# Simple Plug Question



## travis13 (Oct 12, 2012)

If you were to wire receptacles using just the screw terminals, and not making pigtails, would the circuit be wired in series? Would you get voltage drop to the other downstream receptacles if things were plugged in upstream? 

Or do the terminals act as sort of a "bus" and are connect parallel internally?


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

This would still be in parallel if you leave the tabs unbroken on the receptacle but is a code violation if you do this for the neutrals as well. 

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## travis13 (Oct 12, 2012)

So the plug is wired parallel internally?


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

There is no electrical difference between using the screw terminals or pig-tailing besides jobs specs or personal preference. 

But, if you are working on a multi-wire BC you cannot use the screw terminals for the neutral conductor.

Pete


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

If you look at the receptacle there is a metal tab connecting both screw terminals. It essentially becomes a sort of bus bar that you are landing on. When you plug a device in it also parallel taps that joint to power itself. 

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## Surge03 (Sep 23, 2012)

travis13 said:


> If you were to wire receptacles using just the screw terminals, and not making pigtails, would the circuit be wired in series? Would you get voltage drop to the other downstream receptacles if things were plugged in upstream? Or do the terminals act as sort of a "bus" and are connect parallel internally?



Only difference I see is current will flow threw the receptacles but it doesn't matter because the receptacles and wire would be rated at 15 or 20 amps anyway. If it was pig tailed in parallel current would not flow threw the receptacle but will be easier to troubleshoot in the future. As far as voltage drop it wouldn't make a difference pigtailed or series because.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Pete m. said:


> There is no electrical difference between using the screw terminals or pig-tailing besides jobs specs or personal preference.
> 
> But, if you are working on a multi-wire BC you cannot use the screw terminals for the neutral conductor.
> 
> Pete


Just to clarify:

Without a pigtail. You can of course use the screw terminals to attach said pigtail.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

If they were in series you would have to have something plugged into every receptacle and on for anything on that circuit to work. They are in parallel.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

For what it's worth, everyone else pretty much covered it.

Except a "plug" is the thing you insert into a "receptacle." Sort of a misuse of the term. Just think about sex toys. Your girlfriend's butt plug is inserted in her receptacle. You can't very well plug a plug into a plug.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

erics37 said:


> For what it's worth, everyone else pretty much covered it.
> 
> Except a "plug" is the thing you insert into a "receptacle." Sort of a misuse of the term. Just think about sex toys. Your girlfriend's butt plug is inserted in her receptacle. You can't very well plug a plug into a plug.


Thats gay. Not that there is anything wrong with it... but yeah.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)




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## dcb_minded (May 19, 2014)

erics37 said:


> For what it's worth, everyone else pretty much covered it.
> 
> Except a "plug" is the thing you insert into a "receptacle." Sort of a misuse of the term. Just think about sex toys. Your girlfriend's butt plug is inserted in her receptacle. You can't very well plug a plug into a plug.


And "breaker box" is what happens on prom night...Lol

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