Shutoff the Electricity
- lugging in the receptacle tester which illuminated two yellow lights indicating the receptacle is wired correctly.
- Shut off the electricity at the circuit breaker in the main electrical panel.
- Observed the receptacle tester lights are not illuminated confirming the outlet is not powered.
When using a receptacle tester, you must test the outlet before shutting off the power because no lights on the tester can indicate an “Open Hot” condition. I could’ve used my standard voltage tester here, but since I’m wiring a new outlet the receptacle tester is more convenient.
Verify the Power is Off to the Receptacle
Remove the Electrical Outlet
Remove the faceplate screw and white faceplate, then remove the two receptacle mounting screws to release it from the wall box.
Remove the Electrical Outlet Mounting Screws
Pull the electrical outlet forward from the wall box to expose the wiring:
Sidewired Electrical Outlet in Series
Several things are apparent from the way this outlet is wired:
- Because this outlet is in the bathroom, it’s on a 20AMP circuit with NM-B 12/2 (12 gauge, 2 conductor plus ground) wire protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlet (not shown) elsewhere in the circuit. 12 gauge wire is required for a 20AMP circuit.
- The outlet itself is rated for 15AMPs / 125 volts, this is fine and complies with the National Electrical Code.
- The outlet is “sidewired“, meaning the hot (black) and neutral (white) wires are fastened to the side screw terminals. (The black wires have some spray paint them from when the builder painted the walls.)
- The outlet is a “middle of the run” wired in “series” – meaning current passes between the side terminals to the next outlet down the line. This is common practice, but parallel wiring with a “pigtail” is better.
- The electrical wiring extends well beyond the minimum requirement of 3 inches beyond the wall box.
- The outlet is properly grounded via the bare ground wire that is tied via a pigtail to the cable ground wires.
In brief, this outlet is properly wired.
Series versus Parallel Electrical Outlet Wiring
The following electrical outlet wiring diagram illustrates a middle-of-the-run outlet wired in series. The outlet in the above photo corresponds to the left and middle outlets in the wiring diagram. Series wiring is quicker and simpler compared to parallel wiring, however any problem with a middle-of-the-run outlet will affect all downstream outlets, i.e. outlets to the right of the bad outlet.
Electrical Outlet Series Wiring Diagram
Wiring electrical outlets in parallel with pigtail connections that are twisted and nutted together is a more reliable method which isolates the outlet from the current path, thereby reducing the chance that a problem with the outlet will affect the other outlets on the circuit. Parallel outlet wiring is illustrated in this diagram:
Electrical Outlet Parallel Wiring Diagram (Pigtails)
Disconnect the Old Outlet
The wires can be removed from the worn out outlet by:
- Loosening the side terminal screws, opening the looped wire end with screwdriver tip and sliding it off the screw terminal. This is the preferred method if you’re going to sidewire the replacement outlet.
- Or simply snipping off the wires with wire cutters as shown here.
I chose to snip off the wires because I’m going to backwire the replacement outlet and I haveplenty of wire extending from the wall box. Backwiring requires straight wire ends and I couldn’t be bothered to straighten the looped ends with pliers.
Do not cut your wires if the leads extend less than 3 inches beyond wall box.
Cutting the Wires Off the Old Electrical Outlet
Electrical outlet after cutting off the wires.
Wires Snipped Off the Worn Out Electrical Outlet
Having removed the worn out electrical outlet, I’ll replace it with a Leviton 5252-W Heavy Duty Electrical Outlet rated for 15AMPs and 125 volts for this high-use bathroom vanity location. The heavy duty outlet costs $5.44 versus 59 cents for the residential grade outlet. You get what you pay for in terms of quality and durability.
Leviton 5252-W Heavy Duty Electrical Outlet
The following diagram explains the terminals and connections of an electrical outlet. I’m showing the Leviton 5320-WCP residential grade outlet because the side screw terminals are easier to see versus the heavy duty outlet above; however both outlets have the same configuration.
Electrical Outlet Terminals Diagram
There is no “up” or “down” to an electrical outlet and it can be installed in the “face” orientation as shown above or rotated 180 degrees. I recommend sticking with the orientation used in your home for consistency.
Backwiring the Electrical Outlet
The new Leviton 5252 outlet will be backwired using the screw-and-clamp system of the heavy duty outlet. Backwiring is faster than sidewiring and just as secure with the screw-and-clamp system of the heavy duty outlet. To backwire the outlet, the 12 gauge wires are stripped to the length as measured by the strip gauge embossed on the back of the outlet.
Electrical Outlet Backwire Strip Gauge
Here’s a closeup of the backwire method. The wire is inserted into the hole and captured by the silver colored clamp as the side screw is tightened. The clamp face is serrated for extra holding power and the wire will not rotate.
Leviton 5252 Heavy Duty Electrical Outlet Backwire
I like to wire the ground first for safety and convenience. The ground wire is looped around the green ground screw and the screw is tightened.
Electrical Outlet Ground Wiring
The hot (black) wires are inserted on the side with the brass colored screws and the screws tightened to clamp the wire in place. The white (neutral) wires are inserted on the side with the silver colors screws and secured. In a middle-of-the-run series wired configuration such as this, the current flows across the metal tab (red arrow) between the terminals to reach the downstream outlets. A problem with the outlet could affect all downstream outlets.
Electrical Outlet Backwiring in Series (Middle of the Run)
The backwired outlet is ready for mounting in the electrical box.
Backwired Outlet Ready for Mounting in the Wall Box
At this point all that’s left to do is gently fold the wires inside the wall box, fasten the two mounting screws and replace the outlet cover plate.
The replacement electrical outlet was backwired in series in Part 2. I prefer wiring middle-of-run outlets in parallel with pigtail connections for improved reliability and fault isolation as illustrated in following the wiring diagram. Some local building codes require outlets to be wired in parallel for these reasons.
Electrical Outlet Parallel Wiring Diagram
Rewiring an outlet from series to parallel is straightforward with two short lengths of wire and wire nuts for the hot and neutral pigtail connections. A pigtail connection is always used for middle-of-run ground connections whether wired in series or parallel.
Shut off the Electricity
Be certain to shut off the electricity at the circuit breaker panel as described in Part 1 if you haven’t already done so.
Wiring an Electrical Outlet in Parallel
To demonstrate wiring an outlet in parallel, I disconnected the new Leviton 5252 heavy duty replacement outlet which was backwired in series in Part 2. That’s the neat thing about backwiring – it’s easy to install and disconnect the wires just by loosening the terminal screws.
Electrical Outlet Box Wires
An electrical is wired in parallel with pigtails by:
- Cut a 6″ inch length of black (hot) and white (neutral) wire for the pigtail splices.
- Strip 3/4″ inch of insulation the wires in the wall box and one end of the pigtail splice.
- Matching wire colors, twist the ends of the two black wires coming from the outlet box together with the 6″ black wire splice with lineman’s pliers. Twist the wires in a clockwise direction (right twist) with lineman’s pliers as shown. Secure the wires with a wire nut.
- Repeat the pigtail splice connection for the white (neutral) wires.
Note the bare ground wire is already on a pigtail connection via a metal bonding clamp. If you happen to be running wire to install a new middle-of-run outlet, be certain to make a pigtail connection for the ground wires.
Electrical Outlet Pigtail Wiring
Pigtails wire connections are complete:
Electrical Outlet Pigtail Wiring Connections
Use the strip gauge on the back of the electrical outlet to measure and strip the correct length of wire for the backwire connection.
Electrical Outlet Backwire Strip Gauge
The ground wire is looped around the green ground screw. Tighten the screw really well to secure the connection.
Backwiring an Electrical Outlet in Parallel with Pigtail Connections
Backwire the outlet by:
- Loosening the side screw to expand the internal clamp.
- Insert the black (hot) wire in one of the backwire holes on the side with the brass color screws. Any of the four backwire holes will do. Take care the wire is inside the jaw of the metal clamp.
- With the wire fully inserted, tighten the side screw to clamp the wire in place.
- Insert the white (neutral) in a backwire hole on the side with the silver screws and secure it by tightening the screws as before.
- Check the wires are secure by giving the wires a pull. The wires should be held fast with no “give” or rotation.
Leviton 5252 Heavy Duty Outlet Backwire with Pigtails
Carefully fold the wires into the electrical box using gentle loops. 12 gauge wire is much stiffer than 14 gauge and getting all the wires folded in can take some attention to detail. Make sure the bare ground wire is not touching the side screw terminals.
When the wires are in the box, mount the outlet to the wall box with the two mounting screws.
Mount the Electrical Outlet in the Wall Box
The old outlet wallplate will be replaced with a Leviton Unbreakable Nylon Wallplate for a new and neat appearance.
Leviton Unbreakable Nylon Wallplate
A “GFCI Protected Outlet” sticker is affixed to the wallplate (you get these when you purchase a GFCI outlet – I had some left over from the basement bathroom project).
GFCI Protection Label and Receptacle Tester
I turned on the circuit breaker at the main electrical panel and verified the outlet is correctly wired with the receptacle tester. Everything is correct.
Worn-Out Electrical Outlet Autopsy
The old electrical outlet that was getting worn out with loose plugs is a Leviton Residential Grade Electrical Outlet, Model #: 5320-WCP, UPC Code: 07847715142. These sell for 59 cents at Home Depot and a very common. The outlet served well by bathroom vanity for about 10 years before wearing out. For 59 cents, it’s a testament to the success of mass production and maximum quality at a low price.
A new and old Leviton 5320-WCP receptacles are shown here for comparison. Some pitting around the receptacle face can be seen on the old outlet.
Old and New Leviton Electrical Receptacles Model 5320-WCP
The old receptacle is held together by two metal rivets on the back. I cut off the rivet heads with a Dremel tool and cutoff wheel.
Leviton Residential Electrical Outlet 5320-WCP UPC Code: 07847715142
The main problem with the old receptacle is it wasn’t holding a plug because the U-shaped contacts (yellow arrows) were getting worn out. These U-shaped contacts – also called “wipes” – fatigue and open up over time through repeated use when plugging in appliances.
Signs of Wear on the Leviton Electrical Receptacle Model 5320-WCP
As the contacts open up, the plug becomes loose resulting in a high resistance connection, causing overheating, arcing and corrosion. If the outlet isn’t replaced, the connection can become so bad that constant a constant sizzling or hissing noise is heard from the electrical arcing as happened with that outlet I described in Part 1.
Thanks to http://www.handymanhowto.com/2011/01/17/how-to-replace-a-worn-out-electrical-outlet-part-1/
