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OT---Strange 120V receptacle

J

Jiles

Well-known Member
I have a home that is about 20 years old. There is a duplex receptacle mounted just below the eave about 15 foot high.
This outlet is not in a weather proof box, it is simply installed within the exterior brick with standard wall plate covering!
The previous owner has no idea what it is for and had never noticed it.
Here is the strange part. The outlet has two "T" shaped terminals, presumably one neutral and one hot, with no ground. This is a dead duplex outlet.
The tops of the two "T"s are facing each other with the "T" legs being horizontal.
Sorry for the primitive description and I will try to post a photo later.
 
Probably there for things like Christmas lights and it could be a type that has some sort of lock so the plug will not fall or pull out easy. If for the lights like I said there is also likely to be a switch some place that turns it off
 
As stated already, it is most likely for christmas lights or something of that nature. May have a switch in the house for it somewhere, or was put in when the house was built, and a switch never installed. You may find the cable feeding the outlet in your basement/crawlspace/attic?

The configuration you speak of is common for that era of home. The house I grew up on had a lot of them, The earlier wiring methods did not utilize a Equipment Grounding Conductor (EGC) as we do today.
 
This might help:
a49233.jpg

a49234.jpg
 
it could be an outlet for heat tape at the edge of
roof or in the gutter.used to keep snow and ice from
building up.
 
(quoted from post at 18:08:08 09/14/11) This might help:
a49233.jpg

a49234.jpg
Click to expand...
Nothing in this photo is even close??? I have done extensive home wiring but have never seen this type plug. There is NO GROUND and NO SWITCH and NO locking design!
I DEFINATELY do not plan to use---actually I have nothing that will plug into it! Both terminals are SIDEWAYS! Not one sideways and the other up and down with Neutral.
In your chart, under "20AMP" The receptacle 6-20R is similar except the terminal on the left is identical to the one on the right.
This outlet is not easy to get to but when my wife gets home, I will post photo.
I don't plan to disturb this until I know what it is.
 
(quoted from post at 18:21:38 09/14/11) it could be an outlet for heat tape at the edge of
roof or in the gutter.used to keep snow and ice from
building up.
Click to expand...
Before taking a closer look, that's what I thought it was for and I planned to use it for that purpose. It is on the shaded North back side of home and the gutter downspout froze solid this past winter.
Christmas lights are doughtful as there are only dense woods behind me.
 
Most likely was put there to supply some type of heat cable to prevent ice build up, especially since it's on the shaded side of your house. Fixtures over 8' from the ground or floor don't have to be grounded. It probably is 240 volt without a neutral, thus the odd configuration. You should be able to find the breaker that feeds it fairly easily because it likely is a double breaker for 24o volts. There may not be a switch controlling it since the cable may have had its own thermostat. Just my best guess, check it out with a voltmeter until you're sure.
 
I found this by doing a search for---Leviton Ivory T-Slot Receptacle Duplex Outlet 15 Amp 5000-I
This is what I have, but my terminals appear to be the same size----THANKS-----
 
In my years as a contractor , I"ve seen & removed that type receptacle numerous times . The reason for the T T design was to accept 15 & 20 amp male plugs . At the location you mention , heat tapes weren"t on the market then , so my guess is that the home owner wanted a receptacle high in case he needed to use a drill or saw up on or near the roof area .Cordless tools weren"t invented yet either . HTH !
 
without a picture i would guess its a 20 amp out let.probably like the others say its for a heat strip it may have been installed there to plug a generator into.but theres another thing i COULD be. A 12VOLT CIRCUIT,.ive seen houses with a 12 system installed for a backup.its really easy to build a 12volt backup generator,and by changing a couple of bulbs you could have lights,and theres all kinds of 12volt appliances these days that would make good emegency backup.
 
(quoted from post at 19:17:59 09/14/11) In my years as a contractor , I"ve seen & removed that type receptacle numerous times . The reason for the T T design was to accept 15 & 20 amp male plugs . At the location you mention , heat tapes weren"t on the market then , so my guess is that the home owner wanted a receptacle high in case he needed to use a drill or saw up on or near the roof area .Cordless tools weren"t invented yet either . HTH !
Click to expand...
That could very well be the case. The person who built the home was an electrician??????? So I am told. But from some of the wiring situations I have encountered, I have my doughts about his skill!!
Remember, this home is app. 20 years old.
 
".Cordless tools weren"t invented yet either . HTH !"

My 20 y/o Makita cordless drills will be very dissapointed that you have impugned their heritage. They are very sensative.

Brad Buchanan
 
Receptacle003.jpg

https://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n498/Yelrug/Receptacle002.jpg
[img:0c6efb0ef8]http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n498/Yelrug/Receptacle001.jpg
The outlet is barely visible in this photo--It is on the second row of brick, below the soulder-course, and just to the right of the downspout. It seems they are not the same size.
 
I'm not sure what you mean, self-regulating heat tape and ice-melt wire were both available in the late 80's. I've got some 60/70's ice melt wire with a normal 20 amp single t-plug on it. It was wrapped onto copper pipes in my parents basement in the 1970's. Non self regulating, get boiling hot water out of the cold water tap.
 
I don't think I would plug anything into it that is 120 volts. It looks like it is an ungrounded old 220 volt receptical of some kind. If you plan on using it you better have a qualified electrician look at it.
 
They had lots of cordless tools 20 yr ago, they just did'nt have batteries on them. hand saw,brace and bit, axe,etc
 
Not knowing the voltage for this recepatacle would be a concern but that is easy to find out.Not being installed in a rain proof enclosure is a big concern also.The receptacle it self is a common 15 Amp. 125 volt T Slot Duplex Receptacle. I have no experiance with them but I have looked at them and studied them before . I am sure there is a practical reason for their application what ever it may be. A picture is attached.JH
a49250.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 22:49:36 09/14/11) Not knowing the voltage for this recepatacle would be a concern but that is easy to find out.Not being installed in a rain proof enclosure is a big concern also.The receptacle it self is a common 15 Amp. 125 volt T Slot Duplex Receptacle. I have no experiance with them but I have looked at them and studied them before . I am sure there is a practical reason for their application what ever it may be. A picture is attached.JH
a49250.jpg
Click to expand...
That is my thought also because, during my search, I found them still available, I think about $3.49??
I find it strange (stupid) that is is not weather protected!
 
Probably an older 20A 120V. Saw something like that
installed for vending machines, but it was grounded
too, but 40 years ago grounding wasn't very common.
 
I have seen those before. I believe they are 120 VAC combo 15 or 20 amp. Early 20 amp 120 VAC had either blade horizontal... Should work for 120 VAC service.

My advice is replace with a modern 15 amp, 120 VAC receptacle and a weather tight cover.

CT
 
self regulating heat tapes were on the market in the late 60's. we used them on some water pipes on the farm when i was a teenager.
 
May be how he hooked up the antenna rotor. You could pull the cover and see if there are regular wires in there, a voltage tester is about $5.
 
May be how he hooked up the antenna rotor. You could pull the cover and see if there are regular wires in there, a voltage tester is about $5.
 
I think that receptacle may be more than 20 years old. My house was built in 1968 and it has receptacles with the ground. The house my late mom and dad bought when they sold the farm had receptacles without the ground and that was in the late 1950's. Those have been updated over the years since my sister inherited the house and now my nephew owns the house. Hal
 
20 years ago the code did not require a recpt outdoors to be GFI protected if it was not accessible from grade, which this is not. However it should have a weatherproof cover on it. The device is a 20 amp 120 volt non-grounded receptacle.
 
Well you are wrong this time! What I show came from the Leviton web site and again for your info what I show is a Leviton model 5000-1,with a UPC code 07847720370,T-slot straight blade, "15" amp,125 volt,NEMA 1-15R,2P,2W side wired residential grade receptacle.It"s not a 20 AMP as you want to believe,but if that is what you believe then I will not try to change your mind about this matter other than to offer the real facts.
 
Nothing strange about that receptacle. The house I grew up in had them. This house was wire after REA started up in the early 50's.

Kent
 
That receptable is a us combination duplex t slot outlet. It was made for nema 1-15 and tandem nema 2-15 plugs either 125 volts or 250 volts. It was discountined in the 1960's. Would also accept nema 5-20 (125 volt), nema 6-15 (250 volt) 15 amp or nema 6-20 (250 volt) plugs.
 
I am familiar with older wiring with two prong design, both polarized and non polarized. I have never seen an outlet with both terminals "T" Slot.
That is why I referred to it as "strange" and the fact that it was even installed with modern electrical wiring.
Strange also that it is still available!
 
Its installation could have been an afterthought and the electrician had it handy. Chances are it may be tied into a wall switch if it is still wired up. If you continue to use it, a GFCI with a cover is a good idea.

2nd thought, if there was an antenna tower there, it could be something crazy that went to it... I know that was already covered, but people do use inappropriate parts sometimes. I have seen people use a standard 15A, 120VAC plug for a trolling motor.

CT
 
It looks like it is an old obsolete style 120V outlet that didn't have a ground pin. It won't show up on the modern chart of outlet configurations.

I would sure check it with a voltmeter to be sure, though. Someone could have redneck wired it for 220. (no insult to rednecks intended - I probably are one).

Myron
 
As others have stated. It's an obsolete non grounded 120V 20 amp T-Slot.
The wiring connected to it. Is there a bare ground and two insulated wires?
 
(quoted from post at 20:59:06 09/30/11) As others have stated. It's an obsolete non grounded 120V 20 amp T-Slot.
The wiring connected to it. Is there a bare ground and two insulated wires?
Click to expand...
As I stated in my post above---It is still available--I am sure there is a purpose ???? but not for me!
http://www.fruitridgetools.com/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sfid=136763&i=230787226&c=7735
 
(quoted from post at 16:05:51 09/30/11)
(quoted from post at 20:59:06 09/30/11) As others have stated. It's an obsolete non grounded 120V 20 amp T-Slot.
The wiring connected to it. Is there a bare ground and two insulated wires?
Click to expand...
As I stated in my post above---It is still available--I am sure there is a purpose ???? but not for me!
http://www.fruitridgetools.com/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sfid=136763&i=230787226&c=7735
Click to expand...

Did you pickup on this notation ? " Not UL listed; for replacement use only. "
 
(quoted from post at 23:25:58 09/30/11)
(quoted from post at 16:05:51 09/30/11)
(quoted from post at 20:59:06 09/30/11) As others have stated. It's an obsolete non grounded 120V 20 amp T-Slot.
The wiring connected to it. Is there a bare ground and two insulated wires?
Click to expand...
As I stated in my post above---It is still available--I am sure there is a purpose ???? but not for me!
http://www.fruitridgetools.com/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sfid=136763&i=230787226&c=7735
Click to expand...

Did you pickup on this notation ? " Not UL listed; for replacement use only. "
Click to expand...
Yes sir I did--but I am not planning to replace this outlet with one of those.
I was mearly stating it is still available. I really have little to no use for this "in the air" outlet, and have not really checked it out. I will do so when I finish with my work below.
Do you have any idea why someone would want to use one? Since its still available there must be a proper application.
 
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