On 1 Mar 2006 14:31:22 -0800, "luc" wrote:

being a residential wiring guy, I'm not crazy about crimps in a 120V
system.

I would hope not. A crimp connector is only used on stranded wire and
not solid wire. A crimp needs to be used on stranded wire.

I'd rather use solder, or wire nuts.

Wire nuts fine in homes, solder never! No wire nuts on a boat either!

I also like to go to the
screws rather than use those push in style connectors.

The push in style outlets should be outlawed. Worst thing to ever be
put in a home.
But I think that the OP was refering to the type of outlet with a hole
where the wire is inserted and it gets clamped as you tighten the
screw. Those work fine.

Also, pigtails are better than running the power through an outlet, because if one of
them craps out, you still have the other one functioning.

I hear this often but it doesn't make much sense although I think the
NEC does require pigtails in commercial buildings.
There is not much to fail in an outlet. The connection to the next
outlet is external to the outlet in the form of a jumper bar between
wiring terminals. Unless someone deliberately breaks them off there is
not much probability for the next outlet to fail even if the first
ones inside contacts do fail.

minor
details I suppose. Another thing is that technically, if you are using
a 15 amp breaker, you can use 12 guage wire, but 14 will also do for
that application. 12 is rated for 20 amps.

Luc