im replacing an outlet. All the tutorial videos told me to cut off the old copper tip and strip a new one What happening if I don't strip the wire and just start screwing in the wire? I can't find an answer online
im replacing an outlet. All the tutorial videos told me to cut off the old copper tip and strip a new one What happening if I don't strip the wire and just start screwing in the wire? I can't find an answer online
That's what I do.
t. licensed electrican
lazy shitbag. terrible electrican
>one in a million chance
thanks, guess i wont strip it
Usually any oxidation will be wiped away by the screw head as you're tightening it down. Make sure the screws are nice and snug.
What state are you licensed by? Is it a good career?
The old exposed copper could be oxidized and therefore not provide a good connection to the outlet. A high resistance connection means more heat in the connection if you draw a lot of amps from the outlet.
It's a one in a million chance it'll happen, but it's still good practice to make sure your connections are clean. A fiberglass pen will clean up and shine copper if you don't want to or can't cut off to fresh wire.
You can tell when oxidization occurs.
OP just clean the wire before you attach it to the new outlet
You can, but a newbie like OP might not recognize that a dark wire means it's oxidized. Bright copper is realistically what you want for a good connection, but in reality it doesn't really matter as long as the wire isn't literally bluegreen.
>The old exposed copper could be oxidized and therefore not provide a good connection to the outlet.
The advantage of copper over aluminum is that the copper oxides continue to have the almost the same electrical conductivity as bare copper.
>fiberglass pen
neat.
If it has holes at back just plug in the wires. Simple as.
Screwing the wires in is a boomer meme.
If you're not soldering wires to the outlet you're just asking for a house fire
>cut off the old copper tip and strip a new one
Future owners will hate your fricking guts for shortening the wires to the point of un-usability.
not my problem
Depends on how long you live there.
Exactly. The annual junction box cleaning and outlet reassembly really takes it's toll.
wire nut another piece of wire to make it longer
>Future owners will hate your fricking guts for shortening the wires to the point of un-usability.
Future owners won't give a frick but the electricians they hire will
Sparky don't mind running a new circuit. Got bills to pay.
just take a utility knife and scrape the existing wire ffs
Unless it is oxidized (which you can visibly detrmine, it will be green), nothing wil happen.
Hit it with a Scotch Brite.
copper can work harden and break when you screw it under the terminal, and an untrained person (you) wont be able to tell, which may cause issues immediately or in the future.
Electricians know that in any electrical branch (or other) circuit, terminations are always the greatest points of liability in terms of resistance heating. Meaning those old stripped wire ends have likely taken disproportionate heating wear and tear over time. It's usually nothing to remove them and strip back for a renewed termination.
Also, absolutely avoid insert or push-connect type (receptacle) terminations wherever possible.