Red wire in outlet

6 years ago

I've switched outlets before, but I've never seen this. This outlet has 2white, 2black, the ground and a red wire. I don't know what the red wire goes to. The bottom plug of the outlet does not work so I was going to switch it out finally. I've lived here 2 yrs just now getting to it. This is in the living room next to the gas fireplace insert, do this go to that?

Featured Answer

Ron Natalie

6 years ago

There's more to wiring than matching colors. There's only two mandated colors: green (which can only be used for equipment grounds) and white (well gray counts as white) which can only be used for a grounded conductor. Everything else has to be some color other than these two: black, red, yellow, purple, blue... all fair game.

I would agree with Sea's first guess. This is a receptacle where the tab is busted out on the "hot" side to allow it to be half switched, half always on. I can almost bet that the black wires (since there are two going into the device) are the always on side and it is feeding through to another receptacle somewhere. The red wire likely runs to a switch some where. The white is shared on the feed from the breaker and in this case feeds through to the same place that second black is going.

It should **NOT** be a 220V circuit with white wires on one side of the circuit.

If Sea is suggesting that perhaps it is a MULTIWIRE BRANCH CIRCUIT feeding a split receptacle (not uncommon in Canada, less so down in the US), it's also ILLEGALLY and UNSAFELY wired. You can not make the grounded conductor connection on a MWBS on the device like that.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

Jeffrey Kroft
Original Author
6 years ago
mtvhike
6 years ago
Can't really tell from your photo, but are the red and 2 blacks all connected to the same connection in the receptacle? Also, can't see where they go at the back of the box.
Jeffrey Kroft thanked mtvhike
Related Professionals
Elkton General Contractors · Huntington General Contractors · Saginaw General Contractors · Monroe General Contractors · Eugene General Contractors · Columbia Home Remodeling · Saint Cloud Home Remodeling · Bridgeport Home Remodeling · Flagstaff Home Remodeling · Bartlesville Bathroom Remodelers · Philadelphia Bathroom Remodelers · Morgantown Bathroom Remodelers · Davenport Bathroom Remodelers · Madison Bathroom Remodelers · Napa Bathroom Remodelers
Jeffrey Kroft
Original Author
6 years ago
Seabornman
6 years ago
Flip over to other side. Is the copper tab broken or pulled out? I believe you have a split situation where each outlet is independent of each other and is fed (probably) by a 220v circuit: hence the red wire. Does a switch control either one?
DavidR
6 years ago
90% chance that the red wire is switched. The reason that "The bottom plug of the outlet does not work" (it's not a "plug," but never mind) is that you don't know where the switch is, or the switch is defective. Almost certainly not the receptacle.

You don't need to change the receptacle because of that, you need to change it because it's backstabbed. It's contractor grade labor-saving garbage. Remove it and give it the treatment it deserves - pulverize it with a sledge hammer.

Replace it with one that has real terminal screws. If it's side wired, make sure that you wrap the stripped conductors around the screws clockwise, so they pull in when you tighten the screws.
Jeffrey Kroft thanked DavidR
mtvhike
6 years ago
If there is a wall switch in that room, pull it out and see if there is a red wire. As David implied, most likely there is a black and red wire on the switch and chances are the black one is one of the black ones on your receptacle. If you want a wall-switched receptacle (which I happen to like, especially if there is no ceiling light), then you have it!