This guy doesn't have that many subscribers, but unlike many other more popular channels - he actually knows what he's doing when it comes to wiring. This is the channel homeowners, hobbyists and anyone else interested in completing electrical wiring tasks correctly and safely should be watching!
Thanks! Was in the industry for just over 10 years.. had the privilege of working with a couple really knowledgeable journeymen who I'd pester with my constant questions!
Genuinely surprised you don’t have way more subscribers. Extremely professionally shot videos with clear and concise explanations. How long has this channel been around for?
Hey! The channel is pretty new. I actually juggle a couple channels.. my main channel is my Beatmaking Channel (learn more on my YT Profile). Just doing a "digital spring cleaning" and will be back to making videos/articles for Becoming-an-Electrician.com .. sign-up for that free book I wrote there if you want to stay updated: becoming-an-electrician.com/subscribe/
Really nice video. I’d like to see this same video, but with 4 or 5 #12 wires. Or even a video on how you pack 4 12/2 wires in a box with a receptacle neatly.
Yeah same, trying to install neutral-required smart dimmers and I'm finding that in my 2 gang boxes there's already 4 neutrals spliced together before I even add in the new smart switches... I've been undoing the splice, trading one of the spliced wires for a short piece of wire and then turning it into 2-3 splices bridged by extra wires. But that takes up soooo much room that now I have to really play "tetris" to get things to fit back in the box, and it's very crowded (which I'm pretty sure is also against code).
This! ⬆️ Just dealt with this in a 2 gang box with 5 12awg wires coming in and then having to add pigtails. 🤬 Couldn't even find the right size wire nut for 7 12awg wires for the ground and then had to cram it all back in with a GFCI and single pole switch. I've found twisting even 3 12awg wires together difficult as it tends to twist the wire at the insulation vs the exposed tips.
@@emissarygw2264it’ll save you room to use a 5 wire Wago. It’s about the size of a large wire nut and can lay flat against the back of the jct. box. If you use them, make sure to tug test each wire and look on the back of the Wago, which is clear, to make sure all the wires are completely seated. Sometimes the insulation catches on the edge of the Wago and it feels like you seated the wire when you didn’t so always check each wire. Wago are also great when you have short wires in a jct. box. They are more expensive than wire nuts.
Love the channel. I always grab the tips when im splicing and that works perfectly, especially when I strip them longer so the part that gets scored by my lineman’s gets cut off anyway. Never seen someone splice from the very base of the stripped part.
Yeah I was shown that one time, and tried it out, and it really helps at the base when splicing larger wires.. especially when there's 4+ wires you're trying to splice. Thanks for the comments.. stick around for more soon 🙂.. Learn more about the website here: becoming-an-electrician.com/about/
Excellent info, advice, and channel. Glad i found this. Solid practices unlike other much larger channels whongive dangerous advice. Thanks so much for this video and the clear and concise explanations. I'll be subbing for sure!
Thanks! This channel is meant specifically for electricians, not home owners. Hope you enjoyed my splicing wires tutorial, let me know if you want to see any other apprentice electrician tutorials.
huh, I always spliced using the old 60° method with 2 pliers... good to see there's an easier way, tested it and doesn't come apart, no shaking or wobbling... so, thanks for the information.
You're welcome. This is the typical way an electrician splices wires. Sometimes they just use the wire nut to tighten the splice, but this is poor practice, as it's not as tight as actually using your pliers. becoming-an-electrician.com/
You are very welcome. Make sure all the conductor insulation is lined-up, that's half the battle. Then start from the base, and work your way OUT, which will remove any bad cross over, so that the wires are actually braided. Cut, then do a quick round to make sure no sharp edges, then the wire nut goes on very nice. If you follow the tip about using the pliers as a cutting length guide, make sure you are using the right side of the pliers, or you'll cut off your entire splice by accident :)
@@BecomingAnElectrician I’ve only been in trade school two months now so obviously I’m still green but what I seem too have trouble with is I’m always cutting my wire to short and not giving myself enough wire to work with 😂
@@patriotgaming6049 Haha - for splicing, try that plier width technique I share in the video (make sure plier cutting blades are to outside). For length of wire.. 4-5 fingers is a good starting point if wires are sticking out of box.. or you can try to push your wires into the corner of the box, then 2-3 fingers length is good for the remaining wire so that it can fold in easily!
Really liked the video, useful. I think I will put a dot of white correction ink on the correct side of my linesman pliers for cutting spliced wire. This will prevent the inadvertent short cut wire splice
That could be a solution! It might wipe off after awhile.. you could always engrave something that would be there forever if you are really serious about it.
The "Paint Pen Markers" also work well. They're generally enamel, and if the spot on the tool is clean and scuffed up, it may still be there long after you're gone. I'm sure my marks will still be on my stuff. I'm old. Also, I believe they now come in colors, but I've only used white. It's a habit. Great comment. Great idea. A great craftsman you already are!!!
@@BecomingAnElectricianSheet! Engraving may be the best of all ways. I've (almost) aways cleaned a spot, roughed the spot up, and used a white enamel paint pen. Filling in an engraved area is probably the next evolutionary step!!! Nice, Nice, Job!! And of course, so is your video!!!
Dude I was struggling with twisting the wires post splice/cutting the plastic parts off and its because my teacher showed us to do it by grabbing the tips of the exposed wire, excited to try this when i get a chance. Your awesome, subbed!
Ya, when you grab at the base, it works the splice out, and you can mold it how you want. At first, it's tricky because you don't have good hand strength, so just make the wires longer.. over time you'll get more experienced :)
@@rickbilbrey3235 It may rough it up a little bit.. but that is not "scoring" - scoring is when you use the wrong size of wire hole on your strippers, making that full circle score, making the wire very brittle. The wires will still be very strong, and the end splice is better. (Also, when you tighten the wire nut on the wire, you are also "roughing up the wires").. in my opinion, it is not a concern.. learn more here: th-cam.com/video/Hc1hzPtJL4E/w-d-xo.html
Thank you sharing this awesome tip. I like to do things nice and clean. I’m on my 6th class of basic electrical class and this is one thing that frustrates me.
You are very welcome! I also have a FREE Wire Splicing Series here if you sign-up with your email!: becoming-an-electrician.com/optin/splicing-wires/ Let me know if you have any Apprentice Electrician questions! My website has many electrician tutorials and answered questions, aimed at apprentice electricians!
Tried this today but didn’t have my Kleins and at a box. The biggest issue seems to be holding 4 wires even with each other. I have about 5” of wire. Watching this it seems it’s best to do the wire nut first then attach the jumpers to the receptacle.
Hey, I just released a video about splicing 4 wires: th-cam.com/video/Fk2V2-L9POw/w-d-xo.html It sounds like you are just doing electrical work at home? Yes, we make sure to splice the wires, put on the wire nut, then attach the pigtail to the plug with the wire splice tucked into the box.
I live in the Netherlands and learned that if we untwist the cap, the metal should be still on the wires. twisting off the cap was the way to see if the splice was sound/good. It was a hard plastic cap.
Have never heard of that being a good thing. Sometimes the wire nuts are made poor, and the metal spring within them can fall out (that secures the spice, and makes a good electrical connection) Usually you do not want the spring to come out, so you can unscrew and re-screw the wire nut back on!
Mfgrs and most likely, the NEC (here), consider the interior spiral "a permanent install" and should not be coming out. Of course, many pros and diys see that happen from time to time. Was it an inferior grade? Was it used before? Is it just one of those things that happens as nothing is perfect? It should not be coming out, and of course, neither should it be used a 2nd time. As the NEC will tell you, always follow the rules of the mfgr. Who would/could know better than them, no? Great comment! Really great! Really important. No one knows it all. I think ya' hit a home run!
I always try to cut the slice at an angle to make a point so that the wire nut twists on it easier. Hate splicing when you gotta do it ask day though lol my hands cramp up. Wagos are life savers on those days
Haha yeah, after the cut, just a little round off to file off the edges helps it fit in the Marrette nicely. Someone told me those Wagos look like "Spongebobs".. made me laugh, so that's what I started calling them 😂 Splicing isn't too bad, it's pretty easy going if you're allowed to listen to music.. it mostly comes down to technique!
Right on! Here's the How to Splice Wires tutorial: becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/ The article has more info, pictures, and video snippets about splicing wires for electricians!
Great video! How do you handle situations where if a splice already exists in a box but the length of those wires are already pretty short and need to splice an additional wire to the existing? In your experience is there an easy way to splice the additional without having to cut? I'm all about getting cutting everything and starting from scratch but I do run into situations where there's not much wire left in the box. Thanks.
At this point, strip the wire you want to add on, then gently loosen the splice (but not all the way). Then try to cross the wire over so it naturally becomes part of the splice, then use your pliers to finish it off. It should mold into a nice braid if done right! Sometimes you have to add a bigger wire nut (marette) on afterward for a better install!
The black Wurth blades can cut wire insulation like using a hot knife to cut butter. It feels like they are better than a surgeon's scalpel. It's one of my most favorite things to do at work.
Ya, that's why I show just to score the insulation jacket, then at the very end cut through, that way you don't risk damaging the actual conductors insulation. Learn more here: becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-strip-nmd90-wire-jacket/
Hey - yes the white is a common occurrence which happens from overtightening the wire nut. This happens because the wires are too long, and the user is trying to tighten down the wire nut enough so that the copper is not exposed at the bottom of the wire nut (whole point of a wire nut). If you use the correct sized wires, and cut them at a good length, it will fit under the wire nut WITHOUT turning white. 🙂
@@BecomingAnElectrician good to know. im always nervous 1/2” is too short even though ideal says 1/2”. im afraid of grinding insulation with the nut. is this a concern? i like to look down the nut and see the insulation isnt being bitten on.
@@danediz Watch the video for how I explain to cut the wires and how it should look under a wire nut. If you want to have your splice longer, you can use a bigger wire nut. It all comes down to a nice splice with the insulation lined up, and not having too many wires under 1 wire nut (if you have too many, then use a bigger size!)
Is there any advantage to wrap the wires below the edge if the wire cap with electrical tape and extending that on the exterior of the cap to ensure the wire cap doesn’t slip off over time?
If you have a good splice, with no copper exposed, tape is not needed. Using tape is not bad, and it does improve the secureness of the splice. For example, let's say the splice would be near a vibrating machine, you may want to tape CLOCKWISE so the splice remains tight due to vibrations. In normal situations, taping is not required. becoming-an-electrician.com/
The information in this video is pure gold. And that splice at 12:36 was pure o***** to watch. It shows what being a competent or experienced electrician (or both) looks like. And this splice right here is why I consider Wagos trash, you can never get the good stuff of a splice like this with a Wago. Maybe Wagos are the best excuse a lazy or incompetent electrician can come up with and there is nothing anyone can do to change my mind. Unless of course the client is willing to pay the extra cost when there is no benefit for them.
Definitely valid points. Wagos (spongebobs) are definitely more expensive, and you're relying on an additional component for the splice to happen. (At certain times they do make the job easier.. but sometimes not). Splicing the wires together is a tried-and-true method for a strong secure joint, and the wire nut (Marette) ensures the strong splice stays, and makes sure all wires are connected with its metal enclosure as well. Thanks for watching.. hope you learned how to splice wires as an electrician better!
Hey, thanks so much. I was very blessed to be taught by some really good journeymen in my 2nd and 3rd years.. my first year was hard.. I wasn't being taught very well :(
Im so frustrated I can’t figure this out. I’m trying to figure out my own way to splice but it’s tough. Everytime I twist it the insulation ends up twisting with it. My teacher said that’s not acceptable. I don’t know how you do it with that insulation not twisting into it. It’s crazy cause I have really strong grip but i can’t stop it from twisting.
Strip the wires longer. When the wires are short, it's hard to splice. If the wires a longer, then start at the base (near the insulation, and work your way back). Just watch the video over a couple times. I share step-by-step how to splice wires as an electrician!
Thanks for the video. My problem is I how do you not beat the wires up a bit with the linesman's plyers? When you got three or more 12 awg you really got grab them and put some muscle into it. Your not kidding about hand strength.
Ya, overtime your hand definitely gets stronger. You don't have to squeeze the pliers too hard at the beginning.. it's most important to mold the splice.. and you can start the braid at the base, and work the splice outward. Once the mold has been gently formed, you only need 1-2 harder twists, and you're done! Commercial wire (#12) is much harder than residential wire (#14) for our standard installations. For this purpose, it's always wise to think about pulling less wires to a box. (Instead of pulling 3 wires to a box, pulling the wire to another box instead can make the splice easier, too!)
@@BecomingAnElectrician Thanks for the reply. I do appreciate it. Ya I've been splitting up and adding boxes in my attic cause I guess 40 years ago they branched all the connections in light fixture boxes which are all overfilled.🤙.
I just had to replace a receptacle in my house that pretty much caught on fire. Luckily it was in the brick. This has started my obsession with electrical from knowing very little to wanting to know everything. The receptacle was backstabbed and came loose. Granted the receptacle was prob 20-30 years old and in rough shape. I'm tile guy but every professional I've seen pretwists and loops. I'd say listen to the professionals over the manufacturers. Manufacturers probably do a small amount of tests in a controlled environment. There's millions of professionals that see things on a day to day basis that no manufacturer can run tests on.
Hey, sorry for the delay.. I do not have any stranded conductor on me.. I'd like to do stranded to stranded, and then another video stranded (light wire) to single conductor.. Thanks for your suggestion.. no promises on time frame..
I've done electrical for 30 years and don't twist the wires before using the wire nut and I have never had a return call due to a failed connection. Twisting damages the wires and makes it a pain in the ass for the next person who has to service that box. Wire nuts are rated as a connection device and nowhere in the electrical code does it require the wires to be twisted prior to using a wire nut.
There will always be a debate. If I were to train anyone, I would highly recommend them to twist wires - it does not damage them if you are doing it properly. The wire nut itself "damages" the wires by scoring it?
I guess it all comes down to application by the electrician.. After stripping the wires, I make sure all my ends are flush and then tighten the wire nut down fully until the insulated part of the wire is twisted around themselves. Afterwards, I pull test each wire. If I remove the wire nut, my wires are always twisted together, but remain more serviceable that than wires that have been pre-twisted with pliers. Likewise, I've seen many instances of connection failure due to someone pre-twisting the wires, only to have one of the wires "twist out" of the bundle.All comes down to the skill level of the person doing the install.
@@rogerb5957 Yes, makes sense.. it's most important to line up the base of the wires when splicing, not the ends, as each stripping can be longer or shorter, and the splice molds the wires together from the base outward. Once the twist is done, you cut, round, then put on the connector. Over time an electrician's hands get stronger to hold the wires when splicing.
Thank-you for your question! I will be launching a "how to splice wires for electricians" email series here soon with a brand-new website launch.. you can download my free book to be notified of the website launch.. I can then look into making new splicing videos with your questions, like how to splice 5 wires together. In short, just make sure to strip the wire a little extra long, and gently mold the braid outward, starting from the base. The biggest thing is to NOT clamp down and twist too hard too early.. once you get that braid where you want, then you seal the deal! My free book is available here: becoming-an-electrician.com/subscribe Keep asking questions on the videos, I will try to help where I can!
Man i just started as an apprentice and i been active at the gym ive been splicing 5-7 grounds number 12 together and my hands hurt on Fridays my hands are totally sore
Yeah it all depends on the company you work for.. for condos I'd assume Wagos are way too expensive.. Companies usually buy those blue Marettes by the barrel!
Thank-you so much.. please let me know if you have any other electrician questions other than splicing wires.. My website is continue to have more electrician articles for beginners: becoming-an-electrician.com/
Could be three reasons your copper is chewed up when splicing wires: 1. The pliers are brand-new.. you'll notice the grooves are very indented.. over time of use, it won't be as harsh on the copper wires when splicing. 2. You may be not holding hard enough, causing the linesmen pliers to slip on the wire 3. You may be holding way too hard. Watch in the tutorial as I start from the base of the wire, then work my way out. I'm not holding too hard, just mostly molding the splice into place.. then I'll squeeze a bit harder to seal the splice in.. here's my wire splicing tutorial: becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
I really think it's just a matter of time.. it's not really a normal thing for our hands to do, the constant twisting.. It honestly takes a couple years.. but just keep practicing! Remember, the longer the wire is stripped, the easier it is to splice.. and using smaller gauge wire (#14) is much easier than #12!!! Here's my How to Splice Wires Tutorial: becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
I would recommend not skipping forward, as I explain important step-by-step how to splice wires, and how to prevent damaged wire splices by not scoring the wire with wire strippers. Thanks for pin-pointing the timestamp for others for reference! becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
I find it easier, plus you can strip two wires at once 🙂 Also, if you are in a large 12x12 with 40+ wires.. makes life a lot easier, too Oh yes, one more thing, stripping with pliers requires a bit more space to strip.. using strippers in tight areas is easier (then you can use the "strip with strippers, then pull off with pliers in sketchy situations move 🙂) There's 3 reasons that make the difference!
No way! Especially in a finished residence, make sure to get these loose ends, such as the small strippings off the wire to be respectful of homeowners! I have seen homeowners call and complain about electricians leaving behind the wire strippings (at a plug for example).. if you do it as I show, you just throw it in a box as you go along.
@@BecomingAnElectrician the electricians i watch on youtube are Electric Pro Academy and Benjamin Sahlstrom, they dont pretwist. None of the electricians i know does either. One of my family friend was recently hired to fly across the country to be a part of an electrical project of a new hospital and told me it isn't required and his crew doesn't either. I am not an electrician and the biggest job i did was just upgrading the breaker box in my own house and adding a few new circuits to balance loads. I have gone through the books and nowhere does it say wires need to be twisted.
Some wire nut packages do say that pre twisting is not required. For me personally I never used to pre twist for the longest time. And you are right you still end up with a good connection. However, I will say a couple things. One is, after using certain wire nuts like the tan ideal kind especially, I noticed when splicing say 3-12 awg conductors or maybe 4-14 awg conductors the wire nut would bulge a bit from using the wire nut to make the joint, now this could also be after making the joint and just over tightening. So maybe the problem there is more those particular wire nuts. Second is, sometimes if you don't stress pre twisting, someone who is a homeowner and not used to electrical work will think that the wire nut is just a cap for the wire and only very lightly twist them, this is not good obviously and it's so people feel it's important to over stress pre twisting for this reason. But probably the main reason why I pretwist now is because I bought an awesome pair of stripper/pliers recently and they are my new favorite hand tool. So because the pliers are right in front of me on the tool I just used to strip with it leaves me with no excuse to not pre twist whereas before maybe I would just be lazy and just use the wirenut to twist. But really to me it's just easier to twist the wires cut them to length and then snug a wire nut on rather then having to crank down on it with just the wire nut. Just depends on the conductors for me mostly but let's be clear you can never go wrong with pretwisting.
If you dont pre twist the wire, the next time someone opens up that wire nut, all the wires will come apart and cut the power off and possibly shock the technician or short out the circuit.
Marrette is the brand name, wire nut is what they are called 😁 Also called a "Wire Connector" too.... here's a link: www.thespruce.com/what-are-wire-connectors-1152349
Marrette is the name of the product, just like how "Kleenex" is often used instead of tissue. The actual term is "wire nut" or "wire connector" ! becoming-an-electrician.com/
You'd be surprised the lack of education & training on a jobsite... too much rushing, not enough time to slow down and break down the basics. Splicing wires takes years of hand strength to get really good at splicing. becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
💡FREE Wire Splicing Series: becoming-an-electrician.com/optin/splicing-wires/
This guy doesn't have that many subscribers, but unlike many other more popular channels - he actually knows what he's doing when it comes to wiring. This is the channel homeowners, hobbyists and anyone else interested in completing electrical wiring tasks correctly and safely should be watching!
Thanks! Was in the industry for just over 10 years.. had the privilege of working with a couple really knowledgeable journeymen who I'd pester with my constant questions!
Nicely said. Your a good person for giving credit when credit is due
Man, you deserve millions of subscribers!@@BecomingAnElectrician
@@JP-hj2gs One day at a time! :)
Good comment and I second it! Couldn’t agree more!
Genuinely surprised you don’t have way more subscribers. Extremely professionally shot videos with clear and concise explanations. How long has this channel been around for?
Hey! The channel is pretty new. I actually juggle a couple channels.. my main channel is my Beatmaking Channel (learn more on my YT Profile).
Just doing a "digital spring cleaning" and will be back to making videos/articles for Becoming-an-Electrician.com .. sign-up for that free book I wrote there if you want to stay updated:
becoming-an-electrician.com/subscribe/
Honestly ! I was about to make the same comment .
@@rose.a2660 Just getting started - be on the lookout for more videos coming soon! 🙂
becoming-an-electrician.com/
Love this!! Im just now coming off 22 days straight doing trim out and receptacle install out of town... wish i found this 2 weeka ago. Thanks dude!!
You are welcome! Hope it helped you learn how to splice wires for electricians :)
Really nice video.
I’d like to see this same video, but with 4 or 5 #12 wires. Or even a video on how you pack 4 12/2 wires in a box with a receptacle neatly.
Hey all I have for content on this for you is my Roughing-In Series.. thanks for the suggestion!:
becoming-an-electrician.com/tag/roughing-in-series/
Yeah same, trying to install neutral-required smart dimmers and I'm finding that in my 2 gang boxes there's already 4 neutrals spliced together before I even add in the new smart switches... I've been undoing the splice, trading one of the spliced wires for a short piece of wire and then turning it into 2-3 splices bridged by extra wires. But that takes up soooo much room that now I have to really play "tetris" to get things to fit back in the box, and it's very crowded (which I'm pretty sure is also against code).
This! ⬆️
Just dealt with this in a 2 gang box with 5 12awg wires coming in and then having to add pigtails. 🤬 Couldn't even find the right size wire nut for 7 12awg wires for the ground and then had to cram it all back in with a GFCI and single pole switch. I've found twisting even 3 12awg wires together difficult as it tends to twist the wire at the insulation vs the exposed tips.
@@emissarygw2264it’ll save you room to use a 5 wire Wago. It’s about the size of a large wire nut and can lay flat against the back of the jct. box. If you use them, make sure to tug test each wire and look on the back of the Wago, which is clear, to make sure all the wires are completely seated. Sometimes the insulation catches on the edge of the Wago and it feels like you seated the wire when you didn’t so always check each wire. Wago are also great when you have short wires in a jct. box. They are more expensive than wire nuts.
@@piros44 I'll have to try those sometime, they do look convenient
Love the channel. I always grab the tips when im splicing and that works perfectly, especially when I strip them longer so the part that gets scored by my lineman’s gets cut off anyway. Never seen someone splice from the very base of the stripped part.
Yeah I was shown that one time, and tried it out, and it really helps at the base when splicing larger wires.. especially when there's 4+ wires you're trying to splice.
Thanks for the comments.. stick around for more soon 🙂..
Learn more about the website here:
becoming-an-electrician.com/about/
Excellent info, advice, and channel. Glad i found this. Solid practices unlike other much larger channels whongive dangerous advice. Thanks so much for this video and the clear and concise explanations. I'll be subbing for sure!
Thanks! This channel is meant specifically for electricians, not home owners. Hope you enjoyed my splicing wires tutorial, let me know if you want to see any other apprentice electrician tutorials.
huh, I always spliced using the old 60° method with 2 pliers... good to see there's an easier way, tested it and doesn't come apart, no shaking or wobbling... so, thanks for the information.
You're welcome. This is the typical way an electrician splices wires. Sometimes they just use the wire nut to tighten the splice, but this is poor practice, as it's not as tight as actually using your pliers.
becoming-an-electrician.com/
I use that method a lot of the time. I like it as well. Best wishes to you. A very good and worthwhile comment on your part!
You explain splicing way better than my instructor I like that you actually show how to do it thank you
You are very welcome. Make sure all the conductor insulation is lined-up, that's half the battle. Then start from the base, and work your way OUT, which will remove any bad cross over, so that the wires are actually braided. Cut, then do a quick round to make sure no sharp edges, then the wire nut goes on very nice.
If you follow the tip about using the pliers as a cutting length guide, make sure you are using the right side of the pliers, or you'll cut off your entire splice by accident :)
@@BecomingAnElectrician I’ve only been in trade school two months now so obviously I’m still green but what I seem too have trouble with is I’m always cutting my wire to short and not giving myself enough wire to work with 😂
@@patriotgaming6049 When cutting wires in the box, or when cutting wires after splicing?
@@BecomingAnElectrician I would say both lol
@@patriotgaming6049 Haha - for splicing, try that plier width technique I share in the video (make sure plier cutting blades are to outside). For length of wire.. 4-5 fingers is a good starting point if wires are sticking out of box.. or you can try to push your wires into the corner of the box, then 2-3 fingers length is good for the remaining wire so that it can fold in easily!
Really liked the video, useful. I think I will put a dot of white correction ink on the correct side of my linesman pliers for cutting spliced wire. This will prevent the inadvertent short cut wire splice
That could be a solution! It might wipe off after awhile.. you could always engrave something that would be there forever if you are really serious about it.
Or, just use a sharp pair of ‘dykes?!’
The "Paint Pen Markers" also work well. They're generally enamel, and if the spot on the tool is clean and scuffed up, it may still be there long after you're gone. I'm sure my marks will still be on my stuff. I'm old. Also, I believe they now come in colors, but I've only used white. It's a habit. Great comment. Great idea. A great craftsman you already are!!!
@@BecomingAnElectricianSheet! Engraving may be the best of all ways. I've (almost) aways cleaned a spot, roughed the spot up, and used a white enamel paint pen. Filling in an engraved area is probably the next evolutionary step!!! Nice, Nice, Job!! And of course, so is your video!!!
Dude I was struggling with twisting the wires post splice/cutting the plastic parts off and its because my teacher showed us to do it by grabbing the tips of the exposed wire, excited to try this when i get a chance. Your awesome, subbed!
Ya, when you grab at the base, it works the splice out, and you can mold it how you want. At first, it's tricky because you don't have good hand strength, so just make the wires longer.. over time you'll get more experienced :)
@@BecomingAnElectrician BTW, with this method, won't this method score the wire with the teeth on the pliers?
@@rickbilbrey3235 It may rough it up a little bit.. but that is not "scoring" - scoring is when you use the wrong size of wire hole on your strippers, making that full circle score, making the wire very brittle. The wires will still be very strong, and the end splice is better. (Also, when you tighten the wire nut on the wire, you are also "roughing up the wires").. in my opinion, it is not a concern.. learn more here: th-cam.com/video/Hc1hzPtJL4E/w-d-xo.html
@BecomingAnElectrician Makes sense. Thanks
@@rickbilbrey3235 No prob! Thanks for watching the video!! :)
Thank you sharing this awesome tip. I like to do things nice and clean. I’m on my 6th class of basic electrical class and this is one thing that frustrates me.
You are very welcome! I also have a FREE Wire Splicing Series here if you sign-up with your email!:
becoming-an-electrician.com/optin/splicing-wires/
Let me know if you have any Apprentice Electrician questions! My website has many electrician tutorials and answered questions, aimed at apprentice electricians!
Tried this today but didn’t have my Kleins and at a box. The biggest issue seems to be holding 4 wires even with each other. I have about 5” of wire.
Watching this it seems it’s best to do the wire nut first then attach the jumpers to the receptacle.
Hey, I just released a video about splicing 4 wires: th-cam.com/video/Fk2V2-L9POw/w-d-xo.html
It sounds like you are just doing electrical work at home?
Yes, we make sure to splice the wires, put on the wire nut, then attach the pigtail to the plug with the wire splice tucked into the box.
I live in the Netherlands and learned that if we untwist the cap, the metal should be still on the wires. twisting off the cap was the way to see if the splice was sound/good. It was a hard plastic cap.
Have never heard of that being a good thing. Sometimes the wire nuts are made poor, and the metal spring within them can fall out (that secures the spice, and makes a good electrical connection)
Usually you do not want the spring to come out, so you can unscrew and re-screw the wire nut back on!
Mfgrs and most likely, the NEC (here), consider the interior spiral "a permanent install" and should not be coming out. Of course, many pros and diys see that happen from time to time. Was it an inferior grade? Was it used before? Is it just one of those things that happens as nothing is perfect? It should not be coming out, and of course, neither should it be used a 2nd time. As the NEC will tell you, always follow the rules of the mfgr. Who would/could know better than them, no? Great comment! Really great! Really important. No one knows it all. I think ya' hit a home run!
I always try to cut the slice at an angle to make a point so that the wire nut twists on it easier. Hate splicing when you gotta do it ask day though lol my hands cramp up. Wagos are life savers on those days
Haha yeah, after the cut, just a little round off to file off the edges helps it fit in the Marrette nicely. Someone told me those Wagos look like "Spongebobs".. made me laugh, so that's what I started calling them 😂
Splicing isn't too bad, it's pretty easy going if you're allowed to listen to music.. it mostly comes down to technique!
Are “wagos” better and safer than splicing?
Learned several enhanced tips, thanks.
Right on! Here's the How to Splice Wires tutorial: becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
The article has more info, pictures, and video snippets about splicing wires for electricians!
Great video! How do you handle situations where if a splice already exists in a box but the length of those wires are already pretty short and need to splice an additional wire to the existing? In your experience is there an easy way to splice the additional without having to cut? I'm all about getting cutting everything and starting from scratch but I do run into situations where there's not much wire left in the box. Thanks.
At this point, strip the wire you want to add on, then gently loosen the splice (but not all the way). Then try to cross the wire over so it naturally becomes part of the splice, then use your pliers to finish it off. It should mold into a nice braid if done right! Sometimes you have to add a bigger wire nut (marette) on afterward for a better install!
The black Wurth blades can cut wire insulation like using a hot knife to cut butter. It feels like they are better than a surgeon's scalpel. It's one of my most favorite things to do at work.
Ya, that's why I show just to score the insulation jacket, then at the very end cut through, that way you don't risk damaging the actual conductors insulation. Learn more here: becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-strip-nmd90-wire-jacket/
Be careful! Better get a pair of Cut level Milwaukee gloves?!?
New to your channel and I love it so far. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, you just earned a new subscriber! Cheers!
Thank-you. Glad you enjoyed this video. I also have many free electrician trainings on my website: becoming-an-electrician.com/free/
i believe the wire nut turning white is normal and indication of a good bite. that is coming from straight from ideal. nice video.
Hey - yes the white is a common occurrence which happens from overtightening the wire nut.
This happens because the wires are too long, and the user is trying to tighten down the wire nut enough so that the copper is not exposed at the bottom of the wire nut (whole point of a wire nut).
If you use the correct sized wires, and cut them at a good length, it will fit under the wire nut WITHOUT turning white. 🙂
@@BecomingAnElectrician good to know. im always nervous 1/2” is too short even though ideal says 1/2”. im afraid of grinding insulation with the nut. is this a concern? i like to look down the nut and see the insulation isnt being bitten on.
@@danediz Watch the video for how I explain to cut the wires and how it should look under a wire nut. If you want to have your splice longer, you can use a bigger wire nut.
It all comes down to a nice splice with the insulation lined up, and not having too many wires under 1 wire nut (if you have too many, then use a bigger size!)
Is there any advantage to wrap the wires below the edge if the wire cap with electrical tape and extending that on the exterior of the cap to ensure the wire cap doesn’t slip off over time?
If you have a good splice, with no copper exposed, tape is not needed. Using tape is not bad, and it does improve the secureness of the splice.
For example, let's say the splice would be near a vibrating machine, you may want to tape CLOCKWISE so the splice remains tight due to vibrations.
In normal situations, taping is not required.
becoming-an-electrician.com/
Excellent demo'...keep them coming
Thank-you! Lots more on the website: becoming-an-electrician.com/roughing-in-series-for-apprentice-electricians/
The information in this video is pure gold. And that splice at 12:36 was pure o***** to watch. It shows what being a competent or experienced electrician (or both) looks like. And this splice right here is why I consider Wagos trash, you can never get the good stuff of a splice like this with a Wago. Maybe Wagos are the best excuse a lazy or incompetent electrician can come up with and there is nothing anyone can do to change my mind. Unless of course the client is willing to pay the extra cost when there is no benefit for them.
Definitely valid points. Wagos (spongebobs) are definitely more expensive, and you're relying on an additional component for the splice to happen. (At certain times they do make the job easier.. but sometimes not).
Splicing the wires together is a tried-and-true method for a strong secure joint, and the wire nut (Marette) ensures the strong splice stays, and makes sure all wires are connected with its metal enclosure as well.
Thanks for watching.. hope you learned how to splice wires as an electrician better!
Your videos are spot on. Job well done.
Hey, thanks so much. I was very blessed to be taught by some really good journeymen in my 2nd and 3rd years.. my first year was hard.. I wasn't being taught very well :(
Im so frustrated I can’t figure this out. I’m trying to figure out my own way to splice but it’s tough. Everytime I twist it the insulation ends up twisting with it. My teacher said that’s not acceptable. I don’t know how you do it with that insulation not twisting into it. It’s crazy cause I have really strong grip but i can’t stop it from twisting.
Strip the wires longer. When the wires are short, it's hard to splice. If the wires a longer, then start at the base (near the insulation, and work your way back). Just watch the video over a couple times. I share step-by-step how to splice wires as an electrician!
Thanks for the video. My problem is I how do you not beat the wires up a bit with the linesman's plyers? When you got three or more 12 awg you really got grab them and put some muscle into it. Your not kidding about hand strength.
Ya, overtime your hand definitely gets stronger. You don't have to squeeze the pliers too hard at the beginning.. it's most important to mold the splice.. and you can start the braid at the base, and work the splice outward. Once the mold has been gently formed, you only need 1-2 harder twists, and you're done!
Commercial wire (#12) is much harder than residential wire (#14) for our standard installations. For this purpose, it's always wise to think about pulling less wires to a box. (Instead of pulling 3 wires to a box, pulling the wire to another box instead can make the splice easier, too!)
@@BecomingAnElectrician Thanks for the reply. I do appreciate it. Ya I've been splitting up and adding boxes in my attic cause I guess 40 years ago they branched all the connections in light fixture boxes which are all overfilled.🤙.
@@danielbonner8309 You'll get it figured out!
Great video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Much appreciated.
You are welcome Vince.. thanks for your comment!
I just had to replace a receptacle in my house that pretty much caught on fire. Luckily it was in the brick. This has started my obsession with electrical from knowing very little to wanting to know everything. The receptacle was backstabbed and came loose. Granted the receptacle was prob 20-30 years old and in rough shape. I'm tile guy but every professional I've seen pretwists and loops. I'd say listen to the professionals over the manufacturers. Manufacturers probably do a small amount of tests in a controlled environment. There's millions of professionals that see things on a day to day basis that no manufacturer can run tests on.
Yes, exactly - Splice, Twist, and create your loop/hook to go onto the device screw clockwise. Anyone telling different is a noob 😂😂
@@BecomingAnElectrician I actually meant this comment to be on another video you made "to pretwists or not". Oh well lol.
@@danielbonner8309 Haha, no prob! Thanks for the comment. More videos coming soon.
A few years ago I had some sketchy friends and they spliced a vape charger into their phone charger but you know innovators
Lol, did it end up working?
becoming-an-electrician.com
@@BecomingAnElectrician it really did
Great video
Thanks for your comment 🙂
Excellent but Excellent video i like that way that you explain everything
🤓👍
Hey thanks! Keep at it, too!!!!! 🙂
Can you do it with stranded
Hey, sorry for the delay.. I do not have any stranded conductor on me.. I'd like to do stranded to stranded, and then another video stranded (light wire) to single conductor..
Thanks for your suggestion.. no promises on time frame..
Excellent video
Thank-you for your kind comment about how to splice wires for electricians video! Feel free to request any other apprentice electrician tutorials!
Thanks for the great video!
Thanks for the comment.. hope it helped you splice wires better :)
I've done electrical for 30 years and don't twist the wires before using the wire nut and I have never had a return call due to a failed connection. Twisting damages the wires and makes it a pain in the ass for the next person who has to service that box. Wire nuts are rated as a connection device and nowhere in the electrical code does it require the wires to be twisted prior to using a wire nut.
There will always be a debate. If I were to train anyone, I would highly recommend them to twist wires - it does not damage them if you are doing it properly. The wire nut itself "damages" the wires by scoring it?
I guess it all comes down to application by the electrician.. After stripping the wires, I make sure all my ends are flush and then tighten the wire nut down fully until the insulated part of the wire is twisted around themselves. Afterwards, I pull test each wire. If I remove the wire nut, my wires are always twisted together, but remain more serviceable that than wires that have been pre-twisted with pliers. Likewise, I've seen many instances of connection failure due to someone pre-twisting the wires, only to have one of the wires "twist out" of the bundle.All comes down to the skill level of the person doing the install.
@@rogerb5957 Yes, makes sense.. it's most important to line up the base of the wires when splicing, not the ends, as each stripping can be longer or shorter, and the splice molds the wires together from the base outward. Once the twist is done, you cut, round, then put on the connector. Over time an electrician's hands get stronger to hold the wires when splicing.
Can you do a stranded wire version
Hey thanks so much for the request - This one is on my list here eventually.. subscribe and be on the lookout!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome! becoming-an-electrician.com/
How about 5 wires? I can do 4 wires or 6 but with 5 i can’t keep the insulation even, one wire usually bends around more than the others.
Thank-you for your question! I will be launching a "how to splice wires for electricians" email series here soon with a brand-new website launch.. you can download my free book to be notified of the website launch..
I can then look into making new splicing videos with your questions, like how to splice 5 wires together.
In short, just make sure to strip the wire a little extra long, and gently mold the braid outward, starting from the base. The biggest thing is to NOT clamp down and twist too hard too early.. once you get that braid where you want, then you seal the deal!
My free book is available here:
becoming-an-electrician.com/subscribe
Keep asking questions on the videos, I will try to help where I can!
Man i just started as an apprentice and i been active at the gym ive been splicing 5-7 grounds number 12 together and my hands hurt on Fridays my hands are totally sore
I know! Over time your hands strengthen, and your wire splicing technique improves. I hope the how to splice wires like an electrician video helped!
Check out Wago 205, 221-4, 221-6. They are awesome connectors. And much more compact, much easier to take them apart if you ever need to.
Yeah it all depends on the company you work for.. for condos I'd assume Wagos are way too expensive.. Companies usually buy those blue Marettes by the barrel!
Great content !
Thank-you so much.. please let me know if you have any other electrician questions other than splicing wires.. My website is continue to have more electrician articles for beginners:
becoming-an-electrician.com/
Every time I splice wires I chew the wires with my linemen pliers any suggestions?
Could be three reasons your copper is chewed up when splicing wires:
1. The pliers are brand-new.. you'll notice the grooves are very indented.. over time of use, it won't be as harsh on the copper wires when splicing.
2. You may be not holding hard enough, causing the linesmen pliers to slip on the wire
3. You may be holding way too hard.
Watch in the tutorial as I start from the base of the wire, then work my way out. I'm not holding too hard, just mostly molding the splice into place.. then I'll squeeze a bit harder to seal the splice in.. here's my wire splicing tutorial:
becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
Thank you
You are welcome.. thanks for the comment. How it helps you learn how to splice electrical wires together properly!
@@BecomingAnElectrician right it helped me exactly
How can I strengthen my fingers so I can do this better?
I really think it's just a matter of time.. it's not really a normal thing for our hands to do, the constant twisting.. It honestly takes a couple years.. but just keep practicing! Remember, the longer the wire is stripped, the easier it is to splice.. and using smaller gauge wire (#14) is much easier than #12!!!
Here's my How to Splice Wires Tutorial: becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
@@BecomingAnElectricianthanks a lot
very nice
Thanks for the feed back on my how to splice wires video! 🙂
7:00 for splicing wires together
I would recommend not skipping forward, as I explain important step-by-step how to splice wires, and how to prevent damaged wire splices by not scoring the wire with wire strippers. Thanks for pin-pointing the timestamp for others for reference!
becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
You should be a Palmolive hand model
LOL - hope the video helped.
Awesome
Thanks for checking out the video and your comment 🙂
Ive never really understood the use of strippers,to cut and peal the wires,i mean you have the pliers for that🤷🏻♂️
I find it easier, plus you can strip two wires at once 🙂
Also, if you are in a large 12x12 with 40+ wires.. makes life a lot easier, too
Oh yes, one more thing, stripping with pliers requires a bit more space to strip.. using strippers in tight areas is easier (then you can use the "strip with strippers, then pull off with pliers in sketchy situations move 🙂)
There's 3 reasons that make the difference!
9:35 All that he's pointing to goes into the ducting. Sparky's don't clean, that's for peasants.
No way! Especially in a finished residence, make sure to get these loose ends, such as the small strippings off the wire to be respectful of homeowners! I have seen homeowners call and complain about electricians leaving behind the wire strippings (at a plug for example).. if you do it as I show, you just throw it in a box as you go along.
I like your chanel
Thanks! Hope you enjoyed my splicing electrical wires tutorial!:
becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/
There is really no need to pretwist the wires. Just tighten the nut enought and the wires won't pull out.
No, don't listen to this. ALWAYS SPLICE YOUR WIRES, THEN PUT THE WIRE NUT ON.
This is best practices of electricians.
@@BecomingAnElectrician the electricians i watch on youtube are Electric Pro Academy and Benjamin Sahlstrom, they dont pretwist. None of the electricians i know does either. One of my family friend was recently hired to fly across the country to be a part of an electrical project of a new hospital and told me it isn't required and his crew doesn't either.
I am not an electrician and the biggest job i did was just upgrading the breaker box in my own house and adding a few new circuits to balance loads. I have gone through the books and nowhere does it say wires need to be twisted.
@@Pepe-dq2ib For best practices, twist your wires. That's all there is to it.
Some wire nut packages do say that pre twisting is not required. For me personally I never used to pre twist for the longest time. And you are right you still end up with a good connection. However, I will say a couple things. One is, after using certain wire nuts like the tan ideal kind especially, I noticed when splicing say 3-12 awg conductors or maybe 4-14 awg conductors the wire nut would bulge a bit from using the wire nut to make the joint, now this could also be after making the joint and just over tightening. So maybe the problem there is more those particular wire nuts. Second is, sometimes if you don't stress pre twisting, someone who is a homeowner and not used to electrical work will think that the wire nut is just a cap for the wire and only very lightly twist them, this is not good obviously and it's so people feel it's important to over stress pre twisting for this reason. But probably the main reason why I pretwist now is because I bought an awesome pair of stripper/pliers recently and they are my new favorite hand tool. So because the pliers are right in front of me on the tool I just used to strip with it leaves me with no excuse to not pre twist whereas before maybe I would just be lazy and just use the wirenut to twist. But really to me it's just easier to twist the wires cut them to length and then snug a wire nut on rather then having to crank down on it with just the wire nut. Just depends on the conductors for me mostly but let's be clear you can never go wrong with pretwisting.
If you dont pre twist the wire, the next time someone opens up that wire nut, all the wires will come apart and cut the power off and possibly shock the technician or short out the circuit.
you got it backwards marret is the actual name wire nuts is what we call them
Marrette is the brand name, wire nut is what they are called 😁
Also called a "Wire Connector" too.... here's a link:
www.thespruce.com/what-are-wire-connectors-1152349
Why don’t you just use a Romex stripper or lightly use the cutting edge of a regular stripper, it’s 10x faster than a knife
Just the way I've done it over the years, also allows you to be versatile for deliveries, or cutting other things, too 🙂
My dad connect wires
🙂
Generally, "marette" is a canadian term
Marrette is the name of the product, just like how "Kleenex" is often used instead of tissue. The actual term is "wire nut" or "wire connector" !
becoming-an-electrician.com/
These are old hat, get yourself some wagos
No way! Be careful.. you're being taught the lazy way 😎
If they're already electricians and they need to watch YOUR video on how to splice wires,they AREN'T electricians!!! ARE YOU AN ELECTRICIAN????
You'd be surprised the lack of education & training on a jobsite... too much rushing, not enough time to slow down and break down the basics. Splicing wires takes years of hand strength to get really good at splicing. becoming-an-electrician.com/how-to-splice-wires-as-an-electrician/