Repurposing House Outlets in the Garage

[shrttrackr]

OK, so I replaced a bunch of outlets in the house and am going to use them in the garage.

I am doing dual outlets in boxes along my workbench.

So, a bunch of the outlets have the tabs broken on the hot side (half-switched).
Is there a way to wire these up with full power without a mess of additional wires/nuts? I can add an additional wire on the hot side but wasn't sure if there is a better way to do it.

Outlets are cheap, i know... but why toss these and spend another $20 when i have all the other materials already in the shop.

thanks.

 

[joe49]

Use the push in's on the back and jump wires. I'm in the as cheap as they are i would just go new.

 

[MrSurly]

Pretty simple to 'skip strip' the black wire so that the wire is bare at the end and also about, say, two inches back, there's another bare area. Bend that portion of the wire around one black screw and the end stripped bit around the other black screw.

 

[MrSurly]

Use the push in's on the back and jump wires. I'm in the as cheap as they are i would just go new.

grabbing the popcorn and donning my flame-retardant gear...

 

[shrttrackr]

Pretty simple to 'skip strip' the black wire so that the wire is bare at the end and also about, say, two inches back, there's another bare area. Bend that portion of the wire around one black screw and the end stripped bit around the other black screw.

Thanks. I will try that.

 

[Kaizen]

And exactly how old are those outlets at how many times have they been plugged and unplugged. Not worth the risk for such small amount. I upcycle a lot but there are limits


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[ericlar80]

Pretty simple to 'skip strip' the black wire so that the wire is bare at the end and also about, say, two inches back, there's another bare area. Bend that portion of the wire around one black screw and the end stripped bit around the other black screw.

This is what an electrician would do if they ran across this issue inside of an existing box.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Receptacles WEAR OUT, just like your boots.

Grab a cord without a ground prong and plug it into those receptacles you want to reuse. If it goes in and pulls out without a good amount of resistance then your receptacle is shot.

What is happening is the spring pressure required to make a good connection is gone. Those receptacles now have a poor connection.

If you'd like to see what a poor electrical connection does, just grab your arc welder and light up a rod.

I'm cheap, but not that cheap.

Edit: I'm a licensed electrician, by the way.

 

[Kevin54]

Seriously? Outlets are cheap. Buy some new ones.

 

[sberry]

Some old ones are/were good. I compared a couple used the other day, one good, one not so much and plastic does age. The new 50 cent outlet is so good and cheap it's not that much a money saver, they got modern screws.

 

[u2slow]

I recycle electrical gear all the time.

Check receptacles that they hold a plug firmly first. If not, chuck em.

 

[toplessHO]

a lot depends on the brand.
Hubbel,good with all spec
most others that are spec grade are worth saving
most residential grades are what I call trailer trash.
Never use the back wire stabs,Ive seen far too many that failed and even damaged the wiring.

wiremold plugmold is great for above a workbench.

 

[gnpenning]

I'm not even a electrician and I know to buy Hubble.

 

[mike93lx]

Buy new outlets, seriously. Especially if the tabs are cut and they are older.

 

[driftpin]

I cannot endorse that parsimonious behavior. It's a false-economy. Your chances of having an arc from worn equipment are greater, pass those retired from service along to the Habitat for Humanity in your locale. Duplex outlets are among the cheapest items in a re-model/update, and probably have to-be among the most-destructive potential if something goes-wrong with one. I've investigated fires as a fire inspector where we traced the origin to a faulty duplex outlet, causing significant fire property loss. Buy new, quality duplex outlets.

 

[toplessHO]

I cannot endorse that parsimonious behavior. It's a false-economy. Your chances of having an arc from worn equipment are greater, pass those retired from service along to the Habitat for Humanity in your locale. Duplex outlets are among the cheapest items in a re-model/update, and probably have to-be among the most-destructive potential if something goes-wrong with one. I've investigated fires as a fire inspector where we traced the origin to a faulty duplex outlet, causing significant fire property loss. Buy new, quality duplex outlets.

that pretty much sums it up.

 

[mike93lx]

I cannot endorse that parsimonious behavior. It's a false-economy. Your chances of having an arc from worn equipment are greater, pass those retired from service along to the Habitat for Humanity in your locale. Duplex outlets are among the cheapest items in a re-model/update, and probably have to-be among the most-destructive potential if something goes-wrong with one. I've investigated fires as a fire inspector where we traced the origin to a faulty duplex outlet, causing significant fire property loss. Buy new, quality duplex outlets.

You won't use them, but are fine with someone else buying them at the restore and using them? Interesting.

Throw them away

 

[raddksn]

Seriously? Outlets are cheap. Buy some new ones.

even the good ones are cheap

 

[toplessHO]

All the jobs I do,spec grade are all we put in,all devices....
I remember in 74 my boss getting a box(10) out of a locked cabinet and said to me(these things have gone up to $4.50 a box,so I keep them locked up).
I ll bet they are $4.50 each now for spec grade.

 

[toplessHO]

You won't use them, but are fine with someone else buying them at the restore and using them? Interesting.

Throw them away

After I replied I went back and reread,almost commented the exact same way.

 

[driftpin]

You won't use them, but are fine with someone else buying them at the restore and using them? Interesting.

Throw them away

After I replied I went back and reread,almost commented the exact same way.

Someone somewhere will use anything dropped-off at Habitat for Humanity, if it makes it to a shelf. I see plenty of things discarded by the local HfH. Someone made a judgement-call. I wouldn't donate something obviously defective, just like I'm sure the O.P. probably wouldn't re-use something obviously defective. I guess in this suit-happy society people are looking for a payday? Nobody ever better donate something to HfH because it might hurt someone, someday. There-goes that business model!

Some people seem to lack common-sense. Does it take a disclaimer after every post, like: using tools, materials and techniques shown here could result in personal injury, property-loss, and possibly death, under certain circumstances.

I throw things for donation, which still have usable life to them, into a box, and when it's full, HfH here I come. To suggest that I would intentionally donate something defective to HfH is an insult to me, it's specious, and you are stirring the pot.

 

[mike93lx]

So not safe enough for you, but safe enough for someone else, got it.

 

[nh_yota]

If they are good commercial-grade outlets I might consider reusing them but definitely not the cheap back-stab outlets that are usually found in residential wiring.

 

[driftpin]

So not safe enough for you, but safe enough for someone else, got it.

What is this, second-grade? Grow-up. I already posted my not-using obviously-worn equipment. The O.P. was wondering about using the duplex outlets elsewhere. Go pick a fight with every auto recycling yard there-is.

 

[mike93lx]

What is this, second-grade? Grow-up. I already posted my not-using obviously-worn equipment. The O.P. was wondering about using the duplex outlets elsewhere. Go pick a fight with every auto recycling yard there-is.

Interesting analogy...

 

[sberry]

Either use them or toss, no used place wants old outlets. I can spot a compulsive hoarder in 3 posts or less,,, ha can't stand to throw it away.

 

[toplessHO]

I have a 5 gallon bucket full of spec grade 20A
most are isolated ground.
Do I use them yes. Im betting the only thing they had plugged into them is my Woodhead tester.

I also have a 5 gallon bucket full of stainless steel ball bearing door hinges,use those for many things. Guess that makes me a hoarder.