Electrical problem might have ended badly

[MossRoad]

There are additional costs, too. The breakers are several multiples more expensive than standard breakers. I also understand that additional neutrals are required. I have seen estimates that the new requirements will add about $1,500 to the cost of a house.

Yeah, thanks for that tidbit... Just kidding. Each year we are closer to building and each year it costs more.

 

[LBrown59]

1*Plastic doesn't conduct electricity?
2*You can use metal in a house if you want to.

#1 is why I don't do #2

 

[SnowRidge]

Yeah, thanks for that tidbit... Just kidding. Each year we are closer to building and each year it costs more.

We are facing the same issue, including a drive that may be a quarter mile long, plus clearing a 30' easement for the power, and there's no telling yet if they will be in the same place.

 

[MossRoad]

We are facing the same issue, including a drive that may be a quarter mile long, plus clearing a 30' easement for the power, and there's no telling yet if they will be in the same place.

To top it off, if you take house plans to the county building department here, they cannot tell you what your property taxes will be until after the house is completed and assessed at market value. YIKES!!! Makes it hard to plan expenses.

To get back on topic, I have been using these push in connectors a lot lately. I like them. I can make up pig tails to recepticles and such and then just push them in and go. I was never too good with wire nuts.

 

[SnowRidge]

Interesting. I have not run into those before. I like easy. I like cheap, too. If they are both, they have a winner.

 

[PineRidge]

Moss those connectors are interesting. I'm only familiar with the push connections used on the backside of switches and receptacles but I'm sure it's very similar in the way they work.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, I bought one box each of two hole, three hole and four hole connectors. I keep a handfull of each in my toolbag. They say they are reusable and there is a hole where you can push a small nail in to release the grip, but I don't like to reuse that kind of stuff. I'm always worried about it being looser the second usage, and then we would be back to the thin wire in the terminal scenario. So if I mess up something, I just clip it off and start over.

I'll tell you where these things come in real handy... you ever get into a box and undo the wire nuts and the wire is too kinked to straighten out to re-nut, and if you clip off the kinked part there isn't enough to pull out of the box to strip and re-nut? As long as you can get the ends parallel to each other and strip the required length, these things work great!

 

[Inspector507]

To get back on topic, I have been using these push in connectors a lot lately. I like them. I can make up pig tails to recepticles and such and then just push them in and go.

David, I like them as well. I have used a different brand but they are real hard to try to remove and reuse. Some people may not like the idea of them because they resemble the "quick-wire" on the back of receptacles and switches. But I will say in 32 years in the trade, I have personally seen less than a dozen "quick-wire" device failures.

 

[VA_Joe]

Ideal used to sell the in-sure connectors rated for #12 stranded. Does anyone know why they discontinued that version of the product? I still have a couple of half jars sitting around.

Joe

 

[Inspector507]

Ideal used to sell the in-sure connectors rated for #12 stranded. Does anyone know why they discontinued that version of the product? I still have a couple of half jars sitting around.

Joe

I'm just guessing, but they may have lost their listing by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. That type of pressure connector has not been very reliable on stranded wire.