An Interesting Wiring Job

[ragswl4]

I have recently wired our new home and have swore off of wire nuts. I used some "Ideal" connectors where the wires are pushed into the connector and can't be pulled back out. While wire nuts are OK these connectors are much better IMO. Never have to worry about the wires coming loose and causing a spark. Cost is just slightly higher than wire nuts, much easier to work with and there are 2, 3 and 4 wire connectors available.

[milanuk]

I have to wonder how those connectors hold the wires together. If they are like the outlets with the holes for inserting wires, I'd be hesitant to use them. The only 'contact' surface is a narrow strip held in place by a spring. Over time the spring can lose tension, creating a loose (high resistance) connection, aka extreme fire hazard. You seem them on spec-built homes where speed is more important than long term safety. And thats about what those connectors sound like to me. Might be wrong, wouldn't be the first time and dang sure not the last, but thats my $0.02 on the matter.

[Kristofor]

Looking at their website I think this is what ragswl4 was talking about. http://www.idealindustries.com/produ...in/in-sure.jsp I've never used them, but they sure look easier/faster if they aren't prone to slippage and house destruction

Ragswl4, do these require all of the conductors to be the same size or will they work with mixed size wiring (eg when hooking up a ceiling fan which uses smaller wires than the conductors feeling the outlet?

[rjwaldren]

Theres a tab on the spec's page if you click a model number that shows wire sizes, it looks like it will handle most common wiring.

#20 - #12 solid
#16 - #14 (19 strand or less)

[BigguyZ]

That's why I use a lineman's pliers to join the wires first- THEN I securely fit a nut onto that.

The problem I see with the ideal fittings is the lack of being able to remove them. What happens if you need to replace a light? A new box will have about 4" of extra acordian-style crammed into the box. But if it's an existing wire in an older home (like all of the places I work on), sometimes there's barely enough slack to connect anything...

Just my thoughts...

[BobSch]

That's why I use a lineman's pliers to join the wires first- THEN I securely fit a nut onto that.

The problem I see with the ideal fittings is the lack of being able to remove them. What happens if you need to replace a light? A new box will have about 4" of extra acordian-style crammed into the box. But if it's an existing wire in an older home (like all of the places I work on), sometimes there's barely enough slack to connect anything...

Just my thoughts...

My thoughts, too.
A properly applied wire-nut should not work loose. I'm another one who always wraps the wires tightly first, then applies the nut. For extra insurance, wrap the nut with electrical tape to hold everything in place. Just make sure you wrap the tape in the same direction as the WN went on (clockwise if you're looking at the top of the WN.)

[crokett]

I normally don't use wire nuts at all except on light fixture connections. If I have splices to do in a box I use a copper crimp. If I have a splice and ligt fixture to connect in a box, I crimp a pigtail to the splice then wire nut the fixture to the pigtail.

[ragswl4]

Looking at their website I think this is what ragswl4 was talking about. http://www.idealindustries.com/produ...in/in-sure.jsp I've never used them, but they sure look easier/faster if they aren't prone to slippage and house destruction

Ragswl4, do these require all of the conductors to be the same size or will they work with mixed size wiring (eg when hooking up a ceiling fan which uses smaller wires than the conductors feeling the outlet?

Those are the connectors that I referred to. They cannot be re-used as was stated in another post. They are code approved and the ones that I used are for #12-18 gauge, solid or stranded. However the stranded wire was difficult to insert properly so where there was stranded wire I tinned it with solder and insertion was a breeze. As far as safety is concerned, use at your own risk as I have. For my $.02 the risk is very low as I attempted to pull a wire back out of one of the connectors to see how well it held. I could not get the wire back out. In addition the instructions clearly state that the connector is a "one time use" device. I guess my thought is if one doesn't like or trust them, don't use them. Just offering another approach.

[430752]

Wire nuts? Plug and play connectors? Bahhh...I solder my joints.

Okay, I don't, but homes from the 1920's did, and I've owned two of them to prove it. Wiring must have been held in high regard then, BX conduit (seemingly beefier than today's BX armored jacket), waxed cloth outer shield, waxed cloth colored shield for each lead, bakelite insulator, and nickel tinned solid core copper wiring, never seen less than 12 gauge. And they soldered their junctions (but not at outlets/light switches). Makes me angry to use romex now and try to stay with BX whenever possible, I dunno why.


Anyway, I digress, some recent HALO lighting cans I just put used those ideal connectors. I had to say I liked them especially when working over head and in those cramped j boxes they provide. But, I couldn't but help think of the slippage, especially when I couple time I inadvertently pulled a wire out (!). So, let's just say that I made sure the stress relief was double redundant.

[rnelson0]

The problem I see with the ideal fittings is the lack of being able to remove them. What happens if you need to replace a light? A new box will have about 4" of extra acordian-style crammed into the box. But if it's an existing wire in an older home (like all of the places I work on), sometimes there's barely enough slack to connect anything...

Since less than a half inch of stripped wire is inserted into the connector, you would still have 3.5" left after cutting off the plug. Gives you a few more shots. Heck, I usually cut off the wire nut on stranded wire as re-twisting it is always a pain compared to just stripping a little further down the wire.

[Tom Slick]

They do have a release. If you look carefully they have an extra hole underneath the holes where the captive wires are inserted. By inserting a wire into that extra hole the the captive wires are released.