Outlet With 3 Hot Wires

Joined may 29 2008 4 posts.

Outlet with 3 hot wires. When we checked it all of the wires were in the proper place but we were shocked to discover that the outlet had 3 white wires 3 black wires and one ground wire. Turned off the breaker and discovered 3 sets of wires going to the outlet. A cover plate is mounted over the outlet to hide and protect the wires inside the outlet. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website.

Problem is the new outlets only have 2 quick connects and 2 terminal screws for hot and the same for neutral. Step 3 set the dial of a multimeter to 120 volts ac range and test the outlet to make sure that there is no more power. Discussion starter 1 jun 3 2008. My new outlet only has 2 hot screws and 2 neutral answered by a verified electrician.

Jump to latest follow 1 5 of 5 posts. I have found a few that have 3 hot and 3 neutral wires plus the ground. If there are four prongs in an outlet a neutral wire is needed then and four wires from the breaker should be connected to the outlet i e. The red wire switched hot wire going to the outlet wires into the other side of the switch and the white wires neutral tie together to complete the return side of the circuit.

Replacing outlet with 3 white 3 black wires. I have an old. I might have gotten the wires mixed up some though. 2 whites and 1 black backstabbed into the outlet and the other white and 2 blacks tied together with a wire nut.

These were the 3wire flat wrapped type. It is tied together with a wire going to the switch and the black wire going to the outlet. The black wire hot wire coming in from the left is the source power. 2 hot line as line 1 and line 2 a neutral and ground wire.

You need 18 cubic inches. I had an outlet that almost caught on fire that had not been used in ten years. Pull the outlet carefully out of the outlet box to expose the terminal screws behind the outlet. 1 stripped all wires 2 hot wire for light switch on copper screw 3 hot wire for plug 1 on second copper screw 4 hot wire for plug 2 insert in hole on back 5 null wire 1 on silver screw 6 null wire 2 on second silver screw 7 null wire 3 inserted in hole on back.

See linked ghetto ms paint sketch. A 2 1 2 inch single gang box typical standard metal box from years ago will not handle all the wires and the receptacle. I have an old outlet with 2 sets of 3 hot wires and 3 neutral wires. The electrical outlet behind this one was being used for about a week and a half for hdtv dvd player and directv using a long massive drop cord and a.

The old outlets had 4 of each.