BIGGEST Mistakes DIYers Make When Connecting Wires Together | How To
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 เม.ย. 2022
- In this video I will show you some of the most common mistakes DIYers make when they are connecting or splicing wires together. These mistakes will cause failures over times and could potentially be hazardous depending on the installation. I will also show you the correct ways or more recommended ways of connecting wires together.
Tools Used:
Linesman Pliers: amzn.to/3rMcXkO
Wire Strippers: amzn.to/3EDfwee
Basic Wire Nut Assortment: amzn.to/3EERf7q
Wago 221 Assortment Beginner Set: amzn.to/3EN5Cqw
Wago 221 Larger Assortment: amzn.to/3k5cciv
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Blessings,
Adam
How To Home assumes no liability for damage or injury. How To Home highly recommends using proper safety procedures and professionals when needed. Our content is for entertainment purposes only. No information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not How To Home. How To Home will not be held liable for any negligent or accidental damage or injury resulting from equipment, tools, electrical, fire, electronics or any items contained in this video. Attempt projects and repairs at your own risk. - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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Years ago I bought a book from Home Depot called "Wiring 1-2-3." That one book taught me everything I know about DIY electrical and it's served me well for 20 years. It taught me all of this stuff. I can't recommend that book enough.
I brought the same book too many, many years ago. It taught me a lot. That was a great book.
And so have I used the same book but rather than locate the book after two moves, it was easier to find a knowledgeable TH-cam presentation. Thank you for a very good video.
i have that book! Why am I watchign this video/ Lol
I’m a registered PE in Fla and Degreed Electrical Engineer. Not often you see excellent videos like this for the DIY types. Well done sir.
A fellow (retired) PE commends you, Sir.
Engineers don’t know shit. I’m in the field and I have been doing this for 76 years. I remember back in the day before wire nuts even came out. We used to twist the wires LIVE with our teeth. You sissy engineers only know theory. You don’t know about all the times us electricians get uncomfortable from sitting all day making up panels. Shame on you
Over 50 yrs in residential & commercial/ industrial renovations & repairs...What they /\ said.
Thank you to all you electricians
Great video! I had to change out the electronic ballast on a fluorescent fixture in my bathroom today. This is a 70 year old mid-century modern house so there are some odd things we find when making repairs. The new ballast had solid core wiring, but the hot and neutral wires from the wall were twisted core. I followed your tip about pre-twisting the wires together before installing the nut. But now I wish I'd used a Wago connector, which I had in the tool box from another project. But now I know if ever I'm connecting the two different types of wire, I'll use the Wago.
I have never pre-twisted wires using lineman's pliers in my entire life. Your first demonstration where you continue to tighten the wire pair by turning the nut by hand until the visible wires begin to twist is the approach I have always used. Never had a problem with the wires coming undone. As someone else on this site commented, not sizing the correct wire nut for splicing multiple conductors is probably the greatest detriment to making solid connections.
You install these, but have you ever had to work on existing joints like you describe? Especially if it’s a situation where you can’t turn power off. When you take the wire nut off, the wires spring out from eachother when you don’t pretwist. I’ve seen this many times and it’s dangerous for whoever has to work on the circuit in the future. A big reason why pretwisting is the better way to make connections is because there’s no potential energy or spring force when you remove the wire nut. The wire nut basically acts as protection and reinforcement for the connection the way I see it
@@adameverill9945 there are always edge cases like you described (i.e working on live connections, three of more conductors within a single wire nut, etc) where you may be right but I really feel that if you twist a SINGLE pair of conductors the way he demonstrated the pre-twist is unnecessary. Also, you sound like a professional but be very careful when working with the live wires. I remember working on a hot connection once where I shifted my balance on a ladder trying to position myself away from a metal plenum and caught a shot of 120 VAC through my forehead. Thank God I wasn't 20 feet in the air when it happened. My co-worker found my mistake highly amusing!
"pre-twist[ing] 10ga wires using lineman's pliers" AND MAKING IT look pretty
i swear it gives you 4 more inches of dick girth
@adameverill9945 service electrician here, not sure how your holding wire when you remove a wirenut but they don't "spring out" on me and if the wire has even one twist outside the nut not sure how they ever could....
@@paulherbert5548 Having done electrical work for several decades, and worked with many professional electricians, I too have never (and never seen anyone) pre-twisted the wires. Quality wire nuts of the correct size have plenty of bite when done correctly. Not saying what he shows is wrong, but when you're making hundreds of connections a day that time adds up. The twist of the wire nut with pliers at the end is adequate.
Good video but I think you missed the real design feature of a wire nut most people are unaware of that causes most if not all the failures. Wire nuts are a compression connector. The conical metal spring inside the wire nut first bites into the wires until the friction between the spring and the wire exceeds the friction between the spring and the plastic part of the wire nut. Then the spring screws upward into the tapered plastic part. This squeezes the spring radially onto the wires creating a high amount of compression. Making sure this compression contains all the wires is the most important feature, not whether the wires are twisted together or not. Pre-twisting and torqueing until the insulated part is twisted is just a good method of keeping the wires together and putting enough torque on the nut to run the spring up into the tapered housing. You can feel the two stages of torque, easier until the wires bottom out in the spring and harder until the spring bottoms out in the plastic nut. You can sometimes even see the plastic part swell as this is done. You know you did the best job possible if you unscrew the wire nut and the spring stays on the wires! This usually only happens if you don't let the insulated part twist and really crank down on the nut. This design is why you should never reuse a wire nut. The spring can only be turned up into the plastic once. If you remove the nut and reuse it you will not get the clamping force of the spring running up inside the tapered nut. By the way some of the very small wire nuts do not contain a metal conical spring. I do not use them and use a crimp connector for very small gauge wires.
Charlie, I’m glad you took the time to post this write up. Before I retired I was electrician for 50 years. It all started when I was in the army as a combat engineer, I was the company electrician. From there I went to school with the IBEW local 58 in Detroit Michigan. What you said about wire nuts is completely accurate and if the nut is put on right, there is no need in this world to twist wires together. Being a local 58 electrician we certainly didn’t have time to start twisting every connection that we made with a wire nut and was totally unnecessary. I never ever remember wires coming apart, shorting out or anything else in regards to using the wire not in the proper way without twisting wires both bare and twisting the insulations together. Thank you for your post and speaking the truth in this case.
@@richgee895 always need to pre twist. Most of my open circuits i repair are wires that arent pre twisted. Also if you need to work live you cant take off the wire nut as they spring apart. Relying on a 5 cent part to stop a house fire or hundreds in open circuit testing isnt worth it.
Pre twist and cut the ends even and crank a wire nut on and its done
Granted experience in installation is okay...but electric expands and contracts and sometimes a bad connection can let go after 15 years even. Seen it. Seen a nail in original cedar plaster lathe that went through a bx and decided after 70 years of settle and expanding to short and trip the circuit breaker
Charlie gets it, I've been made fun of because my wire nuts have a bulge in them. I also work on a farm that had a structure fire from wiring before I worked here. I am the only one currently asked to make electrical connections, not only because I know how but also because they don't fail. If there is any question about how the wires line up inside the nut I will stop before the spring moves inside the cone, back it off and check. Way back in votech one of my instructors, the one who got me a full scholarship for electronic theory, would try and pull each wire out of a nut as hard as he could. If a single one pulled out you'd fail that circuit even if wired correctly. Regarding current passing through the spring of the nut, given the spring digging into the soft copper on multiple turns and the parallel paths this creates I would suggest not only can't it be avoided but is advantageous when installed properly. Compared to waygo where all the current flows through this secondary metal I'd say wire nuts are still superior, again providing they are installed properly.
@@richgee895 the
@@CrAZyFr33Rid3r Exactly. An electrician that does not pre-twist the wires is a HACK!! Most of us hate residential, romex work but that is no reason not to be a quality tradesperson.
This video is so great. So many little tips and best practices that can only be learned by getting on-the-job guidance from a pro, which DIY'ers don't have -- except that now we do, with these videos. Thank you so much for taking the time to make these!! This is so, so valuable and helpful.
As someone new to learning about the electrical field, I greatly appreciate you following the code book.
Great discussion of the issues with wire nuts.
An electrician advised me to use the line man’s pliers to make an additional turn when I couldn’t turn it anymore by hand. He also told me to check each wire by pulling on it to make sure that it won’t come out after installing the wire nut.
As a GOVERNMENT employed electrician, we work with a different set of rules. If it looks good, then it's done :)
@@trvman1 Good enough for government work huh? 🙂 "Looks good from my house"
@@trvman1 I wouldn't really associate GOVERNMENT standards with quality work 😂
@@trvman1 I thought you guys did it wrong on purpose the first time, so you could come back at fix it and get paid again.
@@MarkSmith-js2pu just
You did a good teaching job, out of 45 years as a licenced etetrician, you taught a good thing very important.
It is always good to hear from people like yourself with a lot of experience in the field. Thanks a lot for the kind words and feedback Michael!
As an electrician and an adjunct electrical instructor, I certainly am behind everything you say. At the end of the day you want a secure connection that will not become undone under any circumstance. I can't tell you how many times I've found phantom power issues caused by poor connections.
The only area where I have a difference of opinion is where you talk about twisting the insulated parts of the wire together for an extensive distance. An Ideal rep told me the reason they depicted the wires twisted together so far was to prevent liability issues; they were trying to show the wire had to be twisted under the wire nut. A couple of twists beyond the wire nut is more than enough. My experience is that twisting the wires so far takes up room in the device box, as well as any wire too short, plus it's a pain for the poor electrician who has to modify it later. Keeping the work neat and clean also helps prevent wires from slipping out.
You used the best kind of wago nut, but not everyone will. The kind where the wire slips in, with no locking levers, is meant to be used only once, especially with stranded wires, as the jaws will no longer be as tight. It's a real problem when someone takes one off a 12 awg wire, puts it in their bags, then reuses it with a 14 awg wire. There is no way the connection will be as good. Again, this applies to the regular wagos, not the ones with levers as you used.
Hey Casey, I really appreciate the feedback on everything. Thanks a lot for taking the time to write it all out!
Voltage will be off wire burning off a well and everything bouncing around with all that extra wiring cover jammed in that wing nut. Also he mentioned using strayed wiring. Always cut both fresh is questionable. Strands don’t push voltage, but do start fires. Also. 2-3 twist after nut is tight, Tape it for a hold on the twist. But all around good advice. I’m a beginner. But it’s pretty self explanatory. Now I’m not getting in over my head though. Would love to apprentice a pro working with boxes learning to run long lines , can install if day 95% 110 items such as lights, fans piggyback outlets(gvcis), run new outlets. The basics. But I’m not getting over my head burning a house down or worse hurting myself. I’ve researched and double checked with the big dogs before breakers are flipped. No 220 experience yet either. After a Little more heavier electrical experience and higher end plumbing experience. I’ll be a jack of all trades. Master of some. Started off with flooring 3/4 red, white oak, pine, red heart pine, herringbones to custom burns not on styrofoam padding but on top of 3/4 plywood shot in with .22’s. Then board by board stapled on that tongue every 6-8 inches at 13. Back before these laminate and vinyl floors. Floors you can actually sand and refinish for years to come. Just picked up skills through the years with the pros
@@timmokwa1868 I am guessing that English is not your first language. It shows you made an edit to your posting. But you certainly did not edit for greater clarity.
That's what I'm saying. This guy's jerking wires apart like everything he wires is for a mobile home that is constantly trailered just solder it off you're that worried. What does he think is going on behind a wall plate, Fragile Rock? Just what you said a couple twists it's good.
Great video. I've been fixing things for decades and always struggled with this. Thanks so much for the video.
Over 2.7 million views on twisting wires together. The future is wild 😆
Important topic!
A comparison between wire nuts and Wagos would be great. Thanks!
I would use twisted wires with a wire nut any day over a wago. A wago uses a very tiny slit of metal that is acting like a spring pressing against the wire. After so long I have seen them get really sloppy.
Been done with videos here on YT available. Short answer is the choice depends ion the application. Sustained high current, go wire nut. Low current lighting and the like, wagos are fine. Do I trust Wagos? Yep, they have inferior junction resistance when compared to wire nuts but the difference in most cases is so minor it makes no difference. Personally verified years ago with a series circuit, 20Amp load, and a thermal camera. The Wago 222 was hotter after 5 minutes by about 1 Degree C. I still used several hundred Wago 221 on a bunch of coolers at a new supermarket install. You could say that in specific applications I trust them.
You have a great channel, please keep posting. You are correct that this is a touchy subject with electricians. Pre-twisting is nice, but the instructions clearly state that that it is ACCEPTABLE, but not required. ACCEPTABLE, as used in instructions, most often is indicative of a “secondary” choice, not the primary method. That said, I believe you should assure that you have a positive and permanent connection. (All this pertains to solid-solid connection.) Also, having an Electrical contracting service business that guarantees their work and parts for the life of the installation, loose connections (and forgetting to turn the breaker back “on”) is the #1 reason for a call-back.
Thanks for the feedback!
Your videos are fantastic, detailed and the photography is great. you go slowly and you give a lot of information for people like myself who are not really sharp with all the electrical stuff. Thank you for your time and your effort.
I changed out fluorescent ballasts for the first time today, and I'm glad I saw this video before I did. Pretwisting with the lineman's pliers made the connections super secure. Thank you.
This was a great video showing the best way to connect wires for strength and durability. Now we need the comparison video so we can see which type of connection works best where!
I am glad you liked it! Yes, hoping to get a good amount of feedback about that subject. It will be quite a bit of info but would be a fun one to do. I really appreciate the feedback!
Thank you! Trying to splice solid and stranded wires has always seemed like an impossible challenge for me. Will definitely find those wago connectors.
Using the Waco connectors for stranded has worked well for me. Don't really trust the twist with stranded and solid.
Your video’s give very clear, detailed, easy to understand instructions. Much better than others I’ve found. Thank you.
This was an awesome video for a novice. I have watched my husband for years and he has always done pre-twisting but never explained as to why he did it.
Important potential weakness I experienced in the Wago connectors -- the levers themselves. If you are cavalierly jamming the wagos into tight spaces, other wires can hook on the levers and pull them up, which lets the wires in that wago slip out! Therefore, I recommend putting a little tape around the levers on any permanent install in a tight space with loose wires.
I did the same, thinking the very same thing you were
How about not using them
@@dominicbenecasa7893
@@dominicbenecasa7893Wago lever nuts are a better option especially compared to wire nuts. A cage clamp connection will never let go and are way better with thermal expansion.
@@rcr-zt4of keep thinking that. I’ve been in the electrical business since ‘74. To each his own.
Thank you.
Very valuable information to the unskilled.
I went back to check last DIY outlet and re-did it the right way.
Thank you for your time and efforts for this video.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
Glad to see I’ve been doing it right. Always reassuring to a diy-er. Thanks for the video
Stumbled across this video while looking for something else, and stuck around to see how far off the mark I have been over the past 20+ years as a homeowner. Happily, I was not too far off the mark. Looking forward to seeing what else the channel has to offer. Thank you for the effort made here!
Super helpful! Thank you! Such a simple concept, but I've been doing it wrong. I will definitely change my procedures now. Much safer way to do it.
I shed a happy tear or 2 watching this, and I'll be sharing this video with coworkers. Thank you.
Really glad to hear it! Thanks a lot for the feedback!
I have done several DIY jobs and do pre-twist, but had NOT twisted the remaining insulated wiring as much and have had trouble getting the wires to fit back in the box as easily, so I DID pick up that tip. I have used some of the basic push-in connections, but not the wago brand, but have only used them when connecting solid core to solid core. I find these helpful when exiting boxes are small. Thanks for the video.
You are welcome. Thanks for the input!
I thought this was an excellent video for me. 😁 Thanks!
I especially noted (and support) your comment that the wire nut is additional strength to reinforce a solid connection that already exists underneath it. For electronics, we EEs learn early on that solder connections follow the same principle: You are soldering an existing solid connection, not using solder to achieve a connection. Failure to observe that can lead to cold solder joints and intermittent connections -- the _worst_ to debug. :)
Learned when wiring car stereos. Meshing or twisting wires before soldering is far superior than ripping a whole car apart to find the cold connection
I like it this way, thank you
Excellent for the DIYers !!
Good explanations on the issues, which I myself need to make decisions ⚡️
Imho wagos are a life saver in tightly packed boxes. Makes it so much easier to neatly stuff the wires in
Wagos are garbage. Increased resistance and the need to figure out which one to use is just asking for trouble. Better to use wire nuts and not have to worry. As long as the wire nut fits snuggly, it's the right size.
I have had these connections fail in the field. I cannot recommend you not use them strongly enough.
@@SmallSpoonBrigade ahaaoafyyfu
Here’s a trick I was taught whenever connecting solid to stranded, put a little crimp in the solid wire nothing crazy then the stranded has no choice but to go around that solid wire, strong connection every time 👍
Thanks for the tip Eddie! You have a good last name for electrical.
little tip, big impact. thanks!
This is a great tip and works well.
Definitely works old school.
I've got one too.
When twisting 12# and 14# wire together prior to wire nutting them, the 12# often won't twist nearly as well (or at all) when you pre-twist, but I find if you put a slight zigzag in the 12# then the 14# finds it's way in with the 12# instead of just around it when you pre-twist. Doing this will make a pretty good double helix or more...
Thanks, bud, great video...your camera work is perfect.
Excellent video and very helpful! Thanks
Thank you for the tips! Seems basic but I've never had good success just twisting the nut onto the wires. I imagine it would be much better when joining 3 wires.
It’s all about technique and experience
Love the video. I would like to see a video of you comparing the differences between the wago and the wire nuts and others
I, myself would not use the wago unless it was places that were easily accessible to get to. Just for the fact the metal is small and and power surge could fry and break it (Kind of like a small fuse breaks) that would break and you would end up having to replace it. I like the concept of it and would use Wago, but again for me it would be for easily accessible areas and projects
I might be old school 62 years old but I was taught to twist the wires together by good ole Uncle Bobby who own a construction/home remodel business and it has never failed me he also taped wire nuts with electrical tape that was back in the 70's I still do it today but usually on outdoor things I have to splice together like extension cords or old school christmas lights or low voltage wiring. I like your videos and I always seem to learn something new I never knew on the wire cutters there was a solid and stranded side to them. Taught this old dog a new trick.
Outstanding presentation. Good job.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the feedback!
I'm a long time DIY'er and let me tell you, this is some good advice! I wasn't familiar with the WAGO connectors but will probably try them on my next project; particularly on something like lights and fans that sometimes have very small gauge stranded wires.
Wago lever lock type hood for dif sizes….small to big ect
On small stranded wires, get terminal crimps before putting them into the level locks / WAGO
Over here in the UK we use Wagos all of the time on 240v. They're absolutely fine it's the cheap knock offs that are an unknown quantity.
Don't understand why the pros on the other side of the Atlantic haven't ditched the wire nuts yet, far too time consuming. The resistance of the joint between those and Wagos is negligible and would only have an effect if you had something like 1000 joints on a circuit. Not realistic at all.
If u gonna use stay cons/crimp sleeve……no need for much else besides insulation or tape to cover
@@johnt9379 wire nuts rule the roost over lever connectors for cheap connections though. Overall I prefer the lever connectors if there's any chance the wiring every needs to be reconfigured or disconnected while live. Once the wires are all twisted securely for the wire nuts, they can't be properly reused without cutting it down and hoping you have enough of a service loop to work with to redo things.
Wow, I’ve never had anyone explain how to use wire nuts before and I really like the wago connectors. Never seen those before either. Mind is blown.
I run an electrical installation company and we have switched to wago connectors (almost) entirely, and is required on stranded wire applications. The threads on a wire nuts cutting in to stranded wire has caused way too many issues.
I just had to fix a set of sprinkler valves that failed last weekend. The wires had become oxidized and the wire nuts had fallen off over the years. I cut and stripped the wires and used 4 position Wago push in connectors to fix it. The wire to the sprinkler valves was solid and the valves had stranded wire. I twisted the stranded wires before pushing them in and simply pushed in the solid ones.
I will never use wire nuts again. The Wago connectors hold very tight and are so much easier to use. I also expect the way they hold the wire will protect them from corrosion.
Next up is to replace my 4 smoke alarms that are high up in a vaulted ceiling (the reason I bought them). This will make the job much easier than using wire nuts in the awkward position.
Wagos are junk but contractors can save some money up front cut corner on quicker install. Then I get paid later on down the road to repair when they fail.
@@MrAzkush "Wagos are junk..." is purely opinion and not supported by any documented unbiased testing. I'm sure you'll reference some anecdotal stories about having to replace a failed wago connection just as I can give you several stories of failed wire nut connections. "...can save some money up front..." Unless someone is buying in huge bulk from the manufacturer, wagos cost more than comparable wire nuts. Point being, neither method is "junk". They both have their pros and cons and to suggest anything else is silly.
Thank you. I am the DIYer you are talking about. Just finished re wiring a few lights I installed last night
Nice,I am thankful for your help, you help me to finish my project..
A slightly quicker way and still get a good strong twist of stranded wire onto solid wire is to put the stranded wire slightly above the solid wire. When you start to twist the wire nut it grabs the stranded just before the solid. That prevents the stranded from pushing out and makes a very tight twist around the solid. Just make sure to hold both the wires securely or it will try and pull just the stranded into the wire nut. Give it a try.
Yup that is also a way that works. Thanks David!
Pretty sure he showed that
I did but the variation I believe David is talking about is instead of then pretwisting the stranded around the solid core like I did, it is also common and accepted practice to take the stranded and have it slightly longer than the sc and then just twist the wire nut on as shown in the directions on the packaging. If not, feel free to correct me David. The way I showed is the way an electrician friend showed me he does it but everyone has their ways they have found they like to do things.
@@HowToHomeDIY Correct. As long as it grabs the stranded slightly first it will wrap tightly around the solid. It will give you the same effect as pretwisting just a little quicker. Wago's lever nuts would be the best solution for dissimilar wires. 😊
What I regularly do is seat the stranded lead(s) all the way into the wire nut, w/o any solid conductors. Give a twist to make sure it's seated, and the stranded lead consolidates and tightens "loose" strands. Only THEN insert the solid conductor and twist 'em home.
Works every time.
YES, there are a lot of bad electricians out there. I ran a new dedicated line from the load center to a dishwasher that an electrician had tied into a porcelain pull chain light fixture below it in the basement. Removing the fixture, the wire nuts fell onto the basement floor. Yikes.
I do fire alarm installs. Waygos are the best connectors I’ve used. Great for being able to disconnect circuits without having to restrip and cut back wires
*Wago and, yes, best connectors ever.
I like them too; but I find they are actually a little harder to pack into boxes with lots of splices. If you stuff the wire nut into the back of the box, then fold the wire in, the shape of the nut helps make the fold tidy. The Wagos sometimes spin, or don't "plant" in the box the same way, Obviously better when less "packing" is needed (big fixtures, fewer spices, etc).
i knew an Ayers thats an electrician in Moses Lake Wa back in the 90's.
Hope your related, either way,
hope you and yours are doing well :)
I clicked on this expecting to be disgusted once again by a non-professional giving out half baked advice but you sir have really understood your subject matter. Great advice, great video. 👏👏👏
Excellent video! Very informative!
I'm delighted with this video your knowledge and those under here who have commented I will begin to utilize, all of this knowledge, as I go through my 39-year-old home gut the walls, checking plumbing, and wiring, and upgrading insulation to reflectix, & rockwool.
I greatly appreciate having, so many heroes all in one spot teach me at age 64, thank you all !!!
In my opinion, for the typical untrained DIYer, the Wago 221 is the way to go. They are much easier to understand and less prone to improper installation. Plus, they look nicer and are easier to undo if you make a mistake. Great video!
Wire nuts are a thing of the past!!
The big problem with Wago is they are not a direct copper to copper connection, and therefore will always have more resistance, and that means more heat wasted. They will waste a substantial amount of energy over millions of connections (especially where higher current is flowing). Use a wire nut PROPERLY (it's not hard) and save energy with a direct copper to copper connection - and you'll never have a problem - and use less energy in the process.
@@johnanderson5208 I agree with you, theoretically a Wago might add a small amount of resistance. In my opinion, the ease of use, time savings and the compact package of these devices far outweighs cost of the energy that it dissipates, which would be immeasurable for most home owners with a quality meter. I agree that wire nuts make a good quality connection when used correctly, its just that often times, they are not used correctly. Its pretty hard to screw up a wago connection.
@@martyb3783 It's not "theoretically" - the -fact- is there is NO copper to copper connection in a Wago. You have copper to plated brass (or steel) then a second plated brass to copper junction. You have TWO inefficient, energy wasting junctions in a Wago. Wire nut junction has exactly ONE electrical junction, and that is copper to copper. Assuming the copper is clean and the wire nut is correctly installed, that is the most efficient, lowest resistance connection outside of welding. Wagos will always have a higher resistance, and therefore waste more heat than a proper wire nut. The energy loss will go up with the square of resistance. On circuits carrying low current there will be a small difference between a wire nut and Wago - but look at a circuit carrying higher current and the difference is obvious - and you can see a Wago warm up more on IR camera. Yes, you could say a single Wago doesn't waste a huge amount of heat - but multiply by lots of Wagos used across whole cities and countries - and you then you realize every wasted Watt counts. Remember - these days EVERY wasted Watt counts, especially across millions of connections. If you want to stay efficient, use a wire nut. If you can't use a wire nut correctly, then please hire a good electrician to do the job for you.
@@johnanderson5208 LOL, absolute nonsense. To worry about the miniscule amount of resistance in a wago connector when the device being powered is order of magnitudes more inefficient than the connector. Let me guess, you watched a couple videos, now you're an expert. 🤣
Your advice seems pretty solid. The only thing I'd add is I'm not a big fan of the Wagos.
When it comes to connections it's all about heating. A compression connector(like the wire nuts) installed correctly in exactly the way you demonstrated will tend to have a tighter contact with more surface area contact between the wires.
The Wagos and the stabbers on the back of switches and receptacles tend to have a very small surface area contact and that can cause opens and hot spots.
Wire nuts are foolproof when used as you demonstrated.
Jeff, your comment is spot on. I've been been in the biz since before these push-in type connections were first introduced, and almost never used them. The reliability just isn't there... and have done countless service calls where other electricians *have* trusted them, and the circuit failed. Even UL/NFPA recognised the rampant failure rate, and modified the regs such that push in connections on devices were no longer allowed for 12 gauge solid wires, only 14 solid. Yet here we are again, with a new version of the old problem, electricians again riding the bandwagon, as though they never learned a damn thing from 20 years ago.
@@whiteserpent6753 Having replaced literally hundreds of outlets and switches with push in terminations over the years that have failed I have to say that you are lucky and likely have not abused your outlet circuits. Plug in a space heater or a window AC unit to one of the outlets in the chain and you will discover the folly of your statement very soon.
Thanks!! I went and opened up some of the outlets I had installed just to twist the wires together a bit more.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to do this great video!
when I had electrical trades class in high school my teacher told me to pre twist then screw on the wire nut. After we'd do that, he'd come over to our work and hang on with almost his whole weight and they wouldn't come off. Made quite an impression! That was 20 years ago and I still do it like that. Thanks Mr Mills!
You had a smart teacher
He is a wise teacher and that still applies today.
As a forty year industrial electrician, I didn't use that many wire nuts but when I did, I would always put a couple wraps of Scotch 33+ tape around the open end to seal it.
Hey Rod, I always like to hear experiences and feedback from folks like yourself that have worked in the trade. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
I am with you Rod. I add a bit more tape hoping to water proof the connection as well. One never knows what the connection can go through over 50 years plus. Been bitten a few times. In my younger day’s.
@@HowToHomeDIY Rod has no experience with wire nuts he is a theory guy
Sometimes I add a small tie wrap over the tape, below the wire nut.
@@sarahann530 Your comment just like your channel doesn't have any content.
Excellent in all regards! It’s all easy when you know how, thanks for teaching us the RIGHT way.
Thanks so much, I have to change out a light fixture myself(first time), and you really explained it well.
Great thanks.
You're welcome!
The Wagos come in really handy when you have limited room in your electrical box. I still use both, but I like the Wagos for room issues and, like you said, if I have to mix stranded and solid core wires.
I find the opposite especially if you have 3 lines and a GFI you can't fit the Wago in the box
Wagos should be illegal
@@jimbritttn Why? They work great and almost all European countries use them without issues.
For some reason American electricians hate them, but can never seem to explain why.
@@highping1786 the wires are only in contact on 5% of the surface -vs- over 75% on twisted wires with wire nut.
@@jimbritttn Are you a wire nut salesman?
Good video. Very helpful as I work to splice outdoor Christmas lights.
Great tips. You nailed so many minor issues. Most guys don't know how to use strippers right either. I even picked up a tip or two. 👌🏻
Really glad to hear it was helpful. Thanks a lot for the feedback John!
Thank you for your experience and sharing it. I would like to see the other connectors.
Thank you!
Great info, and spot on! One tip I would add: When twisting stranded wire onto solid wire I always take my pliers and bend a slight wiggle into the stripped end of the solid wire, then wrap the stranded wire around it. It improves the strength of the connection A LOT!
Thanks for the input David! And thanks for the feedback!
I do that too.
@@DiffEQ maybe u should have been a crotchety old english teacher instead of a crotchety old engineer
7:00 Best is to pre twist the stranded around the solid wire, and take your lineman pliers or cutters and cut it down so there's no excess length from either wire. Then the wire nut will be able to cover and hold both wires securely as it's twisted down on the splice.
I especially like the extra line twist below the wingnut...I've always taped the two wires together side-by-side below the wingnut. Thanks for the videos!
I like wago connectors (221's and up) , depending on your wire groups. I still like to either zip tie the wires approx. 4 to 6 inches down from connector or electric tape if you don't have zip ties, and then r- clamp the harness if possible to prevent movement. Especially in RV's
YES! Thank you!
Thanks for this valuable info. I have an HVAC company and have gone to wago’s for stranded wire and thermostat wiring with great results for us.
Former electrician and current facility engineer here, overall solid advice in this video, with a couple exceptions. Here's my advice. Always pre-twist solid to solid, never pre-twist stranded to stranded or stranded to solid. In the video where it shows solid to stranded, it shows the importance of having a good hold on the wires while you screw on the wire nut to ensure the wires stay the same length and neither gets pushed down. Also, apply very light pressure, if any. Let the wire-nut pull it's self onto the wires by screwing, not pressing. He actually also accidentally shows why you shouldn't pre-twist solid and stranded. If you pay attention, the wires really aren't twisted together, the stranded has been twisted around the solid, and this is what is most likely to happen. This is backed up with the instructions on some wire-nut packaging. This also frequently happens when pre-twisting different gauges of solid. In this case, I will start the twist, and then bend both wires away from each other at approx 90 degrees and then continue the twist. This helps ensure they twist around each other. If your wondering why not do that with solid to stranded, I actually do have an answer. As pointed out in the video, stranded wires are far more brittle and likely to break, and trying this method will almost guarantee breaking off at least some of the strands.
too pedantic and you are now taking WAY too long to finish the task. you screw the nut down on the wire how ever it works out THEN you check the damn thing by pulling on the conductors to make sure the nut has bitten down on all of them sufficiently to secure the splice then you move on. additionally twisting the conductors for more than two twists out from the nut should be avoided at all costs because it makes shoving the splices neatly in to the box nearly impossible which again causes you to take too much time finishing the task.
@@kevint1910 doesn't take that long when you know what your doing, and you should absolutely mechanically connect your wires before you cap when using solid wire so that when someone goes to pull that cap off they are still connected. I hope you are not an actual electrician with your dangerous wiring practices.
@@calijguyman ....30 years of experience in a market where i serviced my own work for literally YEARS and never once did i have or hear of this issue from any one who i had any respect for in the trade. the people who cry like this are always hacks who's work i had to fix on a regular basis , you sound like some one i regularly chased off my crews for being a useless wastoid who could not get anything done.
@@kevint1910 lol, I'd work circles around you buddy, and I'd do it correctly
@@calijguyman cool story bro BUT you know as well as i do that none of that BS is required PERIOD this is YOUR personal pet peeve your preference....and again if i found you wasting time and ruining conductors by turning them in to wire rope i would politely ask you to fix it and if you gave me even one word of back talk your azz would be fired....because wasting time is my main pet peeve followed closely by marred and work hardened splices that are prone to wire breakage failures.
a slipped connection can be fixed far easier than a mass of twisted brittle scored up braided copper. do you have the slightest clue how time consuming and frustrating it is to fix one of your braided splices when one of your butchered up conductors breaks off?
I liked your instruction. The only thing I would point out is how you strip the wire. Instead of jerking the stripper to remove the insulation, I was taught to use the thumb holding the wire to push the stripper away. That way, you don't accidentally sock the person next to you in the face. Excellent explanation of the connecting solid with stranded.
I prefer to use the handle grip type you squeeze together. Helps those with carpotunel in the wrist. To many years of using the pull away stripper gave me carpotunel.
I'm am so glad I ran across this video just learned new things with this video especially the wire strippers
Great tip on the waygos.have never used those,but i can see applications in wiring where those would be very handy and save time
I always take a small piece of electrical tape and wrap around nut and wire as a backup. I have pulled wires out of the boxes and had the nut come loose just as shown in the video. This is for my own do it yourselfer wiring. I don't pre-twist the wires, but do try and make sure they are twisted when the nut is put on. I remember a gentleman suggesting the tape as a trick they did in the old days. Yes it's an added expense, but for a homeowner, it's negligible...thoughts?
@@wab18 please provide more info if you're gonna tell someone to stop.
Step 7 in the instructions say "...screw on until approximately two twists are visible in wire outside of the connector", so whether you pretwist or not code does require that the twists be there. Thanks for describing this issue with reference to the applicable code!
You are very welcome. Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Alexander!
Excellent video. Actually has helpful info, unlike most of the TIME WASTING VIDEOS on TH-cam.
I was glad to see you trim the "Walker" My boss taught me to do that. Sometimes I have backed off the Wire Nut to find a Walker. Other times I have seen the walker work through the tip of the wire nut. Trim it for a good "bite" & sleep well.
Great Post!!
Pretty good video to help DIYers avoid problems. There's a lot more to installing wire nuts properly than many realize. Most people I've watched don't even strip the wires correctly to begin with or know the correct wire combinations, voltage ratings, etc. I understand why you suggest WAGOs for certain situations but I've seen way too many problems with them... mostly due to how they were installed but also due to the little barbs inside them losing tension over time. The connection to the conductor becomes so loose I've seen the insulation cook to a dark brown. I wonder how the lever type WAGO connectors in your video will hold up over lots of time and heat. I'll take a properly installed Ideal wire nut every time but even those fail given enough time, heat, etcetera. Nothing lasts forever 🤷🏻. It's good there's people like you trying to educate people. Keep up the good work. 👍🏼
For sure a lot more resistance when you go from wire to plate to wire vs wire to wire directly. Resistance = Heat and if you live somewhere hot and dry... might want to consider cutting down on resistance in the walls any way you can.
Good video. No matter what type of wire nuts I use, I always perform a tug test. To pass the wires must stay in the wire nut when pulled, otherwise it's a do-over. I notice you did that, but I think you should mention it more on every connection shown to bring home the point.
Yup great point! Thanks David.
@@HowToHomeDIY you did tug them only non observant people will not see this and clever people know you dont need to show this in every example
Thanks for a very helpful video that was recorded so well! I learned a couple of things which will be helpful in the future.
Great video. When is comes to Wago the lever style works great. Not so much for the stab only connectors.
Very good video. I have heard of the Wago connectors and they look pretty good. However they look like they would take up more room in an electrical box especially if you had a lot of connections in that box. In the industrial company I used to work for, wire nuts were not allowed because of the less than acceptable connection at times. I have seen where the connection in a wire nut was not very good and it overheated, causing the wires to burn. Fortunately there was no fire since the connection was in an electrical box. We used Sta Con crimp connectors for both solid and stranded wire connections. You don't have to pre twist the wires. Just put the wires in the proper sized crimp barrel and crimp it with a Sta Con crimping tool. I still use these today along with the wire nuts for residential wiring. Never had a problem with the Sta Con connectors as long as you use the proper sized crimp barrel.
If you haven't already made it, please make a video showing the advantages and disadvantages of all the common methods a DIYer might be tempted to use in joining various types of electrical wires, including vehicle wiring (including proper vehicle ground connections), speaker wiring, cat cables, and wiring potentially exposed to weather.
I've never seen the Wago lever nuts before. Thanks for all the good info.
Loved this video. I'm a DIY guy and can always use tips. Never heard of WAGO. I have to check it out.
While not a licensed electrician, my father was a Master Electrician and taught me well. Your videos are right on target, and remind me of his thoroughness. Thank you.
You are very welcome. I am glad to hear that you liked it. Thanks a lot for sharing Mell, I really appreciate your kind words.
I have become a big fan of the Wago. My dad is still old school wire nut guy, but I like the Wago. We both get the job down and meet code.
Yup both will work. I have certain things I like the Wagos for and others where I prefer wire nuts. I appreciate the feedback Brad!
Just do yourself a favor and only use them on low current situations. Wire nut is not the old school way, it’s the correct way if the connection is twisted. Wagos are dangerous if used with higher currents, same as wire nuts when the connection is not twisted.
When I connect a stranded wire to a solid one, I strip them further back and then pretwist them together carefully making them behave more like 2 solids. Then after the end trim, I bend the end over and press them hard with the lineman pliers. Then use a red wire nut over that. That stranded wire will then break before it comes out. You did a great job on that video.
I like those Wago splicing devices, I could see them being very handy in a crowded junction box, or if you don't have as much slack in the wire as you'd like.
Well presented. This helped a lot! New subscriber here. My Grandfather was an electrician and he would agree with everything you said except pre-twisting the wires. He believed that pre-twisting would nick the wires and a solid connection could be accomplished using the wire nut technique you demonstrated. Thank you!
My Grandaddy soldered the wires!
@@billparsons7732 Thanks Bill. Was that standard practice in his day?
@@CyberMedics In the 1920's electricians soldered wire splices and then wrapped the splice with friction tape.
@@billparsons7732 Predates wire nuts? Interesting. Makes me feel young...my Grandad was instructing me in the 70's 🙂
Great video.
I have been in the electrical field for over 40 years and am a licensed electrician.
Always pre-twist your wires with a lineman then install the wire nuts. I take it one step further a tape the wire nuts to the wires. Never had a connection fail.
Holding back judgment on the displacement connectors because they are too similar to the displacement connections on the backside of cheap receptacles that always fail.
I have a house built in 1953 and no way will I twist the wires. What I do is twist the wire nuts on then tape the 2 wires together. With that old aluminum wiring special glue, twisted the wires and taped the wires and wire nut. Aluminum wiring is no joke.
@@coreyh7323 might want to think about replacing some or all of the wiring with copper. Even if only on room was rewired at a time. As you said, aluminum wiring is no joke.
@@johnw9874 Oh I was just speaking from experience. My house has old 12 gauge wiring with the braided cloth wire from the 50's. I have done mobile home work switching out switches and outlets, adding fixtures (as a handyman) where there was aluminum wiring. That stuff always made me super nervous. I don't do any electrical anymore except recently changed out a GFYI and changed out a ceiling fan in my bedroom.
Do you use electrical tape?
@@denisemartin3603 I wrap wires together with electric tape always
Since I started Doing DIY I been using wagos for 3-4 yrs and still doing great and make for ez changes on fixtures.
YES, MAKE A COMPARISON VIDEO! I’VE SEEN ON OTHER SITES WHERE THEY USED WAGOS, IT SEEMS SO EASY AND FOOL PROOF. I WILL CHECK IN FOR THAT VIDEO, YOU DO SUCH A GOOD JOB EXPLAINING.
Excellent overview on this hotly debated rabbit hole topic. What is code and when install in accordance with instructions in the listing or labeling is the key; however the NEC is just the minimum and best practice is the goal to prevent future problems down the road.
When I installed my UPS critical loads circuit receptacles in my home, I pre-twist all of my solid conductors and then wire nuts. I figured that I will not be messing with it for the life of the home with the occasional replacement of the receptacle caused by normal wear and tear. When transitioning from solid to stranded Wago connectors are the way to go (slight pun intended), especially terminating light fixtures and those new bam fangled IoT switches and receptacles that have stranded pigtails. :-P
I wish they were around when I worked in the commercial/industrial electrical field; fluorescent overhead fixture wiring is solid and everything else is stranded making wire runs in EMT less labor intensive. I've lost count how many time I had to go back on someone made a silly mistake inside of one of those fixture(s) that are hanging 18+ feet up in the rafter joists. Thank goodness the majority just didn't make proper contact and the fixture didn't work, then on the rare occasion of them pulling completely out during assembly resulting a nice loud bang when 277 volts is applied and grounds out on the fixture.
You hit the nail on the head! Rabbit hole topic indeed. I really appreciate the insights! It is always good to hear from folks that work or have worked in the field and get their experiences. I also used that pun in the video, it just flowed too well not to lol I also thought about the old eggo waffle commercials when they said leggo my eggo. Wanted to say leggo my Wago haha. Anyways, yes I could go on and on about where they could/should be used and maybe where they shouldn't. Different tools for different applications. Thanks again for the great feedback and hope to see you around the channel!
I just replaced my wired smoke detectors in the house. Even though a professional electrician had done this, there were a number of connections on the solid core and stranded that were marginal, and some of my red wire (communication) were pretty much not connected. I was always taught to twist my stranded and place it a little higher than the solid before placing the wire nut. I can then twist the stranded around the solid with my fingers, then put the wire nut on. I’ve been using this method for years on light fixtures and I have never experienced a problem.
I can attest that there are lots of sloppy electricians out there, and apprentices that have not been well-enough supervised. I'm more or less in agreement with your preferred method here although mine departs from it a bit.
1. I don't pre-twist joints made with very small (e.g. 18 gauge) stranded joined to solid house wiring, just make sure the stranded leads the solid going into the wire nut. If installing new fixtures this is also the only place I will sometimes use the supplied wire nuts if they are smaller and of a sharper internal cone shape compared to the standard size I'd use for a couple or three solid 14's. (I draw the line at using the ones that don't even have a metal coil in them!)
2. When I pre-twist larger gauge standed to solid, I leave the stranded straight, put a little bend on the solid and attempt to wrap the solid around the stranded as I twist with my fingers. The stranded will bend easily anyway, and with a little practice you can get a nice barberpole twist instead of just having the stranded left wrapped around a straight solid.
I always pre-twist everything other than those tiny equipment wires, first with my fingers (especially helpful for >2 wire joints) and then tighten with the linesman. For bulkier splices I will point the tip when trimming so that it dives further into the cone of the nut.
Finally - no matter what kind of splice it is, I give each wire a good tug or two to make sure it really is captured securely - which is why I'm not that keen on having a bunch of twist on the insulated wire outside of the nut.
Sheesh that was supposed to be a quick comment, not a treatise...
@@civildiscourse2000 120V over 18gau? I am more risk-averse.
@@davet.5493 Well Dave, don't look inside a typical industrial control cabinet or your head might pop off. 😁
Here I was referring to things like smoke detectors and luminaires that are supplied with light-gauge stranded wiring for connection to household circuits. The latter are run with solid AWG #14 minimum in Canada and - so far as I know - in the US as well. So unless you're going to modify approved equipment you have no choice but to connect to those dinky little wires.
As an apprentice I worked with a journeyman who thought it was crazy that we had to install #14 wiring but manufacturers could "get away with" using smaller gauges. It isn't. That was one of many things he had forgotten or never been taught properly.
Gauge is fundamentally related to current, not voltage. A smoke detector draws a piddly amount of current and could easily be fed with telephone cord. The wires are only as big as they are to be robust enough for the physical stress of installation, and to survive a fault long enough to allow the circuit breaker or fuse to open the circuit.
Voltage rating is fundamentally related to insulation resistance. You can buy #18 rated at 1000 V if you like.
Another way, twist the stranded one so its straight, make it a little longer than the solid one, lay them next to each other, hold them tightly with left hand and put the wire nut on with the right hand twisting as hard as you can. Tug test. If it’s OK, it’s good for 100 years.
Just another way, FYI
Honestly man when it comes to stranded wire anywhere I'd prefer to just use wagos. There's a higher chance of strands getting damaged or kinked when trying to do all that twisting and then you're left with a big ol mess if you ever have to redo the connection. I've actually just stopped using wire nuts because I prefer how clean and easy wagos are. The typical 221 wago is rated to 400V and 32A - that's WAY more than enough for the average homeowner running 12GA solid core wiring on 120V circuits.
Yes they're also way more expensive but I'm just using them on my home I'm not worried about calculating material cost on thousands of connectors used every year.
Great advice, I know I have done them wrong in the past.
Here in Sweden I haven't seen anybody use anything else but Wago 221, they are so good.
You should mention that pre-twisting with the linemen's pliers should be done in a clock-wise direction!
You are right Randy! I definitely missed inputting that into the video. Thanks for the reminder!
@@HowToHomeDIY Yeah that's a good point to remember! If you twist the splice the wrong way, then when you twist the wirenut on, it can undo and loosen the splice, instead of tightening it a bit further... It's probably the most important part of splicing, doing it in the right direction.
Not if you are using left-handed wire nuts!! 😆
@@JohnaldMcDonald1 lulz 😂
Thank you for this. I wired my entire new home 15 years ago and pre-twisted all connections. Years later I heard that was wrong. Silly me, I almost believed them.
Glad I pre-twisted.
Someone said you were wrong? Lol. Was it an extra step? Maybe, but I don't think so. Does an "extra step" that potentially prevents shorting, or worse a fire, hurt? Absolutely not.
Thank you!!! I got my kitchen light working!
You are very welcome. Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the feedback!
Great info in the video, will definitely improve my home fan installs!
Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
I found Wagos take up less room in boxes when using newer chunky dimmer switches. Much easier to pack into the back of the box. Especially when connecting 3-4 wires together vs the big knot/bundle when using wire nuts.
wire nuts are for old timers who "have done it this way forever". They are dumb. twisting is dumb.
@@mrniusi11 look up lineman splice. that's better than wire nuts or wagos. it just isn't practical for home electric wiring usually, particularly if there are more than 2 wires. also, old timers did work that should last at least a hundred years. a plastic clip and a metal jaw will work fine for a while, but time and galvanic corrosion will make that connection fail much more quickly than a wire nut, which is not meant to be more than a clamp. the copper to copper connection is the best way to do it. but people only seem to want to do work that falls within statute of limitations these days. so give those wagos about 10 to 20 years.
@@SF-tb4kb not really we have used it here In Europe for well over 10 year and opening old boxes they look like new if there are no damage to the boxes. And I you Wana add something och remove something it wat Easter to. No fucked up twisted wiers to handle.
Those wagos metal connectors are so thin and flimsy. Any power surge that you may get will end up breaking just like a small fuse and you will end up having to replace them. Do it the right way. The only time I would use wago is for something that would be easily accessible and for a small project that is not a permanent fixture.
@@chedda1741 I am an electrician, have been using wagos for 12 years and never had an issue, since the time when they were just black. Including office bulidings, homes, goverment buildings. But it is true with any junction box, it has to be accessible, any connection that is not made permanent has to be accessible. What I recommend is to leave the connections behind switches and sockets, avoid connection boxes if possible. If you have to use a box, make a box in an area that you have easy access too. I hate the connectors used in the video, not for a bad connection but the twisted wires are a pain if you need to work on that box.
in the netherlands we almost always use wagos or push connections, simply because its faster to do. also if you have to add something to the installation like an outlet, you can often just push in the wires into pre existing push connectionsin the nearest junction box, while with wire nuts you have to remove the nut to twist in the extra wire. with push connections you could do this even when the power is on with very little to no chance of getting shocked
my dad taught me how to wire with never turning the power off. just because u can do something doesnt mean u should. i would hesitate to hire an electrician whose standard is the fastest way possible. cutting corners in electrical wiring has to be the worst mistake u can make.
I don't like wagos. The connection is not right enough. I have seen test where the wagos surpass the current rating but I don't like them
thanks for confirming this DIYer does it properly.
Excelent info, I was doing it all wrong, THANKS.