On Aug 15, 6:01*pm, "Robert Green" wrote:
"Perry Aynum" wrote in message

...

Why take the risk? *Is the extra two minutes required to pig-tail the ends
and screw them down too much?

I agree. *Why take the risk? *But have you ever see a klutzy newbie try to
bend a wire loop or screw down a solid copper wire? *I'd say fully half the
rank newbie work is not fully under the screw or formed into the proper
curve and is destined to work loose. *I'd say that reason and the "time is
money" contracting rule is why backstabbing got started.

Never on my own work, not after trying to trace that damn intermittent in
the backstabbed disposal switch, but I can see why some contractors do it..
I think it's one of the things that separates the pros from the tyros. *Just
like lining up the two screws on a switch faceplate so they are in the same
orientation. *(-: *I grew up next door to an old-world craftsman of an
electrician who helped wire the NYC subway system. *His work is still in use
today. *Quality work lasts. *But I digress.

A much more critical newbie error is to cut into the wire while stripping it
which is a risk for either sort of connection method, screw or backstab.
Ah, for a nickle for every time I've seen or accidentally done that myself!

Newbies and wire nuts don't mix well, either. *Stripped end of *wires too
long, *too short, wrong size nut, wrong mix of wires, twist not twisted
enough. *There's no end to sad tales with wire nuts in the hands of the
inexperienced. *My favorite is three wires under one nut with a virtually
untwisted center wire that pulls right out on the first tug. *I am much more
concerned with bad wire nutting than with backstabbing.

--
Bobby G.

I found problems with wire nuts also in my lighting. On several
ovehead light the wires just pulled out of the nuts when I pulled them
down for inspection. I also found 6 lights, two in the bathrooms and
four outside that did not have J boxes They were just screwed to the
wall withe the wirenuts tucked inside the wall. None of the light
fixtures were grounded. I later heard that the electrician only did
the electrical rough-in. The unskilled labour installed the lights and
outlets.

Jimmie