[HTFreak]

I had to take my electrical outlets out of the walls, because I have to "extend" them to reach out to Home Theater Fabric Panels which will be covering the entire length of the wall. I then painted around the electrical outlets but some paint got on the electrical outlet wires (the actual copper wires, not just the sheathing covering the wires). I have not yet tried to remove the paint.

My strategy is to see if the paint comes off with a slightly wet rag, and then brush the exposed copper wire if the paint does not "rub off" with the rag.

Then move onto using a touch of Oderless Mineral Spirits to remove the paint.

Of course I would thoroughly dry the wires and thoroughly remove the Mineral Spirits from the wires with a rag and dry the wires of course.

How would you handle this? :surprise:

 

[joecaption]

Cut the wire back and restrip it.

 

[HTFreak]

Great solution!
Thank you.

I was hoping to avoid that because of anxiety over possible "wire length" issue, but it should work.

 

[rjniles]

I just pull the wire through my strippers. Or scrape with the edge of a utility knife.

Cutting and re-stripping is fine if you have the length to spare.

 

[HTFreak]

I just pull the wire through my strippers. Or scrape with the edge of a utility knife.

Cutting and re-stripping is fine if you have the length to spare.

Wow. Why didn't I think of pulling the wire through the wire strippers to remove the paint? Brilliant!!!! :smile:

 

[Arrow3030]

You should still put a fresh cut on the end of the wire. This can be a very short cut. Just enough so the tip doesn't have paint on it.

 

[FrodoOne]

I had to take my electrical outlets out of the walls, because I have to "extend" them to reach out to Home Theater Fabric Panels which will be covering the entire length of the wall. I then painted around the electrical outlets but some paint got on the electrical outlet wires (the actual copper wires, not just the sheathing covering the wires). I have not yet tried to remove the paint.

I am quite surprised that this would be a "worry".
Any "screw connection" worthy of its name will/should "bite down" and make the necessary connection!

However, if the "wall paint" concerned is acrylic based, it can be removed using metholated spirit/denatured alcohol.
If it is enamel, nothing (except "paint remover") will remove it after it has dried. In that case, scraping with a "craft knife (or similar) - or trimming the wires shorter - is the only option but, as mentioned above, it really should not be necessary.

 

[Jim Port]

Removal of the paint from the contact surfaces is required. The code is rather specific about contamination on conductive surfaces.

 

[oleguy74]

with a little thought you could have stuffed the box with news paper painted then removed paper.now you have no paint on wires.atleast put wire nuts on the bare copper ends.

 

[firehawkmph]

with a little thought you could have stuffed the box with news paper painted then removed paper.now you have no paint on wires.atleast put wire nuts on the bare copper ends.

I got the impression he pulled the outlets out of the box but left them hooked up. Could have put a sandwich Baggie around each one or a couple of wraps of masking tape. Short cuts usually lead to more work. Nothing to freak out about though. Bathtub comes crashing through the ceiling with your mother in law still in it, that would be something to freak out about!
Mike Hawkins:smile: