I am trying to add a new outlet off this box for my TV and I want to confirm that I am wiring this properly.
The outlet I am connecting to has one socket that is run off a switch. So currently the box has one white cable (with white, black, ground) coming in as well as one black cable (white, black, red, ground).
The bottom socket has constant power at this point, while the top is running off the switch.
Id like to connect a new outlet that also has constant power. Can I just pigtail my wires off the white wire coming in? Is there a better approach? Any additional information I can provide?
Best Answer
Tie into the existing nuts for the pigtails
You'll notice that the hot and ground are pigtailed already -- simply nut the new black and bare wires into the existing junctions. As to the white wire, it does not appear there's a pigtail for it, so you'll have to make one from a short length of white wire of the appropriate size (if in doubt, get a piece of 12AWG stranded THHN from the hardware store) and nut the existing white neutral with the new white wire and the white pigtail, then connect the new pigtail to the silver neutral screw on the receptacle.
Don't forget to stick a flag o' black electrical tape on the white wire that's connected to the various black wires while you're in there -- that will make it plain what that white wire is doing if things need to be undone again!