Anything better than wire nuts?

[dodge man]

My skills at electrical work are a little lacking. I was replacing an outside double flood light today. I’ve never had good luck with wire nuts. I was trying to get the wire nuts to stay connected, get the wires stuffed back in the box, and get the fixture screwed back into the box while standing on a ladder. It didn’t happen when I dropped it and broke an insulator where one light bulb screws in. I definitely broke it when I threw it in a trash can as hard as I could..

I went and bought another fixture and asked the guy at the hardware store if there was anything better. He said there is a setup where the wires are inserted and it snaps shut on them but he says they don’t work that great. With the wife helping we got it installed but it still took three tries to get the wire nuts to stay. Is there a better way?

 

[bcp]

There are some that push in and twist to remove, and some with levers to lock the wire in or release it.

Here are some.

wire connectors push-in at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

Maybe a real electrician can post their preferences.

Bruce

 

[Popgadget]

These are quite good, but comparatively expensive and not as available at hardware and big box stores. Usually have to go to an electric supply. Avoid Chinese knockoffs.

Wire/Splicing Connectors | WAGO USA

www.wago.com

 

[grsthegreat]

Ideal makes push in connectors that work great. They are the way to go with solid wires...not work as good with stranded wires. But way more expensive than ideal tan colored wire nuts which are my go to device.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Some wire nuts are just threaded plastic which I throw those in the trash. The wire spring ones work ok for me if sized to the wires. About 1/2" insulation stripped, wires twisted tight together with pliers before wire nut. When that's tight I wrap electrical tape around it.

 

[/pine]

Just a general comment on the subject...

One of the most common mistakes made by DIY electricians is not understanding the importance of making tight connections regardless of the application...

 

[4570Man]

Probably a wago nut and they’re brilliant for connecting lights. They make them with levers to release the clamp and others that you just push in. You’ll want the one with the releasable clamp for light fixtures.

 

[dlctcg]

I agree with grsthegreat the Ideal push-on are great, especially with solid wire (some of the recessed lighting manufacturers have them pre-installed on the pigtails in their fixtures)... as for wire nut I prefer the Ideal Twisters over traditional wire nuts...

 

[dodge man]

Some of the pics BCP posted are what the hardware store had and the guy said they aren’t that great. I was joining solid wire, Romex, with stranded wire from the fixture.

 

[ponytug]

In an ideal world, I try to solder stranded wire before trying to join stranded wire to solid wire. I have never found that stranded onto solid works well in a wire nut, even when I have left the stranded sticking out beyond the solid.

+1 on the wago connectors. Definitely do not use Chinese knockoffs; none of the ones I have seen are even UL listed, nor are they well made and a couple use combustible plastics.

All the best,

Peter