Push-in connectors on Leviton outlets

[dogbob]

The electricians who wired my new house (US mainland) used the push-in connections on the back of Leviton budget outlets rather than the screw terminals. I've already had two wiggle loose making the outlets intermittent. They are UL listed outlets, so theoretically, they have been tested for safety and would be fine. Yet, I've got anecdotal evidence (two intermittent connections) that they are not fine.

So I set out to fix the whole house. In most cases, it has been straight-forward. I released the spring tension with a thin blade so the wire pops out, and I reconnect the wire to the adjacent screw.

But in some cases, they used both the push-in and screw terminals to serve as a junction, so I left that terminal untouched.

In my two intermittent cases, the failure didn't arc or catch fire because it was a low power load. I'm worried that someone could run a significant load, like a vacuum cleaner, from one outlet and overheat the junction/connection at another outlet.

Would you recommend that I fix those remaining locations using only the screw terminal and adding a third wire and a wire nut to join the wires together? Is there a better way to fix it? Or am I worried about nothing? Can I assume that if the push-in connection is working now, there's no need to fix it?

I've read that some people don't trust wire nuts, but the only time I've heard of them failing is when they are incorrectly used (wrong size, insufficient stripping, etc.)

Thank you for your advice.

 

[westward10]

This is a UK forum but what I have read on US sites these 'stab' connections are considered wholly unreliable but without physically using them it is difficult to substantiate this. If you are concerned then maybe you are better off pigtailing them to wire nuts, our US member @Megawatt is probably better placed to comment.

 

[Megawatt]

The electricians who wired my new house (US mainland) used the push-in connections on the back of Leviton budget outlets rather than the screw terminals. I've already had two wiggle loose making the outlets intermittent. They are UL listed outlets, so theoretically, they have been tested for safety and would be fine. Yet, I've got anecdotal evidence (two intermittent connections) that they are not fine.

So I set out to fix the whole house. In most cases, it has been straight-forward. I released the spring tension with a thin blade so the wire pops out, and I reconnect the wire to the adjacent screw.

But in some cases, they used both the push-in and screw terminals to serve as a junction, so I left that terminal untouched.

In my two intermittent cases, the failure didn't arc or catch fire because it was a low power load. I'm worried that someone could run a significant load, like a vacuum cleaner, from one outlet and overheat the junction/connection at another outlet.

Would you recommend that I fix those remaining locations using only the screw terminal and adding a third wire and a wire nut to join the wires together? Is there a better way to fix it? Or am I worried about nothing? Can I assume that if the push-in connection is working now, there's no need to fix it?

I've read that some people don't trust wire nuts, but the only time I've heard of them failing is when they are incorrectly used (wrong size, insufficient stripping, etc.)

Thank you for your advice.

Yes you need to fix all of them. Back stabs are very unreliable and in my opinion shouldn’t even be an option on receptacles. Always use the terminal with the screw. As far as wire nuts they are fine as long as the person who uses them knows how to correctly install them. Wagos are an excellent choice versus wire nuts.

 

[dogbob]

Thank you. Yes, I can do that. I'm pretty confident in my abilities with a quality wire nut.

Strange: When I search one of the big-box store's website for Wago, they show Ideal "In-Sure" push-in connectors, which seem like the same stab concept. They may be better than the Leviton stab connector, but it still seems like the same risky concept. I'll pass. In-Sure® Push-In Wire Connector, Model 33 3-Port Orange - https://www.idealind.com/us/en/shop/product-type/connectors/in-surer-push-in-wire-connector-model-33-3-port-orange.html