Back stab, no back stab?

[MoonRise]

Amazon shows the PlugGrip as unavailable and don't know when it will be back in stock.

https://www.amazon.com/pluggrip-p-1-wiring-warning-safety/dp/b0006g9a9u

They suggest the Rack-a-Tiers PlugMaster

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EX9KCTM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$30

Also shown at Home Depot's website.

FWIW.

Oh, did anyone mention to NOT use backstab connections yet?

Back wire or side wire (wire is held/clamped under a plate and then the screw is tightened to SECURELY hold the wire in place and make a GOOD electrical connection), or old-school 'loop around the screw and tighten the screw'.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

HF item. For such a basic tool I don't care where it comes from as long as it's satisfactory then throw in inexpensive. I've used the piss out of mine. I can't seem to find it on their website, must've discontinued it. http://hfreviews.com/item.php?id=3795

Now I have to find one on Amazon as a backup. Might also grab a few as stocking stuffers if they are under $10. A quick look I can't find it or a similar one called the PlugGrip. ...Will look more later.

Ive wanted one for years and have been looking but never found one

Amazon shows the PlugGrip as unavailable and don't know when it will be back in stock.

https://www.amazon.com/pluggrip-p-1-wiring-warning-safety/dp/b0006g9a9u

They suggest the Rack-a-Tiers PlugMaster

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EX9KCTM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$30

Also shown at Home Depot's website.

FWIW.

Oh, did anyone mention to NOT use backstab connections yet?

Back wire or side wire (wire is held/clamped under a plate and then the screw is tightened to SECURELY hold the wire in place and make a GOOD electrical connection), or old-school 'loop around the screw and tighten the screw'.

the rack-a-tiers model is not quite the same...

 

[Samh]

I would also suggest to pigtail the outlets. You would not be running the whole current of the circuit through the screws on the outlet, just the current of that outlet.

Interesting, never considered this. And now I am contemplating changing how I wired all of my outlets...lol

 

[sberry]

What does the tool do?

 

[andyvh1959]

So I understand the difference:
Back-stabbed means the wire is simply pushed into the back of the outlet against a gripping edge, no screw, the wire only contacts inside the outlet on a small edge.
Back-wired means the wire is pushed into the back of the outlet and then a clamping bar is screwed down onto the wire, with a lot more physical contact onto the wire.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Correct however, the official name for back-stabbed is “quick-wire”

 

[JRC3]

What does the tool do?

It gives you a great handle for wrapping and tightening the screws. Also great for adjusting the extra wire as you push the outlet into the box for mounting. Sounds dumb but those adjustment of wire keep them from binding and help to keep the outlet straight for mounting the cover. The tool is also great for checking for power to each duplex plug. Plug it in and check to see which outlets are on which breaker or checking to see which outlet is on the light switch. The only thing that would make these tools better is if they had an audible tone to hear when power stops.

 

[TractorJeff]

These are what I have been using for years!

Quote: "the spec grade receptacles have "side-wire" terminals- a plate behind the screw on the side.

the "heavy duty" receptacles have "back-wire" terminals with holes on the back where the wire is inserted and a plate behind the screw clamps the wire down after tightening the screw."

The spring tensioned type, I was told MANY Years ago to never use!

THANKS TO ALL and a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[welder4956]

I'm wondering why NEC has not prohibited their use yet, since they are a safety code.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Some of the outlets in our cabin in the woods were backstabbed when the place was built in the 1970's... Out of those I've had 3 outright outlet failures (internal breakage or meltage), 2 boxes with arcing inside from the loose wires after the backstab failed, a couple cooked from poor connection...

Contrast that to the house I grew up in, built in the 1930's, all screw on connectors, that were only changed when they went from 2 blade to U ground in the early 70's. Same with the house we sold to get here - all screws, none of them screwed us over.

You can roll the dice and take your chances that nothing will affect your backstabs - better than half showed no sign of coming apart when we changed everything over. Some people do really well at the casino as well...

 

[DFB]

So I recently had to deal with a few switches in my new GF rental house and discovered they were "back stabbed" and loose contact connection was the problem. I did get them to work again but I didn't try to remove the wires to do a screw attach (at least not yet) but also didn't see how they can be easily removed

Advice...

Do they have be cut off?

 

[Showkey]

So I recently had to deal with a few switches in my new GF rental house and discovered they were "back stabbed" and loose contact connection was the problem. I did get them to work again but I didn't try to remove the wires to do a screw attach (at least not yet) but also didn't see how they can be easily removed

Advice...

Do they have be cut off?

According to most the wires just fall out........

Seriously...........Just Press down the release tab with a pick in the square hole, see pic:

 

[n8n]

Interesting, never considered this (pigtailing). And now I am contemplating changing how I wired all of my outlets...lol

This is actually an advantage of "back wire" receps, the ones with the captive square washers. You can put two wires under a screw, so the current isn't flowing through the little breakoff tab but through the much heavier washer and contact, nor do you have to find space for a wire nut for a pigtail. Now for a "high reliability" installation (and I treat all I do as such, because I hate electrical problems) where you need more than two conductors connected together, you're back to pigtailing.

 

[n8n]

According to most the wires just fall out........

that's been my experience at least 50% of the time

Seriously...........Just Press down the release tab with a pick in the square hole, see pic:

unless the wires are super short I just cut and restrip, no sense fighting. Even if they have just fallen out, they'll still be nicked and often oxidised.

 

[n8n]

I'm wondering why NEC has not prohibited their use yet, since they are a safety code.

They have, with the exception of 14AWG on 15A circuits.

I wish they had just prohibited them altogether, however.

 

[ddawg16]

No one mentioned pigtails?

All the outlets in my house are on pigtails. That way I'm not depending on the outlet as a junction point for the next ckt.

It's also a lot easier to work with the outlet. Instead of moving the outlet around with 6 wires attached to it, there are only 3. The wire nutted part gets pushed into the back of the box and stays there.

 

[DFB]

According to most the wires just fall out........

Seriously...........Just Press down the release tab with a pick in the square hole, see pic:

Ahhsoo...I see!


Thanks

 

[JRC3]

According to most the wires just fall out........

I've kept up on this thread pretty well and I don't recall anyone saying that. Well, when the plastic melts, maybe. haha

 

[snickers muncher]

I installed a GFI outlet on the side of the house to run the electric weed eater and top off car batteries. I don't recall the brand. I just grabbed everything I need from the mom and pop hardware down the road. The outlet's ground was back stab only---no screw like the hot and neutral. The ground backstab would only accept 14, so I had to pigtail the ground down to 14 from 12 even though it is a 20 amp outlet. Anyone else came across this?

 

[n8n]

I've kept up on this thread pretty well and I don't recall anyone saying that (the wires fall out of the backstabs). Well, when the plastic melts, maybe. haha

I didn't say it but I will.

This has been true for just about every place I've ever lived; all have had wiring devices from the 60s or 70s in them. By the time something asks for your attention - and it's usually a receptacle that either outright is arcing, has failed, or clearly doesn't grip a plug well anymore - the backstabs have also lost tension and at least one or two wires are going to pull out of the backstabs when you pull the recep out of the box to replace it. Especially so if the backstabs are used as a feed through and/or this is a 20A circuit with 12AWG wire.

 

[n8n]

I installed a GFI outlet on the side of the house to run the electric weed eater and top off car batteries. I don't recall the brand. I just grabbed everything I need from the mom and pop hardware down the road. The outlet's ground was back stab only---no screw like the hot and neutral. The ground backstab would only accept 14, so I had to pigtail the ground down to 14 from 12 even though it is a 20 amp outlet. Anyone else came across this?

This seems very odd. Was it an old stock GFCI?

 

[JRC3]

...or clearly doesn't grip a plug well anymore...

That's another problem that cause different issues, it heats up from that bad connection...The backstab itself may not start as the problem, but once everything gets hot it loses its tension.

Loos plugs cause things to melt, including the receptacle, feed wire, and of course the appliance plug itself. I see the result all the time in rentals, tenants don't know to report something like a loose outlet. They are also the ones who plug in space heater and run them on high.