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I'm switching out all my outlets and found that every white and black wire has an additional one taped to it. What is the reason for this and should I redo the connections with caps?

see below

ThreePhaseEel
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Mary
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  • If you can safely show us what's under the tape, it will help someone here to give you a complete answer. – MTA May 03 '21 at 22:06
  • The reason is that the outlet is only one part of circuit. Power goes to outlet and then goes to another outlet or light or something. Do not think just tape is code and would use wire nuts or connect to outlet(should have two screws on each side). Use the screws, not the push in connection. Is there a second ground/bare wire? – crip659 May 03 '21 at 22:08
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    Read [our advice on changing receptacles](https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/168564/first-time-changing-switches-and-outlets-receptacles-anything-special-i-shoul). Also, watchout for aluminum wire, and use the correct CO-ALR receps if so. Those wires look *awfully* beefy, (AL wires are larger)... and I wonder if I'm looking at a COPALUM splice (one of 3 safe ways to splice AL, the others being CO-ALR receps, and Alumiconn/MAC Block connectors. Purple wire nuts do not work.) – Harper - Reinstate Monica May 03 '21 at 22:36
  • This is typical of installs with old crimp style connectors. If there are crimp connectors under the tape it's fine. If you replace them with wire nuts, minimize the damage and wire length loss when you remove the crimps. If you get the crimp off without cutting the wire, check for gouges as you may still need to cut a bit off. – K H May 05 '21 at 05:34

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That's known as a pigtail. A black and white wire come in to feed the box, a black and white wire leave the box to feed something else. They are connected together with that short piece to feed the outlet. It's easier than messing with 4 wires in and out of the outlet and replacing outlets is easier.

Those connections should be redone with wire nuts and the connections to the outlets should be on the screws, not the backstabs. Shepherd hook the Black wire to brass screw, white wire to silver screw. If those wires are aluminum you'll need special outlets and block connectors.

JACK
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    Or, spend an extra buck or so for the outlet and get the ones with side-screw clamps. They don't require the Shepherd's hook, just a straight piece of wire that goes into a clamp that is _screwed_ down instead of just relying on a little bit of spring pressure to hold it in place. The price can add up, but you get it back in speed of installation _and_ the knowledge that your wiring is and will remain _well_ secured. – FreeMan May 04 '21 at 14:04