Wiring a Wall Receptacle

[Rich M.]

First off, by no means am I an electrician, nor do
I play one on television.

It has been years since I have changed out a receptacle and now I had to do it again. This is a 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp breaker with 12 gauge wire. I know it is best to use a 20 amp receptacle, but if I did use a 20 amp I would have many other 15 amp receptacles to change because I am guessing if I only did one a house inspector may flag this.

Now to my issue, does anyone have a trick when replacing one receptacle with another? It takes me forever trying to get the old wire loop around the new screw, especially the 12 gauge wire. It seems very tight between the screw head and the receptacle frame. I do back the screw out until it stops.

 

[ycgoat]

You are not holding your mouth right. Basically I form the hook to my liking and kind of snap the opening at angle under the screw head and over the screw thread, and in a direction so tightening the screw closes the hook.

 

[65ranchero]

I will cheat sometimes, form the loop as best as possible and place it on the screw and the close it up with a needle nose pliers and then tighten the screw.
They have receptacles where the screw is loosened and the straight piece of wire is placed under a plate type of thing and tighten the screw , Done!
It is best not to use the push in tension wiring that is present in the backside of most receptacles have unless it is able to be tightened with a screw.

 

[Terry D]

You can put 15 amp duplex receptacles on a 20 amp circuit. Just not the other way around. Back the screw out until it stops like you said. There is a hole in a set of strippers to make a loop or needle nose will work to. Once the loop is on the screw, if it is to big you can squeeze it close with the end of the strippers or needle nose. Make sure the loop goes around the screw clockwise so when the screw is tightened, it will pull the loop close around the screw.

 

[sparky 1971]

Sometimes is just a PITA to do something that should be so simple. I've changed many receptacles over the years and I can't count the number of times a #12 that had just come off of one wouldn't fit over the screw of the new device. I seem to have better luck just taking the screws completely out of the old device rather than bend everything up trying to get the wire off. Sometimes I have to open the loop a little bit with a screwdriver before installing on the new. Sometimes I cut the ends off the wires and start over. Other times, everything goes perfectly.

 

[engineer2]

Make sure the screw is good and tight. I've found copper wire "relaxes" just a little a short time after tightening the screw. Kind of weird. Nothing wrong with re-checking tightness before you button it up.
I like the newer outlets that give you the option of clamping a straight wire.

 

[Rich M.]

Make sure the screw is good and tight. I've found copper wire "relaxes" just a little a short time after tightening the screw. Kind of weird. Nothing wrong with re-checking tightness before you button it up.
I like the newer outlets that give you the option of clamping a straight wire.

This receptacle does have the side wire option and perhaps the clamping plate takes a little of my spacing to use the screw method. I like the side mounting option, but with a fresh cut wire. Not enough wire to risk cutting and stripping to use the side connection.

 

[nadogail]

Is there a service loop in any of the boxes that the conductors run through?

 

[Dagny]

After you do 50 billion of them it happens rather fast. take your time and make sure all is tight.

 

[Skooterj]

You can use a Duplex 15 amp outlet on a 20 Amp circuit. You can get back wire outlets that tighten under the screws. No need to wrap them around the screws, just stick them in straight then tighten. This is not the same as a backstab. Backstabs ****. Use the one on the right most in the picture.

 

[billconner]

You can put 15 amp duplex receptacles on a 20 amp circuit. Just not the other way around.

Are you saying you can't put a 20 amp receptacle on a 15 amp circuit? Pretty sure you can. It seems with these two variables the only thing you can't do is put a single 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp circuit - but single duplex is ok most places.

 

[sparky 1971]

Are you saying you can't put a 20 amp receptacle on a 15 amp circuit? Pretty sure you can. It seems with these two variables the only thing you can't do is put a single 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp circuit - but single duplex is ok most places.

You have it backwards. It's ok to put a 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp circuit but not a 20 on a 15vamp circuit.

 

[dcg9381]

I will cheat sometimes, form the loop as best as possible and place it on the screw and the close it up with a needle nose pliers and then tighten the screw.

If that's "cheating" - I cheat 100% of the time.

 

[Rich M.]

Well, To make things more uniformed in my house, it looks like I need to change out 13 more receptacles to get rid of the old two-prong receptacle. Because of ‘08 code changes, I need to replace with tampering resistant. The only good part is the wire gauge will be #14 wire, so the question will be to attach the wire using the side screws or the side clamps.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The "better" quality receptacles have a clamp on the side. Straighten the loop, trim to length, place it under the clamp and tighten. Ob-la-di, ob-la-da !

 

[rayra]

Sounds more like the OP is following the code of his OCD, than the actual code, which usually only requires the thing you work on being brought up to code, NOT every other outlet in the room / circuit.


eta nevermind, OP alredy got these same answers in his other topic Monday, on these same questions.

Wall Electrical Outlets

My house is 60 years old and the wall receptacles are a mixture of two and three prong outlets. I have several of the two prong outlets that need to be replaced. I pulled the recepticale out just to take a peak to avoid any surprises. It appears the incoming and out-going ground wires have been...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Rich M.]

The "better" quality receptacles have a clamp on the side. Straighten the loop, trim to length, place it under the clamp and tighten. Ob-la-di, ob-la-da !

That is the plan.

 

[Rich M.]

Sounds more like the OP is following the code of his OCD, than the actual code, which usually only requires the thing you work on being brought up to code, NOT every other outlet in the room / circuit.


eta nevermind, OP alredy got these same answers in his other topic Monday, on these same questions.

Wall Electrical Outlets

My house is 60 years old and the wall receptacles are a mixture of two and three prong outlets. I have several of the two prong outlets that need to be replaced. I pulled the recepticale out just to take a peak to avoid any surprises. It appears the incoming and out-going ground wires have been...

www.garagejournal.com

Yes you are correct on not needing to change all the receptacles out, just trying to make the appearance a more uniformed look for potential buyers.

 

[Terry D]

You can use a Duplex 15 amp outlet on a 20 Amp circuit. You can get back wire outlets that tighten under the screws. No need to wrap them around the screws, just stick them in straight then tighten. This is not the same as a backstab. Backstabs ****. Use the one on the right most in the picture.

This is only true if the OP is using back wired receptacles

 

[Bucko]

Are you saying you can't put a 20 amp receptacle on a 15 amp circuit? Pretty sure you can. It seems with these two variables the only thing you can't do is put a single 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp circuit - but single duplex is ok most places.

If you put a 20a receptacle on a 15a breaker you are telling the end user that it is rated for 20a. A tool or machine that requires 20a does not have the same style plug as one of the blades is sideways, hence the "T" on that one slot. Now a 20a 220v plug will have the other blade turned sideways.
If a 20a 110v item is plugged into a 20a receptacle that was on a run that had a 15a breaker and 14g wire for a 15a breaker its going to draw too much current and either the breaker, wire, or device will fail.

 

[billconner]

Breaker fail? Won't it just trip?

It seems it may have to do with the operation of a breaker - how fast and at what amperage it trips. If circuit was wired for 20 amps - 12 guage wire - should not be unsafe.

 

[TractorJeff]

If these are being changed for appearance sake to a potential buyer, do the outlets have Ground wires or is this older Romex with no Ground? This should have been noticed when OP stated he is changing 2 prong for 3 prong.

 

[Bucko]

Breaker fail? Won't it just trip?

It seems it may have to do with the operation of a breaker - how fast and at what amperage it trips. If circuit was wired for 20 amps - 12 guage wire - should not be unsafe.

Semantics, to me if a breaker trips then to me there was a reason for that so the breaker "failed". They are designed as the weak link as a form of protection. You stated in the post I quoted "Are you saying you can't put a 20 amp receptacle on a 15 amp circuit? Pretty sure you can. ".
As I stated before the receptacle is created in a way so you can identify what the circuit is supposed to be capable of. If you put a 20a receptacle on a 15a circuit you are telling the end user that they can run a 20a item on that circuit. If it was originally run with a 15a breaker then most likely the wire used was not 12g as it would be cost prohibitive to do so (and harder to pull). A 20a receptacle has the "t" slot so you can run a 15a wired device from that receptacle as it is the most common used plug.

 

[Rich M.]

If these are being changed for appearance sake to a potential buyer, do the outlets have Ground wires or is this older Romex with no Ground? This should have been noticed when OP stated he is changing 2 prong for 3 prong.

Yes, the builder had the incoming and out going ground wires joined and fastened to the rear of the metal box. For me, a self-grounding receptacle works well, but me being me, I still run a ground wire from the receptacle to the back of the box.

This site is great for getting opinions, thoughts and solutions.