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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,749
Member
What types of splicing devices do you use?

Red, Blue, Yellow wire nuts?

Do you use a tool to tighten the "wire nut" up, or do you use tape to ensure that it will stay tightly connected?

[This message has been edited by Joe Tedesco (edited 02-04-2003).]


Joe Tedesco, NEC Consultant
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 360
T
Member
Blue, orange, yellow, red, and grey.

The yellows and reds get tightened with the socket in the end of an ideal screwdriver until there are two to three twists in the wire outside the nut. I rarely use tape on the nuts, most of the time making sure that they are oriented to allow any water to drain out of the connector.

TW

Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,056
R
Member
No tape here, either. I believe that a properly installed wirenut will stay on.
I am beginning to switch from multi-colored to the Ideal wide-range "Twister". I used to think they were inferior, but you can minimize inventory with them.

BTW,
The cordless drill/driver craze has hit it's peak with the new wire-nut that is designed to be installed with one. I don't think it's worth the trouble.
(File this product in the "Remember these?" category).

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 24
T
Member
Been using Buchanan Splice Caps 2006S and 2011S. Really like them. Surprised they haven't been brought up much in some recent posts.

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 270
E
Member
Boy, talk about getting down to basics! Yet, this is where I started, as an apprentice, splicing wires together per directions from my journeyman. But done right?
Anyway, I usually hand twist wirenuts on. If there are more than three wires being spiced, I usually resort to using the partially opened jaws of my wire strippers to grip the wings or ridges of the wirenut for further twisting (approaching the wire nut from the outer end, not from the side -- don't want to be cutting or damaging the insulation). Once I see the insulated portion of the wirenut starting to twist, I figure that all is well.
I often wonder about how frequently we recycle old wirenuts, or re-splice wires that are all scratched up from previous splicing. Seems to me that we should cut and re-strip the wires before re-splicing, but I don't know anyone who does this. Anyone hear of any studies on failures or hot spots caused by all the damaged #12 wires spliced and re-spliced?
As far as which brand or style I use, it varies, depending on what's on sale.

[This message has been edited by Elzappr (edited 02-04-2003).]

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
S
Member
Is there a standard colour code for wire-nuts or does it depend on the manufacturer?

I know Greenies are used for ground wires (with the hole on top for a pigtail).

The blue ones I've come across with, I use to temporarily splice #18 zip cord while I'm fixing a radio and need to hotwire the left-over stump of power cord.

It seems like that 2 or three #18s is the most the blue ones can handle. Ditto some gray ones that seem even smaller (which is what I'm currently using for that type of work).

I've seen orange ones....and yellow ones - the yellow are bigger than the orange, though.

I used a yellow one to replace a ceramic one in an electric menorah. It's holding 9 #18 wires!! Was the only thing that I could find that would hold all those wires securely. Just in case I also wrapped it in electrician's tape (is it made with real electricians? [Linked Image]).

And then I've run across some huge BLACK ones...made by Eagle Electric. These are old, though....

I've never been able to understand the conductor combination charts on the back of the bags...since sometimes the combinations they state are not quite what I'm doing (for example what about three #14s? What do you use for that? It doesn't mention it...but it does mention two #14s and a #16.

Anyone know of a chart on-line that I can print out or do I write to the manufacturers?

As far as brand goes....I don't really pay attention.

All I look for is that they have the little metal spring inside and that the critters are UL/CSA listed. They're IDEAL or Gardner-Bender.

I've noticed that the ones packaged by General Electric are made by IDEAL.

P.S. I always tape up my wirenuts if they're going to be used in permanent installations after I make sure the nut is firmly hand-tightened. I think you have more control and less chance of stripping the nut or snapping off the wire if you handtighten the nut instead of using a nut-driver. And I always pre-twist solid conductors.

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 53
L
Member
Sven,
UL listed application chart for Ideal products: http://www.wirenut.com/wt/TwistOnWireConnectors.nsf

Click on "UL listed..." link at bottom of page, (.pdf document)

Len

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,723
Likes: 1
Broom Pusher and
Member
My personal specs' for prefered stuff O' terminations / splices (S.E.T. specs [Linked Image]...):

Ideal Yellow (451) and Red (452) for nearly 90% of makeup.
Ideal Orange guys for Ballast kits + similar Fluorescent fixture stuff.
Also, the smaller Blue guys work great for Ballast change-outs, Back-Up Ballast kit installs, and other such redundant class work in Fluorescent fixtures.

The Ideal Tan wirenuts are really cool too!

And, of course, there are always a few situations when the need to pull out the "Big Blues" or "Big Grays" occurs.
Once again, Ideal brand has been very loyal to me for + 20 years.

Definitely a Pre-Twist person! With practice, twisting various combinations of conductor types (stranded + solid) can achieve good results (AKA - bored at home??? pull out some scrap wire, strippers and wirenuts - no longer bored!).

No tape on splices with wirenuts.
Also position the wirenut upwards, to keep things from settling inside the splice (dust, water, dog pee, etc.), like a few members mentioned.

When capping off a lead, I'll strip back Insulation to expose about 1/8" conductor, then land a wirenut.

Don't use a twisting tool - except fingers / wrist tool [Linked Image]
(standard issue to all people ... AKA hand twist / Carpal Tunnel Syndrome aggravator).

When doing "Re-Splices" (undoing an existing splice, then reconnecting), the original exposed conductor gets trimmed down to the insulation on all conductors affected. Then they get re-stripped, pre-twisted, and finished off with a new wirenut.
The original wirenut goes in one of three places:
<OL TYPE=A>

[*] Flying away from the jobsite, preferably into a nearby busy street where it's reuse ability is squashed - due to cars smashing it,

[*] Into the jobsite dumpster,

[*] Down a wall which has both sides drywalled - via a Comm outlet P ring or a K.O. punched in the top plate / track.
</OL>
If none of these are available, then default to option Xf1.1: start a small fire, then add wirenut to fire [Linked Image]
(joking on the Pyro - Kee option).

p.s. "Pyro - Kee" is a PYROmaniac sparKEE.

Last item - opt to tape sides of devices - such as recepts and switches.

Let's see, did anything get left out??? Guess not.

Scott35 S.E.T.

p.s. edited tare-i-bull spell-leeng.

[This message has been edited by Scott35 (edited 02-04-2003).]


Scott " 35 " Thompson
Just Say NO To Green Eggs And Ham!
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 440
Likes: 3
Member
Pretwist.
Buchanan "B-caps".
No tape.
I use more reds than any other size.

Making a proper joint has got to be one the most important things that we do. I take proper slicing very seriously.

"Come on baby, let's do the twist...",
Doc


The Watt Doctor
Altura Cogen
Channelview, TX
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 202
J
Member
Elzappr
I agree with you. I always cut and strip wires i never put a wire nut on an old twist.

as for the color most of the work i do at factory is either yellow or red, some small stuff in machine cabinets may use orange or grey

and i like the ones with the finger tabs, i always tape everything up. I just always have just a habit, they put insulation on the wire for a reason so i like to try to keep it sealed if that means a wire nut and tape so be it.

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