Wondering how to daisy chain outlets? We can tell you how we do it. Always consult in your local electrician first.
There are a few different ways to daisy chain electrical outlets together, however the most common is outlet to outlet with one 14/2 wire between each. From the electrical panel to the first outlet then on the second, third, fourth etc. In effect one would be hooking the outlets up in a parallel wiring configuration.
Read on as we will show you some examples of daisy chaining outlets.
How to daisy chain outlets
Daisy chaining electrical outlets is a slang term mostly used by electricians when referring the connection of one outlet to another. The code states we can actually run up to 12 outlets on a circuit. Technically we could daisy chain 12 however that is a bit much.
We often start with a piece of 14/2 nmd or romex wire from the panel source to the first outlet. The piece of wire would be terminated inside the electrical device box. From there we would essentially take another piece of 14/2 on to the next outlet and so on.
Running only 2 pieces of 14/2 inside the electrical box makes it easier for us to do connections. Now we could run more into the box but that would result in a deeper kind of device box resulting in more wires.
For this purpose we will just talk about the two. Once the wires have entered the box and stripped back we are left with 2 white wires, 2 black wires and two grounds.
The connections are simple. The grounds get tied under the ground screws in the back of the box and out to the green screw on the outlet. The white wires go on the left of the plug terminals or silver screws. The black hot wires go on the right of the plug or gold colored terminals. That’s it. No need for wire nuts unless you have additional wiring in the box.
How to daisy chain outlets more than 2 wires
In the event that you need to daisy chain more than 2 outlets, the first step is to connect the outlet to the electrical panel and then connect one or multiple 14/2 wires between each outlet. Next, connect the outlet to the next.
How to daisy chain outlets with deep box
The most common way is to use a 14/2 wire to daisy chain the outlets. This requires one wire running from the electrical panel to the first outlet and then on to each of the others. In effect, one would be hooking up in a parallel wiring configuration.
When using a deep box one can actually install more than 2 separate wires in the box. You can actually run up to 4 wires in the box. With this method we would need to use wire nut connections and bring pigtails out to the outlet.
Is it bad to daisy-chain outlets?
It’s not bad to daisy-chain outlets, but it is a good idea to consider the safety of your family and guests. If you are going to daisy-chain outlets, you should ensure that they are all on the same circuit. This will reduce the chance of electricity overloads in your home and potentially cause fatal shocks.
You should also know that when you have multiple devices plugged into multiple outlets on the same circuit. This will drain more power because there is less power going through each outlet. In addition, if your devices are plugged into different circuits, you will be wasting electricity in your home.
There are pros and cons to both approaches. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference with which approach makes more sense for you and your home. Let’s take a look at both options:
How do you safely daisy-chain outlets?
The safety of daisy-chaining outlets is dependent on a few factors. The most important factor is knowing the outlets are wired in parallel, not series. In other words, you must know that each outlet has its own 14/2 wire and there are no wirings between the outlets.
If outlets are wired in series, an electric short could occur and cause a fire or shock. To make sure your outlet wiring is safe, check the outlet’s light to make sure it’s lit up when you plug something into it (if you don’t see a light then that means it’s in series). If a light does not come on when plugged in. Unplug the outlet from the power source and try again with one of the others. Make sure all your settings match up on each outlet as well (e.g., if you have a night light plugged into one outlet, don’t plug another night light into another.)
How many outlets can you jump off one outlet?
This is a question that would be best asked of a qualified electrician, but can be answered by simply understanding how many outlets are on the outlet to begin with. For example a three-hole outlet has three outlets. One can safely run up to 12 outlets per circuit.
One thing to keep in mind however is that the wiring between the first and last outlet should have no more than 14/2 wire. It’s imperative to remember this when wiring your circuits, otherwise you would not be able to daisy chain the plugs together.
Assuming you’re using one three-hole outlet as the start point then there are nine total outlets that can be connected off of it; six off of each of the other two-hole outlets.
Thus if we were connecting two 3-hole outlets back to back, for example or two four-hole outlets, there would only be three total outlets left on one side. Then from there you could add another three onto the other side for a total of six plugs connected all together.
With one exception you cannot connect any more than 12 outlets from one outlet without exceeding the limit. 14/2 wire per circuit and then there’s likely going to be a problem somewhere down stream because all circuits would need enough
How do you wire multiple electrical outlets?
To wire multiple outlets, a 14/2 wire is used. This configuration would allow you to connect two outlets and power them independently of each other. A 14/2 wire is used between the first outlet and second, third, fourth etc. in effect establishing a daisy chain configuration.
When wiring multiple outlets of this type, it’s important that the outlets are properly wired with no loose connections or exposed wires; otherwise, you risk fire hazard and electrical shock.
How do you piggyback an outlet?
People use piggybacking when they want to connect an outlet to another in a daisy chain. In this case, the second outlet will be connected to the first with a 14/2 wire. This makes it possible for people to daisy chain outlets without using wire nuts or having extended wiring.
It is important that both outlets are identical and of the same type (i.e. duplex receptacle).
What wire is hot?
The hot wire is the one that is connected to the electrical panel. The hot wire is most often the black wire in ac wiring
The neutral wire will be grounded through each outlet and should always be white in color. The ground wire of the first outlet will be tied together with the ground wire of the second outlet. Then so on until you have all your outlets wired up.
The ground wire should never be white because it will not work properly with this configuration.
What happens if you mix up hot and neutral wires?
There is a common misconception that the hot wire is always hooked up to the neutral wire. This is not true, but it is a common mistake for people to make. If you mistakenly hook up the hot wire to neutral, you are going to end up with a potentially dangerous situation in your home.
If you hook up the hot wire instead of the neutral wire. Your outlets will still work but when an appliance plugged into one outlet is turned on. It will send electricity through the wires and into other outlets in your home. This could lead to electrical fires or injury if someone was standing too close to an open outlet while using an appliance plugged into that outlet.
So how can you avoid this problem? Be sure to connect your neutral wires together before hooking them up to your outlets and labeling each wire as either “hot” or “neutral and Consult your electrician.
How can you tell which wire is hot without a multimeter?
It is difficult to tell without a multimeter. You can go off colors only but that is not safe. There is a voltage tool you can get. We call it a volt tick. A small device that senses electricity in the circuit.
However these are not proven to be accurate and can often fool you. It is alway best to use an actual multimeter.
To See Some Of the Meters we recommend….
Can you do the wiring yourself
No, you Should Not do the electrical wiring yourself. However, if you are an inexperienced electrician or don’t have any experience at all in wiring then you should seek out a licensed electrician to do the work for you.
A common question that is asked by those who are trying to daisy chain outlets together is whether or not it’s safe for them to do this themselves. The answer is no. It would be best not to test the outlets themselves but rather use a meter to check for proper voltage and current.
If the electricity from a daisy-chained outlet were to pass through walls. Floors and ceilings there could be some serious damage which could even result in death. If this were to happen it would be necessary to call an electrician, but as long as your application is safe then go ahead with your project!
Can you wire GFCI in parallel?
One of the most common ways to wire an outlet is in a parallel configuration. In order to do this, the electrical panel must be wired in a circuit of two-way wiring for each outlet. One with 14/2 wire between each outlet and one that runs from the electrical panel to the first outlet, then on the second, third , fourth etc.
The answer is yes! The GFCI outlets can be wired in parallel using a single 14/2 wire per circuit or one 14/2 wire running from the electrical panel to the first outlet and then on to all other outlets.
If we do not what the gfci down fed from another we will simply install them both on the line side of the gfci.
Can you daisy chain lights
Yes lights can be daisy chained the same as outlets. The process would be the same from one light to the next. Keep in mind this will cause them to be all on the same switch.
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