By request - a look inside a Wago inline connector
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- Опубликовано: 2 мар 2024
- These connectors were VERY hard to open. I had to actually cut a locking mechanism apart to get the lid off.
The quality of design and construction is as you'd expect from the daddy of screwless connectors. An interlocked busbar and spring assembly that grips the wire very tightly against a tinned copper busbar.
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I never listen to anyone who says actual Wago-made Wago connectors are unsafe. Anyone that says Wago connectors are unsafe doesn't know what they're talking about. These are solid, good, reliable connectors.
The people who say their unsafe are the kind of people that twist wires together and wrap tape around them because they can’t be bothered to connected them properly
The UL. Seal on the WAGOs, says it all for me. If you’re in the US, the International Code Council, and NEC, both have listings of code compliant products on their websites. Every Inpector I know, would check anything unfamiliar against those lists.
They're only unsafe for those who don't know how to use them, like stripping the wire not far enough or putting the wire not far enough in.
Yeah, no way they're unsafe. The copper clip thing clamps down on them hard. I would only buy this brand, though.
@@QoraxAudio Nice thing especially is that you can look at the wire after you've closed the WAGO to make sure it is seated properly (wire all the way through and insulation not overlapping onto the seat).
One feature of this type of connector that doesn't seem to be mentioned much is that wires are easily removed and re-inserted without damaging the wire. No problem to change out a light fixture or other device; no need to cut off twisted wires or struggle to remove one wire from a group.
So many stabbed fingers from trying to salvage an already too short wire lead that was recently in a wire nut 😭
But reuse is not recommended ..
@@berndeckenfels yes please buy a new one after every use 🙄
@@mrrooter601the mechanism does get weaker with every use. I would only worry about using them more than 2-3 times at close to the rated load. Also wouldn't recommend going from a very large gauge to a small one.
I've used the knock off ones a bunch of time for smaller wires, and they do eventually get easier to pull out. The clip also gets noticeably easier to move.
@@lost4468yt It doesn't really get loose with every use. I've reused a WAGO dozens of times without any appreciable reduction in compression. That said, for in-wall or fixture use, I will use a fresh WAGO. But for projects I reuse them all the time and they can certainly go through many cycles. I have yet to break one or have to throw any away due to weakness.
Gentle twist to reduce "whiskery bits". If you don't really twist hard, the strands will easily deform to provide a very decent connection surface area.
Yup that’s the correct way. Only twist very slightly if even. A freshly stripped wire will often not even need that and will provide better contact when untwisted
I happened to know a designer from WAGO. He didn't design this one, but the push in type without the leavers. I asked him if you should twist the wires and he said that it really doesn't matter :D
It shouldn't matter. Wago can be used with solid copper wires such as 10, 12, or 14 gauge which are not going to not flatten.
The advantage with twisting is that you're more likely to push all the strands through the spring lever. If you don't twist you might end up just folding half the strands so that they are left outside. Electrically that's perfectly fine during normal conditions as long as you don't ride the very limit of what the cable can handle, and if installed properly there should be no tension between the wires and the WAGO connector anyway, but *if* there would be tension it could result in the strands breaking because there are too few of them sharing the physical load. Even if it doesn't cause a complete disconnect it could cause a bad connection.
Maybe twist 18G stranded since is has less mass, and leave lesser gauges flapping in the breeze.
It's worth noting that on the side of them is printed the insulation stripping distance and the max voltage and current that they're tested to which ive always thought is a sign of quality. I love them!
Yes that little scale is incredibly helpful, & it actually is to scale instead of just being a number.
Oo, rewatching. I'd only noted the wire gauge and safety marks (both EU and NA versions of each, nice) but not that.
I have a couple from a sample labeled 450v/32 amps just like the picture in the vid. I find it hard to believe such a little piece of plastic with a small bus bar can safely carry that much, but for 120v/15-20a I would trust them
@@macmccune21 The maximum wire gauge it will handle isn't rated for 32A anyway. :)
@@macmccune21 The clamping makes the difference. As long as the bus bar has at least as much copper as the wire (these have about 5mm square I'd estimate, for a max 4mm square wire) & the clamping allows for absolutely no movement, it'll do 32 amps just fine. 4mm wires are rated to carry that (up to 36 amps in the UK) by the way, just not when directly buried in a wall. They also do beefier versions for up to 6mm square wires though, which are almost as compact & rated up to 41 amps; you can always put smaller wires through those. Most use cases for these would be for 2-2.5mm wire though & for that they're great.
The Wago design is so much better than the Chinese clones, even if all the plastic breaks apart the wires are still held securely in place.
Depends on the specific Chinese clone type. Some of them are basically 1 to 1 clones, but the issue is it's basically impossible to have any consistent way to get the right clone. It's always a gamble to order
@@amogusenjoyer I'd stay away from the clone products for any kind of even moderate high current usage, especially mains wiring. While the clones might look the same, they could have replaced the copper with aluminium or iron and the springs are probably not as strong as the originals, it might not even be real springs. Besides the Wago shown here are only something like $0.50 each, so hardly anything saved by using clones.
I love Wago connectors. Going back to twist-on wire nuts feels so primitive now.
"With great force comes great connection."
~Wago
When I was at apprentice school (nearly 50 years ago) we were taught to twist multi-strand wires *even if applying a ferrule afterwards* as a stray strand can (in rare instances) be fatal.
These Wago terminals are a brilliant invention. I have spent a large part of my career designing, programming and trouble-shooting control systems on custom-built industrial equipment. When screw terminals were common, something like 75% of first-year failures were down to loose terminals. Many control panel electricians would build sections with terminals "nipped up" until complete. When they forgot to tighten everything (end of shift, tea break and many other reasons) you had a failure waiting to happen. With the Wagos, if the lever is closed then the wire is tight.
The other feature of the Wago connectors is resistance to vibration. We once sold a spin riveting machine with the control panel mounted on the frame. Had to fit rubber mounts to stop the screw terminals winding undone.
Wago are a solid product. I’d not really heard of them until electricians started raving about them a few years ago. Their PCB mounted solutions are rock solid. I recently took apart a solar inverter and the mains connection was as tough as nails - super hard to get out until I worked out the release mechanism 👍
Yeah I used the PCB mounted ones and they are really durable
There are PCB versions of those ?!?! Never again will I have to put screw terminals on my PCBs
@@Gagootron yep. They're great. They have plastic feet so your not pulling up the lever on the solder connections. Good design.
@@Gagootron yep their range is massive. They had a stand at embedded world the other year showing a lot of different solutions. They also have din rail connectors and converters.
I always twist stranded wire. Helps keep the careless whiskers at bay.
I went from standard wire nuts to these Wago LeverNuts as soon as I discovered them because I no longer had to twist wires to keep them properly connected. I had an electrical fault where the neutral had backed out of a wire nut. No faults with these Wago connectors because they keep things gripped. They take less space in the junction box, too! Excellent product.
There are two other useful features. Firstly you can see the wire inside the connector to get visual confirmation that it is properly connected. Secondly there is a very small hole in the connector where you can insert an electrical test probe to safely test a live circuit without disconnecting the wires.
Next time I need wire nuts I plan to get Wagos instead if it’s at all practical.
Yeah, I give stranded wire ends a slight twist, almost reflexively.
@@markiangooleySeems to be the common consensus among the non boomers. The Wago section of my Hardware stores just keep exponentially growing as more and more people use it. Starting to also see them pop up on Construction sites. Its also just a lot faster.
My cadet heater Jbox had a backed out wire nut fault that could have EASILY caused Cedar paneling to catch fire. Luckily breaker tripped but the meltage was so scary I didn't tell my wife. I tape my WAGO levers before "laying" them in box as well.
Love the 'Careless Whisker' reference. George Michael would be proud.
I used to work with Wago and it is pronounced "Vargo" or "Vaago" depending on accent.
The screwless connectors are really good and the QA is excellent. I personally would not use cheap Chinese rip-offs. I've had enough troubles with poor quality table ties let alone taking risks connectors. They rely on specific types of metals to give a consistent and long-term reliable connection.
Wago also suggest NOT using ferrules.
I think it depends on whether you're speaking German or English. In English materials, from what I've seen, the company representatives seem to always pronounce it "wah-go" (with the English "w", but still with a soft "a")..
I like wagos cause it's not a blade cutting into the wire. It's an actual clamp. I've lifted a lot of weight before they fail. And they're pretty easy to install.
"Vagohhh" - Grande Clive 2024
Another cool thing about these particular connectors is that, in between the two levers, there's a window opening that gives you direct access to the copper bus bar inside. This is an excellent place to probe the connection with a multimeter!
Im a trainee electrical engineer and have been doing electrical work for a few years now. I love Wagos. 1000x better than in a junction box than choccy block.
*edit* I'm wrong here, see discussion below.
Not sure if you were aware, but those levers are only for releasing the wire or inserting stranded wire.
They're so much faster than you think, as they're meant for solid core to be pushed in while the lever is down
Actually not for WAGOs. You use the lever to release and insert the wire, solid or stranded. There are other similar knock-offs that are push-in, but not WAGOs.
@@junkerzn7312 Yes, the WAGO ones are designed to be used like that with solid core wire. You don't need to open the lever for inserting solid core
Eeeeh, I just tried the 222 and you're right, those don't work. Sadly I don't have a 221 here to test but I'm 100% certain I used WAGO lever connectors that way often, but can't remember which model it was
@@juweinert I have five different types of WAGOs in front of me right now. I can insert 14 AWG solid copper wire without using the lever, but 16 and 18 AWG wire bends more often than not if I try without using the lever. So the answer is no.
Now to clean up all these fresh copper clippings. hehehe.
@@junkerzn7312 This is so crazy. I'm 100% convinced and I totally know I'm wrong 😂 I saw it myself, totally trust your tests but the feeling is still there.
The only conclusion I could come to is that I must've mixed that up years ago in my brain with either Phoenix or Weidmüller connectors or some variety and then deeply engrained a false memory... *smh*
Wago seems to be the standard for electricians now. I’d question someone who wasn’t using Wagos.
I don't use it... I use old common screw connections, what do you have with this Vago? everywhere only vago vago, I open the fridge and there's a vago
Well, some use Uaygos, some use Vahgos.
@@ccc5226it's the new shiny product for cool kids. Don't bother listening to these kind of advises if you know what you are doing.
Sometimes wire nuts are more appropriate, or using a box etc. if you can't do it yourself you'll always have questions.
@@ccc5226 screw connections can get loose. thats why instead of screw clamps in cars they use spring clamps for example. Wirenuts or Wago. Wago if you value your time.
I have always hated the crimp style butt connectors...like my whole life....very glad that these new ones are so readily available now :)
Exceptional product. Little bit expensive, but high quality. They last forever
I give my wires just a light twist, only. The biggest benefit of WAGO compared to CE ("chinese export") beside the secure connection is the fact, it does not matter too much if you twist or not, if you connect single strand wires with multi strand wires, and so on. And yes, do not solder ...
Took them so long to come out with the inline version, yet they still didn't include a detail to allow them to be clipped together. Spoke to someone at Ideal at Elex this week, who mentioned there may be a patent issue preventing this.
They offer a 3d printable STL in their own creators community to clip multiple inline connectors next to eachother.
There is the holder 221-2523 which seems decent enough for mounting onto a surface and hold 3 inline connectors
Is Ideal coming out with an inline lever connector also?
Wago is fantastic. I’ve worked with their DIN rail mounted terminal blocks and they’re the easiest and best ever. I may be biased because I nearly took a job there, but I really love what they do and wouldn’t expect anything but the way from them
Watching your breakdown reminded me of the Fahnestock clip that was very common the electronic kits of the 50's and even the 60's. Nice job.
OMG - those electronic kits - in 1963 in my case - show-and-tell at school!
I first came across Wagos working in the film industry (SFX) years ago. They were amazing & I couldn't understand why the 'real world' hadn't found them too. These days, being able to buy them from any electrical factor is great! They are a truly amazing connector!
Wagos is one of those things that I wish I knew about sooner. The same goes for tools like Knipex. Some tools just make life easier.
It's maybe 15 years ago now, but just happened to sit beside a man from Texas on the bus here in Sweden. He was visiting Sandvik Coromant to be trained in electrical maintenance of the machines he was going to work on (Sandvik was building a factory in USA), and he had just bought tools for $5k or something because he couldn't get Swedish and German tools for less than twice that price in USA, if at all (for example stuff like Knipex). He was so happy to be able to buy quality tools instead of what's generally available in the states.
Makes me sad to hear that brand protectionism goes so far that a lot of quality stuff basically can't be bought across the pond (same with for example Kempi welding machines). :(
I worked for a company that designed and build some of the largest cranes in the world. Wagos were the only acceptable wire nut because of the spring contact which worked far better under vibration. These replaced a strange wirenut I hadnt seen before that had the addition to a screw that would tighten against the wires from, the side after the standard wirenut twist on action was done.
Wago's have been a game changer in the last few years ..I've never seen one fail ..yet...I've seen electrical cabinets burn out and the wagos clips still have hold of the bare wires ..I use lots of these to replace the inevitable loose Wire nuts on machinery that has been shipped from the 'states' , Some new machinery from the USA is now comming with Wago's so the message is getting through....Wago also make a very good range of Din rail industrial connectors and accessories ..Good job mr clive you just reminded me to order a couple more 60 packs of these , I've nearly run out....sounds like an advert eh .. but as an old industrial sparkie these have saved me so much time and have thankfully displaced 'chockolate blocks and wire nuts'
I'm an industrial electrician at a manufacturing plant in the US and we have started to switch to Wago, particularly in control cabinets.
I love those. Working in R&D we have so many people fumbling around in wiring and loving their open twisted wires not keeping contact or making funny sparks.
Also prevents people overtightening screws and breaking wires.
Great addition for the WAGOs are their holders for installation in cabinets, because they also have holes to be mounted/screwed on surfaces if you dont have rails eg in boxes.
Only downside i found was the tab plastic gets brittle with some solvents.
Even the price is ok-ish if you buy the 50+ package sizes.
And there are eco-recycle green ones now, if it matters for your used numbers per year.
Twisting: Lightly turning it back and forth to catch loose strands can be okay, but frequently you're better off clipping the wire and getting a fresh end. You also risk contaminating the wires with corrosive skin oils or mechanically damaging them with pliers.
So: a very light finger twist if there are loose strands, being careful to touch the copper as little as possible.
Depending on the situation, using a file might also be in order. Dunno how Wagos and feels get along.
The last big writing project i did with stranded used the stacking DIN rail contact blocks, and all the wires going into those got ferrules. The other end of the wire typically has a ring lug or quick disconnect crimped on.
Wago and Solder Seal connectors are some of the best "new age" connectors ive come across working on RVs for a living.
use them every day, and i swear by them.
"Pacman V-Notch"... Always interesting to learn new technical terms from professionals ^_^
Your photography is awesome, the transparent pieces looked great in particular! 👍🏻
I use Wago 221 connectors all of the time for electronics projects.
They're so handy to insulate the end of a wire you've yet to connect or have disconnected to try something - obviously when you're powering the circuits. I also have them on bench power supplies so i don't have to keep connecting wires to those screw binding posts. They're definitely a quality of life improvement when tinkering with projects.
One day I'll treat myself to a hundred of these! I do love the 3x red yellow blue clone ones and the +- to two +- ones though. Super useful for small 12v stuff.
They're not even that expensive per unit, if you buy large boxes. I just wish they had a "Y-split" connector (one connection on one side, two on the other) that could fit into standard Legrand conduit channels. The "3 on the same side" ones don't quite fit.
4:20 - Part of the reason why soldered wires pop out easily is the same concept I mentioned in my comment on the last video; solder creep. See; the 3D printing fires of circa 2019-2020. This is a reminder not to tin wires that are going to be crimped or clamped.
Thanks for taking these apart. Very cool look inside these.
Generally I agree, because crimps and clamps do not necessarily make solid contact with tinned wire. That said, they will NOT pop out easily from a WAGO. The WAGO isn't just doing a compression clamp, there's also a bit of an edge at the far end of the metal part when putting the wire through that prevents the wire from backing out.
If a wire is not long enough when inserted and doesn't make it past the far edge then it can be pulled out fairly easily. But if it is cut to the correct length so it goes complete through the metal part of the clamp, it won't.
Thanks Clive, I appreciate you showing what's inside the original.
Twist was what I was taught. It doesn't have to be tightly twisted, but it is mainly to avoid stray strands that might cause problems later.
WAGOs are my favorite connectors. They really work wonderfully for all types of wire. I use/reuse them, with various gauges of wires, all the time, while working on projects.
In particular, for stranded wire, I started using ferrules in combination with the WAGOs about a year ago. The ferrule's plastic guard perfectly fits into the WAGO and the rectangular nature of the ferrule crimp is the perfect length and also prevents the wire from twisting while in the WAGO. I did some major testing at high amperages to make sure the connection was solid, and it was. The WAGO didn't even get warm. And the compression ensures that it stays that way.
For solid wire connections, in-wall, or in-fixtures, I also usually put a few wraps of electrical tape to prevent accidental lifting of the tabs and also to prevent the wire from being able to twist inside the WAGO. (Ferrules obviously can't be used with solid wire). The only way to pull a wire out of a wago without using the lever is to rotate it while pulling. Takes quite a bit of rotation to work it out but still, good to make sure the wires can't do that and in cramped spaces you don't want anything levering-up the release either.
In anycase, I live by these things. They can take a lot of abuse, too.
-Matt
Great to see a teardown!
This will be a popular video
We LOVE Wago Lever Nut products in my lab - you can keep reusing the wires after you take them out, which is great when you are connecting solid wire to stranded wire.
Thanks for this BigC - I really like these connectors, I appreciate the “on the inside” explanation. 💪
Excellent vid Clive. Love your detailed reverse engineering of even the simplest things. I’m sold on Wago now.
I love Wago! Thanks for this examination!
Just checked PES material composition on WiKi and from this I conclude that Chineseium 'Wago's' are probably made of a Polycarbonate which melts at lower temperature. Not twisting the wires allows them to flatten across the spring contact.
Polysulfones are a family of high performance thermoplastics. These polymers are known for their toughness and stability at high temperatures. Technically used polysulfones contain an aryl-SO2-aryl subunit. Due to the high cost of raw materials and processing, polysulfones are used in specialty applications and often are a superior replacement for polycarbonates.
Twisting since I can think! And I love the Wago connectors. So easy and efficient to use.
Thank you so much for the quick review!
I twist the stranded wires with Wagos, but I tend not to for crimping connectors.
BigClive just keeps 'em coming and coming. He's unstoppable!
GreatScott! was the first person I heard mention these shortly before my contractor friend used them for something he helped me with. Such a handy thing
Got to love WAGO. All their kit is superb.
They simply changed my life!
Since I was recently introduced to them at my local TLC elecrical stockist, I've never gone back to that "old, miserable life" of trying to do up/chew up choc block terminals.
I've even used them in place of terminal blocks in electronics projects, particularly the one-sided common bus 3 and 5-way Wagos.
When I remember right (I was told this), about 25-30 years ago these were still illigal to install here in the Netherlands. Even though they were already used in other countries (but less common). In the house I lived in, they were therefore replaced by an installation-company (not installed by me). Same actually on some places in my current house, also original Wago's were replaced with the twist-systems, I think around 20 years ago.
Finally found the real ones, and will never go back to the other stuff.
They really are worth the price
Probably the best to use instead of the cheap ones, thanks Clive 😊
I've been using wago for a long time, standard connector for me, the name-brand equivalents are also good, I believe companies like wurth and TE connectivity make some
For the twisting, I twist them lightly so the strands are kept together while inserting, I like using wire strippers that don't pull the insulation off completly, so I can grab it by the loose insulation, twist and pull it off, without touching the copper
I love these connectors! What i think i like most about them is their simplicity and ease of use, its realky difficult to get it wrong(although im sure some will manage), but in general, are quite fool proof which in a world where people are cash strapped and more likely to attempt diy home jobs, these will make that part of the job(arguably the most important part)that bit safer.
Great advice and info, yet again from The Master Electrician.
i love wago! they are just so handy. i also twist the wires.. if you dont the wires poke everywhere unless you insert the cable with like laser precision.
Wow I never knew in-line versions were available, now I know what I’ll be ordering next 👍😂
I twist. Love those connectors too, they come in very handy.
Great macro photography. It goes without saying that the connectors are good 😂
01:17 - Repeatability is always the first requirement for a reputation for good quality. Repeatability requires effective control over all quality-affecting processes.
Thank you for this video, Clive.
I was told never to tin wire that was to be used in a screw terminal as the solder deforms under pressure with time and the connection loosens. I guess it's not an issue with these as the spring maintains the pressure.
If your litz wires move they can break at the tin easily I heard beyond the deformation bit, so I always use ferrules now. Also flux residue is not an issue.
Nicely designed and made product. The quality is definitely worth spending a few more pennies for in line voltage wiring. Thanks for the overview and details. Cheers!
Great video Clive.
If someone is going to get critical about surface contact area of these connectors, then they are using the wrong size connector.
I use original Wagos at work, always twist to keep strands tidy.
If I wanted more surface contact, due to high current, then use a higher current rated connector.
I thought those were hexbugs in the thumbnail and got really excited for a second
I believe the official pronunciation (used by the company in their promotion materials, etc) in English markets is "wah-go", so that's what I've trained myself to call them (but to be honest, I have the distinct feeling the company doesn't really care what you call them, as long as you keep buying them :) ).
Regarding twisting vs not, as long as you get all the strands inside the connector, I don't think it really matters that much. I usually do a very slight twist just to make sure I don't catch a strand and get a stray whisker when putting them in, but I don't worry about actually twisting very tightly. One of the real benefits of this design is that it is self-tightening, so if the wire untwists inside the connector over time due to wiggling around, etc, it will just make for a tighter connection in the end (but even if it doesn't, I'm pretty confident it'll still make a plenty-good connection even with twisted wires, so either way is fine).
Meanwhile in the USA , "nah I'm good with wire nuts thanks" crazy. But then that's a country where if you accidentally pull a live socket from the wall your fingers will be wrapped around exposed live and neutral contacts.........
Well, "back-stab" receptacles and switches are still being sold...
Teams in the competitive robotics league I am involved in have begun using these because they cover the range of (most of) the wires we use (between 22awg for signal to 12awg for 12 volt dc power) and I quite like them for the fact that they are fast and easy and require no crimping, unlike the Anderson PowerPoles many teams used prior. They are also pretty impact resistant thanks to that nice spring, the PowerPoles need the little plastic locks (or zip-ties around the pair). After some fiddling I find the little orange lever loosens somewhat but it still bends the spring open and the spring does all the real work. I have had no real complaints with them.
They make a model that goes up to 10 awg! Part number for the 3 way for 12 awg = 221-413, while the 3 way for up to 10 awg = 221-613. Just replace the 412, 413, or 415 with 612, 613 or 615 to get the 10 awg versions 🙂 The 10 awg versions are rated for up to 30 amp @ 300 V (The 12 awg are rated for 20 amp @ 300 V)
This further calculation for 12 volt DC is from an Ohm's law calculator and is NOT from the company, but shows that the 10 awg (30 amp) models should be able to handle 750 amps @ 12 volt (9,000 watts. 30 amp @ 300 volts and 750 amps @ 12 volts both = 9,000 watts.)
[20 amp @ 300v = 6,000 watts in comparison. 500 amps @ 12 volts.)
You are absolutely right about Chinese clones of the type you showed. Purchased on several occasions from different suppliers: so far I have found two types by dismantling them.
One is completely equivalent to a WAGO: the conductive part of the clip is copper and the spring is steel, separate and with the exact same shape and thickness.
The other, identical at first sight, has the entire clip made of one piece THIN steel and does not have the curvature of the spring, just an acute fold.
I wouldn't bet on the plastic used in either model, even though the ones with the better clip look more "chunky".
I have been using WAGO's for a life-time already, they never ever failed on me.
I do twist my stranded wires but that's just to make sure I get all the strands in as I usually use wire-gauges to the spec'd WAGO's.
(read: not too big but definitely not too small, of course)
I do try not to use soldered wires as solder does not really like mechanical pressures, such wires do deform over time and potentially could get (too) loose.
As for WAGO's I would say: often imitated never surpassed!
All the tests i've seen really show how great these connectors are. I will admit that twist caps make a better connection but only because its not the cap that is making the connection, its the wire twisted around the other wire for virtually no resistance load added. Vs a wago which runs a bus bar. But considering how well designed these are you are FAAAAR more likely to burn out a cheap outlet tab or destroy the tabs in a light before actually destroying one of these wagos. All the destructive tests I've seen were just end to end with a wago in between. Would love to see a test with source to output such as an outlet with a whole lot of load on it, and see which fails first. The wago connections within the branch circuit, or the sources that use the power themselves...
Clive, you can push solid conductors, (as used in US residential Construcion), into the lever style WAGOs. And to determine whether to use similar non WAGO connectors, look for an imprint of an Independent Test lab. The WAGOs have all had a UL seal on them.
once again thanks for all you do.
Thanks. Much appreciated.
Good to see a Wago taken apart. Initially I was not interested in them. At this point now I do like them, but I only use the authentic Wago’s for some jobs.
Super cool video. I was just going to do the same thing. Tear one apart to see how it works. I just started using them at work and they're fabulous! Thank you so much for doing this video!
Hi Joe. The first time I came across these was in the condenser unit on a supermarket pack. I was sceptical at first, but have since come to love the things.
They are my ‘goto’ connector if I need to make any joints within my ring main.❤️
Gentle twist to stop loose strands snagging
As an apprentice I was told off for twisting wires, the reason was always given as changing the cross sectional area and altering the resistance. Now I twist them together as Im not that fussed about precision resistance in my own things. interesting to see inside 2x 👍
That makes very little sense, by twisting them you are not reducing the actual CSA of the copper conductors. You'll only reduce that by removing strands. For example if you take some 19/0.1 wire and twist it you still have the same amount of copper.
@@b0b5m1th I think they probably meant reducing the contact area, as in there's less material at the apogee of a circle than at the top of a rectangle. You'd have to twist really bloody hard to do too much of that though.
@@nightcatarts that would make sense.
Yeah, twisting will not change the cross-sectional area or resistance of the wire at all. If it's being inserted into a correctly-sized terminal, it also won't significantly change the contact area or resistance with the terminal (and will make it easier to ensure all strands are secured, which actually can change the resistance if you don't do that right). So whoever told you off for that doesn't really know what they're talking about.
If you do twist your wires and then insert them into screw terminals, it is important to tighten them thoroughly, and then re-tighten them a second time at the end, after any possible moving around of the wires is finished. This is because wiggling the wires can cause them to untwist a bit, which can cause the connection to loosen in the process. This is really a good practice to do even if you're not twisting the wires, too, though.
(WAGOs don't have this problem, though, because they're actually self-tightening anyway.)
Whenever I use flex with wagos, I always use bootlaces. It's a bit overkill but the connection is usually way stronger. I use little bits of bootlaced wires and wagos to hold things up in my workshop now lol
I keep a good amount of them on standby and every time I encounter any type of fastener I replace them with WAGO, no matter the application. It is just so much easier and safer.
Can we appreciate for a moment this stunning piece of magnification art? @Clive can you please provide that print somehow somewhere? It's a dream for any enthusiast in electrics, and stands out above your already fantastic magnifications you usually do! Thanks a bunch!
Remember when wagos first started to appeared in the uk and most sparks,,me included, were wary ,preferring our old tried and trusted terminal blocks ,through crimps and landmine junction boxes .First time i used em in anger and i was convinced,cant remember last time i used a round JB . As for twisting conductors,only on flex, dont bother on the 7 strand "conduit" wire .
First time I saw them in a control panel I was very sceptical. But they are the way ahead.
Twisting before pushing into a spring-loaded connector is fine. Twisting before crimping is not - the whole issue is that twisting increases the diameter and when you pull on the wire, it becomes thinner and the crimp will become loose.
I usually crimp an appropriately sized ferrule on to the wire to stop any strands from going where I don't want to. Plus it gives the Wago something a bit bigger to bite onto. I have had stranfs break off inside the Wago when not using a ferrule.
I no longer purchase or use wire nuts, for me it's now Wago all the way. Much more convenient, and they stand up to re-use quite well.
I purchased some LED tube lights off Amazon (Barrina brand) and their pigtails are rather short. By the time you fish that pigtail through a proper gland and into a junction box, there's precious little wire left over; and certainly not enough slack to use wire nuts if I wanted to.
I like putting resistors between them to power LED bulbs. One day i hope to see a wago computer, just a huge wire harness that computes.
Nice. It is surprising that it took this long for them to be popular.
GREAT review, thank you Clive! The brittleness of the plastic is probably due to it being a thermoset vice thermoplastic; thermosets withstand much higher temperatures before failure.
Nice to know how these work.
I really like these things & I wish I had managed to find some last time I replaced some light fittings, because my god was that a nightmare with the old screw down terminals & too little cable to work with. I've always heavily taped up screw downs as well because of those screws being live and the way they deform stranded wire all over the place, but these require no tape at all. Well.. okay, maybe just one turn to make it clear which wire is live & so on.
As for twisting strands, I try to twist them only at the tip so they can't mushroom out if they hit the edges of whatever you're putting them in.
I've used clones of these for car radio installs. Perfect for that kind of stuff.
Make sure that it's not located in a damp place... Or seal with heat shrink.
WAGO also has gel boxes for the 221 series, suitable for connections in wet areas.
ive done the same for my car radio too. much easier to swap between head units when you cant decide what you want and are just rummaging through cheap android units.
VAAAGOOO
I love these things; Loved them since the day I learned about them.
These look SO much better than wire nuts.
I will keep them in mind for my next wiring project.
I assume they make them for 12 AWG solid wire?
You should always wiggle stranded wires in these and all connectors to ensure full contact is made, and will not be affected by vibration.
I come from Germany and have always pronounced Wago like (German) Wagner.
I think it's perfectly fine to pronounce it in English in an English context.
(When I try to pronounce "Xiaomi", it sounds like "burning rice" instead of "millet" to Chinese people)
The connectors are designed to provide proper contact when solid wire is used. Twisting up stranded to work as solid will give a similar contact area compared with solid. I don't see a problem with the practice.
Thanks in part to my late grandfather, I have a supply of wire nuts that will probably last a lifetime. They haven't been a problem for us, but one does need to be careful how they're used.
I could have done with these inline Wagos last week. Had to settle with crimping the connections.