green wire nut

[Pierre C Belarge]

The green wire nuts are actually manufactured to comply with a different, more stringent, UL standard than are regular wire nuts.
db

Barclayd has this correct. There are at least 2 different standards for Wirenuts.

Standard Wirenuts are manufactured to UL Standard 486C
Green Wirenuts are manufactured to.....UL Standard 467

250.8 generally requires listing of grounding terminations.

I brought this up sometime last year on this forum. At the 2009 Eastern Section Meeting, UL made mention of this situation. It goes something like this:
Standard Wirenuts are not listed to UL 467. Remember that during a fault, the amount of current the green wirenuts sees, is the same as the current a standard wirenut sees. So, the manufacturers have not paid to have all of their wirenuts tested/evaluated for grounding purposes, with only the ones we see green as listed/evaluated. It saves them and us in the field a lot of money. Yet, most of us, if not all of us will and can use a standard wirenut with the EGC termination. The same goes for crimps. If you take a look at the Ideal product catalog, you will notice that they do not show any grounding conductors with standard wirenuts. This is on purpose, not a coincident. Call and ask any Ideal tech and they will explain it to you better than I did.

**Also, if one is installing a green wirenut, remember to pass one of the conductors through the hole in the wirenut. If you do not, you are not following the listing instructions.

 

[kwired]

... I have seen to many wire nuts lose connection later on grounded conductors mostly because it slid back when it was installed and barely made contact for a period of time. If a grounded conductor loses connection you will know it , but if a EGC loses it you wont know until some one is shocked.

Always pull each conductor at terminations before moving on to next termination - this general rule applies to almost any termination type, and will save call backs. I am usually careful with my connections but occasionally have one pull loose when checking like this. I can tell my help to do this all I want, but they need to see connection failures a few times (especially when they know they made the connection that failed) before it starts to sink into their mind.

All termination methods are susceptable to failure especially if not done properly.

 

[LarryFine]

I can tell my help to do this all I want, but they need to see connection failures a few times (especially when they know they made the connection that failed) before it starts to sink into their mind.

Having them remake the connection (especially if it's in a recessed-can J-box) helps it sink in just a bit better.

All termination methods are susceptable to failure especially if not done properly.

If they're not done properly, it already is a failure, if you know what I'm sayin'.

 

[kwired]

Having them remake the connection (especially if it's in a recessed-can J-box) helps it sink in just a bit better.

Too easy, how about failed connection over a pen full of 150-200 pound pigs, the failure results in them being out of feed so they are hungry on top of everything, or having failed manure handling equipment and the $%@! you have to stand in to fix it is knee deep

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Too easy, how about failed connection over a pen full of 150-200 pound pigs, the failure results in them being out of feed so they are hungry on top of everything, or having failed manure handling equipment and the $%@! you have to stand in to fix it is knee deep

Sounds like it is "time to make the bacon".

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Agreed the nut is a little faster, i like the crimp because every thing packs neatly against the back of the box , if the green nut causes a slight delay packing every thing in the box then we are running close . maybe I am just starting to not like green things :grin:

If your box is filled enough that 1 more wirenut causes an issue then you needed a bigger box.
Give them a try and you just might like them. Every minute adds up on a house and it is time that your really selling. One extra tool can only slow you down.

 

[ox110]

I like crimps only because I fell they allow a more comfortable fit when you lay the grounds back in the box. On a 3 gang box you might have up to six cables and three tails for the devices so thats a nine wire splice. So why not leave three grounds longer than the other three, crimp them and now you have the three tails for the devices.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

I like crimps only because I fell they allow a more comfortable fit when you lay the grounds back in the box. On a 3 gang box you might have up to six cables and three tails for the devices so thats a nine wire splice. So why not leave three grounds longer than the other three, crimp them and now you have the three tails for the devices.

Or leave 1 extra long ground pigtail and loop from device to device.

 

[iaov]

Never used crimps. Never used green wire nuts. I used the KISS method. I used whatever wire nut I was using on the power wires. Never wore a tool belt except on service calls. Rough in was done with a nail apron with wire nuts on one side and staples on the other. Klines, screwdriver, hammer. I'm talking' residential here. Time is money.

I do industrial installtions with a nailing apron on.They're GREAT for carrying all kinds of stuff.

 

[jetlag]

Or leave 1 extra long ground pigtail and loop from device to device.

Careful jimbo , you will get accused of code violation for looping the wires, all in doubt go to post page 3 "box fill question" post # 3 by jumper and open the link to see hot and neutral wires being looped on a device as allowed by NEC :grin:

 

[brian john]

Never used crimps. Never used green wire nuts. I used the KISS method. I used whatever wire nut I was using on the power wires. Never wore a tool belt except on service calls. Rough in was done with a nail apron with wire nuts on one side and staples on the other. Klines, screwdriver, hammer. I'm talking' residential here. Time is money.

I could have written this!

 

[TobyD]

Greenies on all recpts.is the way I prefer.On multi gang boxes I like the larger crimp sleeves.I like the crimp on the gang boxes because I can worked with the indivuial devices a little easier than looping from switch to switch or etc...At any rate I'll use which ever I have available.I too twist all my connections before using a CRIMP OR GREENIE.

 

[jetlag]

Greenies on all recpts.is the way I prefer.On multi gang boxes I like the larger crimp sleeves.I like the crimp on the gang boxes because I can worked with the indivuial devices a little easier than looping from switch to switch or etc...At any rate I'll use which ever I have available.I too twist all my connections before using a CRIMP OR GREENIE.

Most of those that post here will pigtail every device in a multigang and use the greenies. To me that is defeating the purpose of the greenie , they might as well use a red. I will use a greenie sometime on a recpt. or single switch , but I am a crimp man on multigang

 

[macmikeman]

Rough in was done with a nail apron with wire nuts on one side and staples on the other. Klines, screwdriver, hammer. I'm talking' residential here. Time is money.

Did you work for Sun Electric on the S.Trail by any chance? He used to make us wear exactly the same getup..

 

[Buck Parrish]

We worked on a hospital project. We had to use a buchanan tool on all the grounds.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Careful jimbo , you will get accused of code violation for looping the wires, all in doubt go to post page 3 "box fill question" post # 3 by jumper and open the link to see hot and neutral wires being looped on a device as allowed by NEC :grin:

I don't see a problem. Grounds count as one so the loop is no issue that i see.
Often I will run a long loop to feed several switches. From what i see a loop only counts as 2 if it continues in the conduit. If it only enters the box and loops to others and ends at last 1 then I see it as 1 wire. If i am wrong point me to the code number. Doing it 30 years does not mean its compliant but i think it is.

 

[George Stolz]

Once upon a time I got into a spirited discussion over this. I use crimp sleeves in residential, to save space in the box. Technically, until you clip all the wires off the end of the crimp and use the crimper the manufacturer recommends, and install an insulating cap, you have a 110.3 violation. Assuming that's what the instructions call for on the side of the box, which they tend to.

A very inconvenient and unnecessary 110.3 violation, IMO. I don't see the harm, and will continue to use this time tested method.

 

[electricguy61]

Wago's rock!

 

[jetlag]

Thanks jim

Thanks jim

I don't see a problem. Grounds count as one so the loop is no issue that i see.
Often I will run a long loop to feed several switches. From what i see a loop only counts as 2 if it continues in the conduit. If it only enters the box and loops to others and ends at last 1 then I see it as 1 wire. If i am wrong point me to the code number. Doing it 30 years does not mean its compliant but i think it is.

Where were you when I got pounded for looping the hot wire to switches , but no one gave a code violating number. I believe it was the post I did about "extra wire at boxes" .

 

[raider1]

Once upon a time I got into a spirited discussion over this. I use crimp sleeves in residential, to save space in the box. Technically, until you clip all the wires off the end of the crimp and use the crimper the manufacturer recommends, and install an insulating cap, you have a 110.3 violation. Assuming that's what the instructions call for on the side of the box, which they tend to.

A very inconvenient and unnecessary 110.3 violation, IMO. I don't see the harm, and will continue to use this time tested method.

I agree.

Chris