Question: When using wirenuts to make joints, is it necessary to twist the conductors together before applying the wire nuts, and is it necessary to use insulating tape over the wirenuts?

No & No

I've seen equipment manufacturers instructions that state you must twist conductors before using the supplied wire nuts. But from the instructions I've read on wire nut packages you don't have to, although when done they want 3 twists outside the nut.

Sounds like a trick question but I'll say no and no.

What I want to know is how many more times are we going to discuss this?

It depends on whether I'm installing the receptacle with the ground pin up or down.

I will answer by saying it depends on the manufacturer's instructions. As I have seen instructions that say "pretwisting not required" and "twisting of conductors required".
I am going to try and locate the one package that requires twisting.

I have never seen the requirement of taping a wirenut.

Pierre

You must twist the bare conductors otherwise the solder doesn't stick...

as commom practice, I always twist the wires before installing the wirenut, and I always uue tape... just as a safety .

MJ what is unsafe about not twisting or using tape?

good answer KNOB-AND-TUBE i will twist if i have 3 or more conductors but never tape there should be no reason for it if no copper is showing under skirt of wire nut

A careful reading of the manufacturers' instructions will reveal that you are supposed to twist the nuts tight enough that the wires are tristed together inside the nut. Simply having the wire nut hold wires next to each other is an incomplete installation.

That said, pre-twisting is very wise for neutrals in multi-wire circuits. I also often pretwist all wires evceot for the pigtail leading to a device; this facilitates later maintenance work, as the pigtail is then wrapped on the outside of the 'twist'.

Yep this one is right up there with "How many times do you torque aluminum connections?"
Some of these questions can not be answered without controversy.

Had an apprentice who was left handed and always twisted wires the wrong way. Thus untwisting them when installing wirenut

What is a "wire nut"?

Someone hand me my soldering iron and friction tape....

I like to twist the wirenuts before i stick the wires in.

You need rubber tape to go with that friction tape.

Speedy,
A soldering iron is way too slow, you need a "dip pot".
Don

I perfer to solder the connection, install a wire nut, install rubber tape, followed by varnished cambric, then plastic tape (3M #33) then friction tape followed by another layer of plastic tape. This is for splicing #14 AWG residential NM cable. For something more demanding I let the experts handle it.

George,
I thought that you installed the varnished cambric first and then the rubber. That makes it much easier to open the splice back up when you have to work on it.
Don

George, I can't believe you don't use heat shrink and top it all off with Skotchkote! You're just begging for trouble!

I yield to the professionals. You guys really know how to splice wires
Edited for spelling- i before e.

[This message has been edited by George Little (edited 02-01-2005).]

What did you call me?? :P

Hell if you got out of your apprenticeship with no solder splash scars you were obviously too slow to work in the trade. Does that give you an idea of what a dip pot is. The plumbers apprentice got the scars on their legs and feet. The electricians apprentice had theirs on the arms scalp and shoulders. It's the lighting fixture outlets. Get it!
--
Tom H

I thought "joints" was a plumbing term... I always used "splice" wires.

What am I gonna do with my 10,000 pack of crimp connectors with loose covers?

Darn technological advancement...

Hmmm... What sort of time period were crimps the usual method of splicing?

I have a light manufacturing customer who doesn't want anything but crimp connectors used in their facility. Every 12 ga splice is made with Ideal 410s. Bigger ones use 415s. Anything larger is done with split bolts. Crimps are the best in situations where vibration is an issue, in my opinion.

Does that light manufacturer use wirenuts in the fixtures they make?

Not Light Manufacturer, light manufacturing as opposed to heavy manufacturing.

Crimps were the standard in the computer industry when I/O had 3/4hp motors, pumps, pulleys and gears in them. We never had problems with the factory crimp. It was field crimping that caused problems, mostly because the wrong tool was used. We did have the right crimpers available but they were not always as handy as they could be. I would solder and shrinkwrap (or tape) a questionable splice because I hate "call backs".