It is common to see 1 or 2 sets of wires in a single outlet. But we see non-technician people get confused by seeing 3 sets of cables in one outlet.
Every set of wires in an outlet has its purpose. However, we can easily convert 3 sets of wire into one set with the help of a particular technique.
The purpose of 3 sets of wires in one outlet is to provide power to the box. Use Di wires which are also called lever nuts. Insert those similar wires in lever nuts(Di wires), It will create a pigtail. Make a pigtail out of neutral and hot. Use an integrated USB port receptacle to wire in all the pigtails of 3 sets of wires in one box.
We need technician skills to use 3 sets of wire in one box. Don’t worry you’re not a technician, in the next sections we discarded every important point about this topic.
Let’s dive into the guide!
Table of Contents
Can You Have 3 Sets Of Wires In One Outlet?
We often see that people new to technical wiring work don’t know much about using wires in outlets.
3 sets of wires are suitable to use in one outlet. Hiring a technician is mandatory If a person doesn’t know how to use those three sets for a single receptacle.
Sets of 3 wires in one outlet work fine for a single receptacle with the use of WAGO 221 Lever-Nuts. Lever nuts are proven to minimize space consumption in a single box.
A lot of people think that those multiple wires in one outlet may be wrong wiring, but it’s not true. Every technician prefers their wiring skills to create a good map of wires inside house walls.
If you are going to wire in those wires, ensure that you have good experience with them. If these multiple sets of wires may get in contact with each other then they will create a short circuit.
Most old wired houses have 3 wire sets to circular the electrical power all over the house inside the wiring.
If you want to check electric power in those wire sets, use a non-touchable voltage checker. Don’t touch any wire with your hands.
Why Are There 3 Sets Of Wires In One Outlet?
We often see that when people start outlets replacing their recently bought home, and when they see multiple sets of wires in one box, they become confused.
Some outlets have 3 sets of wires(neutral, hot, and ground) because of the electrical power circulation.
You can easily use them as one set of wires with the help of lever nuts. Make sure every hire is wired correctly in the lever nuts.
Red, black, and brass wires have their separate roles in the power supply.
Don’t connect any wire with another one without knowing what it will do. If you mistakenly wired the wire sets, the electrical shock becomes higher.
It is usually known as a 1/2 switched outlet, this is done a lot in the house. It is not compulsory to use all of those wires to run a receptor.
Use cable cabs or the pigtail method to use multiple sets of wires in one outlet. The main purpose of one or multiple wires in any outlet is to run receptors and a good electric circuit system.
If all of those wire sets are consuming much space in receptors then use a lever nut to minimize the consumption of space in a single outlet box.
Duplex Plug Has 3 Sets Of Wires Going Into It?
Duplex plugs are popular and most used plugs in most houses. If there are 3 sets of wires going into a duplex plug, it is because the technician uses a technical way to connect the home circuit.
Use a pigtail method if the 3 sets of wires in the duplex plug cause any problem. You asked this question because you’re not a technician, so hire a technician if you feel there is a problem like melting or a short circuit between sets of wires going into a duplex plug.
If there is no problem with the duplex plug, don’t touch those wires. These wire sets are only to make good connectivity and a proper power circuit in outlets.
Use a non-touch voltage tester to test current flow inside 3 sets of wires into the duplex. Otherwise, don’t try to touch those wire sets with your hands if you want to repair those wiring sets.
3 Sets Of Wires In Outlet Box, Lights Won’t Turn Off?
If there are 3 sets of wires in your outlet box and lights won’t turn off, You have hot-wired your lights. The problem is in your outlet wires, where something is not creating the correct connection with another wiring.
Take a look inside the outlet and make sure everything is fine. But if the lights won’t turn off, there will be a problem with wiring or in connection with wires.
The light switch may be fed from the receptacle. Maybe your light cable y should be fed with the switch leg, the hot wire from the panel, and the neutral from Cable x.
As we described earlier, you have to use a proper technique to wire the 3 sets of wires in one outlet. Experts recommend putting a pigtail on the receptacle and joining it to the other two wires with a wire nut.
Don’t touch the wires if you don’t know how to check the wiring inside the outlet box. Approach a technician, if you don’t feel safe fixing this problem yourself.
3 Sets Of Wires In One GFCI Outlet?
If you recently found 3 sets of wires in one GFCI outlet, you may wonder how you will replace your receptacle. You have to check the wiring connection within those wire sets with the GFCI outlet If there is any technician issue.
First, you have to find which set of wires is neutral and hot coming into the outlet. These sets of wires will be your LINE wires.
If found that the other sets of wires will not be GFCI protected. Then there is a need to wire nut them all together. Pigtail is another option to do this. Just Connect some pigtails to the GFCI outlet wires.
You can also use a Load terminal technique when you want GFCI to cover other outlets downstream from this appliance. In simple words, Just attach them to the LOAD terminals.
If there are multiple wires and you want to convert them into a single wire connection, use a lever nut. Lever nuts will wire nut them. It will also create a pigtail in the terminal.