I am adding three to four new recepticles in my basement. This will be a new series comming from the box. I will be using a 20amp breaker and 12 gauge wire. I Know how to wire one recepticle, but not sure if i should pigtail the white and black wires from the first recepticle and then continue to every other recepticle in the same mannner. there will be no swithces etc. and of course i want it to be in parallel.
First, use large capacity, (deep), boxes. It will make things a lot easier. It is best to 'pigtail' your receptacle connections. You'll need wire-nuts sized for 3 #12 wires, (Orange IIRC). At each box, (except the last of course), tie all the wires of the same color together with wire-nuts, and add a 6 'pigtail for connection to your device. You will need a white, (neutral), black, (line), and bare, (ground) for each receptacle. Try to make your splices neatly so they accordian-fold' into the back corners of the box leaving room for the receptacle.
Start with your first outlet and attach the white wire to the silver screw and the black wire to the brass screw on the side the wire is coming from. On the other side of the outlet there are 2 more screws. Start your next run there and do the same thing as the other side continuing down to your last outlet which you will only be using the screws on one side.
Since this is a single circuit with multiple outlets, it is basically your choice. You can use either the device or a better way is to use pigtails so you do not rely on device connection for the down line devices. Best practice is the pigtails, and your wire count should be 7. 2 in, 2 out, 2 device + gnd.
Good choice of wire gauge and breaker for 4 outlets. Run wires as you stated to the first outlet using the bottom screws. Start the run for the next outlet using the top screws and do the same at every box. Do not use the convenient stick-in connections, use the screws for better continuity and voltage transfer. Last but not least, make sure the ground is firmly connected to each outlet and to the ground bar of the breaker box. Buy a lighted plug-in circuit tester at the hardware store and check the continuity of every outlet after wiring. If you have the polarity off or a ground not connected, it will tell you very quickly. They are only a few bucks and well worth it for troubleshooting circuits.
