The cursed electrical outlets!

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nestsman
Posts: 158
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:06 pm

I about cut myself today trying to replace one of those "mobile home" electrical outlets behind my fridge. Holy crap that thing is difficult to use. Can anyone suggest a good website that shows how I'm supposed to pierce the electrical wire on the metal contacts and make this thing work?

Ughhh!

Thanks!
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Greg
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Location: Weedsport, NY

Your best bet is to simply get rid of them and go with the traditional screw type outlets (and switches). My own opinion is that the pierce style connectors should be banned. All it takes is a bad connection to start arcing and the potential for major (if not fatal) problems exists.

I go with "old work" style boxes, add a short pig tale a use the screws to make tight connections.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Mark440
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Anna, Tx

Agree with Greg. 100%!!! Absolutely!!

About the only thing those 'clip ons' are good for is not making me feel bad when I chunk one in the trash. I have replaced a good number on mine - and will continue to eliminate these as time permits (or another one of them gets flaky). A box and outlet is less than $2 - and well worth knowing another one of these little hazards is out of my house.
Opportunity has a shelf life.
ponch37300
Posts: 622
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:12 pm
Location: wisconsin

The outlets they use are complete garbage, not really an opinion but after replacing a few hundred I would say more of a fact. They don't hold the wires good and I've seen many that have black "burn" spots from arcing which is one arc away from a house fire. I don't know how they get away with using them.

But like Greg and Mark mentioned old work boxes and real outlets are cheap. And if you're lucky enough to replace them before the outlet pulls out of the wall then it's easy to make the opening a little bigger and fit the new box in the wall. And from my experience there is usually enough extra wire in the wall to do it.
nestsman
Posts: 158
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:06 pm

Greg wrote:I go with "old work" style boxes, add a short pig tale a use the screws to make tight connections.
This is good advice. But what exactly is an "old work" style box? Are those the kind that are made of plastic and have to be anchored to a 2x4 stud?

Thanks!
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Greg
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"Old work" (my mistake not old style) are not as deep as "New work" boxes, they can either nail to stud or some have the flip up tabs that hold them in place.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_37117-53911-B12 ... ical+boxes

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
kailor
Posts: 79
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:25 pm
Location: Huntsville, Alabama

Replace it with a traditional outlet. Those plugs are worthless, in my humble opinion.
Keith
Thanks!
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hotrod53
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:01 pm

I had quite a few that were so loose that I didn't trust them, and some had boogered up the drywall around it so I needed a plan B.

I installed standard size blue plastic work boxes with standard outlets. It was not as easy as it sounds since the wall studs in my Champion home were not 2x4 but something more like a 2x3.The box fit all but 1/4" inch sticking out so I cut some decorative plates out of 1/4" Masonite, coated them with poly urethane, and cut them out to fit the outlet box. It did a great job, covered the egged hole in the drywall, and looks good to boot. I've made probably 4 of these so far, it gives me piece of mind on the high current outlets that I plug in an electric heater, a microwave, and my heated bissel carpet cleaner.
nestsman
Posts: 158
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:06 pm

Why doesn't any company make plastic electrical boxes that are designed for mobile home walls? Seems like they would have quite the business if they did.
HouseMedic
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Location: Delaware
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If you look at the right places you can find a box that fit's 2x3 walls. I think it is a 18 cubic inch box.

Ron
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Greg
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That was the box that I posted the link to.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
HouseMedic
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Greg wrote:That was the box that I posted the link to.

Greg
Sorry Greg, Did not see your link but the one I was talking about is shallower. It is 17cu. not 18 as I thought above and it is here. Only 2" deep.
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?par ... &cId=PDIO1

Ron
technoz1
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2015 7:58 pm

Ive been replacing my outlets also in my 2000 breckenridge park model, I had a couple of the 2" deep ones and used the box above menards also carried them. Key here is to pull that romex out of hole and put into new wall box and put together outside of wall and then shove in and tighten up when done. The ideal wire connectors from home depot were a life saver for making pigtails.

http://www.homedepot.com/s/ideal%2520wi ... ure?NCNI-5
nestsman
Posts: 158
Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:06 pm

technoz1, I have never seen these wire connectors before that you have mentioned. The next time you are replacing one of your outlets, can you take a photo so I can see where these connectors fit in? Normally the romex connects right to the electrical outlet's screws on the back....right?

Thanks!
technoz1
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2015 7:58 pm

When replacing a light switch I would use the 2 port ideal wire connector and put the 2 neutral wires inside. I would use the 3 port ideal wire connector and put the 2 ground wires in and make a pig tail to connect nicely to ground on switch. They are way better than wire caps and solid! Sometimes there was little slack for me in the romex so I had to make pigtails to extend the wires also with those wire connectors. Another thing I highly recommend installing a usb charging outlet for those electronics while your at it.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-15-A ... /205092277
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