A home electrical system is a complex network that distributes power throughout a house, with electricity entering the home through the main service panel. Home electrical wiring is a critical aspect of any household, directly impacting the safety and functionality of appliances and systems. Before embarking on a DIY wiring project, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with some key dos and don’ts.
To ensure safety and prevent electrical fires in your home renovation projects, follow these safety tips: power off, be careful what you touch, use the right tools, buy the right parts, include a junction box, replace old wiring that shows signs of deterioration or fraying, fix fuse and breaker problems, don’t overload, and don’t mix wire types.
When working with electricity, consult with local guidelines, avoid mixing water with electricity, plan carefully, and always switch off the power by turning off the main switch and taking out the safety fuse. Do not assume that DIY electrical work is universally permissible without proper authorization, as failure to adhere to regulations can result in fines and safety issues.
Use GFCI outlets if possible, cut wires too short, and test all switches before starting. Don’t work on a live circuit, skip any steps in the installation process, use substandard or inappropriate materials, and don’t overload the circuit.
In conclusion, it’s essential to follow the dos and don’ts of electrical wiring for DIY enthusiasts to ensure safety and prevent hazards during home renovation projects. By following these safety tips, you can ensure a safe and efficient electrical work experience for your family and friends.
📹 7 FATAL Wiring Mistakes Most DIYers Don’t Know They Are Making | Most Are Guilty of 3
In this video I cover some of the biggest, most common, and potentially dangerous mistakes that people make when connecting …
What precautions should be taken when wiring a house?
To ensure safety during DIY home wiring projects, ensure power is off at the breaker and use a voltage tester to verify this. Be careful with what you touch, use the right tools, buy the right parts, include a junction box, replace old wiring that shows signs of deterioration or fraying, fix fuse and breaker problems, and don’t overload. Common risks include electrocution and electrical fire. CCFR strongly advises working with a professional for safe and smooth completion.
What are the general rules for residential wiring work?
The National Fire Protection Association reports that electrical wiring and related equipment are the primary cause of home fires, resulting in property damage, injuries, and deaths. To prevent this, homeowners should perform routine electrical inspections, identify potential problems, avoid overloading electrical circuits, and install an Arc Fault Protection Interrupter (ACFI). Regular maintenance can help prevent potential hazards and ensure the safety of all living systems in the home.
What are the do’s and don’ts of electricity?
In order to prevent the occurrence of electrical hazards, it is imperative to ensure that all main power sources are deactivated when they are not in use. Furthermore, it is essential to refrain from utilising appliances that are no longer in use or have been damaged, to avoid any potential risks associated with such devices. Additionally, it is crucial to avoid any contact with live wires.
Are there warning signs before an electrical fire?
In the event that a residence is at risk of an electrical fire, it is possible to identify the presence of such a hazard through the observation of specific indicators. These may include the tripping of a circuit breaker, the presence of a persistent burnt smell, the appearance of discolored or charred outlets and switches, the detection of outdated wiring, or the detection of a burning circuit. The primary function of the circuit breaker is to cut off the flow of electricity in order to prevent overheating and, consequently, the occurrence of a fire.
What is the most problem in electrical wiring?
Flickering or dimming lights are common electrical wiring issues in households, which can lead to fires or other fatal accidents if left unchecked. To prevent these issues, it is essential to be aware of warning signs like suspicious odors, sparks, buzzing sounds, hot switch plate outlets, and dimming lights. Lyter, a trusted manufacturer in India, offers a wide range of high-quality electrical products and accessories, including pendant holders, multi plugs, power strips, ceiling roses, and batten holders.
By identifying these warning signs, homeowners can take necessary precautions to prevent potential accidents. Lyter is known for its unparalleled quality and performance, making it a valuable resource for those looking to upgrade their home’s wiring system.
What are the 8 steps to follow when wiring a house?
To wire a house, one must first locate and mark the locations of the boxes. Then, the boxes must be placed on the frame. Following this, one must drill bore holes for the cables to be run through. The cables must then be threaded through the holes and cut to length at the box. Finally, the cables must be run to the main circuit panel.
How do I know if my house wiring is safe?
House wiring can be a significant risk, with an estimated 51, 000 electrical fires in the US each year costing up to $1. 3 billion and causing over 500 deaths. These fires are odorless, invisible, and lethal, with no warning signs that they are about to break out. Some signs of failing house wiring include dimming or flickering lights, heating up switch plates and outlets, hearing buzzing sounds, old aluminum wiring, and counterfeit electricals.
It is crucial to monitor your electrical systems and wiring, as failure can lead to a fire that is difficult to put out. To identify these signs, it is essential to have a professional inspect your wiring and ensure that it is functioning properly.
What are the 3 rules of electrical?
The principles of electricity are organized into three basic rules: flow from higher to lower voltage, work that needs to be done, and a path to travel. These principles help engineers understand how a circuit works, including voltage flow, loads, and conductive materials. By understanding these principles, engineers can design and troubleshoot circuits themselves. The building blocks of a circuit include flow, load, and conductivity, which are essential for understanding the workings of an electrical system. By understanding these principles, engineers can better navigate the complex world of electronics and design their own circuits.
What are the five major precaution use when using electricity?
Electricity safety is crucial, as research shows that around 100 people die annually due to electrocution in workplaces and 60 from power tools and cables. It is essential for people to educate each other about safety precautions and ground rules when working with electricity. A minor mistake or irresponsibility can cost one’s life. For example, the young generation often sleeps with their phones on a charge, plugged in with power sockets, or with earphones in their ears.
This negligence has led to numerous deaths among young teenagers due to their negligence. It is essential to ensure that your body is dry, never use broken equipment, turn off the mains first, use rubber gloves, and avoid using steel ladders.
What not to do when connecting wires?
The use of duct tape in electrical work is inadvisable due to its mechanical connection, which can oxidize over time, thereby compromising the electrical connection. As an alternative, it can be employed for the purpose of fastening wires together.
📹 DIY Electrical Wiring! Fast, Safe Home Wiring Basics for Switches and Outlets
Today we’re discussing electrical wiring basics! I walk through how to choose the correct wire and what is inside, as well as the …
I just want to give thanks for you taking the time to make these articles and explaining them so people actually understand. By far you make the best articles I’ve seen!! Most of the articles I see people post they skip over the most important part that just happens to be the reason you’re perusal the article in the first place so you find yourself rewinding and pausing so you can see if you just missed it or see if u can kind of figure out what it looked like before and after they skipped over that part. As I train people that make medical and military equipment it’s very important that you are patient and actually go step by step so that they understand it completely. Like I said most people will skip over certain steps and what’s the point of making a article because there’s always going to be somebody that knows one step but not the next and that’s why we need articles like you post. So I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to help people like me and let you know there are people out there that do appreciate it so thanks again
Wire nuts have pretty much disappeared in Europe over more reliable and fast connectors that use springs. Lever Wagos and push connectors (wago 2773 for example) are just reliable and cut down installation time considerably. Lever wagos are more expensive, but they are used where stranded wire is needed. The thing that you might want to consider with these connectors is that spring-loaded connectors will not loosen due to thermal explansion. Any screw connector will loosen over time, and this can cause fires. The wire loosening completely out of the connector is actually not that dangerous. But wires loosening just enough to cause sparking is something that can cause fires. The wires heat up and eventually melt. This is why flame retardant plastics are used literally everywhere, and connections are done inside plastic or metal housings that contain the potential fire. The industrial automation sector is moving heavily towards spring-loaded connectors in all applications since most industrial machines experience heat variation and vibration.
I never heard of WAGO levers being opened accidentally. Only option I see is that the lever was never really closed in first place. BTW: when dealing with solid wires, you can also use the WAGOs with no lever, push in, let the spring do the securing. BTW: it looks as if you have taken off the insulation too much. Usually the WAGOs have printed the correct stripping length (usually 12mm) on the case. Wire nuts may have have their advantages and disdavantages, but I wonder if you really can connect 8 wires with drilling. No problem for a 2273 WAGO.
35 year elevator mechanic here. I’ve used wirenuts for every wire 14 gauge and larger, both stranded and solid wire. Used to be the only approved connectors for >14 ga. were Kearny’s and wirenuts. You have to properly tighten them, and if you’re dealing with vibration, I was taught to wrap the finished connection tightly with electrical tape. Never had one come loose, including ones I had done decades ago that I needed to cut off because they were too tight to undo manually.
Master Electrician here, 38 years in the trade, i switched to Wago 2 years ago. I sold my stock of twist nut 1/2 price to a competitor who was looking at me like a stupid guy for selling my new stuff so cheap. Needless to say, i was looking back at him as the stupid one who can’t progress. Once you go Wago, you never go back to twist nuts. Yes they are more expensive, but i charge everything i install, so in the end, they are more payfull and a breeze to work with.
I am from Europ and have always used Wagos for any type of electrical installation. I actually ran into situations, where I didn´t remove the exact 11mm of isolation, as required but never experienced any problems with that. The only thing that sometimes happend to me, was that the exposed part of the wire was that short, that it didn´t even make any contact with the peace of metal, that connects the seperate slots. But after about 4 years of working with wagos i never had a situation, where I got a lower output then input voltage from a wago. That doesn´t mean, that it isn´t possible at all, but for that to happen the contact area betwean the exposed part of the wire and the contact area of the wago, would have to be lower then the gage of the wire, (typically 1,5mm) to create eanough resistance, to seginifficantly reduce the output voltage, what appears very unlikely to me to happen. Also the wagos with the lever aren´t meant to be used in electrical boxes, at leasst not in thoose that don´t connect direcly to a device with a stranded wire, althought they can of course be used there. But there are actually special wagos fore the use in electrical boxes that only connect solid core wires with eachother, wich are fore exsemple the “wago 2273” or “Dosenklemmen” (don´t know how to translate that into english). Thoose don´t have levers, and take a lot less space, because they are only about half as thick as the classic wago 221, used in the article. But as mentioned they can only hold solide core wires.
I started my apprenticeship 5/91. The journeyman i tooled with taught me to pre twist the wires and to put the stranded wire just past the solid one. Over 3 decades later I’m still doing it with success. I’ve just come across the Wago and plan to use them for connecting control valve wiring on a job this summer. Great article my late tool buddy would give it a thumbs up.
4:36 what you didn’t mention is that you need to always twist the wires clockwise when pre twisting the wires, if you pre twist the wrong way then the wires will un-twist inside the marrette making a bad connection. Marrette is a Canadian “wire nut” company we call wire nuts marrettes the same way we call all tissues Kleenex.
I love your mention of the WAGO connectors. I started using them in industrial work several years ago because you never know when you might need to move, remove, or update either a circuit or a heavy device like a motor. I’ve seen more than enough stranded wire just totally messed up and continually shortened by using wirenuts. The result is usually inadequate wire available for solid contact.
In my personal experience, which while not infinite does stretch back to the 1970s, I have never seen a professional electrician pre-twist wires. All I have seen is twisting the wire nut tight and then going until you have 2-3 twists in the wire. As you neatly demonstrate that produces essentially the same end result as the pre-twisting with a lot less time and effort. Getting the right size wire nut and the right amount of bare wire are going to be huge factors in how well they work. I haven’t used wagos yet, but they are intriguing and will probably make an appearance in my next wiring project.
We in the UK are KING of electrical safety, well-engineered connectors and plugs/sockets. Our mains plugs don’t flop out of the socket when they’re casually brushed with the slightest touch. We also have 240V A/C to take precautions with, and so are VERY aware of what not doing so, can cause. Thanks anyway! 🙂
I have been a DIYer since my dad made me do all of the work starting at age 10 or so. Most of the problems you stated are common sense and people making them have no business doing their own wiring… When people ask for me to do wiring for them I usually tell them to hire a professional though, because me wiring my house is one thing, but someone else’s needs a person that is bonded.
A lot of this article mistakes are why I stopped using wire nuts and prefer WAGO connectors, they work great and are way easier to get a good connection. Of course you still have to strip the wires according to the strip guide. A word from the wise, dont trust any knock offs of the wago connectors. The cheapos have very poor contact area on the wire and small levers that are harder to operate. Great educational article and you covered the topics very well ! Good work.
Great article. I hate using wire nuts for anything. I normally twist them as you show but i always use electric tape to be certain they will never come apart. I know never say never but it greatly reduces the chances. I have never used the lever type but I like your Idea of using tape also with those. I am no more than a DIY’er but I am extremally concerned with the potential for fire. I mostly do this wiring in my own garage and sometimes in my own home. I just hate wire nuts and even worse with stranded and solid. But I feel a lot more confident now that I have watched this article and of course I have read the packaging none the less I feel much better about using the regular wire nuts. And in addition I do not use the cheap ones that come with anything. Always IDEAL is my choice. Especially pig tailing. Great article. Thank you and I will try the clip on ones at some point. I would guess they are not cheap but for peace of mind what is expensive?
I’m an electrician in the UK, we use Wago connectors a lot these days and have virtually zero problems with them, they are pronounced ‘Vaaaygo’, I think it’s German. I have seen a ‘wire nut’ only twice in my whole career, back in my apprenticeship, they were used for lighting circuits only, back when we had rubber cables in the 50’s and 60’s! I remember they were small and ceramic. They are now illegal for use in the UK (for the last 40 years at least) and rightly so.
My 1967 tract house in CA came with crimp connectors. Needless to say, outlets with heavy loads eventually overheated and burned because the crimp connector loosened over time due to heat cycling. I hired an electrician to replace all the crimp connectors with something that looks like WAGO but no levers. The wires just push in and are held tightly. I didn’t specify those. That’s just what they used. I am thankful those lousy crimp connectors didn’t burn the house down.
I’ve been perusal vids in preparation for installing a pendant – and then to figure out why it didn’t work (lol). Huge problem with a lot of them is that the person talks through what they’re doing BUT they don’t show close ups. “Then you twist the wires into…” but showing the guy saying that instead of the wires so you have no idea what they actually did or what it should look like. This article cleared up about 10,000 (okay – hyperbole – but after all of these vids it feels that way!) questions and misunderstandings in less than 15 minutes. Just wish I’d found this one first! Great job.
Great job on providing awareness and safety! One item not covered is the non-lever “Way-Go” which is typically used in the industry, especially since the lever model is still starting to gain popularity. But from a cost point (I have purchased >100K) the non-level is much more economical and has less chance of, as you stated, pushing the lever and releasing the wire. Another good point with the “Way-Go” is that you can test the voltage through the top holes without exposing yourself to any bare copper.
I was always taught to divide the strands and pretwist, then screw the nut in twisting and once the nut is secure, wrap the bottom of the nut down to the wires with electrical tape to keep moisture out of getting inside the wire nut and secure it better at the same time. What are your thoughts on that?
Wow! That voltmeter reading was a real eye-opener! I’ve always figured you either have contact, or you don’t – but that demo showing how an improperly stripped wire may have partial contact (I think?) and show voltage on a NCVD, but only around 5 volts on the DVM? WOW! Thanks for excellent info with great visuals, demos and clear explanations!
We stopped using what you call “wire nuts” in the UK about 20 years ago. In my opinion as an electrician of 50 years the wire nut is probably the worst way possible to joint cables. I have generally used connector block for many years but have recently moved over to Wago’s for a tight and safe Cable connection. I have never been able to disconnect a Wago by mistake.
Something you missed with those Wago clips. They are rated for the amount of current and voltage that can flow through them (it’s labelled on the side). For example, the Wago clip you show at 12:09 shows it supports 20A and 300V so make sure you don’t go above those values. There are Wago clips that support higher values if needed. Also, there are counterfeit Wago clips out there that are cheaply made and the levers can break. Make sure you buy your Wago clips from trusted sources like Digikey or Mouser.
You don’t twist wires together just to create a mechanical bond. I find the notion of wires “vibrating” apart over time, to be a hard pill to swallow. The main reason to twist wires together is to reduce the chance of fire. Strong and secure mechanical connections are key to a low-resistance electrical circuit. Resistance in a connection like this occurs when the wires do not make good contact with each other, over a suitable surface area of the bare wires. Resistance can lead to heat build-up, melting of insulation and fire hazard. The wire nuts should only be there to electrically insulate the ends and ensure that the twist stays tight during installation and rough-in.
Good article. The number one place I’ve seen wire nuts come loose is in an attic. Numerous time on service calls I’ve found the heating and cooling cycle of the attic will loosen the connections made by DIY’ers adding lighting or ceiling fans. Poor wire connections (not twisted as shown) sometimes causes burning/melting of the wire nuts. As an apprenticeship instructor I always taught that you had to twist the wires and not rely on the wire nuts for the connections.
Used wire nuts for decades. Built dozens of houses and countless remodels. Customers thank me all the time for things I built 10-30 years ago. No problems with wire nuts. Just have to twist with strong hands. I have over-twisted and had a wire exposed out the end of the cap, but that’s super rare, and easy to spot.
Thank you. This was very interesting. My husband is not an electrician, but learned enough along the way that he wired an entire addition to our house with my help. He taught me all I know. When the code inspector came by, he said that the wiring was better than some he’d seen contractors do. I’ve never seen a Wago, but they look interesting. We always twist the wires before putting the nut on. We have found some pretty disastrous situations in some of the houses we’ve lived in. Our current dining room light put out a giant spark with a loud pop, while we were eating dinner. One of the wires had come out and contacted the metal housing. We were lucky we were here and that it just shorted itself, thus avoiding the fire. Electricity is fairly simple, but you have to go by the rules or there will be disaster. Thanks again.
When closed correctly, which is no big deal, never had a failed Wago connection for 16+ years. Made wiring in several production facilities. It gives flexibility and saves a lot of time. As per wire twisting, as the colleague said, these units are not common in Europe. However, after proper twisting pattern with pliers, we use an insulated ‘cap’ that has a tightening screw and is insulated. Everything is rock solid. Great article, mate! People should be aware that improper wiring is pure risk and danger.
After living in a house wired in 1920-1935. It taught me a bit of solder at the joints, can do wonders .. Before, adding the wire nut. And it works in both solid and solid/stranded joins. No wire nuts were used in that old construction, wraps/solders, friction tape, with that old tar impregnated fiber insulation, was a wonder to behold. But so was Frankenstein..
All good tips! I have learned to ALWAYS pull on those wires, even if I’m pretty sure the wire nut is on OK. Maybe one slipped. That stranded to solid is super common when people add outdoor lights, and the stranded wire on that new motion sensor light may be as small as 18 gauge, while your 20 amp lighting circuit is 12 gauge solid. Thanks for a useful article.
The clip lifting on the dual WAGO is akin to undoing a screw on a Weidmuller terminal strip and being shocked the screw was undone. 99% of this article are non-issues, and anyone “experiencing” any of these problems had no business doing the work in the first place. It’s not a product problem, it’s an idiot problem.
12:19 Every article I see demonstrating Wago connectors strips the wires the same way you just did. There is an easier way. Strip any length as long as it is longer than the amount shown on the gage. Put the insulated part on the gage where the mark is and snip off the overhang. It will be correct ever time and it does not involve having to hold the wire on the mark as you pick up your strippers and strip the wire. Strip any length, hold the wire next to the gage with the insulation on the mark, snip off the overhang, easy peesy.
Wow, this is very useful! My collection of wire nuts is old and loose, so I never knew which ones could handle how many wires of what gauge. Some years ago our furnace stopped working, so I called in a repair person. When I came back later, on the top of the furnace was a wire nut that had MELTED. Unfortunately I recognized it immediately: when I had previously worked on the furnace (at least a year earlier) I stuffed 4 wires into one wire nut. That one. It worked at the time, but obv the connection wasn’t as good as I thought. I consider myself lucky nothing worse happened. I still have that melted wire nut, as a reminder of what can go wrong. Now I understand how to make sure that never happens again.
For solid Wires you can use the Wago 2273 Series. The Wago 2273 series is available for 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 wires. 2273-202 is for 2 wires 2273-203 is for 3 wires 2273-204 is for 4 wires 2273-205 is for 5 wires 2273-208 is for 8 wires To loosen the wires again, simply twist the wire(s) back and forth while pulling. However, it is always important to keep an eye on the current carrying capacity of all Wago terminals.
I am guilty of all of these at one time or another. Once I discovered the wago connectors I rarely use anything else. My favorite, though, are the leverless version of wago connectors. It takes one more potential failure out of the element and it is nice to just shove the wire in and seat it without levers. Just like you, I also, tape around all my connectors after they are installed to add that extra level of security. Lastly, once my entire outlet is wired, I also tape around the entire thing to isolate the side screw connectors from anything else in the box ;D It doesn’t take too many jingles or flashes of light after installs to learn your lessons quickly ^_^
For those who want to use wire nuts properly I’ll give a short tutorial. First always twist all your solids together tightly before screwing on the wire nut. For strandeds always twist the wires together tightly and screw on the wire nut. Never twist the solid and stranded wires together. Always twist the solids together. Always twist the strandeds together. Then hold them with the ends equal and screw on the wire nut while holding the wires firmly in your hand. If one group pulls ahead of the other then redo your connection. Most wire nut boxes will have a table printed on the back recommending how many wires of what size will work with what size wirenut. After making literally tens of thousands of connections over forty years I’ve seen and dealt with many types of connections but I’ve yet to see any device that will outlast and out perform a properly installed wire nut.
Great article. Thanks for the reminder on how to properly use wire-nuts. In the walls next to my washing machine, I twisted the wires as you stated, then I soldered the connections, then I crimped a Closed End Splice Connector over them & finally used electrical tape over them. It may be overkill, but I feel it is better safe than sorry, since my kids continue to overload the washer & it dances around on the floor bouncing against the walls.
I was trained as an electrician in the union in the 80’s and the wire-twisting technique wasn’t taught. Never did it myself. But I did come to use the best wire nuts (Ideal) align the ends of the wire, and use the largest suitable nut. Tighten it well so the inner spring got a good grip on all of them, then give each wire a tug to make sure they weren’t loose. Two problems with twisting the insulated part of the wire: 1. If for some reason one of the wires inside the nut is loose (e.g. it breaks off) you won’t know it. 2. If you need to work on that connection at a later time (e.g. add a wire) it’s a mess. Re: a stranded wire with a solid wire that is a challenge using a wire nut. My method was to twist the stranded around the solid with my fingers, and leave it longer than the solid. And then after putting nut on, give each wire a tug. We didn’t have those fancy new clip connectors you showed, but that looks like the better solution. One more point about wire nuts: in addition to the continuity of the wires being in contact with each other, the metal inside the wire nut also conducts electricity from one conductor to the next. So, it’s not entirely dependent on wire to wire contact (except with those cheap-O nuts with no metal in them).
I’m glad I just watched this article. For 30 years I didn’t pre-twist with the thought that it was correct but never confirmed it. Yesterday I decided to pre-twist when I installed a furnace motor. I have no idea why, maybe subconsciously doubting the process I had used for years considering I have never had any formal training and have heard electricians do it that way. Glad to learn my way is okay. My thought now is how long would I have pre-twisted if I hadn’t watched this article. lol. Thank you! Edit: I forgot to mention how many of those mistakes I have made? All of them! Thank you for keeping homeowners safe!
In the few countries that still allow twist nuts, it is recommended to tape the wire nut and a couple of inches of cable leading into the nuts. I typically do the same for Wago connectors to prevent accidental release. Also, I import my glass fiber insulating tape as most tape sold in the USA, especially in hardware stores, is flammable. To be blunt, I have NEVER found even one new-build house that didn’t come with a litany of wiring problems and issues. This may be due to especially lax inspections in Arizona (so I can’t speak to the rest of the country), but I would recommend that anyone buying a house in Arizona have their house inspected for signs of shoddy workmanship.
A couple comments on the WAGOs. Having used them all over my house and my workplace, I’ve never seen one open and drop the wire out. We have one guy who worries about that, but instead of tape, he uses a small ziptie near the top and makes it tight. That way you can still see inside, you can still use the test holes, and if you’re using wire that is being pushed to it’s max, it’ll never get too hot, which tape might hold in. Also, I’ll never use a wire nut again, especially for multiple connections. Being able to leave things hot with a 3 or 5 hole Levernut and just add the new conductor is so much better than undoing a wire nut, and trying to get 3 or 4 wires all perfectly back together while not getting shocked is wonderful. And for those who don’t like even levers, there’s the push in style wirenuts, and they work, but hard to ever undo if you’re rewiring anything. And anyone leaving That much wire unstripped outside any lever or wirenut doesn’t need to be wiring. Levernuts are just like you said about wirenuts. Follow the instructions and you’ll probably never have an issue with them. They even come in different sizes as well for slightly larger conductors and amp loads.
While many of the previous comments state they’ve never seen the Wago open up accidently, I have. And you know what they say about Murphy’s Law; If you say it won’t happen it probably will sometime in the future. Simply wrapping a couple times with electrical tape to make sure they stay shut isn’t all that hard an additional step IMO. Good info Adam. Thanks for putting this out there. And it’s a great refresher article for those that don’t do this everyday as a profession, etc. Thanks again.
2 years of commercial level training in HS (yes, my high school had a commercial electric class) and I was taught the method you showed, pre-twisting with linemans pliers. We had several days in class just repeatedly twisting joints with 2, 3 and 4 wire connections. Any electrical work that needs done around the house and stuff, I’m the family electrician lol. Had to give up on that particular career path for health reasons. That tip with the stranded and solid wire was definitely one I needed to know. We never touched stranded wire in my class, and recently, installing a couple light fixtures and 3 ceiling fans, I was struggling with getting the stranded wire to grab and not slip out.
Thank you so much for these tips. I am not a certified electrician, but I do a lot of my own electrical work at home. I am a believer in being safe and doing things the right way. I found all of your tips very helpful. Subbed, liked, and rang the bell! Thank you for sharing this information with us. Cheers, Dave.😎🤘
I heartily agree with wrapping WAGOs with electrical tape to prevent accidental lever opening when pushing into a crowded box, but there is one caution here: The tape might provide unintended thermal insulation that could cause the connector to overheat if being used a maximum load. I use a single wrap of tape that covers the lower end of the levers only to reduce this possibility.
I used WAGO for upgrading in my 50 year old house and new construction in a detached shop. Expensive but well worth it ( about $.50 per). Way simpler and safe. Only thing I would have done differently is to use electric tape as in the vid just as a precaution… extra safety. But I was very conscientious in application and did a visual inspection to my satisfaction on each box.
Up front: All your concerns are completely valid. A very descriptive article. I have done electrical installs in Canada for a couple of decades and in Germany most of my life, so I do have some basis for an objective comparison. Wire nuts are a North American thing. Never liked them, as any twisting of copper wire weakens the material. With stranded wire it’s even worse. Bad connections, high resistance, followed by heat and – if things get bad enough – arcing and fire. And in North America you’re dealing with twice the amperage (as compared to the 230V powergrid in Europe) for a given e.g. 100W bulb in a domestic installation. Working with stranded wire? WAGOs are o.k., but the better solution are ferrules and a screw joint, especially where you have a large current flow. I understand your mission to get knowledge to the DIYs. But honestly, if you have to explain these simple steps, then people with less-than-sufficient knowledge about electical installations may get overconfident and hurt themselves at some other point. The internet is a poor substitute for an actual year-long guided education on the matter.
Can’t get through the comments because of all the UK and Australia guys with the question mark springing over their head. This article is not for you. 220V at 50hz where you live? In the USA it is 110V at 60hz. Regardless though, this article could be summed up to be careful to follow the instructions. And for fun, virtually all the domestic wiring in the US is done with wire nuts. A huge percentage of them are done with only red wire nuts regardless of the wire count or size. And most of the house fires are done for insurance fraud and are set. Not faulty wiring. Yikes!
Family we should all have basic code requirements for all built projects ok not to do this is critical to yourself and property safe guarding what you build, the whole point of the building codes are to protect life and or a persons property, I can’t even imagine any place in the USA that would not adopt them it’s crazy unthinkable, that the USA wouldn’t of have anyplace not requiring permits and inspections on a new building project of any kind, if not it’s backwards which would be unbelievable for anyone’s properties ok
I love the Wagos, but I still find myself using wire nuts more often; it’s probably because I have thousands of them lying around, and they are cheaper. But in the UK, it’s the other way around. If you know what you’re doing, they both work great. What still amazes me is how many times I’ve opened up a wire nut and found what you pointed out.
40 plus Electrical contractor. I’ve seen the back stab outlets, 15 and 20 amp fail. Seen the Wago type ( don’t know if they were cheap knock offs) connectors fail. I’ve seen wire nuts fail. Breaker connections fail. Always loose connections. For me, nothing beats twisted wire with a wirenut. Good surface contact, mechanically connected . I’m not a fan of push in connectors or lever connectors. To me it seems like (and I done this ) you can pull and twist them off . Not as much surface as a wire nut connection that is on there. You can’t pull it off when installed correctly. I will add the failures I have seen a lot of times have been a high load plugged into an outlet that exceeds or reaches the breaker ampacity much like a plug in heater. The breaker won’t trip initially, rather it will at times exceed or reach the stated amperage periodically. The weakest point will be at the connector that is the most loose and or least surface connection. After that it will expand (heat) and contract ( cool) making the connection worse . Before deciding what /how to connect be sure you know how electricity works. Good connections will trip breakers, bad connections start fires.
I am from Germany and I used WAGO since years. The problem you mentioned -> never happned in years. You have to apply a lot of pressure to be able to loosen the clamp. But.. you are right, it can happen. These clamps are usually only used when you want to quickly release the connection. Other WAGO connection clamps are usually used in electrical systems (look similar, but without opening or closing anything). With these, the wires are also plugged in without opening a flap. These last permanently. No problems. Never. 100% save. And you ca also mix wires. I consider the American solution of twisting wires (just my opinion) to be very dangerous because twisting can also break wires. Of course it depends on the wire thickness. And.. the sample you show.. non contact voltage detector … Nobody who works with electronics uses this device to determine whether voltage is present. That has nothing to do with how good connection clamps are Greetings from Berlin and thank you
As a former electrician from the Netherlands, i used the wire nuts at school early 2000’s to practice. After that they where only needed in Hospitals, so i only used Wago’s without or with lever after that and never looked back. And never had a Wago lever come open, and i have used force to cram some into their boxes. And i think using tape around it, makes it a bigger fire hazard than without. Just, hold a lighter to a piece of tape and see what happens. Oh, and throw away all those stupid volt sticks, wrub it against your shirt and you instantly become a mobile power station.
As a electrician from europe, we don’t have wirenuts and I don’t trust them. I like the wago way better. I always just made sure the wagos was clamed down and didn’t open after fastening. In many cases Ive used a type of wireconnectors that require a flat screwdriver that mashes the copper ends together. Done right (as obviosly stated in the article you should know that you are doing) I find these very reiiable. Bad connections is the root cause of evil.
Thanks for this. I’m an old school home handyman and enjoyed the first bit of the article about pre-twisting the wires. It’s the way my dad taught me 50 years ago when I was still young enough to learn from him. He often used solder and cloth tape cause that’s how he originally learned in his youth. Yeah, also a family taught home handyman. Never even seen the WAGO connector in any of my previous homes so I know a bit more today than yesterday.
I never use them junk wire nuts that come with lights, etc. and fee times I do – I will add electrical tape to be safe. Just tried using WAGOs for the 1st time few weeks ago. A big plus. Still a fan of playing safe with electrical tape. I never had a problem and like to keep it that way. Now if we can stop stop buying junk from China. 😠.
The “professional electrician” who was involved in my home remodeling forgot to connect back one of the few outlets I have in my kitchen ( small house) and I had to buy the tool to fishing the new wires behind the wall and connected to another circuit, I used the WAGO connector and it works fine, I’m not an electrician; but I’m the kind of person who ALWAYS read the product instructions and fallows the manufacturer recommendations, advice or suggestions 🤷♂️
Pre-twisting sucks for the next guy, or maybe even you if you have to troubleshoot something and those wires are “welded” together. Contractors love those latest generation levered Wagos. They are the fastest and easiest thing to use so I get why. Some people say they never have a problem with them opening up inside a box but I’ve seen it happen a lot, especially in crowded boxes. Wagos in general create a lot of troubleshooting headaches. They are a “run and go and don’t look back” type of thing which when done in large volumes is going to statistically lead to issues. Another thing: DON’T use those wire nut twisting bits that go on a drill. It can overdo it and leave wires breaking through the end of the wire nut. Once you get shocked by it, as I have, after someone did it you’ll really learn why.
Industrial election here. We exclusively use lever nuts (wagos) because it’s easier to do them correctly. A lot of electricians were never shown how to properly tie wire nuts, so we just ignore that potential problem entirely. The only time I was shown how to tie a pigtail was in a pre-apprenticeship class. Since then, nobody has ever asked me if I knew how to tie them, nobody has ever offered to show me how to tie them. I would guess there are thousands of electricians out there who are tying pigtails wrong and they honestly don’t know they are doing it wrong. One of the key aspects of using lever nuts is to ziptie the wires together. If something pulls on one of the wires, almost all of that force is directed to the ziptie; it’s not being applied to the lever nut.
Enjoyed perusal the article and your tip to tighten the wires until there are twists extending outside of the wire nut is key for safety. A reason that pretwisting is not recommended is that the wire nut induces compressive force on the wire pair as it is twisted in the wire nut. This compressive force helps in forming a metallurgical bond between the twisted wires, which improves the integrity and longevity of the electrical connection. This is the same reason that punchdown telecom and ethernet connections are reliable, as well as wire wrap connections used in electronic prototyping. Another reason to use the right size wire nut as well.
This is excellent information and I really appreciate your clear and concise delivery. I’ve run into several of these wire connection errors while working on our previously owned boat. As I watched your article my mind drifted to at least a dozen connections that I know need me to correct them. ⚡⚡⚡ Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.
Subscribed! Very useful articles with an Unparalleled level of detail to safety. Although I took electrical courses decades ago in high school, this makes a great refresher for me and also covers things that have changed. I have been forced into becoming a DIY guy since the cost of living in my country has skyrocketed.
12:50 Thank you… Great how to. Over the years, as a Handyman and Super, I’ve seen these issues you’ve described as well as ground connections lost because lock nuts for box connectors got loose, due to vibration from construction, or no anti short bushings were used, in 120V applications using “BX” or shielded armor cable. Thanks for those tips on the preference of Electricans for those snap in connecting devices (Wagos.) and follow threw with Electrical tape, so they stay seated.
Excellent presentation. Great information for the lay person. Wish every homeowner could see this article . I have been doing it wrong for years . I’ve been lucky so far in my 35 plus years of home repairs. I always use electrical tape around the wire nut and the wires. Thanks for the great information !
I have always though I was a pretty good amateur electrician for home repairs or projects. I have gone through 3 or 4 inspections and never had a problem, although a licensed electrician lost when he had to install one outlet on our house after a fire. I did both the electrical demo and rewire, but an electrician had to do something, and that outlet was it. I have watched several of your articles and learned a lot about little details and hidden tricks. I am about to rewire a garage after purchasing a new home (to us) and the rewire will be extensive. I will use much of what I have learned perusal your articles and thank you for them.
Do you know that exist wagos without levers? Every good performed electrical installation with WAGOs is well-arranged, quickly repaired, change wire/Wagos or add new with more terminals is easy, wagos has small openning for measurement current ETC…. So when someone say that Wagos are bad, is like say, that Porsche 911 Turbo is slow and bad car……..!
Folks, let me give you a different perspective. You may work residential where you have the benefit of 125v so the amperage draw is low. I came up in the automotive field where voltage was low at 12-14, so amperage draw is much higher. Our focus was always on maximum surface contact with the connectors, or risk increased resistance, leading to heat, leading to melting, leading to fire. With this mindset, I find it baffling as to why an electrician would choose a tiny surface contact area of a spring terminal (whether wago or push-in behind a receptacle) rather than the huge contact area of the terminal screw or pre-twisted wire under a wire nut. Remember, that excessive resistance (heat, melting, fire) never draws enough amperage to trip your breaker….it just burns. Europeans love Wagos, but they have the benefit of 240v so the amperage draw is half of what the U.S. requires at only 125v.
Wire nuts work fine when used properly; i hold the splice firmly with pliers and twist it down firmly. You don’t need to pre-twist; its optional. Even with pretwist, wire nuts require a tight of the nut. A non-soldered splice REQUIRES compression. I’m saying Wagos are bad; they’re just not cheap. Don’t forget, this guy SELLS Wagos
Wire nut?!? Best not claim “most people just” as there may be numerous countries such as the UK where, I suspect, most people have never seen or used a wire nut. Interesting you say some are “crappy”. To me it looks like an awful device. Some crappier than others. Connector or terminal blocks in insulated junction boxes are much more common in the UK and provide a more reliable and insulated solution. Products like the waago levver nut are more common. Still pretty crappy and unreliable though.
my current (pun intended) had a problem EVERY TIME l opened an electrical box. which is why l got the place for 70K in 2003. before that they have std recepticals with aluminum wire. thats aroud the time a LICENSED ELECTRICIAN scolded me for doing the ‘secondary’ twisting action to hold all the wires together thwarting ‘loose’ ones. SCOLDED ME FOR FOLLOWING PROTOCOL aka FCUK YERSELF JOURNEYMAN
I just installed a Blink Floodlight Camera on the soffit in front of my driveway. I had to branch of an existing new bedroom circuit and installed 2 junction boxes using only the Wago (Ideal) push in type connectors in the boxes, with 14/2. Hopefully they hold up, as it’s in the attic. First time I have used those type of connectors.
Even better, coat the wires with No-Ox grease before screwing on the wire nut. Some come with grease internally, esp. for outdoor locations. In outlet boxes, I use wire nuts since cheaper and more secure. For overhead lights, I like Wago levers since easy to replace fixtures in the future and I use LED lamps which draw minimal current, plus less time holding your hands overhead to lose blood and trying to support the fixture while wiring.
Sometime ago I wired my barn and the inspector required me to use a mechanical crimp for ground wires. I can’t remember the trade name for them. Basically a little barrel with a special crimping tool. Number one is that the norm? Number 2 would those Wagos be considered mechanical in place of one of those crimped barrels.
Listening to electricians these day with all of their codes,codes,codes and end of times antics,,,,,its friggin amazing that the kids of the 40,50,60,70,and 80’s decades are still alive and every house and building built in those yrs hasnt burn to the ground yet.How in the hell did we survive all those years without all of these $%@&!%÷ codes,rules,regulations and permits?Its all a damn mystery to me.
Good day Sir, another great article filled with good instructions for a newbie or DIY users. My question is Why does the plug receptacle manufacturer even have the push in connection option if it is that unreliable? It’s as if they are adding to a dangerous practice, I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that the manufacturers are putting out a potentially very dangerous option that isn’t even necessary, BUT then WHY is the CSA ( obviously in Canada ) CANADIAN Standards Association, allowing these types of recepticals to be manufactured and used ????
I add Dielectric Grease to the bear metal of the two lines. Then cap them tightly. Reason: over “time” the bear copper will tarnish, the green powder looking stuff on copper, Rust. The added grease keeps the copper bright. Copper plus Oxygen is NON conducting electrical rust. This acts like a Reister and will HEAT up, at that “Cap” The grease stops this from happening.
One “don’t” missing from the article, that I see fairly regularly, is re-using the old fashioned push-in connectors. Some of these can be re-used without any issue. Others can be re-used with the same gauge or thicker solid wire. And some should not be re-used at all. For safety’s sake, I throw them out whenever I have to pull a wire out of them. Another mistake: not properly torquing screw connections, especially in breaker boxes / consumer units (whatever these are called in your country)
I spread out the individual strands and put an even amount of strands on each side of the solid core and then twist the stranded wires around the solid core wire. Then I add a 2 inch long piece of heat shrink tubing that is large enough to fit around the outside of the wire nut, and push down around the wires. Then I add the wire nut, and twist it some more. Then I bring the heat shrink up so that the tubing covers half of the wire nut, as well as the first portion of the wire that is coming out of the wire nut. Shrink the tubing with a blow torch or heat gun. The tubing has now created a glued waterproof covering of the connection, as well as preventing the wire nut from separating from the wire. I hate electrical tape, because the glue dries out and the tape unravels.
Hey thanks for the article, so I do have a question say “I have a fan already install in a master bedroom; however, I want to install 4 recessed LED either 5″ or 6” lights for extra light. May I use one of the hot wires from the fan to power up the LED recessed lights? please let me know? or do I have to run a separate Romex up to the ceiling lights from the switch on the wall? thanks again.
Huh. You know, I’m an Apprentice Electrician in Canada and tbh I’m a bit surprised how many Electricians lime the WAGOs. I get that they save time and all, but particularly for switchboxes, adding a device that requires the neutral and bond (e.g. a dimmer), man are you making extra work for the next guy. Last dozen renovations I’ve worked on in residential complexes or apartments, I’ve had to resplice neutrals and bonds. It doesnt sound that bad until you realize how little extra conductor length was left in these older projects.
Could you slip a heat shrink tube over the end of a wire that was properly secured. Connect the wired. Put heat shrink over it. Heat it adequately to seal it and done. Why wouldn’t that work in a very low stress application. If it is never pulled on and just needs to be wrapped… FYI, I’m not an electrician so my ignorance is on display. I have only now thought about possibly doing this.