The DIY electrician: How-to install tamper-resistant receptacles
There were many major changes in the 2008 Revision of the NEC (National Electric Code), NFPA’s (National Fire Protection Association) Publication No. 70. Beginning with the 2008 Revision the NEC’s Article 406.11 Tamper-Resistant Receptacles in Dwelling Units requires that tamper-resistant receptacles be installed during new construction and all home renovations. Regular duplex receptacles with tamper-resistant twisting receptacle cover plates will no longer cut the mustard when it comes to passing the final inspection. What precipitated this change in the Code requirements?
Every year in the United States roughly 2,400 children suffer from electric shocks and burns when they insert some electrically conductive object in a receptacle. Every year in the U.S. 6 out of every 12 children that suffer fatal accidents in the home die from accidental electrocution. According to a study conducted by the CSPC (Consumer Product Safety Commission), 86 percent of home accidents involving children between one and four years of age involved electrical receptacles. The study also found that the most common items inserted into receptacles were keys and hairpins.
Plastic outlet protectors were never a guarantee of child safety; in fact their use added another safety hazard to the equation, the safety hazard presented by children choking on them. A study conducted by the Biokinetics Research Laboratories of Temple University in 1997 showed that
· 47 percent of 4-year olds and 31 percent of 2-year olds could remove protectors with round, flat faces and two prongs
· 47 percent of 4-year olds and 18 percent of 2-year olds could remove 3/16” thick plastic protectors with oval faces and tapered sides
· 100 percent of 4-year olds and 2-year olds could remove 1/16” thick plastic protectors with round faces and flat sides
Child tamper-resistant receptacle covers
These covers that replace regular receptacle covers effectively protect a child against electric shock hazards but are no longer accepted by code for new construction and home renovation installation. These plates, available at home centers for $3 to $6 each are no more economical to purchase than Child Tamper-Proof Receptacles which cost only $4 to $6 each so why not install the genuine article even when replacing an existing outlet.
Child Tamper-Proof Receptacles
Child tamper-proof receptacles look like ordinary receptacles except they have two built in shutters that remain tightly closed until a plug is inserted. These shutters will not open unless something is inserted in both slots of the receptacle at the same time.
How-To install Tamper-Resistant outlets
· Tamper-Resistant outlets install like any other receptacle outlet, simply connect the Black conductor to the brass colored screw, the White conductor to the silver colored screw and the green or bare conductor to the green or black colored screw
· If you are installing them where one-half of each receptacle is on a switched receptacle circuit be sure to break out/off the brass tab between the two brass colored screws. With a switched receptacle circuit the second hot conductor is usually “Red” in color or otherwise identified as the switched conductor
· Likewise if you are installing them on a split-wired circuit like those found on kitchen counter tops, make sure to break off the brass connecting tab
TUTORIALS
How to wire a non-switched receptacle
How to wire a switched receptacle
How to wire a split-wired receptacle
A switched receptacle circuit and a split-wired receptacle circuit are wired the same way except with a split-wired circuit the switch is omitted and both halves of the receptacle is hot at all times. A split-wired receptacle circuit is also known as a Multiwired Branch Circuit. The other major difference is that with a split-wired receptacle circuit the circuit must be protected by a double-pole CB (Circuit Breaker) per NEC Article 210.4(B). A switched receptacle circuit can be protected by a single-pole CB as long as both sides of the circuit originates from the same circuit.
One more thought, with the new code all gfci receptacles have to be of the tamper-resistant design too.
