I am trying to replace a kitchen receptacle used for the refrigerator and a kitchen utensil. I have shut off the kitchen power and taken the old receptacle out of its box for starters since I was short on time then. When putting the receptacle back in and testing it with a plugin wiring testing tool, it was marked open ground. Does this mean that the grounding wire got broken or is this typical for such a receptacle with 3 neutral wires and 3 hot wires?
When I replace the old clip on wiring with a new screw on wiring should I just screw 2 wires together for each side matching the refrigerator receptacle and 1 wire onto the the utensil receptacle?
I have been following my book on wiring for replacing this receptacle and one other I did succeed in replacing. The book explains how to wire a receptacle with one neutral and hot, or 2 neutral and hot wires, but it does not explain a 3 neutral and hot wired receptacle.
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I don't know what you mean by "clipon" wiring.
Are you talking about devices that have a small hole in the back where you can just push a wire in? If so that is called backstab wiring.
Also you did not indicated the age of the house or the type of wiring system.
Current kitchens have to be wired with 20 amp circuits (#12 wire). Years ago There where receptacles that would take #12 wire backstabbed.
Those are no longer allowed.
The best practice when dealing with multiple wires is is connect them together along with a short piece of wire (called a pigtail) using a wire nut. Then connect the single pigtail (one for hot, one for neutral, one for grounds). to the appropriate terminals on the receptacle.
"it was marked open ground. Does this mean that the grounding wire got broken "
You never mentioned ground wires. Was there "one" in the box?
What type of wiring is this, sheathed electrical cable, metal conduit, Amoured Cable (so called BX, it covered with a metal spiral sheathing).
About what is the age of the house.
Are you talking about devices that have a small hole in the back where you can just push a wire in? If so that is called backstab wiring.
Also you did not indicated the age of the house or the type of wiring system.
Current kitchens have to be wired with 20 amp circuits (#12 wire). Years ago There where receptacles that would take #12 wire backstabbed.
Those are no longer allowed.
The best practice when dealing with multiple wires is is connect them together along with a short piece of wire (called a pigtail) using a wire nut. Then connect the single pigtail (one for hot, one for neutral, one for grounds). to the appropriate terminals on the receptacle.
"it was marked open ground. Does this mean that the grounding wire got broken "
You never mentioned ground wires. Was there "one" in the box?
What type of wiring is this, sheathed electrical cable, metal conduit, Amoured Cable (so called BX, it covered with a metal spiral sheathing).
About what is the age of the house.
By "clip on" wiring I really mean a backstab wiring.
The place I am living is really an apartment. I believe it is an old apartment building since it has rusty hot water pipes, but I do not know exactly how old it is yet. I think this is the kind of building from years ago since the original kitchen receptacle did have backstab wiring.
The backstab receptacle does have one grounding wire screwed onto it still. I never disconnected the wiring from the original receptacle, although I may have pulled the receptacle too far out from the box and broken the ground wiring even though it didn't look loose. This is why I wonder why the receptacle was marked "open ground" when testing it after putting the receptacle back in the box again.
The ground wire is a bare copper wire and the other six wires are wires with a plastic covering, though I do not know what these types of wires are called.
The place I am living is really an apartment. I believe it is an old apartment building since it has rusty hot water pipes, but I do not know exactly how old it is yet. I think this is the kind of building from years ago since the original kitchen receptacle did have backstab wiring.
The backstab receptacle does have one grounding wire screwed onto it still. I never disconnected the wiring from the original receptacle, although I may have pulled the receptacle too far out from the box and broken the ground wiring even though it didn't look loose. This is why I wonder why the receptacle was marked "open ground" when testing it after putting the receptacle back in the box again.
The ground wire is a bare copper wire and the other six wires are wires with a plastic covering, though I do not know what these types of wires are called.
In most cases you would have 3 ground wires or possible only one that connects to the metal box.
Apparently what you have is not standard so I can't give you accurate information.
Also if this is a rental apartment you should not be working on it.
If this is a "purchased" type of aparment (cooperative or condo) then I don't know what the rules are.
Apparently what you have is not standard so I can't give you accurate information.
Also if this is a rental apartment you should not be working on it.
If this is a "purchased" type of aparment (cooperative or condo) then I don't know what the rules are.
