5 HUGE Solid to Stranded Wire Mistakes DIYers Unknowingly Make | Most Are Guilty of 2
In this video I cover the most common wire connection a DIYer has to make. It is also the most difficult. So I will go over the dangerous mistakes that people make when connecting stranded and solid core electrical wires together. We are going to look at the mistakes of using wire nuts, wagos, and the wiring itself. Then I will show the correct ways each should be done and some better practices.
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Be honest, have you made any of the mistakes covered in the video? Hopefully this was able to bring these common issues to your attention or at least serve as a refresher!
Absolutely. I’ve had the twisted strand wire slide down the solid strand as I’ve twisted on the wire nut. For years I’ve been using Ideal push-in wire nuts which avoid the issue the Wagos have of the lever flipping up as the bundle is pushed into the box - but I’ve heard that the Wagos grip the wires better.
Never, I'm perfect! 😂
@jlang8213 😂
I thought you might be interested in a video idea (and it might help many people with an electrical risk). There are these 6-outlet expanders that plug into your dual outlet and give you 6, where all of them are flat - turns out it is possible to plug a 2-prong across 2 outlets. By itself, this doesn't cause a problem, but the spacing inside them contains no protection to prevent a short inside the unit. When the cord is pulled own, it can short the longest prong inside the unit, causing an explosion and (likely) triggering the breaker. If interested, I have several pictures from a teardown I did. I suspect all of the flat 6-outlet units are all made the same way, all of them can easily be plugged into incorrectly and they probably contain no protections. My solution will be to only buy the ones that have outlets on sides rather than all 6 on the front, but I thought it might be interesting to you as a vid.
A very nice video:thank you
My heart sank when I saw the Wago in the thumbnail as I have recently started using them and i thought you were going to trash them. 😂
Same here! Lol. Been fixing backstabbed wiring (which I can tell is beginning to be a hazard after 20 years) in my mom’s house and I’ve been using the wagos in situations where a pigtail should have been. I saw them in the thumbnail and panicked too. Lol😂
Wago is a German company (WAGner & Olbricht). They don't tend to get rich from selling crap. The Wago connectors are pretty much industry standard here. I'd doubt anyone who is trashing them. Not saying they're the best or that others aren't good, but the product is extremely solid and does its job even after a ton of abuse. But they're not cheap.
Wagos are like 10 or 20 times better option then this wire nut. This is dangerous i would forbid this by law.
Wagos are the standard in much of Europe, significantly better than the trash wiring we use in most of the US.
I used the Wago inline connectors while installing, and confirming trailer light connections. Cut my install time by at least half. Great tool!
I figured out the proper way to connect solid to stranded over many years through trial and error. Connecting and disconnecting and reconnecting the same thing made it easy to tell when I was doing it right and when I was not doing it right. Also, you mentioned reading the directions. I would say that a majority of dudes take it as a matter of pride to never read directions. As if reading directions would make them look stupid. It's a pretty ironic attitude. I will often read directions, even if I think I know what I need to do, just in case they have some sort of surprise. Technology changes sometimes.
I achieved the same thing as making a stranded wire a bit longer than the solid, by putting the stranded wire in the wire nut first, then putting the solid wire in.
Excellent presentation of how to properly connect stranded and copper wires. Showing and explaining the reasons these connections can fail, and how to prevent them from doing so, was very thorough and clear.
Really glad to hear you found value in it! Thanks a lot for the feedback David!
But the contact area was the same in both scenarios. I always leave the stranded slightly ahead of the solid, but the end results don’t seem to be much of a difference. It all goes to the workmanship and paying attention when you are doing any kind of wiring, regardless of what that may be.
There's a good reason that "linesman " pliers are one of the basic tools of the electricians tool pouch. I've been a union electrician for over 40 years. I ALWAYS pre-twist and trim to length before installing wire-nuts. Never had a failure yet. My conscience won't let me take short-cuts were peoples lives are at stake.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge
You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Vince!
I like the Wago connector . It is my experience that when push them into the box the lever will pop up . The tape is the best option. I always do this and have no problems !
Great and concise presentation that accurately addresses all the potential issues associated with both wire nuts and Wago lever connectors. Thank you again for what you do and for your great teaching and communication skills.
I use Wago connectors. I also have a roll of NARROW 3M electrical tape that is perfect for wrapping around JUST the lever part of the connectors. This way I can still see if the wires are correctly inserted all the way into the connectors. I really like this solution. Adding the electrical tape to the installation adds about 10 seconds to the process but removes the one main objection some have to these lever connectors. 👍
Yup. Appreciate the input!
Maybe crazy question here, but does the electrical tape screw with the heat dissipation of Wagos?
@@Obtuse94 I've never measured the temperature with the thin tape and without to compare. The thin tape only covers half the surface of the Wago. So that is better than using regular electrical tape which covers most of the Wago. I suspect most of whatever heat is generated dissipates through the open end of the Wago anyway (where the wires are inserted). You only need to wrap the tape a couple times around the Wago to do its job. I don't believe that little bit of added material substantially affects the ability of the Wago to dissipate heat. When I've gone back in to electrical boxes with Wago connectors I have never noticed any issues. So I think we're good! 👍
Using thin electrical tape for this seems so smart. I was apprehensive with normal sized tape. Thanks for the tip!
@@Obtuse94 You're more then welcome!
Excellent presentation and information! Thank you!
Always excellent content! Thank you for sharing!
Great Video. Thank you for sharing. Have a nice weekend
At 7:00 I thought KZhead had jumped to a Everyday Home Repairs video :) I think he secretly works for Wago.
I just started using the Wago single use style as a home DIY'er. More expensive, but I never need to question myself on whether I got the wires secured or not.
nuts are exponentially better than wago or friction fits
Quite helpful thank you. I learned something.
You are welcome. Really glad to hear you liked it! Thanks a lot for the feedback!
Good info & good vid .... I use the Wago's a lot with no problems ... Just be alert when using any of them ... Thx
You are welcome. Really glad to hear you liked it! Thanks a lot for the input Eddy!
Awesome presentation keep the great videos coming
As you said in the video, wrapping a WAGO with electrical tape is a good move to keep the levers down more securely.
if u have to tape the connector... im think YEAH thats a Hard pass... even if all the utubers are being paid by wago
@tredogzs haven’t been paid a dime by them. Also, I almost always mention I prefer wire nuts in most installs. But there are some where Wagos make a lot of sense. And you don’t HAVE to tape it just like you don’t HAVE to tape wire nuts, but many do.
@@HowToHomeDIY thx for the reply... i don't know of where a bad wire connection makes more sense... maybe if its your ex-wifes house? or if its the guy you cheated on your girlfriend in college? Is that when?
I've definitely had my wago catch something in the box and open up on me. For that reason, I tape the levers down as you suggested.
Thanks much
You are welcome. Really glad to hear you liked it! Thanks a lot for the feedback!
Wagos are my go-to for stranded to solid (or stranded to stranded) wire typically found in lighting, while I stick with wire nuts for solid-to-solid connections in switches, receptacles, etc. I also twist my Wago connections after they are joined, two or three times... it just helps reduce stress and reinforced the connection (much like the recommended extra twists for a wire nut). Wago connections also tend to twist/rotate the wire inside as you place the connector in the box... that can't be optimal and the extra twists help prevent it.
As always, well done! I personally think the Wagos are not as good as a properly installed wire nut. I can see how they are good for things like light fixtures or stranded to solid core though.
Appreciate the input John!
wago not even close... the same utubers say backstab is bad but wago is good when its the SAME thing... these guys are paid to promote wago... they are bad, just bad... never would use one on my house
Your channel is very good, but something I never see you share is taping, I follow all your recommendations but also tape every connection, and that solves almost all possible things that can jeopardize the connections. Am I wrong?
Have you ever done a video about repairing outdoor Christmas lights, primarily the led light sets. I broke a wire in my net lights and now I have a hole.
This guy looks eerily similar to the everyday home repair channel guy. You would almost think they were the same person or at least related.
Don't you just love the way too small wire nuts included with light fixtures 😅
Wagos work well for low voltage wiring too. Specially in the 4 to 5 conductor versions.
Yup!
That's the only thing I use them for, because I understand the concept of contact resistance.
If I'm doing an outlet or something I'll twist the wires together first then use wire nuts. For lights I like using the Wagos, lights get changed out more frequently and using Wagos is easier. plus they usually have stranded wires.
So let me get this straight.... If I just follow the manufacturers instructions and read the manual everything should work fine? What an innovative idea.
I always did a couple of turns around the twisted wires with electrical tape then put the wire nut on. Anything wrong with that?
Pro tip the first digit of your pointer figure is about 1in. So you just need half that to strip a wire to approximately the right length.
Appreciate the tip Shane!
@@HowToHomeDIY Had a old school carpenter show me that trick years ago. If you don't have a tape measure and its not critical. The digits on your pointer finger are all about one inch. So if you go pointer finger to pointer finger you got a 6in rule with you at all times.
Do you use Wago connectors? I never have. I worry about them failing like pushing receptacles have been known to do.
I personally use them in low amperage places like ceiling lights and fans for instance. But many do use them for everything. I just believe in wire nuts for higher amperage situations. Just my personal opinion.
Long ago, the snap locks connectors weren't legal to use in a lot of states.
Do you not recommend pre-twisting the wires slightly before putting on the wire nut?
You can. I personally pre-twist my solid to solid but have found with stranded the results are about the same.
I personally prefer the old twist on wire nuts
Same here. Think they are a better connection.
It seems that some of this could be avoided by fixture manufacturers using solid core wire, instead of stranded. But I guess they use stranded because it’s more flexible, making it easier to fold the wiring bundle into the electrical box. Stranded wire might be cheaper, too.
Many lights has their internal wiring coming through weird pathways and holes, while the device is assembled by, ahem, cheaper kind of labour force. Think fancy ceiling light with multiple E27/E14 bulbs. Stranded wire is quicker and much more forgiving in that application. Also, at least some of those require final assembly (various fancy parts disconnected from main body to save space etc.). Whoever does the installation must connect wires from individual bulbs together, and "factory option" is horrible crimp end caps that are universally crimped by pliers (while not supposed to, by the way). It is bad, but with solid wire internals it'll turn into crime :)
The video recommends twisting the strands of the stranded wire together before inserting the wire into the Wago. Shouldn't the strands also be twisted together before using a wirenut? The diagrammed instruction on the wirenut package shows strands that are twisted together, not straight.
no don't twist them together. the wire nut will not hold properly. always hold them parallel and use the wire nut ti twist them together till the insulated part twists together. you fingers should hurt it needs to be that twisted.
@@ronblack7870 : You might have misunderstood my question. I didn't ask whether the two wires should be twisted together. I asked whether the many strands of the one stranded wire should be twisted around each other, to make the stranded wire more solid... just like the video says to do when using a wago. Your answer uses the ambiguous pronoun "them" and would be the correct answer to the question I didn't ask. If the stranded wire isn't made more solid before placing it parallel to the other wire, my concern is that some of the weak individual strands will be bent backward when the two wires contact the metal connector in the wirenut. Any strands that get bent won't be held by the wirenut. If you look carefully at the stranded wire in the diagram on the back of the wirenuts' packaging, ITS STRANDS AREN'T SHOWN AS STRAIGHT... the strands appear to have been twisted around each other to strengthen the stranded wire. The twisted strands shown in the wirenut diagram IMPLIES A STEP NOT MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO, before placing the two wires parallel to each other. It's like how the fibers of a rope are twisted around each other to make the rope stronger.
Does twisting the wires ever cause a problem with induction? I remember my ex-wife used to endlessly get the vacuum cleaner wires twisted and when you would run it for more than just a few minutes, the cord would get really hot.
Not enough information unfortunately to answer this clearly. Depends on the AWG of the wires and brand and type of the vacuum.
I’m not an electrical engineer or electrician, but I would think that since most of the time this type of connection is used for short runs for light fixtures (less resistance), and these pull a lot less amps than a vacuum cleaner (especially with LEDs), heat is less likely to be an issue. But I’m just a DIYer, so I might be wrong.
@@DavidBugea I think he was asking something different. For wires he meant the wire cords of the vacuum from it to the electric wall plate.
No. So many things that could have caused the cord to get warmer.
No. The current flow between the two wires cancels out. Current goes in on one wire, out on the other. As for your vacuum incident, the cord was probably damaged from being twisted up so much, or something mechanically was worn out. It could have just been a bad design.
Just tape the wago and all is good
If I’m working on a bunch of solid to stranded, I buy left handed wire nuts
seems to me that this is a remake of a video you did not to long ago!!!
It isn't. It just goes more in depth on one of the things covered in that video. And one day, I will remake that video as they get old and need to be refreshed. Even if it was, that video was made a while ago. Why would it matter?
Doesnt really matter. Just an observation of what I watch on You Tube. At least you know I paid attention to your videos!!@@HowToHomeDIY
@oshtoolman that’s a valid point haha
Not sure why you take these comments so seriously. Im an idiot! I thought it was a video on Dairy farmers. Meant to say Udder nonsense--Ricky
All I said was shocking to hear from you Ricky. I seriously said it in an unserious way. Sarcastic some might say. All in good fun Richard! Can't wait for the next one! 🫶
utter nonsense!
Shocking to hear from you Ricky 😂