| ChrisCoaster 2007-10-05, 5:25 pm |
| Everyone on here probably knows the three ways a standard wall outlet
receptacle can be wired: rear insert, or, "back stab", side screw, or
"pressure plate"(where you insert the wire in the rear and tighten it
with sidescrews.
What I would like to know is if the resistance and efficiency of each
method has been tested and documented under various load levels.
I am asking this only because in spring of '05 I rewired most of the
outlets in my apartment, built in 1969. They were of the spring-
loaded backstab method, so I cut down to clean wire and wrapped the
conductors around the sidescrews in each case.
I did this for three kitchen outlets on the same branch, controlling a
toaster, microwave, and refrigerator. I also replaced most of the
outlets in the living and bedroom areas.
Kid you not - my electric bills for April-Sept 2006 were lower than
those for the same period in 2005 - albeit lower in terms of average
kWh per day than in actual dollars on the bill. Our utility rates
have gone up 26% since '05 so the savings in dollars is not
proportionate to the decrease in kWh used.
This year the avg. kW hours per day were even lower from April - Sept,
though the actual dollar amount of the bills have been about the same.
Again, part of that rate increase that was imposed over a long time
period.
I sincerely believe that switching all those receptacles from back-
stab to side-screw, and one of them(which I broke!) to back pressure
plate, played at least a *small* part in increasing the efficiency of
our electrical consumption.
I know there is more contact area between the receptacle and the
conductor using side screw VS using back-stab(single point grab), so
it would seem to make sense that my electricity is going more
efficiently to where it is needed, rather than wasted as excess heat.
Opinions? Conclusions?
-ChrisCoaster
|