Hey Jon, great video! Ideal is located in my hometown, about 60 miles straight west of Chicago in Sycamore, Illinois. It's one of the largest companies in town. I got the opportunity to work there for a short time. I was manufacturing high end electricians screwdrivers. It was a great experience. When I left, I was gifted with a box of screwdrivers, nut drivers, and other hand tools which couldn't be sold as new because they didn't meet the company's quality levels. It's a good company that treats their employees like family!
Wow! That’s is really cool. So great to know that they are a good company. I’m sure that was interesting to see their manufacturing process and be a part of it. Now I want to go for a tour after reading your comment. Thanks for watching and nice to hear about Ideal. I’ll look them up now. 🙌🙌
19:27 - WILD such a diverse range of wire gauges and ability to reposition, Unlock short wire without worrying about trimming back each time wire connector is removed in old old houses. Great info. I knew a lot of it but still learned some new things and did not know about holding wires - always laid them flat before twist.
I appreciate your advice of wrapping electrical tape around the wires before twisting. It helps a lot when twisting four 12 gauge wires. As a diy'er, excellent quality work is more important to me than speed. Prior to this, I was getting inconsistent results.
These all seem to work very well. I especially like how your work is always in the open with plenty of room and wire to work with. Seems like I am always working with spliced wires to start with. Course if they were done correctly like this. In the first place….. I wouldn’t be there.
Excellent, Jon! I thought you'd be challenged to hold my attention for 20 mins, but your pace and volume of information (nearly all by demonstration) are spot on. Did you mis-speak saying the Al/Cu nuts were filled with silicone? I believe they are filled with anti-oxidation grease. Would like to have seen King Innovation Alumiconns in the mix. Bonus points for the blow gun specs and demo! Thanks again!
The company I work for typically always use the Ideal Wing-Nut red ones for work, those are definitely my favorite wire nut to use. We often use the ideal tan twister ones like you have for tighter stuff like 2X4 light fixtures
Half way thru and ive already got this saved as a text and on an email, along with a screen shot that ive put in the locked folder and if all else fails, i can pull the address of the shot with the google photo/whatever app. Nicely done. Very nicely done. Never knee b about the Ideal goop. Ill be ordering it when you're done. Thanx
I'm going to redo some wiring to the heating element of an electric dryer. Previous owners were hacks. One of my spade connecter to a thermostat was 90 degrees to the wire. Besides wire nuts, I'll be adding spade terminals. Just want to make sure my connected are heat, current, voltage capable. I did a retrofit of all my T8 florescent lighting to led and used wago in the fixtures.
Right On! 🙌 Yes I know sometimes they use high temp wire nuts in a dryer. Ceramic ones. I used them once in an old dryer. Probably not necessary in a new dryer but it’s a good thing to think about. Those wagos are perfect for that lighting.
Good stuff Mr. Jon! Here in bama.. our go to or should I say my go to is a finger death twist and 2 or 3 wraps of dollar tree black electrical tape 😳😁 enjoyed! Thank ya!
This is absolutely the best video on proper use of wirenuts that I have seen, I subscribed. I like the Ideal twister pro flex and the 3M Performance Plus. I find the pre twisting is necessary with 3 or 4 wires when using 12 AWG. I have good results without pre twisting up to 4 wires when using 14 AWG.
Very nice video with a lot of useful information. I feel the push-in and lever connectors are weak in comparison to the other twister connectors because of the small amount of contact area. I've seen the push in connector fail in duplex plugs (20 years ago) and cause arcing and failed connections where there is power coming in but no power downstream. Thanks for the video.
I had a wire nut fail on the shared neutral of two twenty amp circuits. The had not pretwisted the wire and it was on a garage door wall so it was constantly vibrated. When it disconnected it destroyed everything on the circuit that was only 120v. A device rated for 80v-240v like a laptop power supply would have been fine. I’m never going to use a shared neutral again. On my current shared neutral receptacles I’m going to pretwist the shared neutrals and add a wire tie.
Jon, thank you for your instructive video! I want to remove a light switch (2 actually - they're 3-way), then wire nut the wires and cover with a blank cover. I have all kinds of wire nuts. What kind should I use? Thanks in advance, Hulda in the SF Bay Area :)
Nice video, it was interesting learning about the different wire nuts, their sizes and different options, like with the silicone. I've seen years lighting wire laid out and don't recall them being weather tight, just with a wire nut in the elements. Also, I love the blow gun 😅
One thing you left out is crimp nuts. Look like a wire nut but work more like a crimp sleeve. You still see these in some factory connections and they make a nice small gauge stranded wire connection. But they aren't removable without cutting them off. At a minimum, cutting right at the crimped section, you're going to lose at least 3/8 of an inch.
Thank you for this video. Very good 👍. Hey I have a question for you. So I am not an electrician by any means of the word. Getting ready to put in a new vanity light and a new kitchen light. What would be the safest and easiest connection for the diy guy?? It's woven to solid wire connections. I know electricity causes lots of house fires per year and I really want my family and myself to be safe.
Hi Jon ☺ over hee in the UK I don't see those wire nuts, but Wago connectors are popular, it was interesting to see you connecting the earth cables in the outlet box, here we would sleeve the bare copper earth's whith yellow and green stripe ,for earth, and so they couldn't short out on a live connection, as we run 240v domestic supply those pixie's can realy bite ya, lol. Keep right on Jon, bringing us more great videos, stay safe mate, best wishe's to you and your's, Stuart UK.
Can I ask You Please John if you can post me the Brand Name of your mini Swivel Mount Vise, I was looking at them a while back but for the like of me can't remember the Name and seeing them here in your Video Just Jolted my interest yet again as had a job on my "FIBRE LASER MARKER" where that little guy would have saved me a tone of time and frustrations. Thanks again for the Informative. Educational and Entertaining Content 👍🏼
The one thing I'll criticize the Wagos for is being vulnerable to snagging on something and the lever lifting up. Taping them would suffice to both hold them shut and reduce the possibility of snagging, but I'd sure like to see them snap shut a little more positively.
By using black tape to assist you in holding the wires on the 4 wire white wire group, you effectively labeled that bundle a hot connection. You may want to mention this to your viewers.
I find Jon's advice on this is great for three or four 12 gauge wires, I use black tape on black wires and white tape on white wires and so on. So there's no confusion. No tape needed on bare ground wires. I'm not an electrician.
On connecting more than 3 wires with a wire nut you have no proof that all wires are in contact to the bites of the nut. One of them may in the middle just getting hold by friction to the other wires. This is independend whether you twist or not. You're only control is test tugging each wire which is inconvenient inside a box. In the end you'll hope for the best. It's like a four legged table not shaking. On lever connectors or push-in connectors (like Wago 221 or 2273) each individual wire is proof clamped. You can visual check this or perform an electrical check on the test port of the connectors.
One strange thing about the blue 454's, you can put two 6awg wires in them, the cross section(or area) of copper of 2#8 Is less then 1#6, I just wish they would be more practical with their descriptions...
Nice tutorial thanks. However, I wonder if wire nuts and slip-ons are ‘technically approved’ since I have never come across them in the airline and automotive industry where I used to work as a maintenence engr. for 40 years ? 🤔
I think only crimps are approved to automotive use, just due to the vibration they're exposed to. Wirenuts and wagos MAY work, but I dont think there would be any longterm reliability.
Wire nuts like we use today make the absolutely best connection short of twisted-soldered-taped. In the UK, they used some porcelain "wire nuts" that were prone to cracking. I've heard these were banned there. That was a 100 year old design and did not have the spring insert. Frankly, I have never seen one instance of these being used in the US. They may have been used here, but I've never seen it. BTW, don't confuse the old porcelain with current design ceramic versions used in extremely high temperature applications. The old standard here going back to knob and tube days, was always twisted-soldered-taped. as best as I know, we went from that standard to the more modern style wire nut as the replacement. These were designed to be an equal replacement. Plenty of scientifically based testing has proven that. As for being behind, you seem to be forgetting the inherently less safe 240 volt systems, ring circuits and receptacle plugs, large enough to be considered a dangerous weapon!! And then things like your RCD trips at 30 milliamps vs 5 milliamps on our GFCIs. And then there are AFCIs requirements which the IK and other 240 volt countries barely even recognize to even exist!! If you are looking back and seeing us, it's because we are about to lap you again, putting you even further behind!
I love Wago lever nuts and use them exclusively. But, modern wire nuts done correctly are safe and secure. I just don't like them because they are more complicated to install and too easy to get wrong, not to mention making rework a pain in the butt.
Thanks - I was especially interested in the Wago devices - I am changing out switches and found 4 #12 wires on one screw terminal (grrr ) -- not much room in the box , but needed a compact way to get the connections and not about to repeat the original electricians error.
Here in Britain we don't use wire nuts although they are starting to make an entrance, I have just invested in a lot of wago.when using fine stranded wire I will lightly tin the wire before use. No problems whatsoever, love wago.
Be VERY careful tinning wires. In many terminal connections, the solder slowly deforms over time, creates a loose connection then starts arcing. This is especially problematic in screw terminals that hold it at a fixed position and a common concern with cheap electronics produced overseas. A constrained connection like a wago might be fine unless it's to make up for wires that are too thin but it's unnecessary. I would never tin wires in situations like this. It reduces the electrical conductivity, increases heat and adds another variable. When you're concerned about a stranded wire, use a crimped ferrule of the appropriate size, period. An adequate crimping tool is cheap and shouldn't slip out when done right but they're made perfectly for a piece of heat shrink if you felt it was warranted.
On my very first day as an apprentice electrician my foreman showed me a wirenut. "If you ever see one of these damned things remove it and replace it with a proper connector. These are not allowed in the UK. If I ever find one on a job you have been working on you'll be in big trouble!"
From what I know, wire nuts are mistrusted in the UK because of a particular brand of ceramic wire nuts that used to be used there that had a tendency to crack. There is absolutely nothing wrong with modern wire nuts, like we use in North America. Lever connectors are definitely easier to use, but are just that much more expensive. Push-in connectors I believe are popular in the UK as well (correct me if I'm wrong) and those have a bad history here, with some cheaper models showing poor reliability.
@@raggarex I think the issue was actually with porcelain wire nuts that hand no insert. Do not confuse these with the more modern style ceramic ones designed for extremely high temperatures. These are exceptionally durable and not prone to cracking. Not only are WAGO style lever nuts much more expensive, but they are also technically inferior to wire nuts. The issue is that the tiny little spring clamp connection made with dissimilar metals, has about 3 to 4 times the resistance of a wire nut connection, right out of the box. What that means is they are going to create more heat at the connection. Where this may become a problem is at higher, near capacity currents. It gets worse as currents rise because heating is a function of the current squared times the resistance. twice the current equals 4 times the heating. The 221 lever style connectors are just a slight improvement to the older 773 push in style connectors. But both have the same spec ratings. IEC rated for 32 amps but UL rated for only 20 amps. The lever does not improve the clamping action on the 221. Some have suggested that the 221 "Is better", however the UL ratings are the same for both. If you look for comparison testing, most reviews are all about how easy they are to use, while ignoring the elephant in the room regarding their technical, hard engineering properties. For example, the resistance of the connection. I plan to detail test the 773 push ins vs the 221 lever style. I don't anticipate finding a real difference where it actually counts from a purely technical properties perspective. I do not see the levers changing that. The IEC ratings are the same for both and the UL ratings are the same for both. However, I think it is telling that the IEC current rating is 32 amps but the UL rating is only 20 amps. In my opinion, i wouldn't use either WAGO style for anything but very low current applications. I just can't see deliberately using a connection device that inherently has more resistance than the long proven wire nut connection. I don't really see the cost factor or ease of use, as being relevant to which one is fundamentally better from an engineering perspective. Now if Ohm's Law should somehow get repealed, and resistance no longer mattered, I might see it differently. But that's not about to happen and the science is still the science. But I'm an engineer vested in the science and not some installer, with rather low technical knowledge, looking to make my job easier.
@@IAmThe_RA Yeah, but popularity doesn't change the technical properties. Europeans use the 240 volt residential system where we use the split phase, dual voltage 120/240 volt system in the US an North America.
I do like the Wago but sometimes they feel loose and the wire is spinning. At least with wire nuts there is a lot of surface contact and it is very strong!
isnt noalax meant for aluminum wire? or aluminum to copper connections in sub panels etc, why not just use dielectric grease? 8 min 11 seconds in this video.
I do like the noalox for connections. It has suspended particles of zinc in it that help stop corrosion. Dielectric grease is good too for sealing out air and moisture. I use noalox on the battery terminals on my car. Works great.
I’m a retired industrial electrician to those who tape and/or wire tie wire nuts STOP IT, it is absolutely unnecessary* and you make service work very difficult and potentially dangerous *If you make proper connections
Monte I respect your opinion since you are someone who has worked in the field for many years as I have. As I mentioned in the video I like to use the tape in high vibration applications and also in marine environments. It’s good to seal out air and also trap in some noalox. Also I have opened up many j boxes over the years and have had wire nuts spill out on the floor. I’m in favor of going the extra mile in certain situations. For everyday simple connections the tape isn’t necessary. But for some instances a few wraps of tape goes a long way at protecting expensive equipment.
It's not arbitrary not at all. It's based on the number of dies it took originally in the wire manufacturing process to get down to the given thickness of wire. Starting with you guessed it 0 gauge.
@@johnh8546 , Hence arbitrary... ... Emperial countries (read US) does everything to not use metric, despite everything is measuered in units converted from metric... 😁🤪
@robertlindhe5582 arbitrary means chosen on personal choice and not with logic or a system in mind. So choosing based on the manufacturing process is not arbitrary by definition. Also AWG (American Wire Guage) was established over 30 years before Sweden adopted the metric system.
@@johnh8546 Arbitrariness is the quality of being "determined by chance, whim, or impulse, and not by necessity, reason, or principle". It is also used to refer to a choice made without any specific criterion or restraint. Arbitrary decisions are not necessarily the same as random decisions. I would say it's very impulsive to make a choice to use such complicated train of thought in a description of a cable property, instead of a simple cable area measurement. Also, when it was established is quite irrelevant, it still makes it complicated and made from an impulsive chance, from my point of view. :).
@robertlindhe5582 no it's not random or complicated or without thought. It's insanely simple and more simple than using mm or inches. You take the process used to make wire which is the same for everyone. Then you just say here are the dies you use to make your wire. We will all use the same size and number of dies. So that the 12th or 10th or 8th of whatever have you, die will always be the same size no matter who makes it. It stops anyone from cheating and using a slightly smaller die and calling it whatever mm or inch measurement, because everyone got the same dies. It is and was the simplest way to get uniformity. It's the opposite of arbitrary it's extremely logical and simple. The dies were selected to give a certain ampacity at 250 feet of wire. All of this was a very simple way of having the consumer have absolute confidence that they were getting what they paid for. If my wire manufacturer was using AWG dies and was certified as such. Then you know you are getting exactly what you wanted. Not just what they said was x or y inches squared.
Excellent on the 5 wire twist! Not so good on the mention of the hot water heater. It's a cold water heater not a hot water heater; if water was already hot, why heat it? 😂 Dunce! 🥴
It actually is incredibly secure when done correctly. Wire nuts used to be ceramic back in the stone age. They would crack and that is why they were not used but they are a whole new animal. They feel a lot more secure than wagos and get more surface contact than a wago. The US is not behind in tech by any means because of the use of wire nuts. I think they are actually better. Right On! 🙌
@@RightOnJonCrane You know the difference is that in the US still rules 110V and twice the amperage. In Europe, the maximum current in an extension cord (for example in the UK) is 13A. The problem in the US is very high current. In the EU, wires are thinner (1mm2-2.5mm2) in a home installation. High voltage does not overheat connections, High current overheats them. This causes the wires to oxidize.
Wire nuts are wonderful if you're a fit and forget boy, but in the UK where we have to prove our installation is safe and compliant on commissioning and on a periodic test, taking wire nuts apart after adding so much stain to the conductor to begin with is a complete "No-no". Trying to get a Z reading from an earth wire that's been twisted like that isn't compliant nor possible. Likewise for R1+R2 or R1+Rn tests. When the stone age NEC code catches up with the rest of the world, wire nuts will be banished like they are in the UK and Europe.
Been using pressure connectors for last 50 years and never hsd a problem. No such thing called a wire nut in our valve million word NEC. Worked in large p!ants that had vibrating machines like crushers, hammer mils, vibrating screens etc and always stripped the wire at least 7/8" then ore twist, install pressure connector & tightened with heavy side cutters then applied quality electrical tape. Went back on connections that I made over 49 years ago and still working great.
@user-tq7yj2kq5c more complex doesn't equate to better and more over sight doesn't equate to better. At a point it is just burdensome. Twist on wire connectors make a better connection than most anything due to the surface area contact of the conductors. Due to the way the threads bite into the wires it makes a very strong connection. The NFPA does say twist on wire connectors aren't suitable in certain applications, but for residential there is nothing better. Nothing gets you a stronger lower Z connection.
As a german Electrician i can say: Just use Wagos, WIre nuts look unsecure and dangerous as fuck and they would Violate alot of German Electrical codes. I get goose bumps as i am watching how he twist the wires Jesus Christ.
Oh I like wagos too but when a wire nut is done correctly I think it is way stronger than the Wago. Much more surface contact. Twisted wires are strong. If you ever pull on a wire in a Wago it feels loose and you can spin the wire. I’m not sure the Wago is really better.
This was really informative. I only wanted to see the Wago connectors but stayed to watch the whole thing. Thanks.
Hey Jon, great video! Ideal is located in my hometown, about 60 miles straight west of Chicago in Sycamore, Illinois. It's one of the largest companies in town. I got the opportunity to work there for a short time. I was manufacturing high end electricians screwdrivers. It was a great experience. When I left, I was gifted with a box of screwdrivers, nut drivers, and other hand tools which couldn't be sold as new because they didn't meet the company's quality levels. It's a good company that treats their employees like family!
Wow! That’s is really cool. So great to know that they are a good company. I’m sure that was interesting to see their manufacturing process and be a part of it. Now I want to go for a tour after reading your comment. Thanks for watching and nice to hear about Ideal. I’ll look them up now. 🙌🙌
The 3m performance plus line is great. Red/yellow but the yellow/tans are a lifesaver
19:27 - WILD such a diverse range of wire gauges and ability to reposition, Unlock short wire without worrying about trimming back each time wire connector is removed in old old houses. Great info. I knew a lot of it but still learned some new things and did not know about holding wires - always laid them flat before twist.
I appreciate your advice of wrapping electrical tape around the wires before twisting. It helps a lot when twisting four 12 gauge wires. As a diy'er, excellent quality work is more important to me than speed. Prior to this, I was getting inconsistent results.
Right On! 🙌 I’m glad you found that helpful! It does really improve the quality of the twist. Makes it a bit easier!
I'm a carpenter playing electrician at the house. This video is just what I needed. Thanks.
Right On! 🙌Thanks Hector!!
Excellent Bud!! My favorite Nut is Jon Crane!!☻
Jon that was fantastic! I never seen the direct bury connector piece... Silicone and all! Awesome!!!!!!!
These all seem to work very well. I especially like how your work is always in the open with plenty of room and wire to work with. Seems like I am always working with spliced wires to start with. Course if they were done correctly like this. In the first place….. I wouldn’t be there.
Nice review of the skills and techniques required for proper connections.
Excellent, Jon! I thought you'd be challenged to hold my attention for 20 mins, but your pace and volume of information (nearly all by demonstration) are spot on. Did you mis-speak saying the Al/Cu nuts were filled with silicone? I believe they are filled with anti-oxidation grease. Would like to have seen King Innovation Alumiconns in the mix. Bonus points for the blow gun specs and demo! Thanks again!
The company I work for typically always use the Ideal Wing-Nut red ones for work, those are definitely my favorite wire nut to use. We often use the ideal tan twister ones like you have for tighter stuff like 2X4 light fixtures
Half way thru and ive already got this saved as a text and on an email, along with a screen shot that ive put in the locked folder and if all else fails, i can pull the address of the shot with the google photo/whatever app. Nicely done. Very nicely done. Never knee b about the Ideal goop. Ill be ordering it when you're done. Thanx
Thanks for your tutorial on wire nuts, well done and very informative!
Great video. Very useful information for me. Thanks for the tutorial.
This is a great and informative video, thanks Jon!
I'm going to redo some wiring to the heating element of an electric dryer. Previous owners were hacks. One of my spade connecter to a thermostat was 90 degrees to the wire. Besides wire nuts, I'll be adding spade terminals. Just want to make sure my connected are heat, current, voltage capable.
I did a retrofit of all my T8 florescent lighting to led and used wago in the fixtures.
Right On! 🙌 Yes I know sometimes they use high temp wire nuts in a dryer. Ceramic ones. I used them once in an old dryer. Probably not necessary in a new dryer but it’s a good thing to think about.
Those wagos are perfect for that lighting.
What a fantastic video. You sir are a teacher, thanks.
Good stuff Mr. Jon! Here in bama.. our go to or should I say my go to is a finger death twist and 2 or 3 wraps of dollar tree black electrical tape 😳😁 enjoyed! Thank ya!
VERY GOOD VIDEO !
Right On! 🙌 Thanks Pete!
Vary informative, electric work is not my favorite in the shop but you explained it well, Thank You
Thanks so much, it was an excellent presentation. I have learned a lot from your video.
Right On! 🙌Thanks! Fred!!
Twist off the cable tie to avoid that sharp end. And that's for such a comprehensive video.
Right On! 🙌 I’ll give that a shot. Never tried it.
If you cut it close enough - no problem.
This is absolutely the best video on proper use of wirenuts that I have seen, I subscribed. I like the Ideal twister pro flex and the 3M Performance Plus. I find the pre twisting is necessary with 3 or 4 wires when using 12 AWG. I have good results without pre twisting up to 4 wires when using 14 AWG.
20:55 Most important info here.
Nicely done!
Thank you. Just what I was looking for!
I like the 3m performance plus red/yellow.
Yeah! I like those too! They seem like a nice positive connection! 🙌
Fantastic video. How do the professionals feel about Wago/Ideal connectors for ALU wires? I believe it's only rated for CU? Thanks for the help
Excellent vid. I enjoyed watching.
Very nice video with a lot of useful information. I feel the push-in and lever connectors are weak in comparison to the other twister connectors because of the small amount of contact area. I've seen the push in connector fail in duplex plugs (20 years ago) and cause arcing and failed connections where there is power coming in but no power downstream. Thanks for the video.
It was likely the rubbish Ideal sell in their pushfit range if you seen it 20 years ago in the US.
Thank you for a detailed video.
I had a wire nut fail on the shared neutral of two twenty amp circuits. The had not pretwisted the wire and it was on a garage door wall so it was constantly vibrated. When it disconnected it destroyed everything on the circuit that was only 120v. A device rated for 80v-240v like a laptop power supply would have been fine.
I’m never going to use a shared neutral again. On my current shared neutral receptacles I’m going to pretwist the shared neutrals and add a wire tie.
This dudes on point
Would love to work beside you or under you as an apprentice
Great video no excellent video
Jon, thank you for your instructive video!
I want to remove a light switch (2 actually - they're 3-way), then wire nut the wires and cover with a blank cover. I have all kinds of wire nuts. What kind should I use?
Thanks in advance, Hulda in the SF Bay Area :)
Nice video, it was interesting learning about the different wire nuts, their sizes and different options, like with the silicone. I've seen years lighting wire laid out and don't recall them being weather tight, just with a wire nut in the elements.
Also, I love the blow gun 😅
One thing you left out is crimp nuts. Look like a wire nut but work more like a crimp sleeve. You still see these in some factory connections and they make a nice small gauge stranded wire connection. But they aren't removable without cutting them off. At a minimum, cutting right at the crimped section, you're going to lose at least 3/8 of an inch.
Thank you for this video. Very good 👍. Hey I have a question for you. So I am not an electrician by any means of the word. Getting ready to put in a new vanity light and a new kitchen light. What would be the safest and easiest connection for the diy guy?? It's woven to solid wire connections. I know electricity causes lots of house fires per year and I really want my family and myself to be safe.
Use a Wago lever nut
@@surferdude642 thank you. I appreciate it.
Very good and clear video..Thank you..L&S'd..UK
Hi Jon ☺ over hee in the UK I don't see those wire nuts, but Wago connectors are popular, it was interesting to see you connecting the earth cables in the outlet box, here we would sleeve the bare copper earth's whith yellow and green stripe ,for earth, and so they couldn't short out on a live connection, as we run 240v domestic supply those pixie's can realy bite ya, lol. Keep right on Jon, bringing us more great videos, stay safe mate, best wishe's to you and your's, Stuart UK.
I don’t understand when to use Noalox vs diaelectric grease. Could u please make a video?!? Thanks!!
AIRSTREAM AIRSTREAM AIRSTREAM
Nice video great content. Entertaining as well
Can I ask You Please John if you can post me the Brand Name of your mini Swivel Mount Vise, I was looking at them a while back but for the like of me can't remember the Name and seeing them here in your Video Just Jolted my interest yet again as had a job on my "FIBRE LASER MARKER" where that little guy would have saved me a tone of time and frustrations. Thanks again for the Informative. Educational and Entertaining Content 👍🏼
Right on Nicholas! 👍 Yes it is a Pana Vise. Made in Reno Nevada. I’ll put a link here to Amazon
amzn.to/3vYQoui
@@RightOnJonCrane Amazeballs Thank you Jon, and for the silicone in Wire Nuts good trick, gonna remember this one
Thanks very interesting ❤
What a great video. Thx for the insight 👍
THANKU YOU SIR
Right On! 🙌Thanks!
Great video
Four 14+ one 18 is quite possible for the neutral within a light fixture.
WELL DONE ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
The one thing I'll criticize the Wagos for is being vulnerable to snagging on something and the lever lifting up. Taping them would suffice to both hold them shut and reduce the possibility of snagging, but I'd sure like to see them snap shut a little more positively.
By using black tape to assist you in holding the wires on the 4 wire white wire group, you effectively labeled that bundle a hot connection. You may want to mention this to your viewers.
I find Jon's advice on this is great for three or four 12 gauge wires, I use black tape on black wires and white tape on white wires and so on. So there's no confusion. No tape needed on bare ground wires. I'm not an electrician.
On connecting more than 3 wires with a wire nut you have no proof that all wires are in contact to the bites of the nut. One of them may in the middle just getting hold by friction to the other wires. This is independend whether you twist or not. You're only control is test tugging each wire which is inconvenient inside a box. In the end you'll hope for the best.
It's like a four legged table not shaking. On lever connectors or push-in connectors (like Wago 221 or 2273) each individual wire is proof clamped. You can visual check this or perform an electrical check on the test port of the connectors.
Can I join 3 #12 and 1-#14 in the same wago?
Yes, in a 5 port Wago lever nut or 4 port push in. 4 port Wago lever nuts don't exist.
Yes, like @surferdude642 says you can do it with a 5 port wago! 🙌
@@surferdude642 thank you for your reply!
Best way 4 hot water heaters.?
One strange thing about the blue 454's, you can put two 6awg wires in them, the cross section(or area) of copper of 2#8 Is less then 1#6, I just wish they would be more practical with their descriptions...
Nice tutorial thanks. However, I wonder if wire nuts and slip-ons are ‘technically approved’ since I have never come across them in the airline and automotive industry where I used to work as a maintenence engr. for 40 years ? 🤔
I think only crimps are approved to automotive use, just due to the vibration they're exposed to. Wirenuts and wagos MAY work, but I dont think there would be any longterm reliability.
@@KiltPatrick Correct. Auto industry here, brother is in marine, all that's used in both is crimps. A good crimp is stronger than the wire itself.
I thought wire nuts were illegal 50 years ago. Americans are soo behind.
Wire nuts like we use today make the absolutely best connection short of twisted-soldered-taped.
In the UK, they used some porcelain "wire nuts" that were prone to cracking. I've heard these were banned there. That was a 100 year old design and did not have the spring insert. Frankly, I have never seen one instance of these being used in the US. They may have been used here, but I've never seen it. BTW, don't confuse the old porcelain with current design ceramic versions used in extremely high temperature applications. The old standard here going back to knob and tube days, was always twisted-soldered-taped. as best as I know, we went from that standard to the more modern style wire nut as the replacement. These were designed to be an equal replacement. Plenty of scientifically based testing has proven that.
As for being behind, you seem to be forgetting the inherently less safe 240 volt systems, ring circuits and receptacle plugs, large enough to be considered a dangerous weapon!! And then things like your RCD trips at 30 milliamps vs 5 milliamps on our GFCIs. And then there are AFCIs requirements which the IK and other 240 volt countries barely even recognize to even exist!!
If you are looking back and seeing us, it's because we are about to lap you again, putting you even further behind!
I love Wago lever nuts and use them exclusively. But, modern wire nuts done correctly are safe and secure. I just don't like them because they are more complicated to install and too easy to get wrong, not to mention making rework a pain in the butt.
What is the best for safety?
Wago. Least chance of doing anything wrong and easiest to control.
The tan ideal nut is by far the most useful nut .
Tape em. Always.
Right On! 🙌
Thanks - I was especially interested in the Wago devices - I am changing out switches and found 4 #12 wires on one screw terminal (grrr ) -- not much room in the box , but needed a compact way to get the connections and not about to repeat the original electricians error.
Here in Britain we don't use wire nuts although they are starting to make an entrance, I have just invested in a lot of wago.when using fine stranded wire I will lightly tin the wire before use. No problems whatsoever, love wago.
Why not ferrule fine stranded wire?
Be VERY careful tinning wires. In many terminal connections, the solder slowly deforms over time, creates a loose connection then starts arcing. This is especially problematic in screw terminals that hold it at a fixed position and a common concern with cheap electronics produced overseas.
A constrained connection like a wago might be fine unless it's to make up for wires that are too thin but it's unnecessary. I would never tin wires in situations like this. It reduces the electrical conductivity, increases heat and adds another variable.
When you're concerned about a stranded wire, use a crimped ferrule of the appropriate size, period. An adequate crimping tool is cheap and shouldn't slip out when done right but they're made perfectly for a piece of heat shrink if you felt it was warranted.
Why did you call the Wago a temporary connection?
Check out Ideal’s insure lever connectors. Like a Wago. Sold at Hone Depot now.
Oh Right On, thanks for the tip. I’ll go get some and check them out. 👍🙌 ⚡️⚡️⚡️
On my very first day as an apprentice electrician my foreman showed me a wirenut.
"If you ever see one of these damned things remove it and replace it with a proper connector.
These are not allowed in the UK.
If I ever find one on a job you have been working on you'll be in big trouble!"
From what I know, wire nuts are mistrusted in the UK because of a particular brand of ceramic wire nuts that used to be used there that had a tendency to crack. There is absolutely nothing wrong with modern wire nuts, like we use in North America. Lever connectors are definitely easier to use, but are just that much more expensive. Push-in connectors I believe are popular in the UK as well (correct me if I'm wrong) and those have a bad history here, with some cheaper models showing poor reliability.
@@raggarex Wagos are very popular. Europeans love German products.
@@raggarex I think the issue was actually with porcelain wire nuts that hand no insert. Do not confuse these with the more modern style ceramic ones designed for extremely high temperatures. These are exceptionally durable and not prone to cracking.
Not only are WAGO style lever nuts much more expensive, but they are also technically inferior to wire nuts. The issue is that the tiny little spring clamp connection made with dissimilar metals, has about 3 to 4 times the resistance of a wire nut connection, right out of the box. What that means is they are going to create more heat at the connection. Where this may become a problem is at higher, near capacity currents. It gets worse as currents rise because heating is a function of the current squared times the resistance. twice the current equals 4 times the heating.
The 221 lever style connectors are just a slight improvement to the older 773 push in style connectors. But both have the same spec ratings. IEC rated for 32 amps but UL rated for only 20 amps. The lever does not improve the clamping action on the 221. Some have suggested that the 221 "Is better", however the UL ratings are the same for both.
If you look for comparison testing, most reviews are all about how easy they are to use, while ignoring the elephant in the room regarding their technical, hard engineering properties. For example, the resistance of the connection. I plan to detail test the 773 push ins vs the 221 lever style. I don't anticipate finding a real difference where it actually counts from a purely technical properties perspective. I do not see the levers changing that. The IEC ratings are the same for both and the UL ratings are the same for both. However, I think it is telling that the IEC current rating is 32 amps but the UL rating is only 20 amps.
In my opinion, i wouldn't use either WAGO style for anything but very low current applications. I just can't see deliberately using a connection device that inherently has more resistance than the long proven wire nut connection.
I don't really see the cost factor or ease of use, as being relevant to which one is fundamentally better from an engineering perspective. Now if Ohm's Law should somehow get repealed, and resistance no longer mattered, I might see it differently. But that's not about to happen and the science is still the science. But I'm an engineer vested in the science and not some installer, with rather low technical knowledge, looking to make my job easier.
@@IAmThe_RA Yeah, but popularity doesn't change the technical properties. Europeans use the 240 volt residential system where we use the split phase, dual voltage 120/240 volt system in the US an North America.
@@professorg8383 Does not matter. WAGO connectors are also UL listed (32A/450V) meaning you can legally use them in the US and Canada.
Why would you need to heat hot water? Wouldn’t it be a cold water heater or just a water heater 🧐
Ha! Yeah I guess there are lots of things like that in the language! Burning fire, free gift, end result, 😄
Very informative. One bad example usage at 18:31 shows red+black+white into a single wago .I hope not!
WAGO is for Pro. The others are Toys
I do like the Wago but sometimes they feel loose and the wire is spinning. At least with wire nuts there is a lot of surface contact and it is very strong!
OK
isnt noalax meant for aluminum wire? or aluminum to copper connections in sub panels etc, why not just use dielectric grease? 8 min 11 seconds in this video.
I do like the noalox for connections. It has suspended particles of zinc in it that help stop corrosion. Dielectric grease is good too for sealing out air and moisture. I use noalox on the battery terminals on my car. Works great.
Buchanan reds
I’m a retired industrial electrician to those who tape and/or wire tie wire nuts STOP IT, it is absolutely unnecessary* and you make service work very difficult and potentially dangerous
*If you make proper connections
Monte I respect your opinion since you are someone who has worked in the field for many years as I have. As I mentioned in the video I like to use the tape in high vibration applications and also in marine environments. It’s good to seal out air and also trap in some noalox. Also I have opened up many j boxes over the years and have had wire nuts spill out on the floor. I’m in favor of going the extra mile in certain situations. For everyday simple connections the tape isn’t necessary. But for some instances a few wraps of tape goes a long way at protecting expensive equipment.
US - avoid metric at all cost. In Sweden we use mm² area for cables, not any arbitrary type number...
It's not arbitrary not at all. It's based on the number of dies it took originally in the wire manufacturing process to get down to the given thickness of wire. Starting with you guessed it 0 gauge.
@@johnh8546 , Hence arbitrary... ... Emperial countries (read US) does everything to not use metric, despite everything is measuered in units converted from metric... 😁🤪
@robertlindhe5582 arbitrary means chosen on personal choice and not with logic or a system in mind. So choosing based on the manufacturing process is not arbitrary by definition. Also AWG (American Wire Guage) was established over 30 years before Sweden adopted the metric system.
@@johnh8546 Arbitrariness is the quality of being "determined by chance, whim, or impulse, and not by necessity, reason, or principle". It is also used to refer to a choice made without any specific criterion or restraint.
Arbitrary decisions are not necessarily the same as random decisions.
I would say it's very impulsive to make a choice to use such complicated train of thought in a description of a cable property, instead of a simple cable area measurement.
Also, when it was established is quite irrelevant, it still makes it complicated and made from an impulsive chance, from my point of view. :).
@robertlindhe5582 no it's not random or complicated or without thought. It's insanely simple and more simple than using mm or inches. You take the process used to make wire which is the same for everyone. Then you just say here are the dies you use to make your wire. We will all use the same size and number of dies. So that the 12th or 10th or 8th of whatever have you, die will always be the same size no matter who makes it. It stops anyone from cheating and using a slightly smaller die and calling it whatever mm or inch measurement, because everyone got the same dies.
It is and was the simplest way to get uniformity. It's the opposite of arbitrary it's extremely logical and simple. The dies were selected to give a certain ampacity at 250 feet of wire.
All of this was a very simple way of having the consumer have absolute confidence that they were getting what they paid for. If my wire manufacturer was using AWG dies and was certified as such. Then you know you are getting exactly what you wanted. Not just what they said was x or y inches squared.
Hahaha, in Europe we only use Wago connectors for the last 40 years...
Excellent on the 5 wire twist! Not so good on the mention of the hot water heater. It's a cold water heater not a hot water heater; if water was already hot, why heat it? 😂 Dunce! 🥴
"twist wire" and "wire nut" is illegal in most country on planet.
It actually is incredibly secure when done correctly. Wire nuts used to be ceramic back in the stone age. They would crack and that is why they were not used but they are a whole new animal. They feel a lot more secure than wagos and get more surface contact than a wago. The US is not behind in tech by any means because of the use of wire nuts. I think they are actually better. Right On! 🙌
@@RightOnJonCrane You know the difference is that in the US still rules 110V and twice the amperage. In Europe, the maximum current in an extension cord (for example in the UK) is 13A. The problem in the US is very high current. In the EU, wires are thinner (1mm2-2.5mm2) in a home installation. High voltage does not overheat connections, High current overheats them. This causes the wires to oxidize.
Wire nuts are wonderful if you're a fit and forget boy, but in the UK where we have to prove our installation is safe and compliant on commissioning and on a periodic test, taking wire nuts apart after adding so much stain to the conductor to begin with is a complete "No-no". Trying to get a Z reading from an earth wire that's been twisted like that isn't compliant nor possible. Likewise for R1+R2 or R1+Rn tests. When the stone age NEC code catches up with the rest of the world, wire nuts will be banished like they are in the UK and Europe.
Been using pressure connectors for last 50 years and never hsd a problem. No such thing called a wire nut in our valve million word NEC. Worked in large p!ants that had vibrating machines like crushers, hammer mils, vibrating screens etc and always stripped the wire at least 7/8" then ore twist, install pressure connector & tightened with heavy side cutters then applied quality electrical tape. Went back on connections that I made over 49 years ago and still working great.
@@garbo8962 so, re-read what I wrote and try to reply to it.
@user-tq7yj2kq5c more complex doesn't equate to better and more over sight doesn't equate to better. At a point it is just burdensome. Twist on wire connectors make a better connection than most anything due to the surface area contact of the conductors. Due to the way the threads bite into the wires it makes a very strong connection. The NFPA does say twist on wire connectors aren't suitable in certain applications, but for residential there is nothing better. Nothing gets you a stronger lower Z connection.
As a german Electrician i can say:
Just use Wagos, WIre nuts look unsecure and dangerous as fuck and they would Violate alot of German Electrical codes.
I get goose bumps as i am watching how he twist the wires Jesus Christ.
Oh I like wagos too but when a wire nut is done correctly I think it is way stronger than the Wago. Much more surface contact. Twisted wires are strong. If you ever pull on a wire in a Wago it feels loose and you can spin the wire. I’m not sure the Wago is really better.
Thank you.
Thorough! Enjoyed watching.