BIGGEST Mistakes DIYers Make When Connecting Wires Together | How To
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- Опубликовано: 22 апр 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. 
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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
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.
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 RUclips presentation. Thank you for a very good video.
i have that book! Why am I watchign this video/ Lol
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
As someone new to learning about the electrical field, I greatly appreciate you following the code book.
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.
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!
Outstanding presentation. Good job.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks 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!
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.
IDEAL is the only maker of the brand WIRE-NUT.... many people make twist on wire connectors. Keep up the good work.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Great video. I've been fixing things for decades and always struggled with this. Thanks so much for the video.
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.
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. 👏👏👏
Great video! Yes, please make the connector comparison video. Thanks.
Your video’s give very clear, detailed, easy to understand instructions. Much better than others I’ve found. Thank you.
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.
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. 🤣
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!
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.
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.
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...
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!
Excellent for the DIYers !!
Good explanations on the issues, which I myself need to make decisions ⚡️
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.
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.
Never noticed the solid/stranded on the strippers! Thank you
You're 100% correct, thank you.
You are very welcome. Glad you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
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
Really good video, Brother Man! One thing I do, that I learned from one of my masters years ago concerns twisting stranded and solid wire. As I'm sure you know, even a properly loaded circuit generates heat, thus why the NEC specifies number of conductors in a conduit, j-box, etc. A lot of folks don't realize that over time, the heating and cooling of wire ends can loosen wire nuts. So, pre-twisting in my opinion is the only correct way. Now when it comes to connecting stranded and solid, I was taught to cut the solid a little longer and actually wrap the solid around the stranded before grabbing your Kleins and completing the twist and trim and adding a wire nut. If you try it and then take the wire nut off, you will see this actually forms little ledges the stranded pushes into and cannot come apart. Keep sharing, you are giving people solid advice!
That's good to know because I changed the plug in my house and I always twisted them together then putting the wingnut on
Wrapping the solid around the stranded sounds like a good tip. I've found that if I crank my wrist around a bit while twisting the wires together with my lineman's the solid takes on a slight spiral shape that the stranded pushes into like you described. Once the wire nut is twisted on tight it doesn't come apart.
I was hoping like heck to see this in the comments.
Totally agree, wrap the solid around the stranded first.
Yeah also its good to test with a voltage meter, i go down the list and test every setting on the volt meter. Double checking, i do a preload test with car battery to make sure as wll. I also measure exactly 3/4 inch for strip, twist, and sont forget to pull to test strenth. Having a micro tourqe rench hwlps to get the right presute on the nuts. I usually go to at least 36 inch pounds
Thank you for your experience and sharing it. I would like to see the other connectors.
Thank you!
Thank you! That was super clear and helpful!
You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
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
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.
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!
Glad to see I’ve been doing it right. Always reassuring to a diy-er. Thanks for the video
Thanks, bud, great video...your camera work is perfect.
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.
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.
Super helpful. You should also add stranded-stranded connections w nut to the talk. You did solid-solid, solid to stranded (2 ways). Please add stranded to stranded. Thanks.
I definitely need to do that in a future video. Thanks for the input Robert!
I'm am so glad I ran across this video just learned new things with this video especially the wire strippers
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
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.
That's why I am here thank you, come on 100k
Excelent info, I was doing it all wrong, THANKS.
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
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
Good video. Very helpful as I work to splice outdoor Christmas lights.
Nothing beats an old-fashion soldered joint
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?
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.
Those extra twists at the insulation, provides relief.
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.
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.
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 install LED lights in commercial settings, rewires etc. your videos are great. Keep them coming.
Absolutely! Really glad to hear you are liking them. With you being in the commercial light settings, do you find you use wagos more as it makes it easier to change the ballasts? Thanks for the feedback.
Good points.
Being that I learned the trade, some 70 years ago I learned to pretwist the stranded wire before mating it to the solid wire. If possible I’ll even tin it. From that point on I totally agree with you.
As a sidelight, when I began working on wiring with my Dad, wire nuts hadn’t been invented-1950s-so we used copper crimps and electrical tape, not the plastic stuff, either.
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
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.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to do this great video!
Thanks for a very helpful video that was recorded so well! I learned a couple of things which will be helpful in the future.
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?
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.
YES! Thank you!
I've never seen the Wago lever nuts before. Thanks for all the good info.
A comparison and use case video on the different connections would be great. I had a debate with my father-in-law on using a wago vs the old school wire caps. He was against using it because it was new and different. I convinced him for the purposes of what we were doing it would work just fine. Especially since it came from the manufacturer for the light install project we were working on.
@Karl with a K Why Always?
Agreed- the Wago seems far superior for the typical light fixture installation, especially if the fixture has stranded wire. Everything except putting the solid wire into the Wago can be done before having to get into the install position.
Never argue with an old dude!! The fact is that you are both probably right. In the case where you are both speaking the truth Old Dude wins every time.
I appreciate the effort in trying to argue with dad-in-law, but sometimes it is not worth the effort. He may seem to understand the benefit of using Wago's, but in the end, he will go back to using his tried and true methods. Kind of like trying to get plumbers to accept Push to Connect (Sharkbyte) connectors. They are new and untested, why should we switch? He, we are switching to PEX, isn't that enough?
While DIYers are always willing to try new things. Just to see if they are better. Sometimes they are, sometimes they are not. Remember PB for plumbing?
Personally, I like Wago, they seem to take up less space, especially when doing rewiring for an incompetent prior owner who thought they knew what they were doing. No, you can't put that many wires in that small of a box.... (I really do love cutting out old boxes and putting in new larger boxes... At least that way I know they will stay in the walls now!!)
@@dherman58 I like your take on things. I can also see where different situations could call for different applications. Good to know how to use a variety of things
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!! I went and opened up some of the outlets I had installed just to twist the wires together a bit more.
Since I started Doing DIY I been using wagos for 3-4 yrs and still doing great and make for ez changes on fixtures.
I've been a electrician for 35 yrs. And I agree with you. Most melted wire nuts I have found are not twisted. Excessive heat due to less surface area. 👍
Thanks for sharing!
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.
Very helpful video. When using wire nuts, I always pre-twist the wires together, trim the top and twist the wire nut until the insulation also twists a few times, I don’t know if it does any good or not, but I also will wrap electrical tape around the wire nut and down on the insulation a little bit. Also, with stranded wire, I will pre-twist each stranded wire itself, then twist the two wires together before putting the nut on,
Sir , thank you so much for that informative video .
I'm an Old guy now and Old School at that . In addition to the secure twisting of the wires ( sometimes more than 2 or 3 solid copper / stranded combinations ) for added protection against possible arcing - I had always wrapped the bottom of the wire nut a time or two with some electrical tape to better seal the joint , in this modern world is that step now no longer necessarily ?
Is that no longer a code requirement ? GD
It's definitely not a code requirement & depending on the inspector & application quite possibly may be required to remove the tape. Typically, inspectors expect to see jobs done following the industry standards & any deviation will almost always be corrected or at least inspected to a more stringent level to ensure the tape isn't covering up shoddy work or more than likely the inspectors spidey sense would tingle when presented w/ evidence likely identifying the individual who deviated from the norm as underqualified or in need of some retraining on the task. Once a "best practice" has been established, the criteria is recorded & published as the industry standard.
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 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!!
Nice,I am thankful for your help, you help me to finish my project..
Great thanks.
You're welcome!
I appreciate how you show the resistance to being pulled out of the connection.
But could you actually compare wire nut vs wago "Ohm resistance" to see which has more losses. I'd also be curious to see if pretwisted with wire nut has much less resistance than the 'technically' permitted solid core no-twist that you showed at the very beginning. Oh high amperage applications, such as water heaters, etc, I have seen melted wire nuts, presumably because of high resistance at the joint between wires and no pretwist.
If the plastic wire nut melts and the wire is free to touch the box, I'd hate to touch unprotected live 30-60amps, 6- or 8-gauge wire. I've seen melted wire nuts and the wire touching box, but not tripping breaker. LIVE!!! People, turn off circuit breaker and test before touching anything.
over heat in a 240 volt circuit, on one leg, may indicate high amp draw L1 vs L2, not balanced. easy to be a problem in residential work.
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.
Thank you for splicing up my life.
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 using the wire nut to twist the wires, make sure the wire doesn’t break out the top of the wire nut. I’ve had this happen. Recommend pre twisting the wires with pliers as was stated in this video.
This was great. I didn't realize this. Please do one on light switches....
Thank you!!! I got my kitchen light working!
You are very welcome. Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the feedback!
I've been doing electrical work all my life and I strongly suggest Wago connectors especially for someone who doesn't do it professionally and is just a DIYer
Thanks for the feedback!
WAGOS suck ,been doing electrical 40 years use wire nuts period!!Wago's are fire starters plastic crap and tiny bit of metal touching wire lol.I have seen lot's of electricians install wire nuts half ass ,50 % of electricians i have worked around i laugh at their work union or non union does not matter..
@@davidcooper4385 you got that right. More surface contact with wire nuts compared to WAGO's. Have seen WAY too many WAGO's burnt up because of the surface contact. Same as just pushing in wires to receptacles or switches. Always use the screws.
Wagos are like backstabbing outlets. If there is some current there then a fire is waiting to start. Lazy electricians use these.
@@davidcooper4385 what a boomer attitude .....I laugh at there work.......I guess all your work over that time period was absolutely perfect......i bet your a joy to work with
Awesome video! I already had figured this out myself, but it was great to see that you say exactly what I thought and have experienced. The Wago connector is the icing on the cake. I totally agree with you!
Wago connectors are the worst thing you could ever use and the connection is pretty much a paper thin knife blade making contact with the wire… please don’t do anymore electrical…. “ I already figured this out myself” 🤣🤣🤣😎
@@jasonsainsbury2858 If I recall correctly, he is concurring that the Wago connectors might not be as good, but that they can be useful for STRANDED wire. I never use Wago connectors for connecting solid wires, because I agree with you there. However, when the need comes to connect a solid #14 wire to a thin flimsy stranded wire, then the Wago is a good option in my opinion. I'm referring to hooking up light fixtures or smart devices that use #18 stranded wire in lieu of screw terminals. The wires of the device are usually so thin that it renders your statement about thin connections in the Wago moot.
@@pnnielsen no it doesn’t they make wire nuts for 18 gauge wires I use them to hook up furnace wires everyday
@@jasonsainsbury2858 Furnace control wires are usually SOLID, right?! Wire nuts are IMHO always the best for any type of solid wire. Wagos don't become useful before you have stranded wires...
@@pnnielsen no furnace wires are never solid they are all stranded the thermostat wire you connect to them is usually solid … still doesn’t matter those wago connectors are bottom line the worst thing you could ever use … absolute trash
Excellent presentation.
Yes make the comparison video on connections
It is up on the channel.
We build industrial control panels. We used to get a lot of service calls when we used screw-tightened DIN rail mounted terminals. We would tighten up the screws and the machine would work again. When we switched to WAGO terminals those types of service calls ceased. We crimp boot lace ferrules onto stranded wire and shove those in the WAGO terminals. They come in sizes all the way up to at least #8.
Yeah WAGO terminals rock. He's talking about the WAGO 221 though. Usually they use these in commercial lighting. I'm not a fan of them, a proper splice and wirenut is far better. One place I worked, we were replacing splices with these WAGO 221s on the lights, so the security guards could change ballasts out easily, without having to call their service contract company (us). Boss charged them a ton for it, since it meant he lost a huge yearly maintainence contract changing bulbs and ballasts in a big sky scraper. They just don't hold together as well as a proper splice.
Give me WAGO terminals in a control panel all day long though, please. Especially with a ferrule crimped onto the end. That ain't ever coming loose, no matter how much vibration there is from the unit it's mounted on.