they sent their "guy" they had to replace the entire ceiling drywall, two walls, the carpet, carpet pad, two walls worth of trim, and the light fixture. While the ceiling was open I took a mold sample, and of course it came back positive for black mold. They closed the ceiling up without doing any mold remediation. We are in court with them over it now and surprise surprise the government is probably going to side with the management company despite evidence of black mold in the home. I contacted a few other of their tenants and did inspections on their homes 5 out of 10 had mold. 4 out of 10 had a similar experience with a water leak. All I can gather is they are finding the cheapest fly by nights they can to fix these houses. It's such a shame to see what were nice homes be turned into slums by these kinds of companies. And just like bad tenants give all renters a bad name, I am now wary of anybody that is a landlord.

 

[tdkkart]

They don't want the little darlings to hurt themselves.

Yet another life lesson that future generations will miss out on..........