I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather

Wire nut the two blacks together, then wire nut the two whites together.
Done



"Heather" wrote in message
...
I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather

On Feb 1, 1:54*pm, Heather wrote:
I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) *I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. *Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! *Ugh! *I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? *I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. *Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. *Which wires do I connect - - And how? *(Wire
nuts?) *And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather

You had an amateur wiring job there. The receptacle was through wired,
both back wires on the brass terminals and both white wires on the
silver terminals. the bare wire was connected to the green ground
screw on the receptacle. This leaves the current path through the
jumpers on the receptacle, not a good wiring practice. The more
workman like way to do it is to wire nut a pigtail to the black wires
and connect that to the brass terminal.. Do the same with the white
wires pigtailed to the silver terminal.. Leave the ground wire on the
green terminal. I you have a metal box, I would pigtail it with the
ground wire or install a grounding clip on the receptacle screw. HTH

Joe

On Feb 1, 3:08*pm, "RBM" wrote:
Wire nut the two blacks together, then wire nut the two whites together.
Done

"Heather" wrote in message

...



I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) *I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. *Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! *Ugh! *I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? *I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. *Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. *Which wires do I connect - - And how? *(Wire
nuts?) *And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you wire nut the wires together, you will have created a junction
box. You are not allowed to conceal a junction box inside a wall or
behind a cabinet.

On Feb 1, 11:20*pm, Joe wrote:
On Feb 1, 1:54*pm, Heather wrote:





I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) *I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. *Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! *Ugh! *I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? *I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. *Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. *Which wires do I connect - - And how? *(Wire
nuts?) *And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather

You had an amateur wiring job there. The receptacle was through wired,
both back wires on the brass terminals and both white wires on the
silver terminals. the bare wire was connected to the green ground
screw on the receptacle. *This leaves the current path through the
jumpers on the receptacle, not a good wiring practice. The more
workman like way to do it is to wire nut a pigtail to the black wires
and connect that to the brass terminal.. Do the same with the white
wires pigtailed to the silver terminal.. Leave the ground wire on the
green terminal. I you have a metal box, I would pigtail it with the
ground wire or install a grounding clip on the receptacle screw. HTH

Joe- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The outlets are 'technically' not connected in series. Using that term
is genarally incorrect for house wiring.

It does sound as though you have, by removing that outlet, broken the
wiring that allows electricity to go through to the other outlets on
that circuit.

So far it sounds as though your insurance company and the local fire
investigator would not be impressed!

Best advice is to get someone who knows what they are doing to;
a) Turn off the power to at least that circuit.
b) Using the proper kind of wire nuts or connectors, firmly join the
two black wires together.
c) Similarly connect the two white wires together.
DO NOT JUST TWIST THE WIRES TOGETHER AND TAPE THEM! Those wires are
carrying all the electrical load for other outlets further down that
circuit. And the last thing you need is a bad connection heating up
inside a hidden box! FIRE!
d) The ground wire should be firmly connected to the metal box that
holds, or used to hold the outlet. But see item (f).
e) The now empty outlet box has become an electrical connection box.
Since it is illegal and unsafe to cover up any electrical conection
box it should be provided with a, preferably in this case, metal cover-
plate.
That metal plate should not be covered up by anything, so the box
should either be relocated or perhaps it may be OK to cut a hole in
the back of any cupboard in front of it to clearly reveal the location
of and provide access to the connection box.
f) Turn on the power again and test the circuit to ensure that i) It
is working and ii) Wired correctly. Including ground continuity
through to the outets; the ground wire is for safety; so don't skip
that, even though things may seem to work in those outlets further
along!!!!

Junction boxes have to be accessable without removing any part of the
building
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
On Feb 1, 3:08 pm, "RBM" wrote:
Wire nut the two blacks together, then wire nut the two whites together.
Done

"Heather" wrote in message

...



I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you wire nut the wires together, you will have created a junction
box. You are not allowed to conceal a junction box inside a wall or
behind a cabinet.

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
On Feb 1, 3:08 pm, "RBM" wrote:
Wire nut the two blacks together, then wire nut the two whites together.
Done

"Heather" wrote in message

...



I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you wire nut the wires together, you will have created a junction
box. You are not allowed to conceal a junction box inside a wall or
behind a cabinet.

That's not what NEC 370.29 says. If her cabinet can be easily removed for
access, I don't see it as a problem. The OP only asked how to make the
splice and nothing about possible code violations

On Feb 1, 3:39�pm, "RBM" wrote:
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message

...
On Feb 1, 3:08 pm, "RBM" wrote:





Wire nut the two blacks together, then wire nut the two whites together.
Done

"Heather" wrote in message

...

I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you wire nut the wires together, you will have created a junction
box. You are not allowed to conceal a junction box inside a wall or
behind a cabinet.

That's not what NEC 370.29 says. If her cabinet can be easily removed for
access, I don't see it as a problem. The OP only asked how to make the
splice and nothing about possible code violations- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

ideally cut a hole in the cabinet, and use a blank cover plate

On Feb 1, 3:39*pm, "RBM" wrote:
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message

...
On Feb 1, 3:08 pm, "RBM" wrote:





Wire nut the two blacks together, then wire nut the two whites together.
Done

"Heather" wrote in message

...

I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you wire nut the wires together, you will have created a junction
box. You are not allowed to conceal a junction box inside a wall or
behind a cabinet.

That's not what NEC 370.29 says. If her cabinet can be easily removed for
access, I don't see it as a problem. The OP only asked how to make the
splice and nothing about possible code violations- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The OP only asked how to make the splice and nothing about
possible code violations

True, but don't you think the "nice guy" in all of us should at least
point out possible problems associated with what a poster is asking
about?

Here's an extreme example - if a poster said "I have a bunch of luan
lying around and want to build some stairs. How wide is standard
tread?" Don't we have *some* obligation to point out that luan might
not be the best material for stair treads?

On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 13:16:24 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Feb 1, 3:39?pm, "RBM" wrote:
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message

...
On Feb 1, 3:08 pm, "RBM" wrote:





Wire nut the two blacks together, then wire nut the two whites together.
Done

"Heather" wrote in message

...

I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you wire nut the wires together, you will have created a junction
box. You are not allowed to conceal a junction box inside a wall or
behind a cabinet.

That's not what NEC 370.29 says. If her cabinet can be easily removed for
access, I don't see it as a problem. The OP only asked how to make the
splice and nothing about possible code violations- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

ideally cut a hole in the cabinet, and use a blank cover plate

I mean, it is a garage cabinet! Outlet box extension if needed.

Oren
--

Terry laid it out very nicely in a reply to the OP. You replied to me. I
merely answered the OP's question. The NEC says boxes must be accessible
without removing any part of the building. I have no idea what type of
cabinets or how they are attached. Without that information I can't be sure
any violation has been created. Code also requires an outlet in the garage,
and it must be gfci protected. Maybe she has one, she didn't say and I
didn't ask. Don't blame me for giving her a straight answer to her question



"DerbyDad03" wrote in message
...
On Feb 1, 3:39 pm, "RBM" wrote:
"DerbyDad03" wrote in message

...
On Feb 1, 3:08 pm, "RBM" wrote:





Wire nut the two blacks together, then wire nut the two whites together.
Done

"Heather" wrote in message

...

I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

If you wire nut the wires together, you will have created a junction
box. You are not allowed to conceal a junction box inside a wall or
behind a cabinet.

That's not what NEC 370.29 says. If her cabinet can be easily removed for
access, I don't see it as a problem. The OP only asked how to make the
splice and nothing about possible code violations- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The OP only asked how to make the splice and nothing about
possible code violations

True, but don't you think the "nice guy" in all of us should at least
point out possible problems associated with what a poster is asking
about?

Here's an extreme example - if a poster said "I have a bunch of luan
lying around and want to build some stairs. How wide is standard
tread?" Don't we have *some* obligation to point out that luan might
not be the best material for stair treads?

RBM wrote:
Terry laid it out very nicely in a reply to the OP. You replied to me. I
merely answered the OP's question. The NEC says boxes must be accessible
without removing any part of the building. I have no idea what type of
cabinets or how they are attached. Without that information I can't be sure
any violation has been created. Code also requires an outlet in the garage,
and it must be gfci protected. Maybe she has one, she didn't say and I
didn't ask. Don't blame me for giving her a straight answer to her question




Well put. Code is the problem of the OP to sort out. How the hell do we
know if she's got seventeen outlets marked 15A on a 10A run, with
plain-jane 14/2 running through her pool to the kid's treehouse?!?

Come on.

a

PS - I wonder if the cabinet in question is going to be used to store oily
rags - it's always next to the one with the blasting caps in it.

black to black, white to white, and leave the ground alone. ALSO, you can't
cover that box with the cabinets.

s


"Heather" wrote in message
...
I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather

On Feb 1, 11:54*am, Heather wrote:
I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) *I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. *Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! *Ugh! *I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? *I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. *Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. *Which wires do I connect - - And how? *(Wire
nuts?) *And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather

An cabinet that has been secured by screws and or bolts shoulkd be
considered a part of the structure and it cannot block access to a
junction box. If the cabinet is free standing and movable without
having to remove screws and or bolts then it should not be considered
part of the structure. As others have stated, wirenut the blacks
together, the whites together, and the bare copper or green grounds
together ensuring that a ground is conected to the box if it is
metal. Make sure the box has a cover installed and is accessible.

On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 11:54:58 -0800 (PST), Heather
wrote:

I have a *NON*-GFCI 15A 125V duplex receptacle outlet in the garage.
(It reads 15A 125V on the front of the receptacle.) I was installing
cabinets along that wall and had to remove the outlet's coverplate and
receptacle so that the cabinet could be installed flush to the wall.
I removed the receptacle and taped off each wire individually
(connecting nothing together) and installed my cabinets. Shortly
after that, I discovered that many of the other outlets in the house
did not work! Ugh! I assume that all those outlets are wired in
series and I broke the circuit? I removed the cabinet so I can
reconnect the wires. Here's where I need help.

I have FIVE wires: TWO black hot wires, TWO white neutral wires and
ONE bare ground wire. Which wires do I connect - - And how? (Wire
nuts?) And if matters WHICH white or WHICH black wire, how do I
figure that out?

Many thanks!
Heather

No electrical box shall be made inaccessible! So you may need to
move the box or change the cabinet to make it accessible. No wires
shall be connected outside a box. Use wire nuts, do not use black
tape. Can assume anything, but usually all black wires are connected
together. All white wires are connected together. An outlet tester
and a little neon tester are good inexpensive tools.

On Feb 1, 6:57*pm, wrote:
On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 12:20:25 -0800 (PST), Joe wrote:
jumpers on the receptacle, not a good wiring practice. The more
workman like way to do it is to wire nut a pigtail to the black wires

Wouldn't that cause the pig to get electrocuted?

Only the pigtail is used, not the whole pig. Sheesh

Joe