Tamper resistant outlets - is yours as bad as mine?

[Boho]

I wouldn't mind plain tightness so much but it's clicky, like the plug is getting caught on something. It's a Leviton and I'm thinking of returning them and getting Legrand or something else, or just waiting for the next generation. It's purely for resale of my apartment. The walls aren't good for grab bars and it's a two bedroom so I'm thinking I'll sell to a young couple and TR outlets will help me sell, but I won't upgrade all the outlets if they function like this one. If all TR outlets are like this then I believe there will be a future generation that is smoother and I'll wait to the last minute before I sell the apartment to upgrade, if I upgrade at all.

https://vimeo.com/540795924

 

[Gumby]

The young wife and I once moved into an apartment that had been child-proofed six ways to Sunday. We hated it so much that we undid everything right after we moved in.

 

[Retch The Grate]

Yes, we just got new TR outlets throughout the house as part of fixing the bad electrical work the renovators did before we bought it, and they are a pain to get plugs in and out of. It gets easier as they break in, and we had a couple really awful ones replaced, but stiff, clicky and sometimes frustratingly hard to get stuff into does seem to be the case, though it varies from outlet to outlet.

 

[RobbieB]

Don't fix stuff that works.

 

[harley]

I don't even know what a tamper resistant outlet is. It looks like you could still stick a couple of screwdriver blades or a bobby pin in it and get a shock. I'd just get bunch of those plastic inserts to cover outlets that aren't in use. Plus, how's a kid supposed to learn not to do stupid things if there's no incentive to learn.

 

[Sunset]

I don't even know what a tamper resistant outlet is. It looks like you could still stick a couple of screwdriver blades or a bobby pin in it and get a shock. I'd just get bunch of those plastic inserts to cover outlets that aren't in use. Plus, how's a kid supposed to learn not to do stupid things if there's no incentive to learn.

+1

I still remember the time I tried to separate 2 extension cords that wouldn't unplug from one another, used a knife to pry between them

I never do that anymore

 

[Boho]

The outlets are all about 55 years old and two had to be replaced because they failed. One of them powered my computer and I didn't know it was on its last legs until I tried plugging something else into it and it didn't work. I guess it was too loose for certain plugs. They all need ground wires installed from the outlet to the box, which doesn't legally have to be done until they're opened for some renovation or repair, but I want to do it all now anyway. At least one of the boxes was too small for the number of wires it had according to current code, so I bought an extension for it.

 

[JoeWras]

Yes, we just got new TR outlets throughout the house as part of fixing the bad electrical work the renovators did before we bought it, and they are a pain to get plugs in and out of. It gets easier as they break in, and we had a couple really awful ones replaced, but stiff, clicky and sometimes frustratingly hard to get stuff into does seem to be the case, though it varies from outlet to outlet.

I accidentally replaced a heavily used outlet (small appliances) with a TR version.

After a year, it is now working well. It took a couple hundred inserts to break it in.

 

[Aerides]

I would not bother if its "to help sell" the place. It would not be a decision maker, not in this market. Don't go fixing anything that doesn't need it, or you might make more trouble.

 

[JoeWras]

I would not bother if its "to help sell" the place. It would not be a decision maker, not in this market. Don't go fixing anything that doesn't need it, or you might make more trouble.

You got that right.

I was forced to replace my HVAC of 22 years old. It got complicated because code changed in that time and it wouldn't pass inspection without a lot of new duct work, electrical work, and safety work, like putting in "crash poles" (safety bollard) in the garage. Let's say I was going to sell and wanted to replace the HVAC to help sell the place? I would have just created a headache over giving a $5k concession. (Hint: the extra work put it over $5k)

 

[OldShooter]

Why don't you just burn the money? It will have the same effect and it will save you a trip to Home Depot.

 

[Jerry1]

That socket is working fine. It may be a little tight to get the plug it, but I wouldn’t do anything with it. Feel free to move on to your next project.

 

[pb4uski]

I don't even know what a tamper resistant outlet is. It looks like you could still stick a couple of screwdriver blades or a bobby pin in it and get a shock. I'd just get bunch of those plastic inserts to cover outlets that aren't in use. Plus, how's a kid supposed to learn not to do stupid things if there's no incentive to learn.

When we rebuilt our house in 2011 I had a number of outlets that I wanted to reuse and our electrician told me that I couldn't as they were no longer code. That is the first that I had heard of tamper resistant outlets.

While I've never tried it the theory is that they have to both open at once, so I guess in theory you could stick two screwdrivers in at the same time... but then you would deserve to get shocked for being stoopid.

IME they are ok... I just occasionally need to wiggle the plug a tad as I'm plugging it in.

P.S. I would not upgrade to sell... its not like a buyer is going to think... ooh, this last place had TR outlets so let's increase our bid by $1,000. Don't sweat the small stuff.

 

[Boho]

OK, I'll return the box of 10 TR duplex outlets and buy just one for the fridge and add a ground because it's downstream of a GFCI and I want that working well so the GFCI doesn't trip. The TR outlet in the video is downstream of another GFCI outlet so I'll leave that installed (they're cheap anyway). I'll install a second single TR in a bedroom because it needs replacing. I bet there are other outlets that are too loose but there's no test for that that I know of so I'll just leave them.

 

[OldShooter]

... They all need ground wires installed from the outlet to the box, which doesn't legally have to be done until they're opened for some renovation or repair, but I want to do it all now anyway. ...

And you're sure that the boxes are grounded? Via actual ground wire, Greenfield/aka armored cable aka BX, or conduit? Check with a test light connected between the hot side outlet and the box(es). It seems odd to me that someone would have taken the trouble to ground the boxes but then did not install grounded outlets.

 

[Boho]

And you're sure that the boxes are grounded? Via actual ground wire, Greenfield/aka armored cable aka BX, or conduit? Check with a test light connected between the hot side outlet and the box(es). It seems odd to me that someone would have taken the trouble to ground the boxes but then did not install grounded outlets.

It's a high rise building in NYC built around 1966. There's steel conduit and the original outlets have ground holes. I don't have a multimeter and I didn't do a light test but I'm expecting an outlet tester soon to confirm its grounded.

 

[OldShooter]

It's a high rise building in NYC built around 1966. There's steel conduit and the original outlets have ground holes. I don't have a multimeter and I didn't do a light test but I'm expecting an outlet tester soon to confirm its grounded.

Sounds good. Those outlet testers are an essential tool. I have at least three of them as they have a habit of hiding from me.

I also use a few of these monitors (https://www.woodshomeproducts.com/product/single-outlet-lighted-power-adapter/) on GFCI outlets and the ends of extension cords so I know if the circuit is good or is tripped.

 

[38Chevy454]

I deliberately did not put the TR outlets in my detached garage when I finished it out. I dislike them with passion, as it seems they are much too picky for when they work and let the plug in. I did use GFCI to protect the circuits, and of course are all properly grounded.


Whether a place had TR outlets or not would not affect me to buy or not. I might replace them with non-TR once I moved in however.

 

[pb4uski]

... I might replace them with non-TR once I moved in however.

Seriously? Seems a lot in comparison to just wiggling the plug a tad when you go to plug in something and it doesn't go in straight away.