Pigtails.......

[Rewired]

In the Canadian electrical Code, every "pair" of wire nuts count as "one wire, and each device as long as its less than an inch deep (regular switches, receptacles... none of the spec grade stuff or dimmers and gfi's) count as 2 wires when you are doing your box-fill caclculations...

I have run into situations where they "pigtailed" at every receptacle.. My G/F's house, every receptacle is pigtailed into the circuit BUT, this was done way back in the 50's I guess, because the joints are soldered and taped, and still in excelent condition so I will not be touching them...

Bizarre thing is in that house, everything was 2-wire receptacles, but some circuits are grounded, some arent!.. Guess I have a wee bit of work ahead

A.D

[mrcaptainbob]

That's sure the way I thought, too. Would seem a bad idea to introduce more splices when not needed. However, when used in a branch situation, I can understand that. And a 'bunch' of 12/2 stuffed in a box PLUS the recepticle?, yep, HayZee518, I've managed to run across that in this house, as well as one at my son's place! Whoever mushed the wires down in those boxes and strained the recepticle screws down, must've been sizeable to lean on it that much! Thanks for the replies....

[HayZee518]

I wonder why they don't include the splices in the wires per box calculation. Wirenuts take up space as well as the wires themselves. They got deductions for the clamps which to me is insignificant. Ever try to mash 9 pairs of 12/2 in a box?

[kactuskid]

Like Rewired says, it's code to pigtail the neutrals on a multiwire circuit, but on a regular type branch circuit it is not code per the NEC to pigtail any of the wires. This may be a local code that your city has adopted though.

The thought process behind installing a pigtail to feed each receptacle is that if the receptacle failed for some reason, then power to the rest of the circuit would still be carried onward despite the failure. Here's a link that'll show you this:

http://www.danswiringpage.com/recepts_gfi.htm

I'm not so sure this is really a good idea though, this method introduces additional splices into the circuit, and more splices equals more area's of possible failures to occur.

[Rewired]

The only pigtail I know of you MUST make at a receptacle is where you have a receptacle in the middle of a "multi-wire" branch circuit.. You are not allowed to hook the neutral of the incoming and outgoing conductors directly to the receptacle... Reason for this is if someone removes the receptacle, the neutral could still be carrying current ( assuming the breaker to the offending outlet was opened).. This would now be a shock hazard... Also, if the connection at the receptacle were opened with the circuit in operation, or if the connection became loose, you would have an "open neutral" , and that in a multi wire branch circuit could be VERY BAD!

A.D

[HayZee518]

must be something missing stupidest thing I ever heard of. One receptacle pigtailed to a chunk of 12 wire. I can see it where you have multiple wires in a box plus a receptacle. jeez!

[KSever]

Seems to me you would have to have a deeper box if that's the case

[mrcaptainbob]

It was mentioned today that it's now code to pigtail all recepticals. That is, you pull maybe a foot or so Romex through the box, after the rough in inpsection, most of that is snipped off, ends bared and reconnected with wire nuts. If that's true, what is the reasoning behind it?