I’m replacing an outlet and it has 3 white and 3 black wires. All my others only have one of each. Also has 3 strands of copper twisted together which I know is the ground.
It looks like all 3 white and all 3 black wires are connected to the old outlet. Each set has 2 stabbed and one connected to the screw. I replaced the outlet like it was hooked up previously and it works fine and my outlet tester says it’s hooked up correctly but I have never seen one wired like that. Curious if anyone has any experience with this.

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Posted by papasmurf1269

Hells Pass

Member since Apr 2005

21220 posts

Posted on 10/11/20 at 11:11 am to waynesworld

You see him like that every now and then. One wire in two wires out or it could be a homerun with two separate jumps out of it

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Posted by LSUtigerME

Walker, LA

Member since Oct 2012

3890 posts

Posted on 10/11/20 at 11:56 am to waynesworld

If it’s not a GFCI, it should probably be pigtailed vs all connected to the screws. Ultimately, it’s making the same connections, but it’s possible a wire could come loose rendering that circuit run non-functional.

If it’s connected to line and load, if that outlet fails all the “downstream” outlets will not work.

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Posted by keakar

Member since Jan 2017

30152 posts

Posted on 10/11/20 at 12:12 pm to waynesworld

quote:
I’m replacing an outlet and it has 3 white and 3 black wires. All my others only have one of each. Also has 3 strands of copper twisted together which I know is the ground.
It looks like all 3 white and all 3 black wires are connected to the old outlet. Each set has 2 stabbed and one connected to the screw. I replaced the outlet like it was hooked up previously and it works fine and my outlet tester says it’s hooked up correctly but I have never seen one wired like that. Curious if anyone has any experience with this.

sometimes you see different habits used to hook them up

if it were me i would twist all 3 together along with an extra short wire going to the oulet so the outlet just has a single wire to each connection. that way it maintains good electrical connection to all outlets and it avoids loose connections at the outlet

This post was edited on 10/11/20 at 12:46 pm

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Posted by carrguitar

Member since Oct 2014

917 posts

Posted on 10/11/20 at 3:56 pm to keakar

Ran in to this yesterday. Figured with power out was a good time to make changes from cream to white lol..

Like earlier poster said, it's all the same connection in the end. I terminated all into screws on new outlet, but kinda wishing I had cleaned it up and pigtailed out with single wire. It was a pain to push outlet in box with all the extra wire.

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Posted by East Coast Band

Member since Nov 2010

65749 posts

Posted on 10/11/20 at 4:25 pm to LSUtigerME

I had an issue with too many neutrals twisted together and one not making good contact with the others preventing a set of lights from working.
Had the wires been jumped through the outlet, I don't think it would have been a problem.
The big issue was that the electrician was using too small of a wire for the 4 white wires

This post was edited on 10/11/20 at 4:26 pm

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Posted by Miketheseventh

Member since Dec 2017

6501 posts

Posted on 10/11/20 at 7:06 pm to waynesworld

It’s just a junction point for the circuit to go elsewhere. What I always do is connect them in the box and then just have a pigtail to hook up to the receptacle. Either way gets the job done. To me it’s just easier to hook up with one wire on each of the screws. Especially if you are connecting while the wires are still hot

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