Wiring duplex outlet

[Tony (Charleston WV)]

[attachment=21780]

I'm replacing a 30 yr. old duplex outlet that bit the dust with a modern one.  Old=bottom in the pic, New=top.  There are two black, two white, and a ground twisted with at least one ground wire from another box. I don't know where the extra pairs come from (getting power to, e.g., another outlet?) The receptacle tester shows "open neutral".  The old outlet has only four push-in slots-2 on each side.  The new model has four on each side.  I installed the blacks in the brass slots on the outside of the four, and the same for the white wires.

For a moment, I thought to try as many scenarios as I could but 1) I'm guessing that would be a bunch of possibilities, and 2) my last math class was around 50 years ago, so I decided to punt.  (Late breaking guess-use the screws rather than the push-in slots? Only 2 on each side.)

Help. (Sorry for the bad pic.)

Thanks

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I'm replacing a 30 yr. old duplex outlet that bit the dust with a modern one.  Old=bottom in the pic, New=top.  There are two black, two white, and a ground twisted with at least one ground wire from another box. I don't know where the extra pairs come from (getting power to, e.g., another outlet?) The receptacle tester shows "open neutral".  The old outlet has only four push-in slots-2 on each side.  The new model has four on each side.  I installed the blacks in the brass slots on the outside of the four, and the same for the white wires.

For a moment, I thought to try as many scenarios as I could but 1) I'm guessing that would be a bunch of possibilities, and 2) my last math class was around 50 years ago, so I decided to punt.  (Late breaking guess-use the screws rather than the push-in slots? Only 2 on each side.)

Help. (Sorry for the bad pic.)

Thanks

Have to be careful as to answer anything here because we do not understand what you are asking. Were all the 4 wires hooked to the old recept?? (2 black on gold side screws and 2 whites on silver side screws) If so then they get hooked the same way to the new receptacle. (does not matter what slots you use but for a better connection put the 2 wires of same color under the same screw slots. This puts even pressure on that tab. )If not then you need to explain what you saw when you opened the outlet up. 
Now if you are asking why the new outlet has 4 slots as opposed to only 2 for the old one then the answer is the brand of outlet is all it is. Some have 2 and some have 4.

[gjohn]

It is possible that the reason the outlet died, was not due to the receptacle, but that the neutral came loose somewhere between that outlet and the panel. Are any other outlets dead? Determine which cable is the feed and test between the hot and neutral of that cable and then between the hot and the ground. Make sure the feed coming into the box is good. 

The old receptacle has the quick wire push in with a spring contact. The wire is just pushed in. The new looks like a clamp style that is tightened with the screw. Did you tighten the screw after pushing the wire in the hole?

[daddo]

Not sure of the question

[brianwelch]

Not sure of the question

This is what I am used to seeing. Why do I seem to recall neutrals are supposed to be pigtailed (similar to the ground) in certain applications?

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

This is what I am used to seeing. Why do I seem to recall neutrals are supposed to be pigtailed (similar to the ground) in certain applications?

Because they are suppose to be.

[Roly]

Because they are suppose to be.

Required on "multiwire circuits" .   Because two 120v loads would be in series across the 240v 3 wire supply if neutral opens.  Not required on 120v 2 wire circuit.   Grounds are connected together because a device cannot be used to maintain the ground continuity .   Roly

[brianwelch]

Required on "multiwire circuits" .   Because two 120v loads would be in series across the 240v 3 wire supply if neutral opens.  Not required on 120v 2 wire circuit.   Grounds are connected together because a device cannot be used to maintain the ground continuity .   Roly

Makes sense...
Thanks

[Phil Thien]

Have a meter? Look for 120 between the black and white wires.

Be careful.

[EricU]

back-stabbed outlets are known for going open circuit.  And people would (naturally) daisy chain outlets on a circuit by back-stabbing the wire to the next outlet into the other side.  So it's likely that the issue is at the next outlet upstream

This problem is why pigtail connections to outlets are the standard nowadays.