[Elecraft] 120V vs 240V

[Bob Nielsen]

I discovered some of the same issues in my 1972 house, plus most of the wiring was copper-clad aluminum which has a nasty tendency to break when replacing a receptacle.

Bob N7XY

On Feb 17, 2011, at 5:31 AM, R. Kevin Stover wrote:

> On Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:34:53 -0600
> "Don Cunningham" <donc at martineer.net> wrote:
> 
>> I guess I'm getting old.  Sorry about the blank message!!  Don, I
>> found something interesting in doing some "remodeling" and replacing
>> receptacles. The old ones were ivory, and with the new white trim, I
>> had to please the XYL, hi.  Anyway, since my wiring days in the
>> sixties, I have avoided the "backstab" type receptacle myself,
>> knowing that spring HAD to wear out over the years.  I found some
>> receptacles at Lowe's, made by Cooper Industries that had the
>> "backstab" feature.  I was going to wrap the wire under the screws as
>> I always have BUT these new back entry plugs now use the screw on the
>> side to run a clamping mechanism against the wire, making a really
>> good connection!!  If one looks at the new plugs, you may be
>> pleasantly surprised to find this new feature (maybe old by now, but
>> my first experience with it).  I did a "test room" with that method,
>> but will do the rest of the place the old fashioned way, hi.
> 
> Don and all.
> 
> Our house, a 1972 vintage four level split, was full of back-stab
> receptacles. We had one fail in an upstairs bedroom so after the
> electrician left I went down to the hardware barn and purchased a box
> or two of of the receptacle that Don Cunningham references.
> 
> I just finished changing out the last two this last weekend.
> 
> I did a little test. I wrapped a length of 14/2 Romex around my bench
> vise in the garage and clamped it down tight. Connected the other
> stripped ends to one of the new receptacles using the "back-stab+screw"
> connection and started pulling.
> 
> As expected the wire stayed put and more importantly didn't let go when
> there was slack on the cable after the pulling exercise.
> 
> This house has all new receptacles now. Now all I have to worry about
> is the 39 year old wiring and the "creative" wiring the builder did
> when he put this thing up.
> 
> Lets just say the kitchen has all new Romex in it after a kitchen
> remodel exposed the fact that the builder ran all of the Romex for the
> kitchen through the ceiling soffits (considered living space by our
> code) rather than the walls.
> 
> -- 
> R. Kevin Stover
> AC0H
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