# What's your flavor?



## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

WTF are you talking about?

You can't wire receptacles in series and plug more than one thing in to them.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

http://youtu.be/FHixChYgGRI................ oh yea, i get it dude... now i see it... I can see everything.... my hand is amazing... i can move it so many ways, its built cities and cultures all over the globe...when i move it past my face really fast i can see a tail trailing behind it... is it my past trying to catch up or is space moving around it...


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

I have a feeling you aren't an electrician, and if you are, you should probably quit and get a job at Home Depot in the electrical department. Those that can't do, sell parts to homeowners.


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## Pinoysparky (Feb 23, 2012)

I wired a outlets using a series/parralel circuiting. 250v outlets with a white wire being in series and a black in parallel.


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## darren79 (Dec 20, 2011)

erics37 said:


> WTF are you talking about?
> 
> You can't wire receptacles in series and plug more than one thing in to them.


Why not? How else are you suppose to let the smoke out of your TV and computer.


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

Swell responses. Thought I was amongst adults here. Guess I might think again. 

In all actuality I am a helper. I spent the last six years working in cardiac catheterization saving the lives of men and women who were on the verge of death. I excelled in every aspect of my job and did so with professionalism and vigor. But in the end I knew that even though I 'could' do the job it was not for me.

I dug in through many aspects of construction seeing that is where I worked before I went and received my bachelor of science and found great interest in electrical. I am currently working for an electrical contractor as a helper.

My aim is not to just do my job because that is the way it has always been done, but to know why it is the safest, most efficient, most professional and most practically done work that I can possible do.

Currently the company I work for wires and has always wired receptacles in this fashion.









I assumed that this was series wiring, but I guess from the very egocentric responses I received I may be wrong in that assumption.

I also assumed that the following technique was parallel wiring.









Through my persistent study of electrical theory I have come to understand the basic mechanisms and how they associate one with another. In this instance my primary focus has been resistance knowing that not ALL resistance is bad I chose to ask a group of professional electricians what their take on the subject might be.

Perhaps in future reply's one might think beyond themselves and their egos and simply explain or maybe even ask a bit more into the question to find out where the person is coming from. Or perhaps just keep their mouths shut and let more professional electricians aide in teaching and aiding others in their learning of the trade of electricity.


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## cultch (Aug 2, 2011)

Not hardly any voltage drop in ac (alternating current). You may be confusing dc w/ ac when your thinking about all that voltage drop.

The only difference in the 2 ways of wiring a receptacle that you posted is one...the circuit needs to go THRU the receptacle. The other it is pigtailed so that if that receptacle goes bad the others down stream don't. The 2nd is the 'better' way.

keep plugging away dude...


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

Delighted In Yahweh said:


> Swell responses. Thought I was amongst adults here. Guess I might think again.
> 
> In all actuality I am a helper. I spent the last six years working in cardiac catheterization saving the lives of men and women who were on the verge of death. I excelled in every aspect of my job and did so with professionalism and vigor. But in the end I knew that even though I 'could' do the job it was not for me.
> 
> ...


 :001_huh::001_huh::001_huh::001_huh::001_huh:


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

Delighted In Yahweh said:


> Swell responses. Thought I was amongst adults here. Guess I might think again.
> 
> In all actuality I am a helper. I spent the last six years working in cardiac catheterization saving the lives of men and women who were on the verge of death. I excelled in every aspect of my job and did so with professionalism and vigor. But in the end I knew that even though I 'could' do the job it was not for me.
> 
> ...



:notworthy: :notworthy:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Then to answer your question, I prefer to wire my recepts in parallel. I would think that's the way 100% of 'em are done. Whether or not to pigtail is generally a personal / professional choice, unless you're dealing with a MWBC. 

I think you're merely confused as to what parallel and series are.


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

cultch said:


> Not hardly any voltage drop in ac (alternating current). You may be confusing dc w/ ac when your thinking about all that voltage drop.
> 
> The only difference in the 2 ways of wiring a receptacle that you posted is one...the circuit needs to go THRU the receptacle. The other it is pigtailed so that if that receptacle goes bad the others down stream don't. The 2nd is the 'better' way.
> 
> keep plugging away dude...


Thanks cultch. So both ways are considered parallel wiring then? It's simply the convenience of not taking down the whole circuit if something malfunctions that makes the second method 'better'?


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Series doesn't exist in power distribution circuits. It's all parallel.

What you're describing is pig-tailing VS daisy-chaining receptacles. There are tons of long threads about people trying to convince each other which method is best.

Done right, I think they both have the same reliability. But pig-tailing takes longer.

-John


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Then to answer your question, I prefer to wire my recepts in parallel. I would think that's the way 100% of 'em are done. Whether or not to pigtail is generally a personal / professional choice, unless you're dealing with a MWBC.
> 
> I think you're merely confused as to what parallel and series are.


Thanks 480 it seems I am.


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

Big John said:


> Series doesn't exist in power distribution circuits. It's all parallel.
> 
> What you're describing is pig-tailing VS daisy-chaining receptacles. There are tons of long threads about people trying to convince each other which method is best.
> 
> ...


Thanks John for the clarification. I think I will have to do a bit more studying it seems.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Delighted In Yahweh said:


> Swell responses. Thought I was amongst adults here. Guess I might think again.
> 
> In all actuality I am a helper. I spent the last six years working in cardiac catheterization saving the lives of men and women who were on the verge of death. I excelled in every aspect of my job and did so with professionalism and vigor. But in the end I knew that even though I 'could' do the job it was not for me.
> 
> ...


I agree with what cultch said below.

Here is a link on parallel and series circuits it should get you started on the Electrical jargon train.


Just ignore all the wise cracks all these guys started out knowing nothing about Electrical work and they should know better than to just give you are hard time.


Welcome to the forum believe me you will learn plenty here and have some fun along the way.:thumbup::thumbup:








cultch said:


> Not hardly any voltage drop in ac (alternating current). You may be confusing dc w/ ac when your thinking about all that voltage drop.
> 
> The only difference in the 2 ways of wiring a receptacle that you posted is one...the circuit needs to go THRU the receptacle. The other it is pigtailed so that if that receptacle goes bad the others down stream don't. The 2nd is the 'better' way.
> 
> keep plugging away dude...


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Delighted In Yahweh said:


> Thanks 480 it seems I am.



This is wiring receps in series:


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## cultch (Aug 2, 2011)

I got in school the same week I got in the trade. I was 'lost'. In school right out of the gate practically they started talking about dc circuits and voltage drop and all this. In the field I was scratching my head. Until I realized I was working ac and learning dc in school. (this was over a few days..not weeks where I was confused)

and yes both methods of wiring will work fine. In commercial they really don't like daisy chain...


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Once repaired a bunch of halogen floodlights that had been wired like that. The H/O couldn't figure out why the bulb in his fridge was brighter than 1000W of halogens.

-John


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

Big John said:


> Once repaired a bunch of halogen floodlights that had been wired like that. The H/O couldn't figure out why the bulb in his fridge was brighter than 1000W of halogens.
> 
> -John


LOL. I can see where a lot of head scratching would be taking place hehheh


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

480sparky said:


> This is wiring receps in series:
> 
> 
> 
> NOW THAT makes sense.


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

My confusion was coming from things like this:

"The outlet is “sidewired“, meaning the hot (black) and neutral (white) wires are fastened to the side screw terminals. (The black wires have some spray paint them from when the builder painted the walls.)
The outlet is a “middle of the run” wired in “series” – meaning current passes between the side terminals to the next outlet down the line. This is common practice, but parallel wiring with a “pigtail” is better."

"Parallel circuits are more dependable than
series circuits—A client once called me because her goldfish had died. The electricity to
her tank warmer had stopped suddenly, but no
circuit breaker had tripped. I couldn't revive the
fish, but I quickly discovered that the receptacles in this lady's house had been wired in series
like a string of cheap Christmas-tree lights. When
the first one goes, the whole string goes. In this
case a receptacle in another room had broken,
cutting power to all other receptacles on the circuit, including the fish tank.
Unfortunately, wiring receptacles in series is
the method most commonly used, and it's also
pretty easy to spot once the receptacle wall cover has been removed. Instead of being spliced
together in the back of the box, both the wire
coming in and the wire leading to the next receptacle are attached to the screws on the receptacle (photo right, facing page). Current
flows from one wire across a metal tab between
the screws and back out the other wire to supply
the next receptacle. If the screw loosens, or if
the tab between the screws breaks, all of the receptacles to the end of the string lose power.
A better way of wiring receptacles is in a parallel string. With the method I described earlier, the wires entering and leaving the box are
spliced together so that the current is passed to
the next receptacle at the splices, rather than
depending on connections at the receptacle itself. Parallel wiring takes more labor and a couple of extra wire nuts. But each receptacle on
the circuit is independent, and the circuit ends
up being more reliable."

Guess i'll need to stay away from the diy websites and just stick with the theory books!!!


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

symantics, termionlogy, vernacular

they all have an impact Yaweh.....

~CS~


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

chicken steve said:


> symantics, termionlogy, vernacular
> 
> they all have an impact Yaweh.....
> 
> ~CS~




O, joy semantics!!! Just what I need! :001_huh:


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## redseal (Sep 22, 2010)

I like each light to be a bit dimmer than the one b4 it, Kudos to the series wirers out their!!!:no:


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

*1st time electrical theory*

Back in high school (after studying electrical circuits in physics class) I decided it was a pain that all of the lights in our 7 lamp Christmas candle would go out if just one bulb went bad. I understood the reason was they were wired in series. I thought, how dumb is that, I'm going to rewire them in parallel so when one bulb goes out we will know which one. 

Well, I completed the work and was very surprised as to what happened when I plugged the light cord plug into the receptacle. LOL! I still remember that (back in 1969 I think).


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

hardworkingstiff said:


> Back in high school (after studying electrical circuits in physics class) I decided it was a pain that all of the lights in our 7 lamp Christmas candle would go out if just one bulb went bad. I understood the reason was they were wired in series. I thought, how dumb is that, I'm going to rewire them in parallel so when one bulb goes out we will know which one.
> 
> Well, I completed the work and was very surprised as to what happened when I plugged the light cord plug into the receptacle. LOL! I still remember that (back in 1969 I think).


That's just yesterday ...Right?..:laughing:


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

hardworkingstiff said:


> Back in high school (after studying electrical circuits in physics class) I decided it was a pain that all of the lights in our 7 lamp Christmas candle would go out if just one bulb went bad. I understood the reason was they were wired in series. I thought, how dumb is that, I'm going to rewire them in parallel so when one bulb goes out we will know which one.
> 
> Well, I completed the work and was very surprised as to what happened when I plugged the light cord plug into the receptacle. LOL! I still remember that (back in 1969 I think).


I take it the decrease in resistance played some nasty little dance with your newly derived circuit.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Delighted In Yahweh said:


> Ok, wonderful world of sparkies.
> 
> What is your flavor of circuit for receptacles and why? Series or parallel? Do you change up depending on where in the home you are?
> 
> I have been considering this more along the theory lines. Resistance decrease, efficiency of the circuit, voltage drop, etc. etc. Just wanting to pick a few brains while I kick it around the old cob webs.


20 amp, #12 wire is my favorite.


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## Delighted In Yahweh (Feb 25, 2012)

RIVETER said:


> 20 amp, #12 wire is my favorite.


Do you utilize the individual 15amp refrigerator circuit as allowable by NEC?


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

I sometimes wire devices in series, sometimes in parallel. 

Start buttons in parallel, stop buttons in series.:jester:


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

mattsilkwood said:


> I sometimes wire devices in series, sometimes in parallel.
> 
> Start buttons in series, stop buttons in parallel.:jester:


I think I wire mine just the opposite, all start buttons are in parallel (with other start buttons of the same equipment) and all stop buttons are in series with other stop buttons of the same equipment and the feed to the start button/s).

Semantics are everything.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

Delighted In Yahweh said:


> I take it the decrease in resistance played some nasty little dance with your newly derived circuit.


Exactly. Sparks flew and I blew the fuse in the panel (at least I got some experience with replacing a fuse).


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

hardworkingstiff said:


> I think I wire mine just the opposite, all start buttons are in parallel (with other start buttons of the same equipment) and all stop buttons are in series with other stop buttons of the same equipment and the feed to the start button/s).
> 
> 
> Semantics are everything.


 You know what? I do too.:laughing:
Fixed it.:thumbsup:


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

erics37 said:


> WTF are you talking about?
> 
> You can't wire receptacles in series and plug more than one thing in to them.



xactley.

B4T? Is that you !??


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## Silv3rb4ck (Feb 26, 2012)

Delighted In Yahweh said:


> Swell responses. Thought I was amongst adults here. Guess I might think again.
> 
> In all actuality I am a helper. I spent the last six years working in cardiac catheterization saving the lives of men and women who were on the verge of death. I excelled in every aspect of my job and did so with professionalism and vigor. But in the end I knew that even though I 'could' do the job it was not for me.
> 
> ...


Whoa man easy!! Haha the two pics are the exact same , plugs are wired in parallel the second pic is just spliced and using pig tails, if u can't tell that from a picture .


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## Silv3rb4ck (Feb 26, 2012)

Delighted In Yahweh said:


> My confusion was coming from things like this:
> 
> "The outlet is “sidewired“, meaning the hot (black) and neutral (white) wires are fastened to the side screw terminals. (The black wires have some spray paint them from when the builder painted the walls.)
> The outlet is a “middle of the run” wired in “series” – meaning current passes between the side terminals to the next outlet down the line. This is common practice, but parallel wiring with a “pigtail” is better."
> ...


That's not series wiring man, stop referring to it as that, if it was in series would have black wire into hot of plug then the white would be feeding coming off that plug into the hot of the next plug. Which would not be good, if ur that confused and think plugs are in series look at a ladder diagram


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## sparky711 (Oct 1, 2011)

Silv3rb4ck said:


> Whoa man easy!! Haha the two pics are the exact same , plugs are wired in parallel the second pic is just spliced and using pig tails, if u can't tell that from a picture .


I was thinking the same thing. I figured someone else would see it...you just beat me to it.


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