How and Why To Make A Pigtail

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One thing I learned a couple years back actually from a bunch of great comments on past videos is to use a Pigtail when wiring an outlet where you have multiple sets of Romex in the same electrical box. I will show you an example and the reasons why most electricians recommend using a pigtail.
Rather read than watch? Our blog article on the same topic, with updates!
everydayhomerepairs.com/?p=3770
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[@descargaelbano]

Good video. Really saves a lot of effort trying to jam that receptacle back in there

[@ijroorda]

As noted by others, it is not against NEC to feed a downstream device via the side terminals of a receptacle, so long as you are not landing two wires on a terminal screw designed for only one wire. You are required to pigtail the neutral on a multi-wire branch circuit (two hots sharing a neutral) so that removing a device doesn't create a hazardous loose neutral situation - but that's the only place the code is concerned with removal of a device interrupting a circuit.

[@arah8079]

I am replacing all my downstairs out lets because the person who put them in did exactly what was said not to do and I have already found two the burnt out causing the outside light and my TV to stop working. I have decided to look through the entire house and replace them the way you described in this video it just makes sense

[@richardchang5499]

Thank you so much for this video! You have solved my problem with using pigtails.

[@carljorgensen2813]

Thank you that was excellent. It’ll save me a lot of trouble.

[@kaisykaisy]

Thank you very much, it's a new information to me.

[@Lordcpg]

I'm not going to debate whether to pigtail or not as there are good cases made for each method. However, I can tell you it is NOT against code to use a duplex receptacle (translated as 2 devices) to run line and load, so long as only ONE terminal screw is used for each wire.

[@beerbeforebreakfast]

Code or not, I have found stab backs being used as downstream for the entire kitchen....but FROM A Bed room outlet! No lie. Apt building I work on very regularly from 1985. One little jostle and your kitchen is dead. Not a good plan.

[@pld8993]

@@beerbeforebreakfast Backstabbing and using the screws for feedthrough are not the same thing.

[@beerbeforebreakfast]

@@pld8993 oh heck no, backstabbing is the very least contact possible, side clamps however are a world apart. If a device has side clamps it is most commonly very well made, slightly more robust and will not be an issue on its own.

[@pld8993]

@@beerbeforebreakfast terminal screws on devices are designed, manufactured and UL tested and listed for feedthrough current. Pigtailing is not inherently better, contrary to what many believe.

[@beerbeforebreakfast]

@@pld8993 yes I agree. The only benefit that pigtails can possibly allow is isolation of a failure point. Since it separates the device from being an integral part of a circuit and possible fail point. Personally from my own experience of what I have actually seen through the years, I would still prefer a pigtail at a box for an outlet but I would be ok if the situation would make things simpler with a side clamp outlet sush as a heavy duty or industrial grade receptacle would typically use.

[@chasegodwin8257]

Thank you so much for this video!

[@R900DZ]

I hadn’t heard that using the device to daisy chain was against code nor had I heard the argument about it being easier to affix to the box. As for the “device failing” causing problems down stream, I don’t buy the argument. It’s a copper plate with screws that connects them, the device is not involved. No difference between wire nuts or wagos because those methods of splice can fail too.

[@pld8993]

Using the terminals for feedthrough current is not against code. It's legal and exactly how the devices are designed to be installed.

[@Bawkr]

It can fail I actually like this method better. There's a difference in corrosion and homes that have not had heat for a long time. May have to look into this. I've definitely experienced the failing down stream effect from an outlet. There's definitely some kind of difference however maybe this mobile home had cheaper outlets than you're thinking of.

[@pld8993]

@@Bawkr Every connection is a potential failure point. Adding a splice for a pigtail is adding a potential failure point. I've seen more failed splices than I have failed receps, doesn't mean splices are more prone to failure.

[@brandonpeterman9964]

I've been looking for exactly this how to

[@seniorcomputer3292]

GFCI does it all the time? Power down stream.

[@Lilbeast2687]

I keep hoping you do a video replacing these in old Chicago homes with boxes being the ground.

[@richardchang5499]

Is there specific terminals for each wire? Or you can just place them wherever you want? Just curious. Thank you

[@packattack1762]

Im going to be doing a home rewire and I may be doing some of the labor extensive stuff myself. If I do a junction box in the ceiling above each room and spider the leads down can I use that connector inside the junction box? Thanks

[@SuperlativeCG]

It's worth considering.

[@sminthian]

That is weird, you posted this exactly when I was doing this exact thing. I had a two-gang box with two switches, with 4 romex wires coming into it.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Scary 👀 big brother is watching 😬

[@dp0813]

I'm always watching.

[@KameraShy]

If any practice is against code, or required by it, at least citations should be included. Other channels, like "Electrician U" read off the code to veiwers.

[@pld8993]

Using the terminals for feedthrough current is not against code. It's legal and exactly how the devices are designed to be installed.

[@BIGcy42]

Are the wire connectors from Home Depot ok. I bought a few bags and haven’t used them yet. Just wondering how they hold up versus the Wago

[@smileanimo1914]

All neutral were wire nutted before together. But the hot black had a "jumper" from one light switch to another light switch. I pigtail the black hit so each switch can have its own power. Do I have to pigtail the neutral too? Or can I just leave as is? Both switches are two way only. I am replacing with two way only.

[@wisdomwisdom817]

Awesome job thank you so much

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Happy to help!

[@nhzxboi]

I disagree. Not against code as far as I know. Please site the code article and rule you're talking about.

[@christianhelfrich24]

That's really helpful. One issue though is if you're using an outlet with a ground fault circuit interrupter, you need to have the power running out of it to provide downstream protection, yes?

[@ryanmcallister6958]

You are correct. If you did the setup like he has, then only that one outlet would be GFI protected.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Correct and would have been a good callout in the video 👍

[@JasonJayJJ1]

@@EverydayHomeRepairs Related question: My kitchen was built in early 1978 and it had no GFCI's in the kitchen. I have duplex receptacles both 2 feet away on each side of the sink. Question is, if I don't know which way the electricity stream direction flows, is it okay if I just put GFCI's on both sides of the sink as a replacement for the 1978 duplex receptacles on both sides of the sink?

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Yeah, that would work. But you can also watch this video to help identify which wire should go to Line vs Load. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIjJp5iBgpuBe80

[@IceArdor]

@@JasonJayJJ1 It’s pretty straightforward to find which outlet is upstream. If you have a kill-a-watt or a 4-digit voltmeter, you can measure the voltage at each receptacle. The highest voltage is your most upstream. You’ll also notice there’s a small voltage drop between the top and bottom outlet, so test both and take the higher voltage. If you put a load on the circuit? The voltage difference is more noticeable, but you need to find a device that draws a constant load while you’re measuring your outlets. A box fan would be a good constant load device. If you don’t have a way to measure the voltage, then make your best guess (usually the outlet physically closest to the panel), turn off the breaker to that circuit, and disconnect the black wires from that outlet. Cover each separated black wire with electrical tape or wire nut, then turn the breaker back on. Test the downstream outlet with a lamp or circuit tester. If that outlet is off, that means the outlet you disassembled is upstream. Otherwise, the outlet you disassembled is downstream. Repeat for as many outlets as necessary until you find the most upstream outlet on that circuit. GFCI protection should be installed in the most upstream outlet. It’s even easier to install a gfci breaker in your breaker panel. No guesswork, no fiddling around with j-hooks, cramming too many wires into the back of a small junction box, etc.

[@flpmacias]

Thank you very much

[@mike-smoke868]

1974 condo replacing beat up three prong outlets, outlet has four white, one black and one red wire with a ground wire, if I pigtail two white IN what type of wire should I get to use OUT to the pole of new outlet. Not sure what kind and type I should use?

[@jasonfoster9118]

Either way but I'm not crazy about having wire nuts or WAGO connectors in every receptacle box. The screws offer better surface contact area for the wires and they're already there so I just use them. I'm going to go old school in my house and use grounded, metal boxes. I like the idea of the metal box for fire prevention.

[@patrickpeterman8736]

Great video,s I like your style; are you ready for a question?? I have a 12-volt dc single post on. off light switch, it is located within 8" of a 15 amp ac duplex outlet; I need to run (2) 14AWG pos-and neutral wire from the 12 volt light switch to power my Rv antenna iI would love to use WAGO,S FOR THIS PROJECT; I would also need pos.&neg spade connectors at the light switch itself; can I acquire a ground by using the ground on the duplex outlet right next door; this would mean having three ground wires attached to the DUPLEX GROUND SCREW?? ANY ADVICE GREATLY APPRECIATED; A SIMPLE DRAWING WOULD BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO ME; I AM WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR CHANNEL FOR YOUR HELP WITH MY SITUATION; PATRICK.P

[@michaeljavert4635]

I missed it in the video, I was wondering what the desired length of the pigtail should be. I would suggest 6 inches. Also I thought I might note, that the exception to the rule of not using a receptacle for downstream lines would be if you use a GFCI at the wall socket.

[@pld8993]

There's no rule that says you can't feedthrough the device to downstream receps on individual branch circuits.

[@SaL-ep7zb]

Question, I had an outlet in my bedroom in which I did not want any longer so I disconnected all wires from the outlet so there was a total of 3 whites, 3 blacks and 3 ground wires. I put a cap on each wire individually since I wanted to patch the outlet hole with drywall, but now my bedroom light doesn't turn on. Should I just pigtail all blacks together, all whites together and all ground wires together, is that safe? Will that restore the bedroom light?

[@gingeryockey7149]

Piggy backing on this comment because I had a similar issue. Three sets of wires but I am replacing an old outlet. I think I miswired the outlet and now it doesn’t work. It seems in our situations, there are other fixtures that were also supplied by this outlet. I hope someone chimes in on the comments, trying to figure out how to resolve the issue. I believe it has to do with determining which line is supplying power downstream and keeping that line in tact.

[@frxassaogameeinputlag2244]

Number of wires that the load is uSing the often parts of wiring that has to need have both conncting lights and making the other putting switch or connecting outlet , using the wires u have.. i . Have.. ❤..

[@rodrigodasilva2629]

Thanks

[@twowheeler1662]

Just installed 4 independent GFCI outlets along a single kitchen wall. Used pig tails with WAGO 221s on each. This all started when I had to find out why the single GFCI was failing. Turns out they were all daisy chained from the first and only GFCI. A failed notched wire downstream cause all to fail and wouldn't let the lone GFCI reset. Now each outlet is independent. This is especially important as so many counter appliances (InstaPots, Air Fryers, hot water kettles) are being used.

[@StevePatak]

So you ran 3 brand new circuits? Or did you remove the load side wire from the old GFCI, spliced it back to the line side and repair the damaged conductor downstream with the new GFCIs pigtailed into that circuit?

[@jdeluca6181]

That’s how GFCI outlets are supposed to be wired. You only need one to provide power downstream for them all to be protected. You can pigtail all the rest downstream, but you want the load side of the GFCI outlet to provide power for all downstream outlets. What you did isn’t wrong, just a waste of time and money.

[@pfcrow]

@@jdeluca6181 I would agree, unless you have a situation where you think you might be tripping the GFCI often enough that you want one for each device so that you only take out one receptacle when it happens. I wouldn't do it, and with all GFCIs that I can find now having a red LED when they trip, it's trivial to find and reset the fault, but if you really like having the reset button on the same outlet as the device that tripped it, go for it.

[@melangiehayden4167]

Very confusing. This YT video appears to state that using the Line Out connection on a receticle to power a downstream device is against code.

[@lappinrappin]

I have never heard of pig tails being required. I looked it up it states that it is only required for multi wire branch circuits- which this is not. I am not an electrician but looked in the comments for an expert to chime in and did not see one yet. Any receptacle over ever replaced that was installed by an electrician was daisy chained and not pig tailed. Including in a house from 2018.

[@surferdude642]

lappinrappin - I'm not an electrician either, but I have researched this issue and I found that what you said about pigtail requirements and MWBC's is correct. However, pigtails are considered the preferred method, regardless, thereby keeping each receptacle independent. Most good electricians use pigtails and using the receptacle as a connector is poor workmanship imo.

[@Sam-ey1nn]

@@surferdude642 I disagree it’s “poor workmanship”. The receptacles are literally designed for this purpose. The idea that “one could fail and knock out downstream outlets” is actually a feature, IMO. If somehow the strip of metal in your outlet has broken, it is in seriously bad shape and being alerted to a problem is a benefit.

[@surferdude642]

@@Sam-ey1nn You said that receptacles are designed for this purpose and is actually a feature, is something I've never heard of. While I agree that using the receptacle as a connector is valid in most cases and is even commonly done, it's just not considered best practice. It doesn't take a journeyman electrician more time to use wire nuts and they don't count in box fill calculations. I realize that receptacle manufacturer's such as Leviton advise an installer to use the receptacle as a connector and that's because it's easier for untrained individuals. There is a learning curve for using wirenuts correctly. Using push in connectors or Wago lever nuts would be a solution there.

[@jameslockhart8250]

@@Sam-ey1nn probably also a way to be a sort of fault indicator if everything down stream is dead from that connection

[@BlakeHarvey903]

@@surferdude642 i think it's much cleaner and easier to do the pigtails. for one you can sit and wire up all of your plugs at the table... then take them over and tie them in.

[@cgilleybsw]

2:19 - looks at every outlet in my house... built in 1989. Either the code has changed OR my county's inspectors at work again.

[@charlesdizon983]

which is better a 20 amp or a 30 amp wire connector rating

[@josegutierrez9113]

Up to how many wires can be in one pigtail 3-5. ?

[@mauricetanco7696]

How do I add an outlet to one that has 2 hots? I believe 1 is load from electrical box and 1 is feed for another outlet.

[@MyBigThing2010]

Insert the feed of the new outlet on the available Secondary load lug/notch/space on the existing one. Tie all neutral and ground wires together in the existing box and your done. Not that hard.

[@timstrong106]

i have never used the wago. does it matter which part of the wago is used to house the pigtail? if so, is it marked in some way?

[@dustintunis9347]

It doesn't matter, it just connects the wires together electrically the same as a wire nut.

[@WelshRabbit]

Wago lever nuts are a bit of German engineering to improve on the old fashioned twist-on wire nuts. They are not cheap, but I LOVE 'em. My electrician buddy once swore to me he'd never use them and told me he thought they were junk. That was before he read up on them and gave them a try. Now, he swears by them and uses them regularly.

[@joemartinez2660]

Should always pig-tail Dad always said … if you’re going to do it … do it right , or don’t do it at all ! That still stands today as it did back in 1959 when he told me that ! Always turn off the power first and always pig-tail !

[@pld8993]

The terminal screws are designed and UL tested and listed for feedthrough current. Unless it's required, there is no advantage to pigtailing.

[@robertarnold9815]

The "failure" of the outlet itself will have no impact on the daisy chain. The chained wire connection is on the outside of the outlet and in fact is much better in terms of contact area (i.e, thermal issues) and won’t be all wiggly like a Wago. Sure, a little harder to push the wires back in but in that respect, you're not dealing with wire/lever nuts crowding the box. I daisy chain where I can and only employ pig tails if more than 2 wires needing connection.

[@wallywest2360]

I'm a bit confused about the logic behind pigtails. "Isolates each receptacle so one bad won't knock out the rest of the run." But on the side of every receptacle I've used there's a direct connection between the two hot and neutral screws. So the receptacle could die internally and power will still be passed along. I'm not really sure what could fail inside the receptacle anyway, there's no circuitry or moving parts. If you somehow heated it up to the point it broke the connection you would have bigger issues than the rest of the circuit not working. I've had switches fail of course, but never a receptacle. And my house is over 100 years old. As for getting the receptacle into the box after wiring being too hard, don't make the wires so long. You only need to be able to pull it out enough to access the screws on the side. I assume you wired that outlet to illustrate what's going on, but if you actually left it that way your wires are way too long. You can disconnect the wires from the receptacle without even fully unscrewing it from the box.

[@Passions]

Exactly I don't understand that concept either. Pigtailing only adds another failure point.

[@jasonfoster9118]

Yeah it's dumb

[@jeffvoght1632]

Forgive me for being stupid. So a pigtail is used to go from one receptacle to another? If there is just one receptacle that's not going to another is that a dedicated circuit? I know NOTHING! Thank you. Excellent video.

[@surferdude642]

If there's a single receptacle (one socket) and no other receptacles on that circuit, then that's defined as a dedicated circuit. One receptacle not going to another is usually an end of the run outlet. It will have only 3 wires, hot, neutral, and ground, no pigtails.

[@alhouston2886]

Pigtails are the better way to make these connections, then wire nuts are better than that connection device, it is based on the same concept as the outlet device for sending power through the circuit, also wrap the Pigtails around the screws not stuck in the back of the outlet

[@pld8993]

Pigtails and wire nuts are not better than the screw terminals on a device. The device is designed and manufactured for feedthrough current.

[@toddshaver7470]

This technique doesn’t apply to GFCI, correct??

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

Correct, if you want GFCI protection downstream on a standard outlet.

[@charlesbrown2333]

Outlets are made to offer power down stream, where is this against code?

[@Splattervision-qh1sd]

Seems to me that pigtailing them just adds more connections and resistance.

[@axelbrode4673]

I don't believe I was aware of the domino effect. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@ray.j3351]

Rookie here, so whats the point of having two Brass screws (hot) and two silver screws (neutral) in a outlet if one is to take out power from that outlet to something else?

[@BlakeHarvey903]

because you can separate the two receptacles into 2 different circuits. by removing the bridge tab between the two screws on each side. the less connections made in the circuit the less drop you have at the end of the line

[@pld8993]

The terminal screws are designed and UL tested and listed for feedthrough current. Unless it's required, there is no advantage to pigtailing.

[@pld8993]

@@BlakeHarvey903 The terminal screws are designed and UL tested and listed for feedthrough current. Unless it's required, there is no advantage to pigtailing.

[@BlakeHarvey903]

@@pld8993 sure there is. if the plug stops working the rest of the plugs on the circuit continue to operate normally.

[@pld8993]

@@BlakeHarvey903 And how would the terminal screws magically stop working? Using the screws for feedthrough current does not send that power through the innards of the recep. Power goes in one screw, through that metal tab and out the other. That metal tab on a 15A recep, btw, is rated for 20A.

[@Ralphie5023]

So if you shouldn't use all 4 connections , then why are they there ?

[@HardRockMaster7577]

Watched at 75% speed... seemed like normal conversation at that speed.

[@brothermine2292]

I think I would be able to understand this better looking at wiring diagrams, which omit unimportant details, than looking at the actual wires, connectors, receptacles, etc.

[@EverydayHomeRepairs]

I also like schematics but I’m not sure if that helps or hurts most viewers with maybe a little less experience reading a schematic. Can be overwhelming and hard to connect back to the real world.

[@brothermine2292]

@@EverydayHomeRepairs : In this case, the wiring diagrams would be almost entirely wires. No resistors, capacitors, inductors, amplifiers, etc. The main point of interest would be the *difference* between the code-compliant diagram and the code-violating diagram.

[@tightwad]

Wiggly Wagos have a thinner busbar than outlets, pigtail is inferior using them. ITS NOT AGAINST CODE TO DAISY CHAIN OUTLETS.

[@BlakeHarvey903]

not using the receptacle is used for the fact that if that outlet fails the rest of the circuit doesn't die.

[@pld8993]

Properly installed recipes using the terminals screws for feedthrough almost never fail because that how they're designed to be installed.

[@YagwitOG]

@@pld8993 Electrician installed ours, and at least six have failed. Sigh

[@MyBigThing2010]

​@@YagwitOGyou have other issues if you have that many failing that often. That circuit is being overworked is my assumption. If that's the case a new line should be run to compensate and split that circuits run into 2 different circuits so the circuit's demand is lessened... and be split over 2. The outlets burning up are that circuit's way of screaming at you that it's in pain. The large load, somewhere on or across the circuit, is causing heat to build at the point where there's the most resistance. Heat equals failure. And everytime you replace the failure point a new one is created and moves the location of most resistance to another outlet's wiring. Also, if it is a new run with new wiring then the wiring used for that circuit was too small in relation to the size of the run and the demand that is being put on the circuit during use. Hope that makes sense. Hope that helps. Try unplugging bigger stuff on that circuit and moving it to another place in the house to spread out the load to Putney places instead of having it all on one circuit.

[@donaldlee6760]

At 2:15 - I didn't know it's against code

[@scundoorsup5342]

It’s not

[@pi11sburydoeboy]

I see in your example you're backstabbing the connections to the device. I'm not an electrician but everything I've read about backstabbing was negative and that it should be avoided. Can anyone chime in on that?

[@surferdude642]

I don't see the difference electrically between wire nuts or using the screws on the receptacle when only 2 sets of wires are being used. It's not against code and it's not more difficult to install the receptacle in the box. How is a receptacle going to fail? It's just plastic and copper conductors with no circuitry or any moving parts. Receptacles are rated for 20 amps pass through, same as 12 gauge wire. Failures occur in the wiring, circuit breaker, or the appliance used. Worn contacts in the receptacle can cause failures, but wirenuts or not is irrelevant in those cases. If a wire somehow becomes disconnected it's true that all the downstream receptacles will be out, but that's usually easy to troubleshoot. If you use pigtails you could have a failed receptacle connection and not know about it if it's rarely used. There are pro's and con's to each method. Most electricians and electrical contractors have their preferences and it's based on what's been done traditionally in the trade, IMO.

[@pld8993]

The terminal screws are designed and UL tested and listed for feedthrough current. Unless it's required, there is no advantage to pigtailing.

[@scundoorsup5342]

I’ve seen these lever nuts open up. Not good for long term use

[@A-Mills]

A quick wrap with electrical tape will stop that

[@1packatak]

My son and son-in-law took a couple of Wago’s I had placed some extra wire in and played tug of war. They are both big, strong dudes. Not a single one popped open. And I was the one who cut and placed the wires ( 64 yo grandma with arthritic hands). I simply used the cutting guide on the Wago and made sure I snapped the cover down.

[@dustintunis9347]

Were they wagos or cheap knockoffs?

[@matthewblankowski2265]

If the circuit ANY point is pulling more amperage than the circuit breaker allows, it will trip. You very much may attach receptacles without a pig tail. The wire is rated from beginning to end to pull the desired amperage. That is what the circuit breaker is for. Note: exceptions to this do apply for 3 phase commercial. For residential, this is completely fine.

[@pld8993]

Pigtailing is only required for neutrals on a multiwire branch circuit, including in residential. Though hots are commonly pigtailed in non-residential, there is no rule that requires hots to be pigtailed, even in a 3-phase mwbc.

[@johnmirbach2338]

😎👌👍🖖✌😁

[@donhuffer5167]

Not against code. Millions do it every day.

[@caseykief]

You forgot to show how to make one

[@Passions]

Pigtailing only adds another failure point. The outlet would have to completely melt in order for downstream outlets to fail also. Rubbish. Keep it simple, don't pigtail if you don't have to. Also in residential homes, if downstream outlets have failed, it's an easy fix to narrow it down.

[@pld8993]

The terminal screws are designed and UL tested and listed for feedthrough current. Unless it's required, there is no advantage to pigtailing.

[@twerkingfish4029]

TIL I’ve been wiring not to code. I guess I could’ve (and have) done worse.

[@jkgkjgkijk]

Are you a wagu rep? Total bs

[@dallas5374]

Stop giving electrical advice. You’re not an Electrician.