Anything better than wire nuts?

[rademamj1]

I also have had great success using WAGO electrical connectors. These are the highest quality electrical connectors I have ever used. These are German made and absolutely will never break the connection once the lever is pressed down.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I use wire nuts just about every day in my day job. The comments about the size wire nut MUST be sized to the gauge of wire, and *how many* wires you're trying to put under the same wire nut are spot on. The other issue with using wire nuts is all the wires must be stripped to the same correct length for the nut. Then getting all the wires lined up so their tips are even with each other, you can't have one wire sticking out further, or one wire hanging back in the bunch. Then after twisting the nut onto the wires until it is tight, you MUST tug-test each of the wires under the nut to make sure none of them are loose and pull free.

I use the Ideal brand wire nuts most of the time. And that's because I've had good luck with them. Most of the wires that I deal with are 12 ga and under (smaller). On the 20 ga and smaller wire, I prefer Scotch-Locks over wire nuts. They are a gel filled snap-crimp style connector that is/was heavily used in the telephone industry.

Done correctly, wire nuts will never loosen up. Even cramming them into a J-box. But J-boxes have a similar rule to wire nuts. The J-box MUST be sized to how many wires (and wire nuts) you are trying to cram into it. I see more electricians violating this "rule" than just about anything else out there (more so than the "pipe fill" rules about how many wires you can fit in a conduit). You can always add an extension ring to a J-box if the wires won't fit. Most electricians will just try their hardest to cram and overstuff a J-box so they don't have to go get an extension ring.

 

[Rustyiron]

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.

That's what gives me trouble too, stranded fixture wire, probably 18ga. attaching to a 14/16ga single solid.
My (right or wrong) solution is stripping a much longer bit of the stranded wire and the right size wirenut.

 

[Diggin It]

Dunno whatizit a Wago, but winged wire nuts work wonderful.

Sized right, right number of wires stripped right and they won't come off. Sometimes not even when you want them to.

Only trouble I've had is with green ones (winged or not) for ground wires. For some reason the plastic wants to crack. Never had that with orange, yellow or red.

 

[Oaktree]

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.

I was told by an electrician NOT to twist the wires together before putting them in a wire nut. Something about not making/maintaining as good contact that way.
I've just used the ones Lowes/HD sell, never had a problem.

 

[MossRoad]

I've used these Ideal brand connectors in 2, 3 and 4 wire sizes for quite a while. They work for solid or stranded. Never had a problem.

Under $10 for 100 at Lowes.

 

[Doughknob]

'Anything better than wire nuts'..... certainly....

Whole cashews.........

I am partial to the black wall nuts.

 

[Deere Dude]

I use wire good nuts all the time. It may take a little more time but I twist the ends together using two pliars then snip the ends off to the shortest wire. Then crank the wire nut on. Seems to work for me.

 

[dodge man]

I watched a couple of videos on using wire nuts, I tried different sizes. It’s something I only do once a year or so. It’s like a lot of things, it seems so simple but it’s probably a learned skill.

 

[5030]

I am partial to the black wall nuts.

So is the resident squirrel....lol