Crimp-and-tape vs. wirenuts -- for hots?

[kenkohler]

Allowed or not, it's NOT safe. Quality tape is fine to cover bare wires, but it does NOT clamp the ends of twisted connections. Tape is only intended to cover bare wires, NOT to clamp the wires together. If any twist is not perfect, it will likely vibrate loose over time (or immediately), and start arcing. At least, this will cause light to flicker and electronics to fry. At worst, it could cause a fire. The wires have to be soldered, or clamped in another manner to maintain a tight connection. This electrician must be a real cheap son of a b****. Wirenuts cost 10 cents each (or less). How cheap can he be. I'd either insist that he use wirenuts, or find another electrician, and if you keep this one, the hourly wage spent nutting all the wires should be on him, not on you.

By the way, I often see electricians wirenutting wires without twisting them. This too is dangerous. Yes, I have done it for a temporary connection, but not permanent.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Sharp wire ends will also puncture tape, no matter how good the tape is.

[billder99]

Thanks very much for your responses Guys, and especially to Doug for the link to the NEC Online. In summary, the code does not forbid the use of electrical tape as insulation on spliced wires (yes, insulation removed, ends twisted).

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Don't do it.

[bud--]

The NEC does *NOT* permit twisting the wires and then just tapeing. See gfretwell's post that includes:

"110.14(B) Splices. Conductors shall be spliced or joined with splicing devices identified for the use or by brazing, welding, or soldering with a fusible metal or alloy."

(This is the equivalent in the current code of the quote in your original post.)

Twisting the wires, with no solder or "splicing device identifified for the use" [wirenut], is a code violation and is *insane*.

Twisting and soldering then tapeing is permitted.

(Twisting is not required with wirenuts unless the manufacturer requires twisting.)

-- bud--

[kenkohler]

Jesus Christ, how cheap can you be? Go buy a pack of 50 red wirenuts and 25 yellow ones, shove them in the guys face and tell him to use them. You spent about $6 and saved your home and/or life. Also, when it comes to adding an outlet or something later on, it will save the next electrician 20 minutes of time to scrape the tape off.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Not only that, but is this the last electrician in town or something? Cripes...hire someone with a brain.

[dpb]

It does, however, forbid splices that do not have an additional mechanical fastening other than the twisting of the wires. At least, that's my reading of it...

[Chris Lewis]

According to bud-- :

No kidding. Sheesh!

A couple of thermal cycles later, you will almost certainly have an intermittent, arcs, and possibly a fire.

The wire _must_ be positively connected, whether by wirenut, solder or proper crimp device. Electrician's tape is an insulator, not a crimp device.

[Doug Miller]

Quite true, it does. But also, per Code, the local inspection authority has the final say. In this case, it appears that local inspection authority said OK. Probably shouldn't have...

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I think the OP came here looking for approval for something that already happened, like there was no turning back.

[Doug Miller]

A lot of people do that. They usually leave disappointed. :-)

[frank megaweege]

On Jul 30, 3:11 pm, [e-mail] (Chris Lewis) wrote: ...>> The wire _must_ be positively connected, whether by wirenut,

I use tape as insurance. Use a wire nut, then wrap tape over that. I suppose if the wire nut is on correctly it's not necessary, but it makes me feel better.

[CJT]

Some wire nuts are designed specifically for _untwisted_ wires, and if you twist them first you may be _weakening_ the connection.

[Tim Smith]

...and save you the $25 the next electrician would charge for that 20 minutes.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

I am the OP. I came, not looking for approval of/for something that had already happened but expressing amazement that what I found -- black hots and red hots (thus with 220/240 volts between them), with crimped connections and a few layers of insulation tape -- could ever have been kosher.

I have remade the connections using wirenuts -- as I intended to do all along.

Perce

[flicker]

Just curious. How do you which are which? I have never seen anything printed on the packages. I have always twisted wires. That's how I was taught many years ago. It's easier not to twist, but twisting seems to make the best connection. As for wirenuts, I dont see how twisting could weaken the connection.... (unless twisted so much a wire breaks).

[Doug Miller]

Just for the record -- if they've been properly crimped and taped, that *does* meet Code.

[gfretwell]

Ideal and 3M say it is "noit necessary" to twist but they don't say you can't..

[Chris Lewis]

According to :

It supposedly says on the package. I've never seen it.

Some wirenuts are apparently designed to do the twist while you turn them on. Saves a little time/fuss for the electrician, which is why they design them that way. It's remotely possible that some wirenuts designed for "no pretwist" may (meaning "probably only rarely") overtwist the wire if you pre-twist it anyway.

It's best to do what the package says, and err on the side of pre-twist if it doesn't say.