On Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 11:43:53 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thu, 28 Jan 2016 15:41:28 GMT, (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

Stormin Mormon writes:

New socket (recently put in) with orange 14 ga
romex. Circuit panel was fairly new, and this
circuit was supplied with new orange 14-2 Romex.
I think I found the problem. Anyone want to guess
what it was?

14-2? Generally receptacles are wired to a 20A
breaker. 14-2 has an ampacity of 15A (or less
depending on fill ratio).

Guess: Backstabs were used

General lighting receptacles in dwellings are usually 15a. You have
20s in kitchens, laundry and bathrooms.
Homeowners may wire 20s everywhere but builders usually do not.
You just have to look at the balance if 15 to 20 amp breakers in the
panel to see that.

BTW if he backstabbed 10 ga wire (orange romex) into a receptacle he
probably needed to drill out the hole. They are designed to only take
14ga wire. I have seen 12 ga jammed in there but they really had to
work to do it. (speaking about the spring capture back stabber, not
the spec grade where you tighten the screw)

Doesn't it suck that we have to keep qualifying all mentions of "backstab"
receptacles?