Many receptacles or switches have side screws that slightly protrude outwards, especially after a wire has been screwed on. If you put two such devices in a junction box, one device's hot could potentially touches the adjacent one's neutral, touches a bare ground wire, or touches the metal junction box.
What is the proper way to prevent this from happening?
Hi, I never saw it happen. If craftmanship is shoddy it may happen tho. When everything is tight and properlly installed the chance of internal short like that is very remote. Also there is plastic boxes nowadays as well.
Don't think it is proper but I have seen fixtures with electrical tape wrapped around them that would prevent a short. I agree with Tony the chance of a short is remote if everything is put together correctly.
Like the others have said - It shouldn't happen. We all know that S*** does happen though. I screw down the screws that are not in use. If handy I may also give a wrap of elec tape.
The book I own and a few others who have done electrical work in the past say that you should always wrap your recepticals and switches in tape, just in case, especially in smaller boxes, because of all the jimmying you need to do to get everything to fit.
According to nhurst :
In contrast, the one I have says that doing it is unnecessary, and can lead to inspectors being overly suspicious of your work.
I don't like putting additional flammable materials inside the box either.
It has some utility if you're dealing with trying to have live outlets when drywallers are doing mudding, but, the only time I've felt the need is with a damaged receptacle that was protruding from a box for the short time necessary before I could replace it.
If you have to wrap your devices, you are doing something seriously wrong. But if it makes you feel better...
It's not a necessity, but when I'm working with a bunch of 12/2 or 12/3 wire in a tiny box that's 40 years old and designed for 2 wire electrical, I'm going to take every preventative step I can.
It seems like a solid idea to me, doesn't cost much, doesn't add much time to the job, and helps keep things apart from each other. I've done it both ways and neither have failed me yet.
If you wire it properly that wont happen.
Screw them down tight in their proper position. They won't touch.
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