DIYbanter - View Single Post - Can improper wiring actually cause a fire?

Doug Miller

In article om, wrote:
Aha, so is removing the cover plate and then removing the
switch or outlet from the box is readily accessible,

Absolutely.

tearing out the wall is where the line is drawn.

Something to the effect of "without removing or damaging the structure or
finish of the building" is where the line is drawn. Tearing out the wall would
fall under that heading, but so would removing a piece of molding.

I sure wish those boxes were bigger, or at least DEEPER.
I recently replaced a ground -fault breaker in a bathroom
and it was a PIA.

I assume you mean a GFCI *outlet*... Deeper boxes do exist, and they're
frequently used in new construction, particularly where GFCIs are required.

I'm willing to bet that the number of homes that get that
inspection ever, let alone periodically, is about nil.

I won't take that bet. :-)

In an earlier article (not sure if its part of this thread or an
earlier discussion, someone suggested that for copper
wire it was better to terminate it on the screw, rather
than using the clamp.

True. It's *much* more secure.

Note that for aluminum wire, the clamp isn't even an option: you *must* use
the screw.

I assume he was referring to
switches and outlets. I find that to be well-nigh
impossible with #12.

Why? It's not that hard to bend a hook on the end of a #12 copper wire. Grab
it with the tip of a needlenose pliers and twist. Or use an electrician's
stripper-crimper tool (e.g. Gardner-Bender GS-70) -- most have a hole about
1/8" in diameter in one of the jaws, specifically for making such hooks. Stick
the wire through the hole, twist the tool 180 degrees, and voila! a perfect
hook.

Is it acceptable to use crimped
lugs, with two lugs on the same screw?

Yes, if the lugs are rated for 120V *and* the device is rated for two lugs. Of
course, you could use one wire in a lug as a pigtail, and wire-nut it to as
many other wires as needed.

Or is there
really no problem with what Leviton calls 'back' connections?

Yes, there really is a problem -- they're not nearly as secure as originally
believed. In fact, they're no longer listed for use with 14ga wire
specifically because of that. They don't always grab 12ga as tightly as they
should. Better to avoid them altogether, and just use the screws.

I emailed Houston Wire to tell them about the error
in their webpages. Thanks for checking.

No prob.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.