# unused electrical outlet



## astrocow (Mar 11, 2005)

We are putting up drywall and there is an electrical outlet that we will never use. I'd like to drywall over it but want to make it safe first so no one down the road drives a screw or nail through the drywall and into the outlet.
I have searched around and have no suitable metal plates to put over it and I don't want to drive 40 miles for some, we are getting freezing rain.
Can I just screw a marrette (excuse the spelling) onto the end of each wire?


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## Boss Cooker (Nov 26, 2005)

First question: is the outlet in a box? Next: If yes, you can install a metal cover plate and finish over it.
Or, locate the circut and disconect the feed to the outlet and finish.


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## fordson major (Jul 12, 2003)

can you not disconnect the wire from service? its not a good idea to dead end a live wire behind drywall.


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## ColumbiaSC. (Nov 25, 2005)

I always need more than I have! If you have a box put the wires in it, put in the recpt. plug, cut a hole in the sheetrock and put on a cover. Total cost less than $2.00. You may be supprised one day it may come in handy! 
PS. it is cheaper to save it rather than need it and have to get it Re-installed!
Just a thought.
Columbia,SC.


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

yeah i agree, (never heard of anyone that had too many outlets) i would worry about a connection that could not be accesable later. i sure would not leave it connected to an outlet and drywall over it.. maybe wirenut the runs and metal cover.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

I would not cover it with drywall,I would use it.
Whole idea just sounds bad on several levels.

BooBoo


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## cfabe (Feb 27, 2005)

If there is going to be power in the box, you must leave it accessable. You can remove the outlet and terminate the wires with wire nuts (marettes is another term for the same i believe) and cover the box with a blank faceplate, but you can not cover it completely with drywall.


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## NJ Rich (Dec 14, 2005)

The National Elecrical Codes prohibit covering any electic device within any type of wall. The reasons are safety and the chance of fire. I agree, "You can never have too many outlets". And yes, "It costs more to reinstall one later".

If this outlet causes you prblems, remove all of the wires and the box. Don't leave any wires where someone may reconnect them later. "I wonder if this is hot"? Or, "Maybe we can reconnect the wires". Play it safe. Leave it and finish the wiring for "$2.00 or go to all the work and completely remove everything.

Better safe than ..................................! NJ Rich


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## astrocow (Mar 11, 2005)

Okay, I'll leave it the way it is.
A marette is a plastic cap with threads inside for screwing onto the ends of wires to join them. They come in red and yellow that I know of, for differant gauges of wire. Does that sound the same as a wire nut? Anyway the bedroom we are working on has a plug - in every 6 feet, it just seems like overkill. (8 in one room) I'm not very electrically-minded and hate messing with wire. 
I'll leave them alone.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Yup you'd be breaking code (likely) covering it. Marrettes are NOT colour coded. Some companies may use a colour code but its not a national standard.


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## tiogacounty (Oct 27, 2005)

Ross said:


> Yup you'd be breaking code (likely) covering it. Marrettes are NOT colour coded. Some companies may use a colour code but its not a national standard.


 Well, yes and no.... Wire nuts are color coded to the point that most electricians are used to matching the color to the appropriate use ( # of wires to be spliced and guage) without a second thought. Typically it's a yellow for two or three # 14s, a red for two or more # 12s etc, however the national electrical code seems to work hard at avoiding any standardized colors in a lot of instances. However, making a splice point permanently inacessable, by drywalling over it, isn't legal or acceptable for good reason. I know from a few real "hair-pulling" trouble shooting incidents that it can drive an electrician half nutz. Nothing like having an issue with a cable that's a different color at each end of a run with a hidden splice. Make you want to flog the guilty party.


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## Richard6br (Nov 30, 2005)

The only reason I would eliminate a receptacle is if it is above an electric baseboard heater. I don't think the code allows that. If you don't want the receptacle, just put a cover over it and it is a junction box.


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