Wrap or Not Wrap

Originally Posted By: lfranklin
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This has nothing to do with home inspection.


How many of you electrician still wrap electric tape around a receptacle before putting it back in a box ![icon_question.gif](upload://t2zemjDOQRADd4xSC3xOot86t0m.gif)

And is this a good or bad practice ![icon_question.gif](upload://t2zemjDOQRADd4xSC3xOot86t0m.gif)

Seen it a lot with the metal box but not with the plastic unless it's an older sparky.


Originally Posted By: John Bowman
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Larry,


I do. ![icon_redface.gif](upload://f7DX2EWhmUfsDapWaYT3oJHMCj1.gif) Damn, I must be old.


Originally Posted By: Greg Fretwell
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It’s a great idea if you use the tape that gets hard and crunchy but a real pain in the butt if you use the tape than gets gooey in a few years.


Personally the only justification can see is for people who plan on working boxes hot. If you turn off the breaker I see no advantage. There is nothing in the code about it one way or the other and I have never seen a manufacturer say you should be doing it.


Originally Posted By: bbadger
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Greg Fretwell wrote:
Personally the only justification can see is for people who plan on working boxes hot.


I agree 100%. ![icon_smile.gif](upload://b6iczyK1ETUUqRUc4PAkX83GF2O.gif)

If the device is installed correctly there is no way that the wires can hit the side of the box.

If I work on a device that has that gooey tape on it I will throw it out.

The 'goo' gets on you hands, tools and very likely the customers wall.


--
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction & Maintenance
Moderator at ECN

Originally Posted By: Greg Fretwell
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I haven’t really been able to establish a pattern for what tape gets gooey. I have had some no name tape hold up fine for years and 3M that I spent a lot of money on turn to goo in my toolbox within a year.


Originally Posted By: rbeam
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if you do wrap the outlet be sure to LAY the tape around the outlet. pulling the electrical tape tight will cause the end of the wrap to come loose resulting in a 2-3" tail of tape in the box. if pulled very tight the tape wrap will creep off the back of the outlet.


Originally Posted By: Roger Petersen
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For hot work tape is acceptable. For rough wiring dead then no need.