Need help finding an interior wall outlet...

p220sigman wrote:
As was said, just replace with a conventional box/outlet. We had a mobile home that had these and I just replaced them as needed. Not a difficult job as long as the wire has enough slack in it, otherwise it becomes a challenge.

If you just want to replace it with a like outlet, you can find them on Amazon. Search "self contained outlet"

Mobile home and RV are not the "same" as far as wall construction.

Mobile homes have thicker, deeper walls (2x4 or 2x3 construction) which normal outlets in work boxes can be used making the conversion a lot easier to do.

RVs due to being a "mobile" environment to save weight and to maximize usable space are constructed out of 1x2s (1/2" x 1 1/4") giving you a max usable depth of about 1 1/4" at best. This makes changing to normal workboxes and outlets a challenge at best.

Add in the fact that the RV manufacturers are not obligated in any way shape or form to leave any excess wire loop making this change even much more difficult or impossible.

In most cases there will be just enough to pull the speed outlet out of the wall to replace with another speed outlet.. To replace with a standard workbox and outlet you will need at least 6" more per side than what will be there to make even a cobbled up wire nut and pigtail work.

To the OP, do not cut the wire and try regular workbox and outlet unless you are able to pull at least a 12" loop of wire out of the wall.. You need as much wire as possible to make a splice and pigtails with wire nuts or crimps correctly.

The one RV that I had with speed outlets, I had one outlet which barely pulled out of the wall.. If I had cut the wire, there would never been enough existing wire to splice with wire nuts or crimps correctly. My only option was to replace with another speed outlet.

Not saying that will be the case in all RVs, but it is a very real possibility you will run into.

I am not impressed with speed outlets, don't think they are as robust as standard outlets but sometimes you simply do not have a choice and must replace with a new speed outlet if there is not enough existing wire left.

Walls in many RVs are not deep enough to accept standard electrical boxes and receptacles.

As was said, just replace with a conventional box/outlet. We had a mobile home that had these and I just replaced them as needed. Not a difficult job as long as the wire has enough slack in it, otherwise it becomes a challenge.

If you just want to replace it with a like outlet, you can find them on Amazon. Search "self contained outlet"

bob213 wrote:
If you need to cut a bad section of wire out I would splice in a new piece of wire and use wire nuts tucked into a remodel box with a conventional outlet. It's still a continuous run, just goes thru the outlet.

Generally, when speed boxes have been used, there simply will not be enough wire loop to pull out, cut, insert into a workbox and then splice.. The wires are stapled in place and typically you get just enough slack to pull the outlet out of the wall and turn it slightly.

Been there, done that myself.

The through wiring of speed boxes means not only savings in speed during manufacturing but also wire. Yes, the wire savings may sound petty but if you save 1 ft per outlet and with say 20 outlets that is 20ft per unit and multiply that by 10,000 units built per yr.. 200,000 ft of wire the RV manufacturer did not have to buy..

14 ga Romex right now is running $.50 per ft..

That's a savings of $100,000 per yr for the RV manufacturer.

Second, RV walls are paper thin, standard 3.5" deep workboxes will stick out of the wall 2".. So, that requires low profile workboxes, standard low profile workboxes do not have sufficient cubic inches for a pair of Romex cables (in and out). Like this..



That leads us to using a special low profile workbox which has a "sidecar" on the side.. Like this..



But once again, if there is no slack loop in the wire, none of those boxes will work.

Yours is charred because those outlets are ****. though I have to admit that's the best install of one I've ever heard of.. The blade cutting into the wire does not have enough contact surface for a heavy load like a space heater.

I'd go with a standard outlet. wire bent around a screw type.. The issue is "how to get it to fit" if there is no slack in the wires.

Why not use a real outlet instead of the yucky stab connectors. (which may well burn again).

If you need to cut a bad section of wire out I would splice in a new piece of wire and use wire nuts tucked into a remodel box with a conventional outlet. It's still a continuous run, just goes thru the outlet.

That is a "self contained" outlet often referred to as a "vampire tap" or "speed wire" device.

The pix you have in your link is the older style which also has the face plate integrated with the outlet. That style has been replaced with one that uses a separate Decora plate.



Be aware that the older ones came in standard plate size or oversized plate so you may need to find a oversized cover plate.

To replace, you can pry the back off (make sure you have all power turned off) and you should now see..



The wires will be pushed into the prongs, no screws used to connect the wires. Basically when the wires are pushed into the prongs the prongs will cut and displace the insulation allowing the prongs to make electrical contact. You will have to carefully pull the wires out of the prongs.

To reinstall the wire you will lay the wire across the prongs, push them carefully into the prongs to get it started. Then you use the back to push them in fully. The back will only snap together once the wires have been fully seated. They do make a specific tool for installing the back to make the job easier.

HERE is a Amazon search for these outlets..

Your local RV dealer should have these outlets in stock but as I mentioned the all in one version with the face plate is a very old style and may prove a bit harder to find.

You should be able to find receptacle at big box store like Lowes and Home Depot.
If you remove from wall, you should find markings indicating manufacturer.
They are/were used in mobile homes. Self contained receptacle