Voltage drop Neutral?

[mopar4wd]

Well This weekend my friend was helping plumb a new bath when he nicked a wire opening a hole for a drain line. I looked at the wire traced it back to a junction in the basement. Ran a new line from the basement to the first outlet on the 2nd floor (the circuit seems to have 3 outlets and a light) I ran a new wire and connected same as the old to the receptacle. I should note I almost didn't connect it the same way as it has both sets of terminals used and one set of push ins used. The power comes into one screw set and out to the light on the other. Then the push in feeds the other outlets. So we put the AC on tonight and I get a voltage drop when the comp kicks in. Up until this with just the tv and a clock no issues. I checked the terminals and they are all tight. I'm wondering if A) the push in terminals are causing the issue or B) the outlet down stream is having its own loose wire issue. Any help would be appreciated. By the way this is intermittent as we speak the AC is running fine.

 

[Motofixxer]

Well I have heard problems with the push in contacts. I will never use them. If there are more wires than contacts then a wire nutted pigtail is needed. But I'm no expert nor do I play one on tv.

 

[ddawg16]

Well I have heard problems with the push in contacts. I will never use them. If there are more wires than contacts then a wire nutted pigtail is needed. But I'm no expert nor do I play one on tv.

I'm not the expert either....but it's my understanding that the 'best' way to wire a box when it is being used as a junction for continuation to other circuits is to use a pigtail. You take the incoming and wire nut it to the next ckt and a pig tail that goes to the outlet.

I have done this to most of the outlets in my house. One of the big advantages is that it's a LOT easier to move that duplex around with only 3 wires going to it instead of 6. Additionally, the wire nutted wires get pushed to the back of the box where they stay undisturbed....translation, less chance of a wire breaking....

 

[mopar4wd]

Well I ripped all the wires out of the Box put in a bigger box pigtailed the incoming and lead to the other outlets together, then sent to the outlet. I did use the other screws on the outlet to send power to the light. This seems to have done the trick. Thanks guys.

 

[Motofixxer]

Your welcome, good to hear back on a solution too. I will file that deep down in my vast file cabinet of facts I wish I could remember, but only recall the principles.
It's amazing what problems you can fix by fastening wires properly.

 

[rburke65]

Always use the screws,always use the pigtails with more than one pair od wires, NEVER use the push-ins. The only contact that the push-ins make on the wire is as if you were to push a wire under a knife blade. The spring loaded contact will eventually loose its pressure and there by its"grip" on the wire. This causes heat.....it's all down hill from there.