A friend of mine told me when he wires outlets in series, he takes the (2) black #12 wires and twists them together with a #14 pigtail wire that connects to the receptacle. He says it is much easier to work with the receptacle with the #14 wire. Same thing with the white and ground wires. Is it ok to do this since the wires are in the same box as the 15A rated receptacle?
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- #14 pigtails on receptacle
A 15 amp rated duplex receptacle is allowed on a twenty amp circuit, 14 awg in this situation can not be protected at any more than 15 amps.
The problem with reducing the wire to #14 is that it allows backstabbing a device that is designed to prevent this on anything but 15 amp circuits. (UL white and green books)
If the device is connected with the screws, I don't see why this would be necessary.
Just my opinion.
Roger
The breaker must be rated to the smallest size wire on the circuit. If these circuits are protect by a 15 am breaker then he is OK. If they are protected by a 20 amp breaker then he is wrong.
Per Joed's response - the code section restricting the conductors to be sized no smaller than the circuit breaker is - (1999) 210-19(b) - 'conductors of branch circuits...shall have an ampacity of NOT LESS THAN the rating of the branch circuit.
210-3 - says the rating of the circuit is based on the rating of the circuit breaker.
240-3(b) restricts a #14 to a 15A circuit breaker.
