As a master electrician of 30 years your video is dead on! Good job! Even though you are correct on all of your info in my opinion the only thing that I have a problem with (even though they are UL listed, and a lot of people use them) is the push in connectors. I am coming around to those, but still have a hang up on them. They work the same as the back stab ports on the outlet. I am also old school if the conductors are all solid my guys twist the wires together before installing the wire nut. I've seen too many loose wires under a wire nut that have caused problems. It is one way to insure the connection is tight. But you and everyone is correct, the manufacturer of the wire nuts do not require pre-twisting of the conductors. Like I said, I've been doing this for a while. When I started my apprenticeship my old boss made us solder ALL of our connections other than grounds. Code did not allow soldering of the grounds back then. You know what,there were ZERO lose connections too.
I can't believe I didn't know what the holes in the wire strippers were for. Thanks for the tip. I really appreciate all the tips I get from you. You're a wealth of information.
As an Industrial Electrician, we use a lot of single wire for wiring because it's easier to pull through conduit. It's 99% stranded wire. If the connection goes to a receptacle or a light switch, It cannot be put under the terminals without being tinned, using a stakon connector or other crimp on connector to make the exposed end solid. This is especially true for those of us who like the industrial look in our shops and garages, with exposed conduit. Still a lot of great information for the non-electricians in the group.
Never tin a wire and then put it into a screw or crimp terminal, you'll get bad connections later on. It's OK to crimp a wire and then solder it if you don't trust the crimp. For putting stranded wire into a screw terminal, use wire ferrules.
Jumping on to your comment to mention to people reading that you can use romex inside of conduit (as long as it isn’t in a location that is exposed to moisture) but if you do so you should leave the outer insulation on as the inner insulation isn’t listed for use in raceways.
@@timr86868 Putting Romex in conduit for protection is something to do for shallow burial. I am used to running single conductors in conduit in the air and buried. These conductors are meant for conduits and raceways and have adequate insulation properties built into the insulation, at a minimum of 300Volts.
April, Excellent video. I started designing electrical systems in 1983. I believe Wago wire connectors came into our shop in 1984, and I used the original designed ones in my house in 1985. They have been around a long time. One technical point, per NEC definitions, there are lighting outlets, smoke detector outlets, receptacle outlets, etc. What you held in your hand is a duplex receptacle. A minor point to most, but important one when interpreting the NEC. Again excellent video! Respectfully, Kevin
Nice to see an informative and clearly presented video - especially on electrical basics. I am a retired contractor but an amateur at electrical work that will be installing receptacles and switches today. The only thing I might add to the video is the direct burial wire nut usually fails after a few years. In my low voltage landscape lighting, I’ve had to replace every connection because of the corrosion, which caused a big voltage drop. There are much better connections available for this application. I look forward to more of your videos! Thanks.
Good information for a DIYer! The only thing I would correct is the direct burial wirenuts. Even though they have that gel, water will still find a way to get in and wreck the connection. I have seen it more times then I can count. If you must make a splice in the ground they make special splice kits for direct burial, or install an accessible ground box. The exception to this would be for low voltage lighting.
🙋🏽♀️ I refrain from dealing with electrical projects. Actually hate having to deal with it. However know I have several areas I need to do electrical upgrades. So this video is great and right on time!
I recommend twisting conductors when using wire nuts, especially when there are 3 or more. The wires can separate over time due to movement from heating and cooling. Also, wrap solid wires AROUND stranded ones; it's counterintuitive, but a far stronger connection. I've found plenty of loosened wires in residential and commercial settings because people "just want to get it done".
I watch a lot of British/UK sparks...they hate our wire nuts...I kind of do too...I tend towards Wago connectors for my wiring...much easier to separate than the push-in kind.
Those nuts suck. Wago is the way. Sure they cost more but unless you build or rewire your whole place you usually don’t need many. Much easier to fit into small compartments and save a lot of time and pulled hair. Also less room for error.
@@bdoggtoronto if you are such a pro as you pretend to be why don't you give me some of the properties why twisty nuts beat Wago because so far you have delivered zero argument just name dropping titles and made up claims like Wagos melt.
@@bdoggtoronto All cool and dandy. In. Germany they are seen as antiquated methods and nobody is using them anymore if they can avoid it, everyone uses Wago or similar.
@@bdoggtoronto Dude they are 32A rated. At this point i wonder if we talk about the same thing cause what you say makes no sense. Can you link me to the clamps you have in mind?
Great basic information to get people started doing some of their own stuff and getting them to do it right and avoid some of the pitfalls of dyi. One thing I did notice though was a burn on your wire strippers. I've had that happen myself and it's a great lesson to make sure you power off the circuit before working on the wiring if you're doing a update. LOTO is a life saver. No one likes to have a sudden "shock". 😁
To echo other comments: Try Wago connectors. Not as picky on gauge as wire nuts, contact for each wire is independent of the other connections, easy to release when needed, reusable.
And depending on your location and the type of Wago, some of them are approved for direct use with stranded wire (which used to have to have crimp cable shoes in my location for everything else eg. terminal blocks and such.)
i discovered them a few years ago... have slowly replaced every wire nut in my house.. the bigger wire nuts are good for capping caulking tubes, but i collect the old ones and leave them at the share shack at the dump - someone will use them.
Assuming they're NEC approved, I now wonder if Wagos increase the number of connectors allowed in a certain size box? If they are as popular as it seems, have they changed the stamping/molding inside the box to reflect the space saved? I always thought they looked to much like backstabbing tabs on devices (guaranteed failure), but I've yet to hear anything bad about them... I'll have to try them.
@@rapunzeleh546 An _extra mile_ kind of guy. I respect that. But we really only do that when putting the device into a metal box. Nothing wrong with redundant safety, though...
While you can put wires into a wire nut without pre twisting, the reason it’s shown to pre twist is because over time they can loosen and arc causing a fire. I have seen this happen to many times in my career as a firefighter.
I grew up with this: Gardner Bender CR-100 4-Inch Romex Cable Ripper. The price is a bit too much for what it is but anyone inexperienced at removing the outer covering should get this rather than using a pocket knife.
Very thorough refresher. Especially agree with no "back" wiring, stab wiring into the back of outlets. Found 3 at my dad's house that pulled right out with no resistance. You will hear many horror stories of them, just wire to the screws and be able to sleep at night!
lovin these electrical vids. Your woodworking is always so good, and these are no different. The "add a plug" video couldnt have came at a more ideal time as I was doing just that the day after the video came out. Id love to see some different ways to wire light switches if you feel like doing more of these. Either way, thanks! LOve the channel
It's a little of both, depending on what you've got connected to what. Wire nutting a copper and aluminum wire together is more likely to result in corrosion. Using aluminum wire under a non-aluminum rated screw connector is more likely to cause the screw to loosen because of the different rates of thermal expansion (more pronounced when a higher current is pulled). All modern switches, outlets, breakers, etc are stamped with whether they're copper only ("CU ONLY") or compatible with either ("CU-AL", typically).
@@Vanilla_Icecream1231 They even make purple wire nuts with de-ox already inside specifically for this purpose. Expensive as baby formula, but necessary by code in some jurisdictions.
Quick Tip: if you need to put a stranded wire into a push connection solder the tip first to make it a solid. I like that you mentioned aluminum wiring and not connecting it directly to copper, and not using the push connections built into outlets (seen so many issues from those)
Thanks April. Great video as always. However, I did notice the arc marks on the back of your wire stripers. Around the 6:25 mark. Looks like somebody made a mistake. I hope nobody was hurt. This is a great reminder of how easy it is to make a serious error. Great to know others do this as well as me. LOL. I am an electrician and understand how easy it is to get complacent. That is why some of my tools have arc marks as well. I agree with all of the information you put out though. I am a big fan by the way. I try to do a bit of carpentry as a side hustle. Your videos are a go to for me.
I feel like watching this is the equivalent of stealing the Teacher's Edition. "Don't do it, you'll get in trouble!! It'll go on your permanent recoooorrrd!
April, I have been watching you for a few years and you are really aging well I mean this is Kind, always looking the same as the day I started watching. Always entertaining and inform table, knowledgeable and fun as well as funny. I even enjoy your Bloopers although I have not seen too many. Thank you for your enjoyable videos have a wonderful weekend . Laterz Leland That's see ya' later in my Lingo ha ha -Leland
The same reason electricians don’t like the back stab plugs, Is also the reason they don’t like the stab blocks in lieu of wire nuts. None of the stab connections hold up over time, junk. Also I don’t recommend stripping romex with a utility knife blade. Too easy to cut through into the underlying insulation. Use a tool or just grab the ground wire with pliers and pull. It will cut right through the outer jacket. Love your videos and the variety of projects you tackle.
I agree!! mas opciones para subtitulos en varios (languages--working my brain here a lil help!) would certainly be nice. I wonder if this is a youtube channel option? Feliz ano Nuevo! I think you can add a language {Spanish} to your youtube account then it should be able to translate from that setting. Siento de no se como explicar lo mejor!
Another handy tip is that almost every outlet, switch, and breaker made these days has a wire strip gauge molded into it. And if you can't remember "gold means hot", the side of a standard wall outlet with the smaller hole is always hot. In the US, this will always be on the right side of the outlet. Non-polarized outlets do not meet code.
The biggest problem with direct copper to aluminum use is galvanic corrosion because of the difference in their anodic placement. In West Texas probably not as fast a reaction as say Florida where it’s high humidity year round.....
Great video April! Thanks for sharing a lot of excellent wiring points. Some of the little things you did are super, ie.. bending the wire end with screw cutter! Thanks again.
There's nothing special about 250V wiring. In fact, the US most homes have 240V at the panel with 2 leg circuits. The 120V circuits are really only have of a 240V 2 leg system.
I wish I could use Romex. Up here in Chicago all wiring has to be inside solid or flexible metal conduit. And many older houses has the wiring run inside old gas pipes from the original gas lights.
@@biologistjim4905 I’m saying this so folks watching this video won’t go through what I did. Those twisting connectors are a pain to use. Same goes for the wagos without latches, if you have to undo them multiple times, you’ll see what I mean. The ones with latches are the Wago 221 model. So nothing to do with tact here, mate.
If your doing three or more wires in a wirenut its important that they are all even or one will slip out, it can be tricky so pre twist them together with pillars, you're going to save some time and hassle.
Ms Wilkerson, could you build a table for the back porch that would hold a kamado grill. I need a table. Figured you might have a plan or two. Thank you
In order: Common sense says using wire nuts underground should require twisting the wires first? That is unless you don't mind locating a faulty underground splice requiring a special instrument sometime in the future??
Is there a particular brand of AFCI you recommend? In principle, they're a great idea, but some of them mistake electrical noise for arcing and false trip a lot.
Remodeling our bedroom that was stuck in the 70’s. You wouldn’t believe the shoddy wiring we found in the walls! Connections buried, wires twisted and only taped- no wire nuts! We’re taking the stupid out of this house. 👍🏼
I noticed you didn't show spring lever terminals which although being more expensive than the basic ones, are the easiest to connect and disconnect multiple times without damaging the wires. Are they not usual over there? I would like to know because certainly the types of wire connectors depend on markets and regions throughout the world.
A majority of the big box hardware stores in the U.S. don't have Wago (or similar) connectors. While I use them and most of the individuals in my circles use them, they arent required by code and are often overlooked since most people would have to go out of their way to special order them.
Wago 221 lever nuts a becoming more popular over here. Until recently they were only available online in many locations in the US, but now my local HD caries the 2 and 3 port varieties. No 5 port yet, but they are very useful.
Just wish you would have clarified that if you were to bury a splice you can only do so when using cable that's listed for direct burial such as landscape lighting cable
Hi April, awesome informative video. I just subscribed to your channel. If you don't mind, what paint color code is the blue in this video? Looks awesome. Thanks
I am in the process of learning how to add a kill switch to my gas line on my car. After being stolen twice it’s time I do it. Always been a little scareDcat about wiring.
Thanks for this. Never use the push-in connection receptacles (IMHO they should be banned) and always pay a few cents more and get the heavy duty receptacles like you show here. I never did get used to using a stripper. I do have a romex sheathing stripper though. A good pair of electrician pliers (Kleins) is a must for any electrical work and I still always use wire nuts, I don't trust the push-in connectors either for the same reason the push-in receptacles are an issue.
