Which Outlet Is Right For Your Home | Watch Before You Buy
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- Опубликовано: 17 ноя 2023
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Is it worth the money to upgrade from residential-grade outlets to commercial-grade outlets? I was surprised with what we found looking internally across these 2 Legrand outlets. Let me know what you think in the comments and which one you are using on your DIY electrical projects.
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I’m most impressed with your mad Dremel skills and faith in retaining your fingers.
I agree. If it were me, I would have used needle nose Vise Grips to hold that electrical outlet while grinding.
I always use commercial.
After this video, I prefer commercial, especially at rental properties. Thanks Scott
Unless I was trying to be extemeley budget conscious, I always go with commercial grade in my own home. The cost difference, at least for me, is negliable. I've been replacing all of the outlets around my house that was built in the mid 90s over the last few months (just a time restraint and laziness thing) and I just prefer the extra assurance.
If I was working on a project for someone else, I'd recommend commercial grade, but I wouldn't feel like I was endangering them using residential grade.
same here all of my outlets are those except for my garage that burnt down becuase of my stupid neigbor putting these 79 cent pos crap ones in his renovated bedroom / office/ gaming room.
Commercial all the way.
But I used hospital grade for the receptacles that get used for plugging the vacuum into since they get a lot more action.
Thanks Scott. Another great simply explained video. Appreciate it. I will be using Commercial grade from now on
I knew there were differences but never paid attention. I bought whatever. Now, from watching these videos, buy commercial. It's only my home now so the difference in cost does amount to much. Thanks for the info. BTW, recently I rewired a full 4 inch square box. I went from wire nuts to wagos. The difference in room inside the box was incredible.
Same. Even the WAGOs
Your taking advice from the wrong guy.
Thank-you! I appreciate the insight into the why and why not that you provide.
Thanks to the similar video you made approximately 2 years ago, we used commercial grade outlets on our renovation. Before renovating, we had a few outlets that no longer held the plug in them. They were outlets that got a lot of use in our kitchen and our bathroom. I also used actual hospital grade outlets for our TV and surround sound system. To be honest, using hospital grade was a little overkill. I used them in hopes of preventing any potential hum or interference in our sound system. 😊
Commercial outlets for sure. Residential switches are okay. The only place I might use a commercial switch is on a garbage disposal or high current application.
Yeah I also found little benefit from commercial switches
THANKS SCOTT ,🤗 FOR EDUCATING US 🧐KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE HELPS US MAKE A BETTER CHOICE
Very good explanation. Thanks for the visual
Residential, plus everything you said I agree with.
I go with commercial grade as much as possible. The person in the electrical department at Menards explained the difference in how they were built. He even gave a story about how he replaced a bunch of outlets in a remodel using the cheap ones. Not even 10 years later he found himself replacing them. I’ve seen a few residential grade outlets come out in pieces and that always scares me. Spent the extra money so you only have to do it once.
Great Video and explanation! Thank you!👍
You bet!
Thank you 🙏 for another great video 👍👏
My home is exclusively wired with Decora devices, and I looked at my local Home Depot (Canada) for a spec-grade Decora receptacle when you made your initial videos - I wasn't able to find one at all!
Home Depot is now selling Leviton Decora Plus receptacles. It'd be neat to see a tear-down and inspection of one of them! They're *not* cheap!
Absolutely spot on. After watching your videos, I only use commercial outlets for replacement.
same here
Good comparison and analysis. I use commercial WR for all outdoor receptacles. All indoor rooms, I use standard receptacles, and I use SPD for all connected electronic appliances. Commercial GFCIs for all code required applications. The brand I use is Hubbell. It is a bit more expensive, but you'll never replace a receptacle or switch in your lifetime.
Great video. Coming from a family of electrical contractors, I agree. Throw away the "residential/builder" grade receptacle. Purchase the CR15 or CR20, which are double wipe (or triple wipe depending on manufacturer). These are typically used in commercial offices and will give decades of quality connections. The next step up.would be the 5262, although the hold is tight and might be a problem if the receptacle is mounted in a plastic box.
Based off your earlier, I changed our outlets to commercial grade in our 100 yr old house. Im slowly rewiring our house with old cloth wires and cloth MC cables.
Really great informations. I will go with commercial type from now on.
I, too, go only with Legrande/Pass & Seymour spec grade outlets. My absolute last choice is Leviton residential grade for reason you mentioned: weak grip on plug. A loose fit is never a good thing.
I prefer commercial grade. My house was built in 2014 using the cheap residential outlets. Any outlets that are used frequently I have replaced with commercial grade outlets, and they are holding up well. I agree with this video's advice!
You the best thanks
Thanks
You bet!
I will use commercial style outlets
I wish you had a link for a Decor option that you recommend. I need some for a renovation.
I found that my outlets were not properly tighten and some wires are to short and loose. I decided to change a few outlets while fixing this issue- thank you for th info- I will get the commercial one
Switched to commerial grade
Decora Plus industrial grade duplex outlets, both 15 and 20 amp.
I use the Legrand commercial outlet 90% of the time if they are in stock at my local Lowes or Home Depot.
Otherwise the residential outlet if I have to, but only in outlets that won't be in use often. I.e. vacuum use..
Can we get an ultimate outlet shootout with as many outlets as possible? Best of the best!!
I'd use commercial grade
Scott, I love your videos especially the electrical ones. I have a question though, my house has aluminum wiring. So what recommendations do you have for receptacles and switches and connectors should I use for aluminum?
Commercial grade is the only way I go.
Great video........
Amen 👍
I redid all our outlets to add tamper resistant receptacles to avoid the need for any child safety plugs. (As foster parents, they did inspections, and this let us pass without those nasty plastic plugs.) I used the cheap residential grade because I didn't know the difference, but I avoided back stabbing, as we had problems with that at our beach condo (particularly bad with the salty air). Now I would probably use commercial grade, especially for any outlets that are used frequently and might lose their grip or anything that will likely have high current draw like a window AC or vacuum.
As those receptacles lose their grip, replace them with the CR15 (and CR20) receptacles. These are the commercial line, which will serve you well for decades. I have these in my home. Although I'm a pilot, I come from a family of electrical contractors and am quite familiar with these products... Also, bless you for being foster parents. You can do miraculous things for these children by showing them the love they desperately need.
I like commercial - however, the eaton residential grade back stab is UL certified. If you look a the design, the wire is pressed against the back plate and the wedge is self tightening. IMO, the number one failure of back stab is improper installation where the strip length is wrong or the wire was contaminated by paint before shoving it in the hole. I'm fine with using side wire or J hooks as long as that is done properly, but lets not blame the device for all failures. Like you, my preference is spec grade.
Haven't considered one over the other until now. Will probably go commercial in the future.
You will not regret that decision. 👍
Hi Scott, have you made a video for adding a receptacle from an existing light switch and/or adding a light & switch from an existing receptacle? I love your videos and I would love to learn how to do either of those things. Thank You So Much!
Hey Amy, thanks for the kind words. Here is the closest I have where I took power which controlled one side of a duplex outlet and then added LED recessed lights to the room. Not exactly covering all the scenarios but it will give you some relevant ideas ruclips.net/video/KgChTKOaNsA/видео.html
Commercial grade. For sure, can’t stand working with backstabbed outlets, replacing them can become a pain when there’s not a lot of excess wire.
Thanks!
For me personally definitely commercial grade. Their reliability and longevity overtime are well worth the extra dollar and can pay for itself over the cost of having to replace shorter lived residential grade, especially in areas that receive frequent used such as kitchen countertops, hallways where a vacuum cleaner is frequently used, and of course the bathroom where your wife or teenage daughters are unable to leave the house without blow-drying and curling their hair a certain way 😘😂
If you pay close attention to the commercial grade you'll notice both contacts are T shaped to accommodate a NEMA 5-15- 5-20, 6-15 or 6-20 plugs; the white plastic front bonded to the device determines the NEMA configuration making them much better for appliances with heavy duty motors or heating elements.
It is permissible to use 15 amp devices on 20 amp circuits, but 20 amp devices are prohibited on 15 amp circuits. And if a circuit has a single receptacle and no other devices, the receptacle rating must match the fuse/circuit breaker rating, a duplex receptacle counts as two.
Use the best that you can afford, if you're living in the house, just the peace of mind is worth it or at least use it on area of high use so you don't have to replace it often.
Now that I see the internals, commercial all the way.
I would always go commercial!
As a DIY myself and in no way professional if I was going to change 1 outlet I would go commercial. If I was to do an entire house perhaps I would choose a combination between the 2. Maybe stick commercial grade to outlets I know may run a portable AC, vacuum, or other high amp frequently used outlet. Some outlets never see more then a lamp or a cellphone charging cable. However If budget is not an issue then why not go for top quality.
Commercial grade still...you sold me on commercial grade on the first comparison videos you did.
Hmmm, I have a higher end, high current amplifier that I installed a dedicated 20 amp circuit on its own breaker, but of course I’m pretty sure I used a cheapo outlet. Now I’m gonna have to change it out. A chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link.
The commercial receptacles are well worth the extra buck and a half investment. The back wiring alone is worth the extra money.
You forgot to mention, the screw terminals will accept two wires under each screw eliminating the need for a pigtail. This includes making it half switched. The mounting screws are a legal ground to a metal box that is properly grounded. Notice the spring holding the screw to the receptacle.
I’ve got to replace a GFCI duplex outlet. It’s in a surface mount weather box with a lid. The box is in good shape. Should I get a outside rated outlet or is a bathroom/ kitchen one good enough since it’s inside a weatherproof box? The one in it now is rated bath/kitchen the builder installed in 2001. I’ve cleaned it a couple times looks oxidized and it does work but will pop off occasionally without a real heavy load.
Commercial grade without a doubt.
Thanks for the feedback
I'll use the cheap, never had any issues.
Easy enough to change if socket gets loose.
If I were to use the residential Legrand is a good option.
I just replaced 6 outlets with commercial yesterday.
Residential. I replaced all my outlets 25 years ago and have not had a single failure. If I were doing today, I would go commerical, but I do not intend to replace everything now.
Home owner, non-electrician here. I replaced all my receptacles with backwire ones. My old backstab ones were awful. Plugs fell out, a couple were burned, even the fridge one was loose and it never gets repeated plug/unplug cycles. The things ought to be banned.
Here in mexico we never use commercial in a house, its just not common at all, commercial is used almost exclusively to hospitals, large corporations, etc.
Tamper Resistant outlets are just awful - It's crazy hard to plug things in, and you push so much with no give that you start f-ing up the outlet (if plastic boxes) code failed on that one I feel - those plastic inserts have been around forever and way easier
You sold me on commercial grade.
“Outlet” is what’s in the background: a wired outlet box with a receptacle. What you’re holding are “receptacles”, not “outlets”.
A much more accurate description for the residential outlet would be "a landlord special."
the other huge difference is in that metal backstrap - I have lost track of the number of residential-grade cheapos I have had to replace because they break down in half right in the middle. The backstrap solves that. Never ever use "residential" grade as they are in my opinion *dangerous*. When they break they can cause a short, and thus sparks and fire hazard.
Do you prefer the new design of the legrand commercial or the previous design better?
To help the DIYers keep it straight on which side the hot and neutrals are connected, yes, brass is hot and silver is neutral but IMO, it's easier to remember the neutral connects to the same side as the ground connection is located.
Another way to tell and remember is to look at the size of the slots. The hot side is the shorter slot, the neutral side is the longer slot. On a 240 volt receptacle such as the 20 amp single which you might have if you have a larger window AC unit it doesn't matter which side the black and white connect to because both wires are hot, but the white should be marked as a hot with a piece of black or red tape at the receptacle and at the breaker as well as the junction box if the cable was spliced along the way for some reason.
Black Gold the easiest phrase for a dyier to remember.
@@jameshill4900 another easy one to remember is, white to light, black to brass will save your ass. Because lamps and appliances will still operate normally in a reverse polarity receptacle, aside from the increased shock risk in certain situations such as the screw shell of a table lamp that's now hot instead of neutral, or sticking a butter knife in a toaster to free a stuck bagel and touching the heating coil that's now hot because the switch broke the neutral, the same problem can occur with really old lamps and appliances that have non polarized plugs, where both prongs are narrow.
I use the phrase "Black to Brass". It has worked well for me for 20 years.
@@briantayes2418 Whatever works for anyone, but personally, I can't see how mentally learning to put both the neutral and ground on the same side can get any easier. Remembering a rhyme is not necessarily.
Maybe I missed it but did you do a video on the Leviton Decora devices?
Commercial I feel it worth the extra money just for the long term safety and quality
Leviton Decora Edge Lever-Lock. I use nothing else for new work or old work.
I have a 1950's house and I need to rewire. My outlets are not grounded. I'm trying to figure out when I'm able. I believe I should keep to the inexpensive ones at this time? I've changed out several but used inexpensive ones.
Commercial grade every time. The "residential" loses its grip on the cord's plug after just a few uses, and the plug falls out or starts to overheat. It's worth the extra $1 or so.
I always use commercial just because I like the feel of them better. small difference to pay overall
Totally agree 👍
What do you think of the GE heavy duty outlets from Walmart?
Whenever possible I use commercial grade. It pays off in the long run.
Agreed 👍
What do you call those flat washers that retain the screw for the box tabs?
I hate those tamper resistant outlets. There are never any children in my house, and most places have swapped over to TR, which is more work to get the plug in...
Is the new leviton edge series commercial or residential grade?
Commercial grade and Spec (specification) grade are different. Spec. grade is usually more expensive than standard commercial grade, although most manufacturers like to call their commercial grade "spec. grade" so that they can try to meet the specifications on higher grade jobs (hospitals, etc.). A whole different discussion and comparison video could be made on these two types.
No HR or hospital grade are a step above any spec or commercial grade receptacle. For one thing the face is usually made from tuff nylon and almost bullet proof. HR receptacles must have a green dot on face to identify it as such. Retired as a sparky from a large hospital and some brands of HR are far superior to others including a much higher price. Hubbell makes the best HR receptacles. Over $10 each!
@@garbo8962 True, we often used "spec grade" in hospitals EXCEPT where HR were required (by code). Never commercial grade though. Good catch.
Correct. Spec grade actually means Federal Specification. Manufacturers call their receptacles "Spec" but they're actually their commercial line intended for commercial offices, examples being the CR15 and CR20 receptacles (which I have in my house). A true Federal Specification receptacle would be the 5262..
@@boeing757pilot Exactly.
Commercial for sure. Unfortunately, I just replaced all the receptacles in my house with residential. Wish I had seen this before hand. Well, I work at a hardware store so I am going to do my best to sell the commercial.
Commercial for outlets. Not sure commercial grade switches are worth it but I'd be curious what others think.
No, commercial switches aren't worth it unless you hate bending hooks for whatever reason. Speaking for bending hooks, residential receptacles aren't bad for low use applications or for devices always plugged in.
Hi Scott - Off subject, I remember at the end of a video your posted a while ago you had gotten a Eufy Floodlight Cam. I was wondering how (or if) that worked out and would you consider reviewing it for us? Thanks.
Working great, I had a positive experience with the 360 camera and also my video doorbell 👍👍
Can you expand topic out to fed-spec and hospital grade?
Not sure about 'fed-spec', but 'hospital grade' is the next step over commercial. Think of them as 'severe duty' receptacles. Meant for high wear cycles of plugging/unplugging. (Worked for hosp. maint.) And if they're coded red (or orange - loc/code depending), that means it's wired to a backup power source in case of power failure. So if using that grade, stay away from using the pretty colors without proper reason...it may flag the inspection. Red,Blue,Orange, Yellow, & Green all have meaning, use only as applicable.
Commercial. Thanks for educate me on this matter
Can you use 12 gauge wire in back wiring?
As a DIYer, back-wiring is worth the extra cost. You'll save the price difference in the time saved. and your connections will be bulletproof.
As an added bonus, the commercial grade outlets will stand up to the plug-and-unplug cycles better, so that outlet in the hall (where you connect your vacuum) will hold the plug better longer.
Amen, totally agree.
I am not sure where you purchased your outlets for 75 cents the cheap ones at Menards are around $2.50 and the better ones $4.60 each
This makes me want to swap out all of my outlets to commercial. And get a Dremel tool.
😂 the Dremel is pretty handy
I made the mistake of buying a box of residential grade when i first bought my home still have a bunch i stopped using them, they are sitting in a can to give to people i hate LOL. they are pure crap the face breaks just plugging things in and out the socket does not hold cords sometimes you break them just trying to install them. the commercial or industrial grade are much better especially with the back wire with two straight wires under each screw makes wiring much easier and more secure less wire nuts and splices.
How do I tell which is residential and which is commercial? Is it just price?
I use commercial grade, even for residential.
I'm a DIY guy & don't do electrical repairs/installs as a profession.
Thanks for the feedback 👍
Commercial Grade
From what I’ve seen the failure mode of really old outlets is sometimes the plastic itself becoming so brittle with age that it cracks or falls apart. I doubt any class of outlet can prevent that problem.
In the store how do you know the difference? The cost?
Commercial it's worth it
I've added six receptacles in my house and used commercial grade only.
I like your style 👍
Does back-stabbing allow aluminum?
Easy decision.
The majority of outlets in the house are for convenience. Some of them you may use once in a blue moon.
Some you use everyday, but you only plug in once (like a coffee maker).
Some you plug in and out all the time, and you would wear those out. And when you replace those worn out, you should replace them with commercial.
Once I was called to a house; in a teenager's bedroom, a couple of outlets got the crap beat out of it.
They were residential grade outlets. How long had those two Levitan outlets been working in that house? Over 40 years.
That tells me putting all commercial grade outlets in every house is unnecessary.
As evidenced by the stocked aisles in Homedepot, most of the outlets stocked are residential grade.
Good point, also if you want decora style, commercial grade are harder to find and if they are to be tamper resistant, I'm not sure if they are even made.
I can't find the tool you used to cut the plastic in your amazon store.
I love these little guys, super handy amzn.to/3MPhGwy
Residential just use the hook wire.
I needed an outdoor outlet for an 4' LED light. I went to Lowe's, found a Helper and asked which one to buy. He told me, They are all the same. So I searched the stock and found one rated "TR," Tamper Resistant, and "WR," Weather Resistant, so I bought it and a plastic cover case. It will be connected to a bathroom GFCI outlet, so it will be protected through that and I didn't need to buy one for the box. It's 15A, has 14 AWG backstab and J-hook-wire, side-wiring screw connections. I couldn't find one with screw-down pressure plates (you know what I mean), so I bought this one. I threw out the box, so I cannot give the part/model number, but I think it's Eaton. Construction is: white front, blue body. The fixture will be under the eaves, mounted fairly high on bricks, so it should should be protected from rain, but we have high humidity here in Summer, so I wanted WR. However, the Ground connection must be internal. It is not on the back, so I guess it's not Commercial grade for two reasons. Had I realized, I would have bought Commercial grade and I'll try to remember Legrand in the future. Thanks, Scott!
Since you won't be inserting and removing plugs regularly, don't lose any sleep over the outlet you purchased. It will still be working a century from now.
@@robertjoseph1592 Thanks, Robert. I'm sure that's true. but I would have bought Commercial.
Bought a 2 year old custom home here in SC. Had a problem with a non functional outlet and overhead fan in a bedroom. Determined it was because of cheap residential outlets and back stabbing of the outlets. It had worked it's way out of the outlet. Cheap and lazy
Yeah, unfortunately in most places around the country $500K homes still have all the cheapest products you can find at the big box stores 🤦♂️
Commercial plugs