Switched outlet wiring

[Hall]

I've been replacing the outlets in our house with commercial-duty, Decora-style and ran across this one (see attached image) that happens to be the first switched outlet I'm replacing. What has thrown me off is the white wire connected to the HOT side. In a switched outlet, apparently this isn't out of the ordinary. Only thing wrong, to my knowledge, is that they should have wrapped some black electrical tape around that white wire. Correct ?



No need to comment about the back-stabbed connections (I don't wire that way - I wire using the screw terminals) nor the 2 black wires under 1 screw (I will pigtail it properly).

 

[KJSmith]

Yea, it needs to be identified as a hot.
In a commercial setting, you would tape it to mark it.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I think residential may be different... just not sure.

Either way, you got to work with what you have.
Marking it and move on would be what I would do.

 

[Number_35]

I've been replacing the outlets in our house with commercial-duty, Decora-style and ran across this one (see attached image) that happens to be the first switched outlet I'm replacing. What has thrown me off is the white wire connected to the HOT side. In a switched outlet, apparently this isn't out of the ordinary. Only thing wrong, to my knowledge, is that they should have wrapped some black electrical tape around that white wire. Correct ?
View attachment 51446


No need to comment about the back-stabbed connections (I don't wire that way - I wire using the screw terminals) nor the 2 black wires under 1 screw (I will pigtail it properly).

Yup, I was taught to always "disidentify" a WH wire serving as a BK wire (i.e. in a switch-leg) by using BK tape or paint.

Glad you're going to fix the back-stabbed connection - they really are a hazard.

And yes, a pigtail rather than two wires to one screw terminal is the way to go.

 

[Hall]

In a commercial setting, you would tape it to mark it.

Commercial typically uses individual wires so the electrician can pick the wire color, no ? In typical residential, it's Romex and the number and colors are pretty limited. I thought that's where the "simple" method of marking it came from, i.e. wrapped in tape or marked with paint (as you say).

 

[Hall]

Glad you're going to fix the back-stabbed connection - they really are a hazard.

I've only ran into one other outlet (and NO switches) that were back-stabbed and that one happened to be a different manufacturer so I suspect a previous homeowner did it.

And yes, a pigtail rather than two wires to one screw terminal is the way to go.

Sadly, I have ran into a few of these already...

 

[KJSmith]

Commercial typically uses individual wires so the electrician can pick the wire color, no ?

If it were always that easy there would be no reason to mark a wire with tape.... or a code requiring that.