On Sat, 15 Aug 2009 08:44:23 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

In article , David Nebenzahl wrote:
I'm here to say that the conventional wisdom that one gets here--that
"backstabbed" wiring is bad, evil, and always leads to failure--may not
be correct.

[To the perplexed, "backstabbed" means that instead of using screw
terminals to connect wires to devices such as outlets and switches, the
stripped (solid) wire is pushed into a connector that grabs the wire
inside the device. Very commonly used "in the field".]

The opinion one reads here most often is that this is an inferior wiring
method that must always be suspected when there are electrical problems,
that it should be avoided and that it should be corrected if found.

I'm not sure that's correct.

First of all, it is an approved, UL/CSA tested, and, most importantly,
code-approved (US building code) wiring method. If it was as all-fired
bad as folks here claim, why would it still be allowed? After all, the
building codes tend to err on the side of caution.

Note that it is no longer approved for anything except AWG 14 conductors. Code
once permitted the use of AWG 12 conductors in backstabbed connections, as it
once permitted aluminum conductors in branch circuits and various other
practices and materials that have proven in experience to be less safe than
originally believed.

My own experience, as limited as it might be, has not shown backstabbed
connections to be the source of any trouble. I recently worked on a
house built in the 1960s in which all devices were backstabbed. I was
called to add a circuit, not to correct any problems. There was no
current problem with any device that I could see, nor was there any
history of any such problems.

If installed properly _and not disturbed_ it's unlikely they'll have much
problem. OTOH, if a backstabbed receptacle or switch is removed for any
reason, simply the act of moving the device can loosen the connections enough
to cause trouble.

I'd like to see some more evidence for the badness of backstabbed
connections. Everything I read here is either based on anecdotal
evidence, or just speculation and personal preference.

I'd consider the de-listing of AWG 12 conductors to be sufficient evidence.

Solely anecdotal, but seems like quite a coincidence that I've had
problems with them staying connected, particularly in receptacles that
received frequent use (not taking out and working on, simply plugging
and unplugging of appliances). As a previous respondent said, if done
correctly and not disturbed... But if "anecdotally", merely using the
receptacle a lot in the manner intended is enough to cause such
disturbance, well, then it's not functioning as intended.

Now, I don't have non-backstabbed ones with which to compare them, but
I can't fathom that a non-backstabbed receptacle would have done the
same.

My amateur and anecdotal .02 worth.