The first time I saw a Wago nut, I immediately thought that outlet backstabs ought to incorporate Wago's mechanism. I've wondered for years why nobody has done this. Glad to see it finally got to market!
Great coverage and thanks for reviewing these. My preference would still be pressure plate wiring as it presents more surface area which results in less resistance. If would be great to see someone do a FLIR imaging on one of these when someone is using a high wattage hair dryer or other electrical source, along with backstabbing, J-hook and pressure plate to get a definite answer.
I agree. There doesn't appear to be enough contact surface to the supply conductor to allow for high current transfer without creating heat. A Flir would be nice, but a simple IR thermometer should give you a good idea of the receptacle's performance. A milkhouse heater set at 1500 watts would be a good load to monitor.
levernuts have one good purpose stranded wire to solid in a light fixture where there is little current flow i want my outlets to have a solid path if some 1500-watt load is on it the levernuts have only tiny contact area compared to good Backwire clamp down terminals.
@@ranger178 There's been plenty of testing of wago and similar lever nuts, and they provide more than enough contact for good current flow within engineering tolerances of their rating (e.g. 20A at 300V for the 221 series). No need for spreading FUD.
@@frankmalatesta2718 , nothing wrong with Wago lever nuts. I wired my hobby building with them several years ago. Run 12" miter saw and other power tools. No problems.
Good idea. Electrician, here. Anything which helps DIY'ers to not burn their house down is to be applauded. I'm sure spec. grade will come out soon enough. As a child, helping my uncle in Germany who was an electrician, this style was already in use and reliable. I know there will be lots of arm-chair 'experts' who will chime in to say this is just like back-stabbing, blah, blah, blah. Their opinion is as worthless here as it is in all your other videos. One criticism - something I rarely make of you: Clean that ground wire before you insert it. We want the path of least resistance when bonding/grounding and that paint and dirt lessens that security. Thanks for showing us these! I don't use residential grade, back-stabbing is an immediate firing offence and my apprentices know it. That includes leaving a back-stabbed connection on anything they touch.
I love Wagos, so I’m thrilled to see this technology move to outlets and switches. I am not an electrician, but I do my own wiring around the house. Anything that is safe and makes my life easier is a win.
Well, my ECX may not get used so much after all. I think these are great. I like how they reduce the risk of improper connections. White and black connections instead of silver and gold. Easy to inspect.
Scot, I have to tell you I find I get more out your videos on electrical than most other channels. I have been involved in the field for 50 years, as a licensed electrician, and than as a certified inspector. I’ve been retired for 15 years, but still like to keep abreast of current practices, and you are a great source! Thanks.
I like em. Would like em more in 20amp. Since I pigtail at almost every outlet these would only really benefit me in multiple gang box outlets. Joining 2 or more outlets in a box would be easier
A good idea. Considering the price of labor, I think these will take off. I personally would love to see this concept offered in a commercial grade receptacle. Good video, thank you.
Good idea, hopefully it will catch on so a commercial version will come out. $1 more isn’t bad if you can take out the wagos you’d need to use to make pigtails.
Personally, I liked the contacts for the plug in the commercial outlet better than the plug contacts in the residential or Decora Edge. It is only a little extra work to insert the wires into the commercial outlet and then tighten the screws and it looks like the outlet will last longer than the other two.
@@cory8837because if they are all on one circuit, that means the current HAS to run straight through the connected terminals in the outlet. Which makes a ton of heat and can make it really bad if multiple high amp appliances are going through the circuit and the breaker is some old junk that doesn’t trip instantaneously. Running branched circuits through an outlets terminals instead of connectors also means that if it gets hot enough in the outlets terminals, the wire insulation can burn off and over time if not corrected the outlet could melt or the copper can burn in thin layers over time and eventually shrink in the terminal area then break off one unlucky day down the line. If it breaks in a very unlucky spot you eventually get arcing in your box whenever you plug something into an outlet on that circuit. Arcing will cause even more heat and poses a fire risk. Wire nuts or wagos making the pigtail means the current doesn’t have to go through the outlet first if you plug something into an outlet on the load side of the pigtailed box.
I doubt these will make it in to the commercial version due to heat constraints. If you look at the small contact points the terminal makes with the wire, it isn't ideal for high amperage applications. The amount of heat generated from conducting electricity is bottlenecked at the smallest contact points, like a cartridge fuse, and why panel box lugs, grounding lugs, high press terminations and even crimp connectors, all have a high amount of surface area contacting the wire. Higher surface area means better conduction and less heat generated, or at least heat generated is spread across the surface area. A good example of this is an incandescent light bulb, the conductive filament (also under a vacuum) gets very hot, that heat isn't transferred throughout the system, but the point where the wire gets the thinnest, it generates heat.
I like it! ONCE, I accidentally grabbed the side of a hot receptacle. Learned real quick not to do that again. I like the safety of the No Shock Sides!
Price is often a consideration, but for a larger job, or even a smaller one, really, the ease and convenience of stripping, inserting and closing the lever to lock the wire in, plus no chance of one outlet/receptacle having terminal screws ever touching another one when side by side, or wiring shorts, this design will certainly make things easier for a dollar more. No screwdriver needed. Looks like a winner to me. Great find, Scott. Thanks
Yeah, valid concern. The little housing for the TR parts had a channel for the wire but I don’t think that would ensure constant contact along the 9/16” length of stripped wire.
@@EverydayHomeRepairsfoe the morons I work with everyday this is like PlaySchool electric device. They might actually not burn down a building with this outlet 🤦♂️
@@EverydayHomeRepairs I suppose if it's UL approved, it's fine. Depends on the amperage I would say. Arcing could be an issue... Perhaps they know this. Great concept! Thanks!
If it saves 20 seconds of labor time, doesn't involve a complicated tool like a screwdriver, and can pass code, the long-term quality of the actual electrical connection is irrelevant. This is the same logic that made back-wiring a common practice. The next step will be to start making these things cheaper, flimsier, and with more brittle plastic.
As an electrical engineer, it's important to consider current density of a connection. That is, the amount of current (15A) divided by the area of the metal that makes contact with the copper wire. Side screws give you a lot of surface area for the copper wire to make contact with. The Wago system offers much less contact area. I don't mind them for an LED canister light where the current into the lamp is well under 1A, but for my outdoor outlet that I plug my table saw in to, the Wago connectors make me very nervous. But I do like the new front face scheme for the added features it offers compared to the old outlets and switches.
Whole europe uses Wagos since decades and we also have tablesaws, we even use them on our induction ovens without any problems. The Wago connectors are rated to 20A-32A depending on the type, they will work fine with a tablesaw. Screw terminals may have lower resistance initially, but screws tend to losen over time. Spring tension of Wagos will not.
This is shit! The initial contact is not getting large contact of the wire if an appliance draws current the spring will get hot and loose it's tension resulting in fire so inspector that approved this time bomb needs an enema
Having just replaced 30 outlets and 10 light switches in our house, I wish I had seen your video a week ago, these would have been a godsend to use over the old j-hook and screws. Thank you for the detailed review!
I think good idea for the DIY and "handyman" application. Makes it easier to make a good connection with basically no electrical skills. For electricians I don't think the extra cost will make these a better choice over the standard stuff. As for best connection & install speed, I prefer side plate style.
I think it's alright, I wouldn't say it's either great or terrible. It looks much more secure than backstabbing, but I can't imagine it's nearly as secure as a screw terminal either using a J hook or screw clamp. Also, I think $3.50 each for basically a residential grade receptacle is too much. I could see these taking over in new construction though since they are so much easier and faster to install than screw terminals.
As an electrician, I always look at consumer grade connections from the perspective: Which is least likely to permit the armchair brainiac to kill someone or burn the house down? From that perspective, not only are these 10^23 times better than backstabbing (that's a firing offensive for apprentices in my shop, either wiring one or leaving one they've come across) they also reduce the risk of annealing and the risk of wrapping the wire the wrong way around the screw (or doubling up around a screw. Perfect? Perfect means hiring us. More than just adequate? Absolutely. These push in spring connectors have been used for over 50 years in Central Europe, safely. Like WAGOs, Americans are going to need many, many years to accept that there are better ways of doing things (see my first sentence for the definition of 'better') than our Freedom Fries approach to everything anyone else in the world does.
@averyalexander2303 I would agree with you. Actual area of metal to metal contact determines current carrying ability which translates to operational safety. As you indicated a J hook screw connection is probably best, followed by properly twisted wire nut connection, followed by this spring loaded lever connection, with a stab connection as potentially least reliable.
Good ideas. Especially the Sheetrock ears, it’s about time somebody made multiple alignments easier. For wires, I always liked the commercial ones that have back wiring but tighten with a screw.
It's a really good idea. They should've came out with it along time ago I never liked the idea of exposed screws on both sides of the receptacle. I would always wrap in at least three layers of electrical tape.
As a master electrician and adamant user of WAGO levernuts, I think this is an awesome innovation. Big items to me (my time is money): No exposed conductors or terminations so save time of wrapping outlets. The alignment tabs for multi gang applications. Great innovation and thorough review. I will try them but don't know if the price for residential internals will make these my go-to.
The amount of labor saved using these outlets will more than cover the higher cost. Moreover, since it will take less cumulative time to device out a house, that frees up time that can be used for even more work. Productivity is worth much more than the cost of time-saving materials. So, there you have it: two benefits of using this device in a tract house (that is unless you have no qualms about using then old speed wire method).
I typically am involved in remodelling vs new construction and often find myself mudding adjacent to a box with existing devices installed. I typically remove the device mounting screws and pull th devices out proud of the wall surface to facilitate installing new drywall or mudding joints or patching around boxes. It would be great to be able to mud without worrying about touching a hot screw with a steel taping knife or having to turn off the power to the circuit!
Love everything about these except for the residential grade. Aside from the convenience of the Wago style connectors and the obvious safety benefits of no exposed screws, I really appreciate that they have further addressed the seating of these devices against drywall. Device ears have been too small for too long (although dimmers and smart devices usually provide a generous plate because of its heat sink purposes). I frequently need spacers and flush plates (RACO) to help with drywall issues, so I think this hasn't been addressed as well as it could have by the device manufacturers. Likewise, the alignment tabs that help maintain spacing are decades overdue IMO. Fortunately, the beauty of capitalism is that once this is catches on--and it will--all manufacturers will need to up their game.
Yes, agree 100%! With this design it's going to be so easy to get these devices to sit square with the wall, which is so important to the look of designer plates.
Isn't that the drywall / plaster trade required to not leave big gaps around boxes? Why should any manufacturer have to enlarge their product to compensate for poor tradespeople
@@nrsmith066 Maybe in a perfect world. But in reality drywallers usually rotozip around the boxes and the small edge of sheetrock is susceptible to breaking. So more surface area on the devices against the sheetrock is better. I think they should make those flanges as big as possible without interfering with the wall plate. It just makes everyone's job easier.
Good in-depth analysis - but the fact that this design is limited to 15-Amp and not 20-Amp does make me pause and - as mentioned in the video - wonder if it this is a slightly improved version of the backstabbing mechanism whereas the "screw-down" method might be more secure overall? In other words, the new design might not really be as good as WAGO? Great video about a new product I would not have known about otherwise. 👍
Great idea. And I do like the overall design allowing for a lighter tolerance for drywall cutting. And the aligners are nifty. Just adds speed to install.
Thank you for what you do. I enjoy watching your videos. The Decora Edge receptacles you reviewed in this video do look as if they would make a better connection to the conductors than the old-style push-in design, which I have never and would never use. In fact, any time I encounter that setup in the field I remove the conductors from the push-in holes and wrap them around the device screws. A couple of years ago I reconnected every conductor to every device in an entire house to eliminate those marginal connections. I also like that there is no energized, exposed metal on the sides of the devices. And I can see that the extra mounting strap size would be handy for a switch, if the wall material was not fitted tightly enough around the box and if one was using larger cover plates anyway. But I wouldn’t use the straps against the wall as support for any receptacle, because pushing a plug in and out of a receptacle mounted in that way will flex the strap in and out slightly and, over time, loosen it. I like to install spacers between the device and the box in those cases. The tab and matching detent on the straps, to keep the devices properly spaced left to right, is a clever idea. As for the contacts themselves, my minimum standard these days is something like the TDR20, which Leviton calls “Heavy-Duty Industrial Specification Grade.” If I can get the customer to go for it, my preference is always for hospital grade devices. It would be interesting to connect each of those three types of receptacles you showed and raise the load until something failed. I would be willing to bet that the old-style push-in connections would fail first, the Edge device connections next and, in the case of a device with its conductors wrapped around the terminal screws, the connection between the plug and the receptacle would heat up and arc or the insulation would start to cook off the conductors before anything else failed. Thanks again.
I've been an electronics technician for over 40 years. My favorite outlet is Legrand Commercial outlets. They have the back plate connectors in them. In all my years on working on many different types of equipment, I've never seen screw terminals with plates fail. I've seen every other type of connector fail many times. When I find a burned up crimp connector in a $100,000 piece of medical equipment it really makes me shake my head.
Terrific video. I bought a boatload of the WAGO connectors and will never use wire nuts again. This receptacle is the next generation and I will use these if available. Thanks for a great channel!
I bought and installed a few of the Edge switches today, and I'd give them a B or B+. The install is easy, I like the way they fit together (I replaced all the 3-ways in a 4-gang box, and the cover plate went on at the first try, which is great. The connection feels very solid and is easy to make, so this part gets an A+. But the switches themselves feel flimsy, compared to even budget Leviton switches, and of the 10 that I bought - four 3-way and six single-pole - three of the switches were mushy enough that I'm not sure they wouldn't need replacing, so I'm taking two of them back. Unfortunately, the third was one of the 3-ways - I didn't have a spare for that, and I didn't notice it was mushy until after it was in place. So I'll leave it, and see if it gets enough worse to need replacing. I'll probably buy these again, but I will certainly check to see if the switches feel solid before I use them, in the future. If they'd fix the 'mush problem', I'd use them all the time, even if they feel flimsy. And if they made a higher-grade version with the lever connections, I'd pay extra to buy that.
I really like this idea and will def stock up on these outlets & switches for my home improvement kit - I have quite a few outlets & switches to rebuild in a 100yr old house that my son bought - this ease of use will motivate me to get started knowing that I can make better progress each day during the weekends that I have available
Backstabbing has been around for SEVERAL decades. At least since the mid 1980s. UL and CSA should delist it-it's a terrible wire termination. These new recepts look good! Gotta say Leviton is really proving to be an innovate company. They've jumped into the market for electrical panels, too. They put out some really nice white ones with clear doors so you can see the breakers with the door closed.
it's been there since the 70s. and it is now limited to 15 amps. now that there's an alternative coming to market, there's a better chance of them going away, completely.
@@L0st-n0found Yes! I found a really old Leviton receptacle at a surplus store, probably from the 1960s and was shocked to discover it had back-wired terminations! I thought that was a relatively modern innovation. I guess I had just never noticed it before in my earlier years.
Great to see new products broken down. I agree fully that the standard back stab needs to go. We replace so many from over heating from a bad connection internally. Since wiring receptacles using both stabs, instead of splicing a pigtail is creating a series circuit through the receptacle. If it fails you lose power to the rest of the circuit. If you every get a chance, look at Hubbell snap connect with pigtail. (expensive) We just finished a custom home that the customer wanted these commercial style receptacles.
When I am doing electrical in my home and garage, I always use the commercial grade plugs and switches to upgrade what the builder installed. I am also a big fan of wagos and have been for a long time. I still have wagos that I used for low voltage work from 45 years ago and they are still very good. My only problem with these new Leviton plugs is the fact that they are not commercial grade. I will stay with the commercial grade products.
Hi mate! It’s funny m, we have this in Europe since 15-20 years… It’s better because you don’t have to screw again every 10-15 years like the normal version (métal dilatation). And with this you don’t have illegal connection (you just can put 2 wires no more). And it’s very very rapid to put on the wall. You just need a screw driver and a plier.
@Phillip Banes Europe is Europe, if you don't know about european regulation on Electricity, it's not my problem. Maybe it's time for you to leave the sandbox of your kid garden class... Have a better life mate. It's to much for me!
@Phillip Banes You're the only one talking about Europe being a country. You're being belligerent and obtuse with someone who knows what they're talking about. Why?
finally a smart idea, only took 350 years to come up with that... Yeah, could be professional grade instead of just residential grade, but it is so easy to install... Great product... Thank you.
As a DIY, ex-USN ET, I like the idea of clamp style connector. The lack of exposed screws and wires is definitely a plus for people like me. Having replaced numerous receptacles that have lost their grip I agree that the commercial grade outlet internals would be better. But I would not say no to these receptacles or light switches. Having recently installed wifi enabled light switches and fan control switches, this type of option would have been awesome [and significantly easier].
Just upgraded all our switches to Decora to go along with smart switches we installed. I picked up a box of these as well as a few 3-way switches. They are an idea. I suppose for someone who hasn't done this before, it might make it a bit less daunting. It didn't seem to make the installation of the switch any faster. I had to straighten/trim the wires to fit as well as fuss with getting the tabs to align in a multi gang box. For screw terminals, you are bending the wire to attach to the screw terminal meaning you don't have to be as exact as with the Decora Edge. So the fiddling time is just spent elsewhere. However, the color coded tabs can help newbies get the right wire to the right terminal. And yes, I did not see a four way switch in these, so I had to buy a screw terminal 4-way switch for the 3 switch circuit. Four way switches are pricey enough already likely due to relatively few of them being sold compared to other types.
This new offering has the potential to be very successful, particularly with DIYers. I just wish they would offer more colors like light almond so I could make my wife happy. ;)
WAGO 221s are a game changer. Now we see In-Sure (Ideal) lever nuts too. So people are realizing that these lever nuts are better and safer alternatives to wire nuts and the like (wire nuts are even banned in some European countries). So it's only natural to see other products like the Leviton Decora Edge jumping on that same bandwagon. Reminds me of plumbing. Back in the day, everything was copper and you had to use a torch and solder to get everything connected. Fittings used washers and everything had to be clamped down tight. Today, we have PEX tubing that's super easy to work with, and fittings that can be easily tightened that don't leak (some fittings can be hand-tightened). So now we see electrical components following the same path, WAGO/Ideal/Leviton making things much easier and safer. Looking forward to seeing some higher-quality (commercial) Decora products.
Good idea. I jave about 20 outlets to replace in my home. A box of 10 was $25 at Home Depot. Well worth the price for less frustrating outlet installs.
I like the concept of the levers, would Like to see Leviton expand this with a Commercial Spec Version. along with a four way Switch. I would consider using a Wago to connect the solid Line/load wires to a Stranded pigtail wire connected to the levers on the outlet. Thus a little easier when stuffing 12AWG wire and everything back into the box.
Great channel. My 1974 house has backstabbable outlets and aluminum wiring. My grandad was an electrician and was not a fan of the situation. I've lived here since 76 and have changed out most outlets but not the wire.
rite , which is the ONE special advantage wagos etc. have over nuts. at work i use whatever they give me, but when the box gets full... i goto the wagos esp. if i suspect ill be back to the same jbox
Too early to make a comment on this new design. Hard to beat the "old standard commercial" outlet! Great demonstration though...as usual. Thank you for all you do to help all of us DIYers out here. Keep up the great work. Thanks.
Good idea as a DIY. Don't have an expert professional opinion that an electrician may have. But it looks secure and much easier than making C shape screw connections.
I like it but I prefer the screw style with a clamping plate under the screw because you can hook up 4 hot and neutrals and they're still just a push in so no need to hook wires.
These are so Cool ! I LOVE 'em ! 👍🙂 I just recently finished wiring a house and these sure would have made the job go quicker than using pigtails around the screwheads of each terminal like I did !
Great video! Thanks for the new information. I found that Decora makes a 3 switch unit, that fits in one electrical space (there was something like this, smaller and awkward, in the 60’s). I needed this in the garage and also in my workshop. I haven’t installed yet, but it minimizes wiring, one hot in and 3 switched hots out. I’m adding some 4’ LED’s in the garage, through a switched outlet in the same 1900 box. Same type of arrangement in the basement, an added light with all conduit in place. Thanks and God bless!
I don't like these style of terminations. The small contact points within the "trapdoor" makes me worry about heat, arcing and longevity. It may not cause problems with high draws (ie. Electric heaters) but when using the terminals as a splice point, I worry about heat causing melting or deterioration. I have seen stab in connections, and using the parallel terminals as a splice, cause an outlet to melt, or fail with a high draw down the convenience line. The breakaway jumper used between the two terminals is not rated to handle 15 or 20 amps and become hot over time. Is there way you could simulate and observe the heat generated by these connections? An anology would be pressure of holding on to a rope with two fingers as opposed with your whole hand.
I am really liking those new products! As a general contractor, I do a fair amount of electrical in my projects as I just love the process. I can totally see me “upgrading” my clients to these new receptacles and switches for a more high end look and feel. Thanks!
GC but not electrician? What are you talking about? They LOOK the same once the wall plate is on. What 'High end look and feel'? I don't see the 'upgrade' for your clients, for YOU maybe. Looks like only 14g.
@@vincemajestyk9497 The Decora style is considered an upgrade over a standard duplex receptacle and toggle switch, and are typically seen in higher spec’ed homes.
Good idea. Absolutely. Would be nice to see something with more robust internals though. I'm still unclear on exactly how that retention system works and just how much contact area it offers. Retention looks more robust (and reusable!) than back-stabbing, but it doesn't look like any contact area at all. (That might be due to the missing parts during the demonstration though)
That retention system is exactly like the WAGO lever nuts. Pull the lever up, slide the wire in, push the lever down, and the wire is secured very tightly. And yes, both these new receptacles and WAGOs have minimal contact area, but that's a flaw I'm willing to overlook if I'm guaranteed a strong, secure, and reusable connection.
Sure. It looks good. Time will tell. I do love the self aligning feature for multigang boxes. I'd prefer that the end user could have the ability to change receptacles without even messing around with the wiring in a plug-n-play set up where a person could just unscrew the receptacle, pull it out of an internal, heavy duty receptacle in the box, insert a new one, and screw it back down. Likewise, light fixtures should have some sort of receptacle in the box. Outlets could actually be safely replaced live. My point is that wiring is supposed to be a permanent part of a home that shouldn't be messed with for general maintenance. That, and people like to mix and match outlets to new decor and install smart devices that have an even shorter life than a dumb outlet of the past did. It's time we rethink how we maintain receptacles and light fixtures. Make it so anyone can do it for any reason and do it safely.
Great idea but, I am not sure if I am sold on the new design, because as you clearly pointed out, the designer seems to have gone with the bent single conducting surface, that resembled the "backstabbing" design of the homeowner" quality design rather than something more along the design of the two metallic surfaces making contact as in the commercial/spec grade of design. Benjamin Franklin put it this way; “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten". Thank you Scott, as usual you knocked it out of the park!
Great idea! And the best of it is the secure ground connection. I have hated that they never gave anything other than the screw for ground in the past, and then a wimpy ground lug to boot. And this is going to be so fast, easy, and solid.
Nice! But I'd still like to see someone make a single unit to replace two duplex receptacles side by side in a single double sized box. Putting two of these in a box is the closest thing to that yet.
I like them and would probably use them, but I still really like pressure-plate backwiring for a good compromise of speed and security. I like the interlocking feature of these outlets, that definitely saves time trying to line them up nicely to fit the wall plate. Twist-on wire nuts and J-hooks are just too time consuming. I've been using Wago for everything now.
The interlocking/auto-spacing feature may just be the best part. Aligning multiple receptacles (or switches) to a single wall plate is always annoying. Scott, I noticed you decided not to pigtail. I thought you were one of the many people out there who say you should always pigtail, so that brings me to the question of _why._ People say "well, the receptacle might fail." Maybe, but the tab between the two screws seems quite solid, _not_ likely to fail. (Though I know it's designed to be fatigued off if you need to isolate them.) They look pretty solid - what am I missing?
It seems for receptacles that are connected to higher current loads such as portable air conditioners and vacuum cleaners both the single use "one and done" style and the tab style still have a very small contact surface area that will result in a higher resistance connection and over time likely continue to build resistance. It is hard to beat a properly installed screw terminal. The push in tab style might be ok for most lighting applications for the switches since the currents are not as likely to be as high.
Great idea! Would like to see additional ground ports all tied together within the outlet so you can eliminate any ground splitting and splicing behind the outlet.
Good idea. Loving the innovation in home electrical mechanisms, between these and the SkyX SkyPlug plug&play ceiling lighting mounts there have been some really interesting designs.
You know why I bought a pack of 10? Because I hate my tiny metal boxes for receptacles. If the screws are loose at all or don't hold the receptacle in the center, the hots and neutrals can knock into the metal box easily. My refrigerator had to have 2 wraps of electrical tape because of it. Easy to manage the wire with these and saves time. I like them!
certified California electrician... Love Wago leverlock. New Ideal leverlocks are even better. Going to try out these receptacles. NEVER USE STAB INS. I have repaired Way to many!!!!!!
I have a metal box I can't replace because it's embedded in concrete. I've wrapped my outlet in tape to prevent the screws from hitting the box. I think the Decora Edge is the perfect replacement outlet. I'd feel much safer when plugging things in. (This outlet is on the same GFI circuit as a freezer, so if this outlet shorts, all my food spoils. I was out of the country for two months when this actually did occur.)
I agree with a couple of other commenters. I'm not trusting these until I see some thermal imaging with a 15A load. I know it's technically 12A when you de-rate to the 80% spec, but I want to see 15A. I'll use Wagos for low amperage loads, like ceiling lights and fans, but I don't have a great deal of faith in these spring loaded connections, so I'd put these in that same category. Nothing beats a clamp plate or a J hook for a large contact area.
I wouldn't use these things at ALL. No reason to. If you can't take a little more time to effect a proper connection with a commecial or 'semi-commercial' outlet forget it and hang it up and call in an electrician. The much better constructed Preferred + or Pro + is the same price with better contacts. Even the old upgraded 15a version has 20a contacts. People are crazy! Talk about mind control. "Woohoo! I just used a garbagy plastic low-rated outlet to be used FOR YEARS instead of a more robust proven one for the same price! But I saved a few minutes putting it in. Get me my beer now honey!"
I like the idea of no exposed 'hot' leads. One draw back is my new favorite LED nightlight built into a receptacle cover will not work without exposed contacts.
As I read comments below, it seems that several persons have implied that this and the Wago have less contact area to the wire than the backstabber. I don't see that: backstabber has 2 contacts at an angular alignment and Wagos are 2 opposing contacts: slightly better or same. Also backstabber is like stated, one time use. Wagos and this product are designed to allow several uses. I agree with comment about higher current: use the commercial screw terminal.
Looks promising! How about an edge, better grade, 20 amp, GFCI, weather and tamper resistant with USB A, and C, up to 10 Gauge acceptable, tougher, stronger spring? More surface area contact? Add a safety screw under the lever to separately also torque down the conductor and really lock everything into place? LOL! YES, I want everything! Good job Leviton!
Had this same idea 3 years ago-- can't believe I didn't draw up a schematic and get it patented! But, I think they deserve a 9/10 on execution. Maybe they'll come out with a commercial grade and deserve the 10/10
Agree that connection probably not as good as using screw terminals BUT it is a very good, positive and strong connection. Any disadvantages are offset by complete shock/short protection
Thanks for the info ! My house has tight metal outlet boxes, so i always wrap in tape to cover the terminals. This looks like I wouldn't have to do that anymore. I like that you took the time to cut it open so we can see what's under the hood. I wonder how the depth compares (for those tight fits)?
The last electrician I hired told me that he switched to Wago because he had developed carpal tunnel from all the twisting of wire nuts and screwdrivers. I would bet he would definitely use these for any large jobs like a remodel or new construction.
I love the idea of the outlet-especially the automatic line up for 2 gang installations. But I must disagree with not being able to reuse the older style push-in wiring. Yes, if you release the wire with a screwdriver it bends the terminal and it can't be used again. But...if you grab the wire and rotate it up and back while applying a gentle pull, it "unscrews." I've just done a test with #14 wire and a cheap Leviton switch. I pushed the stripped wire in, then twisted it out, and pushed that same wire in a second time. Then, I discarded that wire and stripped a new one, to repeat the test. After doing that 5 times, for a total of 10 insertions, it was a bit easier to rotate out (and showed that on the fourth try). But i couldn't simply pull the wire out, and the marks the clamp made on the wire because of the rotation appeared to be as deep as those the first time. Would I reuse the push-in 10 times? Of course not. But I'd certainly use it again if, due to a mistake I had to remove a wire and insert a different one. I also find that it's easier to do a twist out, and, never have to look for that tiny screwdriver to remove the wire.
Don't know how backstabbing outlets ever got UL approval, if used where vacuum cleaners or out high current devices are used on a regular basis the contact area well heat and lose its spring connection and the outlet becomes a fire hazard. Like the looks of this new design, I will be interested in how these hold up over time. Great video !
If your house was wired by an electrician the I’m 100 percent positive that you do have back stabbing outlets. And they got UL approval because they are not a fire hazard and your baseless argument is invalid.
