ideal brand 'wagos'

[electricguy61]

It must be the time of year for the forum to discuss wago's (or the Ideal equivalent) Seems we do every few months :grin:

We've used thousands, never had a failure when properly installed.

A product is only as good as its' installer.

 

[George Stolz]

I wonder if there is anyone that has seen a Wago style connector that was properly installed fail?

Ooo! Ooo! Pick me! Pick me! :bouncing in chair:

 

[K8MHZ]

Ooo! Ooo! Pick me! Pick me! :bouncing in chair:

More info please?

Any pics? Or a better description of the failure? Or perhaps a suggestion as to what may have prevented the failure?

 

[electricguy61]

More info please?

Any pics? Or a better description of the failure? Or perhaps a suggestion as to what may have prevented the failure?

Ditto (I have to write more so I can post this)

 

[electricguy61]

plus i need 2 more posts to reach 400

(what a newbie)

 

[electricguy61]

I can die happy now, my life is fulfilled. 400 posts to Mike Holt

 

[George Stolz]

Any pics?

Nope

Or a better description of the failure?

Commercial occupancy, office space. Four gang switchbox. There was a pair of four-hole Wagos (brand undetermined) handling the full-time power responsibilities of the box (power in, power to each single pole switch, power out to the next box). The Wago failed and the tenants became accustomed to thumping the wall to get the overhead lights on in the morning.

I do not know what an improperly installed Wago looks like, but as far as I know the procedure is "strip and poke", and the conductors in the Wagos were stripped and poked.

Or perhaps a suggestion as to what may have prevented the failure?

A properly installed wirenut.

 

[electricguy61]

Nope


Commercial occupancy, office space. Four gang switchbox. There was a pair of four-hole Wagos (brand undetermined) handling the full-time power responsibilities of the box (power in, power to each single pole switch, power out to the next box). The Wago failed and the tenants became accustomed to thumping the wall to get the overhead lights on in the morning.

I do not know what an improperly installed Wago looks like, but as far as I know the procedure is "strip and poke", and the conductors in the Wagos were stripped and poked.


A properly installed wirenut.

Wago's have a view window that allow you to visualize that the wires are completely landed. You can "poke" and only be installed half way.

Have you ever had a wirenut that failed? I sure have. All things made by humans can (and will) eventually fail.

I think these discussions about Wago's is like the one you have with your buddies where one guy says "I'll never buy a Ford because I had one that .........." and another guy in the discussion says "Well, I'd never buy a Chevy because ........" (I'm a Dodge guy :grin

 

[George Stolz]

Wago's have a view window that allow you to visualize that the wires are completely landed. You can "poke" and only be installed half way.

And these were poked all the way in.

Have you ever had a wirenut that failed? I sure have.

Really? A properly installed wirenut with no less than two twists in the conductor visible outside the wirenut?

All things made by humans can (and will) eventually fail.

Human error cannot be accurately placed on the device. Failure to follow instructions is not a failure of the device.

Sure, I've seen non-twisted conductors under a wirenut fail - but that is inherently a human problem, not a problem with the wirenut. Properly installed wirenuts will not fail - especially if you pretwist the connection before installing the wirenut. The wirenut becomes almost a formality at that point, that is a solid connection.

I've seen side-screw receptacles and switches fail due to crummy connections on the part of the human installing them too. In each case, it's simply a matter of doing your job.

Wagos remove the human element, there's no physical connection of the conductors themselves. I suppose you could go the extra mile and tape the conductors together, but I doubt even that would bring a Wago into the same ballpark as a wirenut, IMO. Trying to twist the conductors together after installing the Wago generally has the result of pulling the outer conductors out of the connector.

Say what you will, they are junk, IMO. I hate even using them in cans, when I know the load is low. 9 times out of 10 I clip them off if they're provided with the can.

 

[readydave8]

not debating pretwisting, but the wire nut may be a little more than a formality, based upon the many splices I've seen where the conductors were merely tightly twisted and taped.

 

[electricguy61]

Say what you will, they are junk, IMO. I hate even using them in cans, when I know the load is low. 9 times out of 10 I clip them off if they're provided with the can.[/quote]

How do you suppose they were approved for use? Why do you suppose millions are working correctly, with no problems whatsoever (along with a few failures, I'm sure)

We're all entitled to our opinions. You keep killing your wrist, pre-twisting wires (which, it should be added, is not required by any wire nuts I know of) and taking 3 times as long to make a connection, and I'll keep using wago's.

It's all good.:grin:

 

[George Stolz]

I'll keep using wago's.

It's all good.:grin:

It would be better if you'd move out here, I need the service work.

 

[Regularkevin]

I strongly dislike them. The conductors don't always seat well when dealing with stranded. Can't just take them apart for a troubleshoot.

 

[TOOL_5150]

I know they are rated for stranded, I wont use them on stranded - seems like that could become a hassle. I dont use them on dedicated circuits. I do use them in cans, for ballast replacement and sometimes for the EGC in 2+ gang boxes.

~Matt

 

[electricguy61]

For the record: I don't use them for stranded.

MC work, residential where solid wire involved.

 

[K8MHZ]

I strongly dislike them. The conductors don't always seat well when dealing with stranded. Can't just take them apart for a troubleshoot.

My experience has been that with practice you can get stranded conductors to seat correctly, but it is a real PITA. I prefer wire nuts just because I can make up the connections faster. (for stranded)

One thing to remember is to NOT twist the stranded conductors one bit. They will go in much easier if left just as they were prior to stripping. Leave extra length on the stranded wires, too. If you screw up and don't get a good seat, you likely will have bunched up the strands and have to cut and re-strip.

The Ideals I have been playing with not only allow for the conductors to be removed (with considerable force) but have ports in them for testing if you don't need to open the circuit at that point.

 

[jaylectricity]

If you do your own work, install wirenuts. If you hire electricians to do the work, have them use wagos.

The idea being that you're paying the electrician to twist the wires together and put on the wirenut...and when splicing 4-5 conductors together, not everyone is careful to twist them cleanly.

Then if they fail and it's your responsibility, you can blame the help and save your own reputation as a capable electrician.