These are a bit more at $89 but have gotten good reviews and compared well to more expensive competitors.
Outlet Question
Could not find category for outlets so I am asking here. What would be good outlets to change too? I had hospital grade from Home Depot 20 years ago but left them when I moved. Is there any good outlets for about $20 U.S. anyone can recommend? I don't want to go crazy but get something better than what is stock on homes built in the last 4 years. Any suggestions would be great!
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Hi OP! So, lets get regulations out of the way first. Outlets in a home today must be tamper resistant. I don’t know of any "audio" grade outlet ( and I use the term sneeringly) which has this feature. Of course if you are retrofitting 1 outlet in an older home without kids you may not care. The minimum I install anywhere in my house is the combined commercial/residential. Meaning they are ruggedized for commercial use but include the TR features for home. Lowe’s has 10 packs of Eaton’s for about $45. As for hospital grade, Eaton, Hubbell and Leviton are good sources. Again, you should use hospital grade + tamper resistant to be fully code compliant. Also see the discussion here for accessories to insure a solid outlet. I also use 90 degree hospital grade plugs which give me back floor space and if you turn them the right way you can put 2 in an outlet. The combination of the HG plug and socket is very tight. |
Do not put a 20 amp outlet on a 15 amp circuit. 15 amp circuits have 15 amp breakers and 14 gauge wire. The 20 amp circuit has 12 gauge wire and 20 amp breakers. It the current outlet is only 15 amps it should not be replaced with a 20 amp one. (You can tell the difference between 15 and 20 amp outlets as the 20 amp version has a perpendicular slot off each ground connection -- looks like a sideways "T".) |
OP: A peculiarity of the code is that 15A and 20A outlets may be used on 20A circuits. For this, the two types have identical quality and current capacities. Meaning there’s no point in putting in a 20A outlet in a 15A circuit, it’s not built better. Some makers even use EXACTLY the same conductors in both models, but different face plates to save money. The theory here is that some circuits, like the kitchen counter, may need a 20A circuit to handle multiple appliances at the same time without nuisance tripping. So the circuit is 20A, but each outlet may have a 15A face plate. The outlets still have to be safe to use on the 20A circuit, so the construction is always the same. 15A outlets do not have thinner conductors. However, no, you should not put a 20A plug on a 15A outlet as the T shaped hot pin indicates it is safe to use for 20A devices, like industrial vacuum cleaners. |
Not all Hubbell 5362 outlets are created, (manufactured), equal... Notice the silver color Yoke/supporting back strap on some of the Hubbell 5362 photos? That is not silver, it's galvanized steel. Steel is not good for the sound from audio equipment. It will cause a slightly grainy sound from an audio system. Hubbell changed hands several years ago. Do your homework before buying. Ferrous Steel... Just look at an audio grade outlet company's outlet, that have their outlets made to their specs. You won't see any steel used. You don't have to spend big bucks for a good sounding outlet. Just buy one that has a non nickel plated brass back strap an non nickel plated brass contacts.
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just a note not everyone lives in the same state let alone same country so check your local electrical codes. Your probably going to want to be in code as your insurance company will definitely hang you out to dry if you have a fire and they find non-compliant outlets in your house. Then there is the why bother if your house is only 4 yours old. I don't imagine the current outlets have lost their grip already. main difference to the hospital outlets if higher grip force on the plug, more robust, built to higher standards. Not much difference in the conductors etc. We don't generally plug and unplug our audio equipment multiple times a day so I don't see the need for them. your value may differ though. |
Wow! 🤔🤕🚯 |
Incidentally and in case anyone might be interested, here’s a rare comparison of several of the more popular “audiophile” outlets. It’s 10 years old but still interesting/useful today I think. Note that it includes a cryo’ed (not standard) Hubbell outlet. https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0114/audiophile_ac_outlets.htm |
@imhififan said: . . . Wow! 🤔🤕🚯
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@imhififan , Sorry if I didn't explain it well enough for you. What part don't you understand? Jim .. |
@romad , a few years ago there was a good run of threads related to the ins and outs of installing dedicated circuits, and because of those I learned something that I had done was violating code and may have nullified my home owners in the event of fire. Anyway, I had put in some new circuits for dedicated lines and I used 12 gauge wire and 20A outlets, BUT I decided I would use 15A circuit-breaker to protect those circuits with as I felt that since a 15A CB should trip at a lower heat than a 20A CB I would be going the extra mile to protect those circuits. Which I still think is technically true, however I found out here that regardless of what size wire is used, the breaker determines what amperage the circuit actually is, and therefore a 20A outlet (which will accomodate a 20A appliance) on a 15A circuit (which is what I turned my circuits into by installing 15A breakers, despite the 12 ga wire) is a no-no. |
@vair68robert Said:
Except your’s are the 8200H (15A) hospital grade duplex receptacle. If yes those are the real deal original Hubbell outlet. Check the Agon archives for the Porter Port outlet. The outlet is/was a Hubbell 8200H / 8300H slender/compact style extra heavy duty hospital grade duplex receptacle. (8200H, 15 amp. 8300H, 20 amp.) Contacts brass. Supporting back strap brass. Body tough as nails. You could beat it with a hammer and not break it. Old stock now though... From Albert Porter’s old ad:
The replacement to the old no longer made outlet Albert bought was an IG5362 duplex receptacle. I doubt Hubbell builds that exact outlet anymore with non plated brass contacts and a non plated brass back strap. NOTE: The Photos in Albert’s ad above are of the old 8300H outlets. Not the IG5362 outlet. / / / / @vair68robert Said:
Insides are exactly the same right down to the "T" neutral contact for the 20 amp outlet. As for price, Box Stores charged more for a 20A outlet. I don’t remember if Electrical Wholesale Houses did though. I do remember Electrical wholesale Houses charged more for a red color 15A hospital grade outlet than the 20A hospital grade outlet. Why? Special run on the Assembly line to build, assemble, the less bought 15A outlet. .. |
Try the experiment yourself. I'm willing to bet a $20 home depot receptacle will sound just the same as anything else on the market. |
Yes a high grade nonmagnetic SS back strap works great. But not a Ferrous magnetic steel back strap. Use a magnet to check. If it sticks like glue that's not good for the sound of an audio system. ~ The Late Al Sekela (A) ,an Audio Asylum member, said the ferrous magnetic steel back strap worked like a one pole inductor because it was positioned between the Hot and neutral current carrying conductors. Do a search on the AA archives for Al's posts. Al was an EE, and going from memory, his field was in electronics. |
@romad , Leviton 15-Amp, 125-Volt Industrial Grade Tamper-Resistant Duplex Receptacle, 5262-SG You may not even need a Tamper Resistant outlet. Is it behind an audio rack? I would use this one. It’s a heavy duty. Build quality is better than the above "TR" Leviton outlet. Cheaper price too. Doesn’t have the TR shutters. Home Depot. 15 Amp Industrial Grade Heavy Duty Self Grounding Duplex Outlet, White Amazon.
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@zlone : Mechanical and electrical. Mechanically it’s what keeps the assembly firmly attached to the box no matter how much force you use to insert a plug. Electrically It is what the ground conductor screw attaches to. The same strap then goes to the ground pins in the socket as well as the top and bottom tabs which ensure the box they are in is also grounded, if metal. Note the difference between residential and commercial. In residential the strap is internal and towards the front, while in commercial it is wrapped around the back.
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OP, After I installed my dedicated lines, I tested out a bunch of receptacles from the usual audiophile suspects: Oyaide, Furutech, Acme, Synergistic Research, Cardas, Wattgate, and a couple of hospital grade. The best 3 by a good margin were the Furutech GTX-DG (gold), Furutech GTX-DR (rhodium), and Oyaide R1 (not the SWX series). My personal favorites were the GTX-DG and the Oyaide R1, but I can see someone needing more detail preferring the GTX-DR |
Here is good Hubbell 15 amp duplex receptacle. Price is around $30.00. Sound is a tad warm from neutral. YMMV though. Deep body style Hubbell HBL5262 Extra Heavy Duty MAX Specification Grade Hubbell HBL5262W Duplex Industrial Grade Receptacle Nema5-15R ~ Click on the forth image for a look inside the outlet. https://www.standardelectricsupply.com/Hubbell-HBL5262-Straight-Blade-Receptacle ~ |
It’s a Hubbell IG8300 20A hospital grade slender/compact design duplex receptacle. https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/WIRING_IG8300_spec.pdf Says back strap is brass. Because of the color I assume nickel plated brass. Just a guess the electrical contacts are nickel plated brass as well. . |
Why do audiophiles use IG, (Isolated Ground), type outlets for the outlets to feed their audio equipment where the branch circuit wiring used is Romex? When connected to Romex branch circuit wiring IG outlets do not meet the manufacturer’s intended use of an IG outlet. In the case of Hubble IG outlets, especially the Hubbell non plated brass supporting back strap and non plated brass contacts, the IG5262 (15A) or IG5362 (20A) slender/compact design Extra heavy duty MAX outlet the IG contacts does nothing for how the outlet impacts the sound of an audio system. The reason the outlet is used is for the neutral presentation of the sound heard from an audio system. It doesn’t color the sound nor does ’ it ’ add noise to the sound of an audio system. It’s neutral, it doesn’t get in the way of the sound... Again, it has nothing to do with the IG contact. ~ ~ ~ FYI: The outlet supporting back strap, that includes the threaded 6/32 hub that supports the wall cover plate of an IG, (Isolated Ground), type outlet is not electrically connected to the ground contact of the outlet. An IG outlet is not designed nor intended for use connected to Romex wiring. Though it can be wired so it will be electrically safe from a possible electrical hazard to life if the box used for the branch circuit wiring is made of metal. Electrical safety code requires the metal box shall be grounded. So the metal box must be bonded to the EGC, ( Equipment Grounding Conductor), of the Romex branch circuit wiring. When an IG outlet is used, where the wiring is Romex, installed in a metal box the back strap of the outlet is grounded when installed, fastened, to the metal box. At that point the IG outlet is no different than a regular grounding type outlet. A possible electrical safety shock hazard is when the electrical box is plastic. In this case only the ground contact of the outlet is grounded by the EGC. The back strap including the threaded 6/32 hub that supports the wall plate is not. IF for any reason the hot wire of the Romex comes in contact with the back strap it will be energized 120V. Imagine if the wall cover plate is metal. The metal plate will be energized 120V with respect to any grounded object. Like the grounded metal enclosure(s) of a piece of audio equipment. Even in the case where a plastic cover plate is used the metal 6/32 trim screw that holds on the plastic plate will be energized 120V. A simple fix, but, the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) in your area may not approve it, that will ground the metal supporting back strap of the outlet. One of these guys: 8 in. Grounding Pigtail 12 AWG Green Stranded Wire with #10 Fork/#10 Ring and Screw How to use: Turn off branch circuit breaker at electrical panel... Plug in a lamp. Switch on lamp. Bulb is lit. Go to electrical panel, turn off breaker. Verify power is off... Pull outlet from plastic wall box. Pull it out just enough to get to the green color IG ground lug screw on the outlet. Loosen the ground screw just enough to slide the green pigtail fork behind the bare solid copper EGC ground wire. Tighten down ground screw. Make sure connection is tight. Pull on green pigtail wire. If the outlet is a Hubbell IG outlet the 6/32x1" machine screw that fastens the Yoke of the supporting back to the wall box has an Auto Ground Clip. (Right next to the IG lug green color ground screw). Remove 6/32x1" machine screw from the auto ground clip. Remove green color machine screw from the ring, eyelet, of green grounding jumper wire. With the mechanical wire crimp of the ring facing you insert the 6/32x1" machine screw through the green pigtail ring and then into the auto ground clip on the Yoke/supporting back strap of the outlet. Install outlet back to wall box. As for the 6/32x1" machine screw that the ground pigtail is connected to no need to over tighten the screw. Just bring it up snug as you would when installing an outlet. The auto ground clip on the outlet will make a good ground contact to the Yoke/supporting back strap of the outlet. (You can check the green ground wire ring is tight against the screw head and auto ground clip by checking the physical resistance when slightly trying to turn it back back and forth. Tighten down screw in a little more if needed. . |
Can you please give an example of how a "non approved" outlet could cause a fire. In the case of an IG, (Isolated Ground), outlet I can’t envision any instance where it could cause an electrical fire. An electrical shock hazard? Possibly if the metal supporting back strap is not grounded and became energized from contact to the hot bared conductor. . |
@snapsc -- regarding insurance coverage, I've been a commercial insurance broker for over 40 years. I know of no homeowners policy with an exclusion that voids coverage based on poor or faulty wiring. It is common for people to confuse policy language with underwriting considerations. For example, if an inspection reveals bad wiring, the insurance company will probably turn you down and not issue a policy, or cancel/non-renew an existing policy. However, once the policy is issued and in force, coverage is in place until the policy expires or is canceled. The only way to void coverage at that point is if you commit an intentional act (like arson.) Here's another example or policy coverage versus underwriting considerations -- drunk driving that causes an accident. Your auto policy will pay for the damage to your car and the damages & injuries you caused to a third party, even though drunk driving is against the law. However, after that, your insurance company will probably cancel you and many other insurance companies will refuse to offer coverage or charge a very high price.
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