So the outlet my keezer is on cut off yesterday and after a bunch of running around the house to figure it out I found a bad outlet that is chained to the one the keezer is on. This is where it got interesing, I haven't seen this before, but the outlet has 3 lines coming in (not 3 total lines, 3 neutral, 3 hot, 3 ground). One of the neutral lines was loose which is what I am assuming caused the issues. One of the other neutrals has obvisiouly gotten a little hot at some point cause the shielding is a little discolored. Anyone encountered this before? I havent been able to find much online and what I did find people were saying to pigtail them, but I am still not sure about 3 lines coming to one outlet. Are there different outlets rated for something over 2 lines?
Electrical Advice
- Thread starter grendelrt
- Start date
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Hey I'm an electrician and I have seen this plenty of times. Your average receptacle (outlet) is only rated to have two lines hooked up directly to the receptacle. However people still hook up three all the time. Without seeing the outlet myself I would assume the problem is from the neutral being loose which would cause it to sit and arc causing extreme heat. Simple solution would be to pigtail the three together so you could hook up just one set of wires to the receptacle, and make sure you crank it tight. This would be totally legit, just make sure that the wire with the toasted insultaion isn't showing any copper and maybe give it a good wrap of electrical tape to improve the insulation. While your at it you may as well make it a new receptacle.
chris
chris
I am an electrician also and SLoB is 100% right.
This is exactly what I did actually lol. I talked to another electrician on this board and one at home depot =) I figured that some of you guys would be on here! Thanks for the replies guys!
Sounds like someone is afraid of electricity.
I'm not an electrician by trade but I did stay at a holiday inn. I also work on 480 volt control cabinets, 300,000 vdc power supplies. I would follow the advice of the other post. If you don't want to pig tail it some of the newer outlets will let you wrap a wire around the screw and stick a second wire thru the hole in the back. So you could possibly have all three wires on the outlet and not use a wire nut. Wire nuts have there place but I still hate using them.
sneezye
Member
Sounds like someone is afraid of electricity.
I'm not an electrician by trade but I did stay at a holiday inn. I also work on 480 volt control cabinets, 300,000 vdc power supplies. I would follow the advice of the other post. If you don't want to pig tail it some of the newer outlets will let you wrap a wire around the screw and stick a second wire thru the hole in the back. So you could possibly have all three wires on the outlet and not use a wire nut. Wire nuts have there place but I still hate using them.
Backstab recepts have their place. In the trash.
Sparky
Well-Known Member
In the future, for those folks that have electrical questions, can go to the electrical section in the forum.
Plenty of Sparky's there....
Just sayin'....
Plenty of Sparky's there....
Just sayin'....
What - they aren't allowed out?
Besides, this was hardly an "Electric Brewing" question...
Cheers!
Its funny I feel that way about wire nuts. The first backstage outlets I seen were the spring loaded ones you just pushed the wire in. The only ones I've seen lately, the screw on the side actually tightens a plate against the wire in the back. Solid mechanical connection is a good electrical connection.
Me? Hardly. This guy has some fried wires in his box...This ups the anti.
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