Can this junction box wiring be used for a duplex receptacle?

Question

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Hi - this junction box was covered with a plug cover That had no openings in it, just a blank cover over the wall box. As you can see from the image we have two cables entering the box from the top left back corner, each cable with four separate thin wires inside the main cables. The colors are green, black, red and yellow. The wires are much thinner gauge than I usually seen for the other outlet boxes in my house.

Does anyone know if this wiring will work for a regular duplex wall outlet? Id like to have a outlet plug where the box is. What color wires would I connect to the outlet?

My house was built in the early 80s, Utah, USA if that helps. The people who lived here before me did not take very good care of the house and I doubt they did much custom work to it. I am the third owner of the house.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Answer 1

This looks like phone wiring, so no

This appears to be telephone wiring, based on the thin gauge and the color coding. There likely was a telephone jack here at some point, but it was removed by a prior owner, leaving what you see here, which does you no good whatsoever in your quest to add a receptacle. Of course, it could be for some other low-voltage system, too, such as an intercom or alarm system.

So, you'll have to cut in an old work box somewhere nearby and run NM cable from that box to an existing receptacle, or some other junction where power can be tapped. Sorry!