BEST Electrical Wire Connector? Wago, Wire Nut, Ideal In-Sure, Lever Nut
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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2021
- Wondering which solid copper wire connector is best for residential or commercial use? Look no further than this video! High current and reliable testing for Wago, wire nut, Ideal In-Sure, and lever nut. You'll see AC voltage drop measurements across each twist, push-in, or lever type connector, as well as connector temperature measurements using a thermal imaging camera after a 15 minute high current load. Electrical connectors put to the test. Helpful money saving video. Enjoy the video!
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There are MANY viral videos on RUclips that have made claims about Wire Nuts, Wagos, and others. Sadly, very few(if any), have performed the tests shown in this video for the most popular residential conductor type, solid copper wire. Wondering how secure a solid copper or stranded wire is inside the lever and push-in nut types? Watch my other video below. Thank you!
ruclips.net/video/afSai-fQIjg/видео.html
In india we don't have solid cu wires. It's all class 5 wires used for wiring.
You can also use a big red or blue wire nut if you need to join more wires, and you can twist them with lineman's pliers, first. I am sure you know that, but just for any one else.
@@realdevbro447 I thought solid copper wire was dangerous!
I also have seen and heard of the virtues of the Wago connector. This gives me pause. Thank you.
@@BajanAlan it is but I heard the black pipe is the most dangerous
Awesome testing! Looking forward to your next video!!
Thank you!
I love your videos. Can you please do a follow-up to your battery powered shop vac video? You released it right when Milwaukee released a new brushless model that's supposed to be a lot more powerful.
You know you've got a good channel when project farm shows up!
An endorsement from PF! Looks like this channel has finally "Made it" 😂
From the GOAT himself!
Thanks for the thorough tests, they are always appreciated and enjoyed! I figured the wire nuts would win out due to the direct surface contact of the wires, but it's also great to have detailed information on how each connector performs against another. Another excellent video!
I like the clear ones so you can confirm your wires are all the way inserted. I used this for temp situations and then follow up with wire-nuts when finalizing my work.
Thank you for showing the proper way to install a wire nut. Most people don't know how hard you need to twist. You can always tell bad DIY electrical work when you take a wire nut off and the wires aren't twisted.
You're welcome. Sometimes I'll make a very nice twist using lineman's pliers, then screw on the wire nut.
Terrific. Thanks. I bought a box of the number threes in the end with the larger taller orange levers for solar and cheapo temporary connections to see if something works while I'm out camping. My stranded, flexible wire connections work fine.
I use wagos for 120 vac control wiring where #14 or #12 is needed. As indicated they work well for three to five conductors and allow easy testing. For general purpose residential box splices they do save space in small boxes especially when pigtails would be required with wirenuts. I have never seen them fail. However their biggest issue is cost.
Agree, another great use for them is when you have limited space.
That is why I only use them when someone before me either selfishly cut it too short or snapped it before my turn.
Isn't there different sizes of wagos? It looks like he was using the bigger one that fits a 10 gauge wire
Thanks for posting this. I agree% assuming the wires are miraculously correctly installed in the wire nut! But I have not found that to be the case over my 30 plus years in the industry. I moved to Wago about 10 years ago and I’m not looking back!
They are from Europe, which is pretty much all 230 to 240V and an 18 amp circuit in Europe is very rare. most sockets in Europe are on 16A breakers, or in the UK we have a weird ring circuit with a loop on a 32A breaker. but they should be designed so that each leg of the loop circuit takes half the current, so again a max of 16A. the only circuits which would likely see anything over 10A would be in the kitchen, or an electronic shower/heater or possuble an EV charge circuit or other new green tech related system. but oven, cookers, showers, and heaters etc are wired on their own separate "special" circuits, with larger cabling (normally 6mm2 or 10mm2) and individual breakers, so you wouldn't be using these wagos on those. Wago do a larger model but the springs are stronger and all round much larger, so the results would be different.
Wagos come into their own when the wiring has to be removed often. I work in industrial control, and Wagos are a godsend for quickly connecting and disconnecting sensors and other control devices. these devices are very low current/voltage (24VDC 4-20mA).
Another reason these are popular in the UK anyway, is that these are certified as "maintenance free connections", meaning that they can be "buried" behind walls/under floors in hidden junction boxes. Other types of connecters (screw type) are not allowed to be hidden, and must be accessible. this is because the spring holding the wire can "breath" with the expansion and contraction from the heating and cooling in the conductor. where as other connectors (screw type) can come loose over time.
Assuming your measurements are correct, wago adds about 500 µΩ of resistance. It's the same as 4 inches of #12 wire. Not saying it's nothing, but given wide variety of wago connectors(up to 8 conductors) and the fact that you need less wire to work with, one could argue that box wired with wagos might produce less heat than one with wirenuts. Anyway keep in mind that most people who advocate for wagos are probably from 220/230V countries, where the contact resistance is even less of an issue.
No they are from the US that advocate for them. Thats where these things got their rep. I have seen those wirenuts, like what he used vs the more rounded cap, melt where Wagos would not. With old wiring, sometimes it can be cut down so much that you can't get the wire needed to twist. Another which has been tested many times is Wagos atleast don't wear out easily and the larger grey and orange is the older form that Wago started but now its free for others to make. Wago can also do 10 gauge wire with the same connector which might be where its giving so much play. Thats why they are favored as they are. Like he showed, if you have something easily slide up into the cap then it can contact and easily become conductive and that can lead to fire. Finally if you have a new user then its worse for wirenuts as they can easily throw them into a container instead of their box and not know the size which can lead to using the wrong size nut for the wire. That means the possibility of using a larger nut than needed is very likely and lead to far worse connection and will lead to melting and fire.
Nicely done. Thoughtfully presented. Easy to understand. Thank you!
Best test I have seen on the connectors yet.
Thanks Randy! Be sure to share.
Interesting test. I've been biased against using wago type connectors for some time, believing old school was best. But seeing they've become more amd more mainstream without any known failures, I've finally started using them on a limited basis. What really pushed me over was seeing them already in stalled in some recessed lights I installed. I can also see their value in saving my wrist and elbow joints which are plagued with neuropathy issues. And of course, when there are 5 or more wires to connect. I hate using the big blue wire nuts.
big blues take up half the space in the box!
Thanks for the testing, good to know. I use the Wago connectors for low voltage, and for temporary and testing mostly.
You're welcome Pete!
I used several of them on my motorcycle to aggregate wiring from a number of accessory lights... wasn't too worried about 12 volts, but I wouldn't use them for permanent 120v wiring.
@@garthhowe297 I use them for 230V and 400V permanent wiring. No issues whatsoever.
I'm still going to use lever locks for light ballast. just makes replacement so easy.
the movement in the wago's is intentional. its designed to allow the wires to move so they can absorb movement and dont work loose over time and operate in mobile/heavy equipement applications. dont forget, its copper and it work hardens. you want to absorb the motion, not pass it along. that is also the main problem with wire nuts: they loosen up over time. and nutting a bunch of wires messes up the wires. not to mention if you have to do repairs you have a serious and time consuming problem with redoing nutted connections as you are basically forced to cut off several inches. especially using nuts properly. lever style is much more forgiving and tolerant to abuse and stupidly faster in repairs and maintenance.
Disagree. The movement isn't the same for both conductors, I checked. If both were locked down very tight, and both conductors moved together as a unit, then I'd agree with you. One conductor clearly moved more than the other in the clamped area, and that's not good. That's an indication of a poor connection. For stranded copper wire, I have no issue with lever connectors. I lived in several homes over the years, and visited homes where I used wire nuts 30+ years ago, and my work was just fine. I never had any problem removing a wire nut and re-using the wires. The only time I have to cut off wire and strip the ends again, is when the crimp ferrule has been used.
@@electronicsNmore while arguing so much about the possible reliability of lever connectors... why didn't you just du a pull test for every single one of them? I mean just saying "i worked 30+ years with XYZ ... therefore it has to be good" isn't really scientific.
@@hasserecht3678 Already done. :-)
No way in heck would movement like that be intentional. Just from watching this video, I wonder if the Wago connectors would develop a hot spot and start a fire if it was used on a circuit with extremely high load. I've only ever seen wago like connectors in built as terminals in certain low wattage LED luminaire products.
@@matticussilverman6179 i talked to a wago engineer in germany during a forum. the movement is intentional. and it can handle the same or more current as a nut. it is tested to 300% of its offical wire current capacity before melting the plastic. the metal stays connected even when the plastic has melted. so, no. a wire nut is not "better". at worst its equal and at best its vastly superior.
strong tight mechanical connections cant be beat
Nice detailed test. I am running new lines with a couple of outlets & switches and after watching a few videos promoting the Wago connectors I was considering using them. But after watching your video I will stick to pre twisting & using wire nuts. If I had to connect several wires or had to work with an preexisting older outlet box with limited space I would then give the Wago a try.
Adding another 👍 to this video.
Stay safe, Joe Z
For wirenuts its 'when you do it right' for sure. Problem is many can do it wrong. Pro's don't normally make any mistakes. Genuine WAGO connectors are hard to get wrong and have the circuit still work.
"Pro's don't normally make any mistakes." That's funny! Instead, let's say pro's make fewer mistakes and/or fix them before calling the job finished. LOL. I'm a general contractor (not an electrician) and I use Wagos but only for my personal use in mock-ups for low voltage stuff or for testing 120v issues that a real electrician is too busy to fix. I like the wago and everything says they are fine to use but my actual electrician will not use them but he also will not use integrated LED's unless the customer expressly requests them.
@@chrisford8403 Great reply Chris. I just opened up some receptacles that a supposed electrician installed during my house build. Terrible work, simple loops on wire screw not done, no pigtails, and sloppy wire stripping. Maybe electrician had his son or cousin do the jobs. I blame the GC for not having oversight on the trades. Still passes inspection but is a sloppy job.
Agree.. The wirenuts, especially the 3M brand, are outstanding and offer a fantastic connection--provided they are properly installed..
@@boeing757pilot Ya but when they heat and cool they get loose and fall off and your house burns down.
@@norwegiannationalist7678 That won't happen with the 3M brand. Guaranteed :))
Excellent test. Results are as one would expect.
Thank you! Cheers!
This is a fantastic test. Thank you for creating this content. I think the angle of the infrared camera reading may give an advantage to the wire nuts. The "top-down" angle in those measurements reads the temperature on the exterior plastic of the wire nut. The "bottom-up" angle on the Wago products reads the temperature near the junction of the wire and the metal in the connector, which is where the heat is generated. I would love to see destructive testing that gives the mean time to failure for a sample of each of these units. Thanks for showing us this excellent comparison.
Glad you enjoyed the video! I have many other testing videos on my channel, so be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others. Thanks
ruclips.net/user/electronicsnmoreplaylists
Thank you!
I love using Ideal connectors, especially in tight boxes, but they ARE tough to use with soft stranded wire. In those cases, wire nut is still my go-to😎
You're welcome! Please share. Thanks
Genuine WAGO connectors work great for stranded wire. Wirenuts are just fine if Done Right.
Your video was great and helpful. The scientific methodology used for testing was confidence inspiring.
Glad you enjoyed it! Please share the video link with others, and watch my latest video below on these connectors. Thanks
ruclips.net/video/afSai-fQIjg/видео.html
Excellent and thorough as usual! If a test hole in the other connectors meets code maybe the wire nut manufacturers should consider the same. It just makes sense
True, but it is easy to insert a test probe. Glad you liked the video!
great analysis of the components, answers a few questions which bothered me, I will continue using wire nuts since your demonstration confirmed they are still out there for a reason.
my compliments on a very professionally done and well explained video.
Glad you enjoyed the video Mike! Be sure to check out my wide range of videos and share.Thanks
I believe simpler is often better. The wire nut is the only connector where the two wires are in direct contact. That is a plus in my book. In THEORY the wire nut could be all plastic and still have the advantage of a huge area of contact. But it has the bonus of that conical spring with sharp edges that cut in and ELASTICALLY holds it all together and further contributes to the conductivity. Those we have here in Sweden often have a hole in the top for testing.
I enjoyed this. Good science here. Autocaptions worked perfectly.
Excellent test, especially for doing it under 18 amps, which allows a load evaluation between medium and high, which is not commonly seen in other tests. The temperature detail is definitive when considering which is safer for medium/extreme conditions. My conclusion for use in connections of 10 amps and up I would only recommend a screw terminal box or wire nut used professionally. just my opinion.
I see so many loose connections with wire nuts , they can be finicky. Very well done video.
I use the ideals. Work great.
To all those saying they're going to stick to wirenuts, all new construction in the Netherlands have been using inserts for solid wire and lever types for solid/stranded mix or stranded alone for 20+ years. It's fine. You have less faults, because when you're doing a hundred houses worth of wirenuts, enough will be wrong. We never use the 221 as shown here. Labour is more expensive than the small wattage lost in the connectors or their higher price. Also, due to the way we build our domestic installations, it's not uncommon to have to connect 6 to 8 wires, which is trivial with wago's connector that accepts 8 wires.
It's really not that difficult to line up 2 wires and twist on a nut. If you have 3 or 4 wires, twist them together first using lineman's pliers, trim the ends even, then twist on the nut. You won't get a more secure connection. For Wago to be used more often, the prices need to come way down to 2-3x the cost of a wire nut, not 6x. Thanks for watching!
@@electronicsNmore never said it was difficult. Netherlands uses central boxes in the ceiling with up to 8 pipes down other boxes, the fusebox and to the switches and sockets in the wall. Doing 3 to 8 wirenuts overhead per box with 20 to 30 boxes in a home is excessively time consuming and tiring. Strip em, stick em in a wago, fold whole thing in the box, close it up. Much quicker. Wago's are fine, and like I said, we don't use levered ones for solid wire, unless there is a stranded in the bunch.
Great testing procedure as always eNm! Never knew that there were other connectors besides the Wire Nut connectors, which I prefer. Now I know! Thanks 👍😉👏
Awesome video man, I really loved it.👍👍
Great to hear!
Iam your newest subscriber great videos
Thank you for making this very helpful video.
You're very welcome Richard! Be sure to check out my other video on this subject below, and most importantly share the video link with others. Thank you
ruclips.net/video/afSai-fQIjg/видео.html
Very helpful. I use wire nuts when doing final work but have used lever nuts when making temporary connections. Was considering moving to only lever /wago option for everything but your demonstration convinced me otherwise.
Sort of surprise how hot those connections get under load. Never thought it be more than 100*
Very informative and timely video as I'm doing some rewiring in the bathroom. I'll be using Ideal connectors instead of the Wago. For receptacle branch circuits (esp. kitchen & AC outlets) I'll stick with the wire nuts.
Thanks for this test I was just looking at these connectors on Amazon then seen you had posted this about them. I already use these lever nuts was looking for one to accept larger gauge.
I think you can find up to 10 gauge.
@@electronicsNmore yes sir that's the largest I think there is which due to clamping force I'd say largest I would want. Anything more lug or set screw style.
A lot of debating on the best connector and a lot of approaches and viewpoints. It would be interesting to see actually failed connectors and see were the weaknesses were.
Thank you so much for this video. I just assumed there would be no voltage drop or increased heat regardless of the type of connector. Going to stick with wire nut.
OUTSTANDING VIDEO.
Great Review.
Excellent! Thanks for sharing this
Glad you enjoyed it Jason!
Interesting..... Very good explanation, very very usefuly.
Good to know thanks for professional testing video
You're welcome Bruce! Be sure to share the video link with others. Thank you
very interesting test. I moved here from Germany about 20 years ago, and first hated the wire nuts. I got used to it and actually really like the blue ones. I've also come to use all kinds of Wago connectors recently, and I also like them. It makes total sense that they are not as good in your test, because of the solid copper wire you use. I think they are mainly used for braided wire in Germany (where I first saw them used by friends). Those wires in return, work very poorly in the nuts, so to each their own I guess.
How about performing the same test with stranded wire? We use 18 gauge and 16 gauge. most current is under 3.2 amps on communications. We've been using the wago and the ideal but know I wondering if we should be. Before on critical I solder connection and covered with wire nut and tape. on everything else crimp or wire nut.
This is the test I was looking for. I always use Wire Nuts because Wagos in Argentina are really expensive (each one 6 times more expensive than Wire Nuts). Besides this, I've always thought that Wire Nuts were better in electrical-related perfomance. Even if the difference is small, is there. And we exclusively use stranded wires so they work great for us!
i've suffered so much using wire nuts and is the reason i am on youtube looking at videos.
i still wanna try the push-ins. it has the 2nd least heat
Pretty interesting results. This will be handy to know when I get new batches of project connectors, Been more and more using power tool batteries in projects and well you can draw a lot of current from them (and melt wires lol) so the heat part was extra helpful. What surprised me most was the soldered spade connectors heat performance, I would have expected at least higher than margin of error difference in temp and feel like I might need to double down on using them in more semi permanent connections that I want to be able to connect and disconnect still for maintenance.
If you can wiggle it, it's not a good connection. If the current is very low, you can "get away with it". But the heat increases exponentially with higher currents. Twice the current in a connection means 4 times the heating. This may not be intuitive, but it is the way the math works.
Fantastic test. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Be sure to check out my wide range of videos and share. Thank you
Really excellent evaluation. I would be interested to know the outcome using the gold standards of "wire nuts".. The 3M Secure Grip and 3M Performance Plus. Both are just outstanding and, I believe, a step above the Ideal nuts. That said, really great job in this video.
Why do you think they are better?
@@techmetal2292 Sorry that I didn't notice your reply until now. First, the "spring" is much heavier and it's grip is superior. Also, the spring has a durable, defined sharp edge that bites into the conductor and creates a gas-tight connection between conductor and spring. This edge is superior, IMHO, to the other brands. Thanks for your reply..
Great Video, no surprise wire nuts are the best connection.
I had doubts about using Wago because of the faulty connections with older yellow Wagos I found in a few commercial lighting applications. I'm still using wire nuts but at least now I have the option of using the Ideal connectors. Thanks for the information.
You're welcome Ron! Please share. Thank you
Too many Fake WAGO connectors floating around. People use the term WAGO like Kleenex. WAGO is often getting a bad rep because of all the fakes.
You should have no doubts about using the WAGO, it is the best connector out there, and every electrician outside the US would agree.
@@Faddnn You clearly ignored tests and didn't understand why the video was made. Wago or other brand push-ins, excellent choice, lever type, I'll pass on.
@@electronicsNmore Sry, but no. These are tested and tye approved in all developing countries. They work for all types of wires, even though you claim they don't. If you look outside your US bubble, WAGO is exclusively used by thousands of electicans where we moved on from old tec 15-30 years ago. I've read through the documentation provided by WAGO and I've seen their load capacity excide 3 times without faluire.
Wire nut problem is that many people don't tighten them enough. It's not about pre-twisting wires together, just need to tighten hard and feel for the bite into the wires, use pliers to give it a bit more bite without twisting so much you break the ends which happens more often with cheap copper.
Wagos are great for mixed sizes or braided meeting solid.
Excellent test. I'll continue to use Wago because they are more than good enough when it comes to resistance and much better when it comes to simplicity, ability to rework, and being idiot-proof.
I think if you open up some German or Swiss commercial equipment and check the wire connections, well, you're probably not going to be happy. The push on or locking lever style connections work and are reliable. Some things take some getting use to.
Push-ins get an A+, lever type are a waste to use unless you plan on taking the wires apart often.
Great informative test
Thank you for a solid test confirming my suspicions about the different connectors.
You're welcome Mark! Please share. Thanks
hi thanks for the video. not having the data you presented here i always went for the insert type (lever type unobtainium here) i use helacon connectors bulky but positive with stranded wire (for some reason code here prohibits single conductor wire). had some issues with nuts finding only 3m brand worth of any trust (then again hard to find here). take care. your channel is awesome
You're welcome! Glad you enjoy my videos.
Which one would you use in a car like a motorhome. Will you still use the twist screw wire nut?
I think Project Farm wants to have a beer with you...
I've always used wire nuts, I highly recommend Garner Binder wire nuts, I've always had great results from them, I personally wouldn't recommend anything else for connecting wires.
I've almost always used the wire nut style that has a set screw... just gives me more confidence I have a really tight connection. I would say given your high amperage load, all of those connectors did quite well though.
Yes, all did well. Even at 16+ mV, still a low value.
@@electronicsNmore Wagos are used all over europe and alot of the world, And in my 20 years of experience as a industrial electrician i have never seen a wago or a terminal block and push in wagos fail even in 400 volt three phase applications in hot envoirments and moist envoriments even acid envoirments in factories. Your concern with the connection being too loose is false as i hanged my whole body off a wago connection using solid copper wire, Over the years ive had multiple calls when wire nuts are so loose that they are arcing and the plastic had melted leaving only the spring, I always replace wire nuts with wagos if i find them and all the time ive seen a wire nut not once had it been secured tight as it works itself loose as it heats and cools.
@@norwegiannationalist7678 thermal expansion
Those are the best.
Great video, great tests! I'll stick with wirenuts, thanks.
All of my wiring projects are stranded type in conduit for easier pulling. I avoid romex when possible so changes are easier in the future. Lever nuts are by far the easiest to use with stranded. If I am working on solid and I'm joining 2 or 3 wires, then I will tend to use a standard wire nut. Unless it's lighting circuits as they are usually lower amperage and with LED's in almost every fixture, an entire floor's lighting circuit might only be a couple amps.
I also pull test every connection. I've had failures on wire nuts, push-in connectors, and the lever nuts using both stranded and solid.
I saw a video or two where someone was putting a lot of amperage through all these connectors, like 50+ or something. Well over double the rated. I remember the Wago connectors did pretty well. The wire insulation and connector plastic was all melted/burned off, but the metal spring connectors stayed intact. I think even at 30 amps, the heat was still within acceptable levels with all connector brands.
Probably used stranded copper wire, I'd expect close results. That test wouldn't do too well using solid copper.
I just wish you'd conduct the same tests with the mix of solid with stranded wires together.
Not only one solid and one stranded, but also with 2 or 3 solid plus one stranded.
This is where the Wire Nuts get the worst connection especially with electronic thermostats and also with the heating baseboards or convectors, everywhere you have a mix of solid and stranded under higher current. Wire Nuts seam to make a decent connection at first, but after pushing them at he bottom of the junction box they may loosen and also after 15 to 20 years the connections get loose, dangerously loose due to metal fatigue I believe. They often fail ! This is where the Wago 221 may be a very interesting solution.
Yeah, connecting solid and stranded wires together takes a bit more care to expose more of the stranded wire and to wrap it around the solid wire before wire-nutting them.
Wiggling is more of a long-term problem, too, with stranded wire because the strands break more easily. Taping the wires together to prevent relative movement helps, but
it's laborious. A video devoted to dealing with stranded wire would be invaluable ..... :-)
What multimeter leads do u recommend? I would really like a comparison! Thanks!
I use high voltage rated silicone wires. Thanks for watching!
Perfectly done testing. This debate has gone on for quite a while, and finally there is a test that shows heat buildup. Especially on a short run. Then you throw in the fact that if these were used to run a 7 or 8 outlet circuit, by the last outlet you could be talking quite a rise in voltage drop/heat buildup.
My biggest issue with the clip type connectors is when you pull it out and look where the blade held the wire in place, there is just a tiny nick in the copper. That means that all the current is running thru the 2 points of contact made by the connector. Essentially reducing the gauge of the wire electrically. Overseas on a 240 volt system this may not be a problem, but as for in the US I'll stick to wire nuts. Need more space, get a bigger box.
Glad you liked the video!
Actually, the contact doesn't leave any sign on the wire. You're confusing the spring holding the wire with the contact it is being held against.
@@Llortnerof A round wire sitting on a flat piece of metal doesn’t have a whole lot of contact space, especially when compared to two wires twisted and compressed together. One edge of a thin piece of spring steel digging into a piece of softer copper wire, on one small spot, is bound to score a mark when there is any movement or doing a pull test.
@@huejanus5505 Doesn't change that the flat piece of metal is the contact and the edge is just the spring holding the wire in place.
Can you so a Pre-twisted wire nut VS. a wire nut that is not. I don't think there will be much difference is any. If connecting 4 or more solid conductors I find Pre-twisting helps greatly to have a good connection. But with less conductors I do believe both are sufficient.
I really like the idea of the lever type connectors especially for solid/stranded connections or appliances that get changed out periodically. Other than that, I prefer using wire nuts on twisted connections. What is the brand name of the one you called the lever connector?
Very helpful, thank you! I've always used wire nuts, but had been considering using quick connects; I no longer consider them!
The lever type are good for electrical boxes with very limited space, or if you'd like to connect 4 or 5 wires together.
I was hoping for a table summarizing the outcomes with a column for comments and maybe a column for rating. This was very helpful as is though.
Same results/performance for stranded wire?
Thank you!
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They are great for solid to stranded connections. Makes overhead work so much easier. I Would not do an entire house with them if I was footing the bill
This is eye opening. I never thought that the good ole wirenut is better than the newer cool-looking gadgets.
Interested in understanding why you skipped over the Ideal push-in to recommend the gray Wago. It shows less heating and loss than the others. Is there something you did not mention that drove the selection? Also, Wago have push-in connectors as well. Not sure if this is something new since this video was made. I wonder if those perform any better than the Ideal product. Thanks.
totally agree! It is contradicting based on all the results he did. the conclusion doesn't make sense. Ideal also makes a 4 wire connector.
At the end, you clearly prefer the wire nut over the other three. Since the Ideal was lined up next, why did you suggest the lower rated other two if there were several wires? Wouldn't you use the Ideal for 3,4, or 5 wires?
Excellent video, can you do the same test with stranded wire?
Thanks! If this video does extremely well, sure. I don't enjoy spending 8-10 hours or more creating a video to help others, and having only a few thousand people watch. I've seen inferior videos getting hundreds of thousands of views or more, it's ridiculous.
I'd be interested in seeing you do a similar test between the push-in inserts and the screw terminals on UL approved electrical outlets and switches. The inserts are convenient and harder to get wrong, but the screw terminals offer more contact area. Perhaps such a test could also compare insert the wire straight into the screw terminal (some units have molded areas intended for this) versus hooking the wire around the screw.
I already thought of that idea. LOL. Based on these tests, the screw holding the wire will be a better connection.
@@electronicsNmore Another problem with the back stab receptacles is the long term failures. They will work when first installed, but often fail down the line.
@@illestofdemall13 Very true. I've had to repair many "dead" receptacles over the years. For some light switches and receptacles, all I had to do was move them a little, and the wire made the connection again. With those, I simply moved the back wired connections to the screws.
@@electronicsNmore Same here, I have had to repair those connections as well. My favorite method is the screw clamps on the side of higher end switches and receptacles, and the internal screw clamp of GFCI receptacles. I just need to not over tighten the screws because I have a gorilla grip from years of screwing and twisting wire nuts. I work for a small company and our niche is installing high end lighting, dimmers, smart switches, etc. Been there for 15 years so far.
@@electronicsNmore
What is different about the back stab connections vs the push connectors shown above? You'd think that if the push connectors can be made to work reliably and safely that the same design could be used on receptacles.
As an Australian Electrician, I would have loved you to test the screw type connectors. We use them almost exclusively in Australia and they are even better than the American wire nuts (although obviously a little less convenient - as you have to tighten a screw).
Set screw connectors are superior, just a lot more labor involved.
most countries use screw type connectors but they damage conductors.
@@tropicaldimitri7374 From that perspective, every connection "damages" the conductors. Yet, the connections are mechanically and electrically sound, so it's irrelevant.
@@InlineDownhillVancouver But Wago causes much much less damage: just slight scratch yet the connection is very solid (as demonstrated by professionals on youtube).
@@InlineDownhillVancouver Plus they are not "maintenance free" like WAGO 221 (if mounted on its mounting carrier) and WAGO 222 (with or without mounting carrier).
An interesting video, I like how your test was laid out. It would be helpful if the CSA/UL specification limits for wire connections were included and compared to your results, I think that comparison would help people make a better decision. So now with the popularity of these types of compression connectors increasing mainly because of ease of use, we will see counterfeit versions on the market at very low costs which of course, depending on the quality of the fakes, may result in more electrical caused fires and possibly denial of insurance claims if the electrical work was done by unqualified people.
Wow! I surmised the more expensive nuts were going to be hotter (cost more power to use because of the play in the connection) but I'd find them worrisome...
Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanx
What about for 21 - 26 gauge wires ? I need to connect 3 wires together.
Hmmm, I just found out about WAGO connectors for a van conversion project and felt kinda fortunate that I found them as they seemed to be quite easy to work with. I had planned to glue them in place and also tape the wires they were connecting down to hopefully eliminate movement. Would they be considered safe if such measures were taken? They were only being used with small 12v dc powered devices like LED lights, fans, etc...
They shouldn't unlock, so no glue is necessary. You can cover everything with heat shrink tubing.
@@electronicsNmore I meant glue them to a surface and tape the wires to the same surface. I can't imagine them having any force on the connection to the point of wires being pulled out. Saw your other video on the strength of connection as well. Thanks for that. Learning lots of details from YTers like yourself.
@@owenparker6651 Dude just buy wago mounting carriers
@@tropicaldimitri7374 I have never come across these or heard anyone mention them so thanks for the enlightenment :)
Can't beat a good solder
Joint
GOOD INFO THANK U VERY WELL DONE 😃😃😃
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Thank you
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Thank you.
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Wow nice content very informative.
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Wago 221 connectors are the best for refrigeration and HVAC. Wire nuts are actually banned for use on r290 or r600a refrigeration equipment (for good reason). Currently I haven't seen a single failed Wago connector. The biggest issue with wire nuts I've seen is the added stress of twisting old wiring causing it to crack apart. On residential electrical I'd use ideal connectors, everything else Wago 221. Not saying wire nuts are bad for in-wall electrical, but I don't use them.
Yes, I've seen some old wire nuts after many years end up with a crack up the side, which takes pressure off the wires.
Good one - I can see that getting a lot of views over time. I had considered Wago and the like - but after seeing this I’ll be sticking with good ole fashion wire nuts.
Nice job.
Thank you! Cheers!
Very thoughtful ,
Thanks for this! I was about to buy a bunch of Wago connectors from Amazon for a new build! Who knew the trusty old wire nuts were as good or better.
The push-in connectors are very good for the money.
Good to know. I've never used the lever-lock connectors on solid wire, only stranded. I'll be sticking with the wire nuts for the solid stuff. BTW the meter was easy to read on the video.
The performance of lever nuts are very close to a wire nut when using stranded copper wire. I tested a few. :-) As for solid copper wire, the video made it very clear. Thanks for watching!
@@electronicsNmore Nice video! Would joining a stranded to a solid core be better done with a Wire nut or Wago lever?
I suspected the conventional wire nuts would have a lower contact resistance and this test proves it.
because it is an insulator and does not conduct electricity.
This is great.
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THANK YOU for this video. Much appreciated. Was just going to go wire up my wife's newly constructed she shed and **was** thinking about Wagos to save time and space in the boxes. I am shocked by these results and will save my money and go with time-tested wire nuts instead. WOW!
Ummm... did you not see the results? The Wago was 16mV, the nut 5mV and wire was 4mV. So the difference between using a wago and a wire nut is the same as adding 3 inches to the length of your wires.... All of these connectors are 100% ok. Remember: just because you can measure a difference doesn't mean there is any practical difference. Wagos have their use for saving time and re-doing connections and for situations with vibration.
@@sectokia1909 In the end, I used traditional wire nuts in the bulk of my boxes where there was a simple romex in and out to the outlets. I did have two places where five wires (x3) were needed, and in that box I ended up using an Ideal connector to make it easier and to save room.
In my experience Wago-style connectors work better with stranded wires than with solid wires.
Ditto, Wago type compress a group of copper fibers in multi strand wire & get better contact vs solid wire where the contact patch is small. If the multi strand is small enough U can lightly twist 2 wires together & insert in a single Wago wire port for better wire to wire contact
Correct! The connector conforms to the wire, crushes it, which gives more surface area contact. The majority of people working in their homes will find solid copper wire, and that's why I tested them using solid. Thanks for watching
Correct. 90%+ of the time, a connection will be between a solid to a stranded conductor, such as a supply to a fixture.
Please don't go with Wago-style. Many of the Fake WAGO connectors are garbage.
@@jeffm2787 John Ward tested genuine Wago connectors and knockoffs. Surprisingly, even knockoffs performed quite admirably. The genuine ones still worked better.