Duplex and quad outlets sound like wildly different devices. But in truth, they are the same. And you can’t go wrong by selecting either option. Admittedly, their benefits and attributes vary slightly, which is why you are better off comparing the two to determine what each option brings to the table before you make a decision. Consider the following:
1). Design
Most people have seen a duplex outlet. If you don’t know what it looks like, look at this picture.
The outlet has two receptacles, with one above and the other below. You wouldn’t be wrong in describing it as two single outlets combined into one.
Duplex outlets can handle different voltages. They can run 120V and 240V appliances depending on the circuit and the wiring behind the receptacle. Duplex outlets work in residential and commercial settings.
People use them when they have multiple devices to run and prefer to avoid power strips and extension cords. You can add as many duplex outlets to a circuit as you want.
What about quad outlets? Their name tells you everything. Quad outlets are two duplex outlets sitting in the same box. This gives you four receptacles instead of two. If you don’t know what they look like, check out this picture.
2). Wiring
Duplex outlets provide two primary wiring options. Usually, they come with a metal tab that connects the receptacles. This allows the same source to run both receptacles. The wiring option is inconvenient because a malfunction will kill both receptacles.
But you can remove the metal tab to wire the receptacles independently. This allows one receptacle to remain in operation even when the second receptacle fails. Many consumers prefer to place each receptacle on a separate circuit as a precaution.
Duplex outlets are advantageous because they increase the number of receptacles at your disposal. However, that also makes overheating and overloading more likely. For instance, a consumer may connect a refrigerator to one receptacle and a dryer to the second outlet.
Running two heavy-duty appliances simultaneously from the same outlet can start a fire. You prevent such accidents by connecting each receptacle to a separate circuit. This allows a duplex outlet to run two heavy-duty 240V devices simultaneously without wreaking havoc on your electrical system.
However, before you praise duplex outlets, you should know that quad outlets offer a similar advantage. You can give each of the four receptacles a separate circuit. In fact, you have numerous wiring options, for instance:
- You can wire two duplex outlets separately to the same source. This prevents the damage in one outlet from affecting the other outlet.
- You can wire the duplex outlets in series. As a result, a failure in one outlet will kill the other outlet.
- You can give each duplex outlet a different 120V source even though you installed them in the same box.
But before you count duplex outlets out, you should know that their wiring options are even more diverse. You don’t have to stop at connecting each outlet to the same source or a different source. For instance:
- You can wire a duplex outlet to a switch sitting in the same box. Both devices feed from the same source.
- You can wire a duplex outlet and light switch in the same box in the middle of a circuit where the current can continue to other outlets. The switch can control other loads, including lights and fans.
- You can wire the duplex outlet and switch in the same box in a manner that allows the switch to control the outlet.
Do-It-Yourself-Help has diagrams showing the different wiring options. The configuration you choose will depend on the objective you wish to achieve.
3). Accessibility
Duplex and quad outlets have the same level of accessibility. With duplex outlets, you have two receptacles in a box. With quad outlets, you have four receptacles in the same box. Quad outlets place more receptacles within easy reach. But the accessibility doesn’t really change for either option.
4). Durability
The configuration doesn’t change the durability. Quad outlets are not more durable simply because they have more receptacles. And duplex outlets are not less durable because they have fewer receptacles.
The durability will depend on the brand. Some brands are expensive because they make long-lasting outlets constructed from high-quality materials. Cheap brands are the opposite. Their materials are low-quality. As such, they fall apart after a few weeks and months.
If durability matters to you, the number of receptacles won’t influence your decision. Admittedly, you are more likely to overload quad outlets because they have more receptacles. The chances of a consumer connecting and running four heavy-duty devices at the same time are higher.
In that regard, you are more likely to destroy a quad outlet. But this has more to do with a consumer’s habits and actions than the quad outlet’s durability.
5). Energy Efficiency
An outlet’s configuration has nothing to do with its efficiency. Again, quad outlets have more receptacles. They will consume more energy because they can accommodate more appliances. But you can choose to run two devices on a quad outlet instead of four. You don’t have to use all four receptacles simultaneously.
If you give your duplex and quad outlets the same number of appliances, you will record the same energy efficiency.
6). Verdict
Which outlet is better? Logic will tell you to choose the quad outlet because it has more receptacles. The number of receptacles matters because many people have insufficient receptacles in their homes. They respond by using power strips, and unfortunately, those devices have a reputation for starting fires.
A quad outlet makes power strips unnecessary, especially if you have multiple quad outlets. But you can replicate a quad outlet’s benefits by installing multiple duplex outlets in separate boxes.
Which Outlet Is Safe To Use?
A single outlet is safer because you can only (directly) connect one heavy-duty device at a time. A duplex outlet is somewhat dangerous because it can run two heavy-duty machines simultaneously, which increases the probability of an overload.
A quad outlet is even more dangerous because it increases the chances of a careless customer running four heavy-duty appliances simultaneously. Therefore, between duplex and quad outlets, the duplex outlet is the safest to use.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Duplex and Quad Outlets
- Quad outlets provide four receptacles. Duplex outlets can only offer two.
- You are more likely to overload a quad outlet. Overloading is a possibility with a duplex outlet because you can connect two appliances, but the likelihood is much lower.
- You need more resources to install and wire a quad outlet because it has four receptacles instead of two.
- A quad outlet is more expensive than its duplex counterpart, especially if you have a quad box with an extension cord.
- A quad outlet requires more space.
Wiring and Installing Duplex and Quad Outlets
If you want to connect the outlets to the same circuit, the installation process will involve the following:
- De-energize the circuit. Text the wires. Confirm they have no current before you handle them.
- Find the cable running to the source. Make sure it has a black, white, and ground wire. You need at least six inches of each wire.
- Connect the black wire to a black screw and the white wire to a silver screw. The black jumper wire runs to the second brass terminal, and the white jumper wire to the other silver screw. These are the unused terminals. The bare wire goes to the ground screw.
- At this point, you have configured one duplex outlet. It becomes a quad outlet when you also configure the second outlet. You do this by connecting the black jumper and white wires to the brass and silver terminals on the second outlet.
- You can connect the outgoing cable’s wires to the unused screws.
- The bare wire goes to the ground screw.
- The bare jumper wraps around both ground screws.
What if you prefer to give each outlet a separate circuit? This means using two live wires from different circuits. The installation process won’t change. Instead, you will give each outlet in the box a cable from a different source.
I manufactured a quadplex outlet because it has four outlets in a case. The manufacturer wires the outlets together in the factory. Quadplex outlets are the easiest to install and wire.
Cost Of Installing Duplex VS Quad Outlet
Quad outlets are more expensive because they require more resources. You have four receptacles instead of two. You also need more wires. If you buy a quadplex outlet, it will cost more than a conventional duplex outlet.
But duplex outlets are not that expensive, to begin with. Therefore, the elevated cost you will encounter when you buy a quad outlet is not significant. At the very least, it won’t influence your purchasing decisions.