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| I'm painting my dining room and noticed that the outlets in this 20A circuit were somehow backstabbed. The wiring itself is 12 gauge, but the outlets have 14AWG pigtails, backstabbed, and connected to the 12AWG conductors in each box.
Is this in compliance with NEC? I know that 20A requires 12AWG, but does this apply to the pigtails also? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Are the outlets 20amp or 15amp? |
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- Posted by petey_racer (My Page) on Sun, Jun 5, 11 at 12:46
| Yes it applies to pigtails. NO, it is NOT allowed. It does NOT matter if the receptacles are 15 or 20A. It is on a 20A circuit. |
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| Thank you, Petey and Dennis. I kind of figured it wasn't allowed. BTW, these are 15A with 20 AMP "pass through" outlets. It's par for the course, as the circuit continues into the adjoining living room. I also have a small applicance kitchen circuit that found itself feeding an outdoor outlet too(fixed years ago, by me). BTW house was built in 1996. |
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| "BTW, these are 15A with 20 AMP "pass through" outlets. " The pass through requirements oif 20 amps was established at the same time as the NEC allowance of 15 amp OR 20 amp receptacles on 20 amp circuits (as long as more than one outlet is on the circuit). The use of back stabs for #12 wire was very short lived. Whomever used the #14 pigtails was a real hack. You can just move the wires to the screws and eliminate the pigtails.
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- Posted by mstr_electrician (My Page) on Tue, Jun 7, 11 at 8:31
| According to NEC Article 210.24, using a #14 wire on a 20 amp circuit as taps (pigtails) is allowed. I don't agree with this method but it is not a violation of the NEC. |
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| I find it interesting that it would be allowed, since it would set up a circumstance where someone could install a 20 amp outlet with #14 wire, but then again, there's nothing preventing a homeowner from installing a 20 amp outlet on a circuit that's 15 amp all the way to the panel. Anyone trying to do the right thing might look at the breaker, see that it's a 20, and feel perfectly safe installing a 20 amp outlet, not knowing the pigtails are #14. |
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| Now I'm confused. According to NEC Article 210.24, using a #14 wire on a 20 amp circuit as taps (pigtails) is allowed. I don't agree with this method but it is not a violation of the NEC. So this is OK even if the tap is feeding a 20amp receptacle? |
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- Posted by mstr_electrician (My Page) on Tue, Jun 14, 11 at 13:46
| Yes Dennis, it is ok the pigtails are #14 on the 20 amp circuit according to the NEC. |
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