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How Do I Wire Outlets Together?

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Rev. Dr. Charles Rogers Profile
You would wire them in series. To explain, I will give you the best and most reliable method. Pull your wire into each box making sure to leave about 8" of extra at each box. Next cut yourself a set of conductors (pigtails or taps) for each outlet. When you have everything ready, go to each box, strip the wires back about 1/2" (including you taps) at connect the like color wires together by twisting the bare copper together enough for them to stay while you twist on a wire nut to each connection. Finish off each tap with a couple of wraps of electrical tape around the wire nuts and onto the conductors. With the taps / connections made, attach your outlet to the pigtails and install into the box. [Each set of wires connected together should total 3 - Power In, Power Out, and the taps to connect to your outlet.)
I said this is the best method because, while outlets are designed so you can wire through them (that is letting the outlet create the taps) if one of the outlets go bad you will lose power to the outlets downline about 99% of the time.
Also, when wiring a circuit know that you can install a 20 Amp rated outlet on a 15 Amp circuit, but the best method (which I did in my house) is to make the entire circuit 20 Amp rated. Your circuit would be 20 Amp breaker, #12 AWG copper wire, and 20 Amp outlets.
A 20 Amp breaker is rated for 2400 Watts, however, by code, you can only load the breaker to 80% or 1920 Watts. Not knowing the load on each receptacle, Code dictates that you allow 180 Watts for each outlet so you can have 10 outlets on one 20 Amp circuit.
If you opt for a 15 Amp circuit, the breaker would be rated for 1800 Watts which is 1440 Watts at 80%, and you would be limited to 8 outlets on a circuit.

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