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Except when that little tab got tweaked when the screwdriver slipped tightening the screw, or by the pliers squeezing the wire around the screw. Then that little tab starts arcing later. Yes it is rare to see pigtails in residential, but it is the better method.
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Pigtail that box, install a new outlet, and then get to work doing the rest of the house the same way. Ever hear of the Beverly Hills Supper Club? An arcing outlet got that one going. Sure, it was aluminum wire but that's not entirely the point.
why does he need to pigtail the outlet?
he's going to end up with a wire screwed to the side of the outlet either way
so why is a pigtail safer than two sets of wires screwed to the receptacle?
it's not like he has four sets of wire screwed to the receptacle
Pigtailing is silly, IMO. Just another potential problem, especially when trying to stuff 20 lbs of crap into a 10 lb box (as most receptacle boxes seem to be). The solid tab on the screw terminals will carry the load on to the next and so on and so forth.
Except when that little tab got tweaked when the screwdriver slipped tightening the screw, or by the pliers squeezing the wire around the screw. Then that little tab starts arcing later. Yes it is rare to see pigtails in residential, but it is the better method.
If you tweak the tab enough to maim or destroy it, the receptacle should be replaced. You don't need to be in there squeezing with pliers either. A proper loop can be made by just placing the wire in there and pulling it around the screw. It makes it's own loop.
Think about this also, if the tab is damaged as you say could happen, then a pigtail will provide no protection against the section opposite of the break. IOW, if my wire is screwed into the top terminal and the jumper is damaged, my bottom receptacle will either not work at all (direct open) or work at intermittently (likely arcing) when something is plugged into it, pigail or not.