10 Things You Didn't Know About Outlets

Summary by Krater

The video covers 10 lesser-known electrical outlet features and installation details, concluding with tips on receptacle terminology and wire placement.

From the video

Answers: What are 10 things you might not know about a standard electrical outlet?

• Electrical outlet features
• Speed wiring
• Back wiring
• Sidewiring
• Outlet stripping guide
• Flat face outlets
• Decora brand outlets
• Built-in wire strippers
• Ground orientation
• Outlet terminology

What it concludes

• Removing the tab between the hot and neutral sides of an outlet allows the top and bottom receptacles to work independently.
• Speed wiring only works with 14 gauge solid core wire and the screw terminals are independent of the speed wire connection.
• Speed wiring is a one-and-done feature because pushing the wire in can deform the tab and make the wire loose next time.
• Back wiring places a straight strand of copper between the plate and screw itself, providing consistent and safe results.
• Sidewiring requires stripping insulation, bending the copper into a shepherd's hook in the clockwise direction around the screw terminal, and tightening it.
• Strip guides on the back of outlets are specific to one type of wiring and require matching the insulation removal to the wiring method used.