I swear I don't trust these things. You tighten the hell out of them but too often one wire does not get pulled in as far as the others and is still a bit wiggly, and there is no room to do much of an inspection or pull-test. They need to be made out of clear plastic with a square end you could twist with a socket wrench -- or maybe install the plastic insulator as a second step.
There are wire nuts with wings to help grab them, Gardner Bender has a wrench to tighten theirs as well. The key is in lining the wires up evenly and holding them tightly as you spin on the wire nut. Like anything else, it takes practice
You can over tighten them and you can use the wrong size nut for the size and number of wires. There are also different kinds of wire nuts.
I always twist my wires together tightly with pliers before putting any kind of wire connector on them. It is important to have the correct size wire connector.
There have been discussions in here on whether you should pre-twist wires or not -- some wirenut manufacturers recommend it, some say you don't have to. I used to only pre-twist when more than two wires were being attached, or if stranded wire was involve.
I now always pre-twist for this reason: if you have a solid connection with nothing loose all on its own without a wirenut, then you know you have a good connection and the wirenut serves little more than an insulator for the joint.
Strip the ends of wires off at least a half inch more than needed. Line them all up so the end of each wire's insulation are even. Twist the wires using a pair of linesmans pliers so they are held together well. If you need to attached a stranded conductor, hand-twist it around the twisted solid conductors. Then cut off the twisted connection so that it is the right length so as not to protrude from the wirenut once it is installed (this also cuts away the "chewed up" end from the pliers!). Then attach the wirenut.
I always twist the wires with lineman pliers then cut the ends off even. (I wouldn't even need the wirenuts except for insulating of the connections). Connecting a solid to a stranded wire can be a problem. With those I have better luck first bending a 'ripple' into the solid wire. Kevin
they make screwdrivers with a "socket" in the handle that fits over wirenuts and aids in tightening them.
Ideal is one manufacturer fo these screwdrivers.
I do like the idea of clear wirenuts though...that would be neat.
also, though a lot of people, including myself, twist the wires together by pliers before installing the wirenut its not a good practice. The wirenut is designed to do all the twisting and tightening.
I like the idea of clear plastic.
I always use wirenuts with a "live spring". The spring does not have hard plastic behind it and will deform over the wires giving a longer length of the spring squeezing the wires together. Made by Buchanan, 3M and others.
bud--
... : : I now always pre-twist for this reason: if you have a solid connection : with nothing loose all on its own without a wirenut, then you know you : have a good connection and the wirenut serves little more than an : insulator for the joint. : : Strip the ends of wires off at least a half inch more than needed. Line : them all up so the end of each wire's insulation are even. Twist the : wires using a pair of linesmans pliers so they are held together well. : If you need to attached a stranded conductor, hand-twist it around the : twisted solid conductors. Then cut off the twisted connection so that it : is the right length so as not to protrude from the wirenut once it is : installed (this also cuts away the "chewed up" end from the pliers!). : Then attach the wirenut. ...
Same here; All I use the wire nuts for is insulation. I also tape them with rubber tape. Lots of people are going to disagree with this, but ... so be it .
Pop
: : I like the idea of clear plastic. : : I always use wirenuts with a "live spring". The spring does not have : hard plastic behind it and will deform over the wires giving a longer : length of the spring squeezing the wires together. Made by Buchanan, 3M : and others. : : bud--
REcently learned there are wire nuts pre-loaded with silicone caulk, even, when I had to tie some #8s together for underground. I was pleased & surprised when I poked the wirenut seal & there was caulk already in them; I thought I'd have to manually caulk. I worried a little about the pre-loaded caulk being insulating, but ... no sweat - tested for 12 hrs under high load & no heat - guess they worked well. I didn't pre-twist those; it said not to . For specialized applications, it's best to follow instructions to the T.
Pop
Not good practice? Twisting the wires before capping with the wirenut is not going to do anything but insure a good connection. Cheap insurance.
R
If you don't trust wire nuts, look for the push-in connectors at any of the big box stores. They have an internal spring that grabs the wire when you push it in that prevents it from backing out. You can get them in clear plastic with two to eight ports. They are terrific in crowded boxes with several wire nut connections. They cost more than wire nuts but the savings in time and space are worth it.
You're supposed to line up the ends of the wires, install the wire nut, and twist until you see the insulated portion of the wires start to turn. According to most wire nut makers, this insures that the connection is tight. I always pre-twist if at least one of the wires is stranded.
Hi, You need more practice, LOL! Tony
I will triple that recommendation. I have even used tape occasionally.
Isn't that basically the same technology as the "stab-in" connections on switches that are so maligned here?
[description of pre-twisting wires before using wirenuts snipped]
Not so much an argument (ie: an attempt to change your opinion) as just stating another opinion...
I don't bother with tape as I find that good wirenuts actually "bite" into the wire a bit and hold in place well. A well pre-twisted set of wires provides a good even surface for the wirenut to hold onto, and if I ever have to take the connection apart, I don't have to put up with a sticky mess.
If there's ever any reason to think the wirenut may come loose (and I have had the situation, sometimes especially where stranded conductors are concerned), I will use the type of wirenut that has a stud that clamps on the wires, then you screw the plastic cover onto the stud.
I don't understand.
My wife is designed to do the cooking and cleaning, but why would it not be a good practice to get my daughter to help her.
Why is not a good practice to help the wirenut?
Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let me know if you have posted also.
It is best not to "tighten the hell out of them" - especially when one or more of the wires is stranded, or small guage, as they may be deformed or twisted off. Twist nut firmly, yes, but ensure a low resistance connection by pre-twisting wires with a pair of side-cutting pliers. The nut just insulates the connection, and provides moderated pressure to keep the twist together. For secure connections, I sometimes strip the ends, fine-sandpaper the bare wire, align the ends, then use 1" high qual. elec. tape to wrap just below the stripped part, to keep the wire ends aligned, and thereby suspend the fixture. Then do your wire twist, so that it tapers to the end, and use the wire spring (pricier) insert type wire nuts . Once the nut is tightened, I wrap the nut in a bit of tape in the direction that keeps tension on the nut, and finish wrapping its end around the pre-taped wire itself, as an anchor. I know this sounds compulsive, but I can do it pretty quickly, and it makes a very neat and tidy looking job. As I mentioned, the big advantage of pre-taping before applying the nut is that you can suspend wall fixtures this way, so that twisting can be done at your leisure, with two hands in play.
: > also, though a lot of people, including myself, twist the wires : > together by pliers before installing the wirenut its not a good : > practice. The wirenut is designed to do all the twisting and : > tightening. : : Not good practice? Twisting the wires before capping with the wirenut : is not going to do anything but insure a good connection. Cheap : insurance. : : R : No, that depends on a few things, including the design and construction of the wirenut - they're not a one size fits all deal.
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