Capping neutrals

[chris kennedy]

Today I was firing up some lighting circuits and checked the associated boxes like EM lights ect.

The hots were capped off but the grounded conductors were not. Every job I tell my guys the same thing and don't understand why they can't put a wire nut on them.

I know this is a temp. situation and probably no harm would come from contact.

Do you cap the hots or both?

 

[walkerj]

Both
And I will usually leave one on the grounds for later also.

 

[infinity]

Mostly yes, but occasionally no. If it was for a very short period of time then I wouldn't "safe off" the grounded conductor.

 

[mdshunk]

If I'm the only one working on it, I'll just do the hot. If there's other people, I'll do them both. Also depends a bit on my mood and the phase of the moon.

 

[JohnJ0906]

Mostly yes, but occasionally no. If it was for a very short period of time then I wouldn't "safe off" the grounded conductor.

Same here.

 

[kkwong]

Both, though like Marc, if its just me working on it...probably not.

 

[480sparky]

If it's just a temp (say, overnight) thing, generally no. But if it's going to be there a while, then it gets a wirenut.

 

[nakulak]

I always cap em cause I never know if I'll be the one coming back.

 

[chris kennedy]

I always cap em cause I never know if I'll be the one coming back.

Post of the day!

 

[brian john]

97.4537% of the time I cap them maybe 97.4538%. Long term ALWAYS

 

[mdshunk]

I think the real question should be, if you cap them, do you also tape them up? :grin:

 

[peter d]

I think the real question should be, if you cap them, do you also tape them up? :grin:

On a temp job, yes.

 

[POWER_PIG]

Yes I cap grounded conductors. no real safety issue per se, just habbit I 'spose, and like was previously stated, the nuts come in handy at trim out.

 

[chris kennedy]

97.4537% of the time I cap them maybe 97.4538%. Long term ALWAYS

I've seen pictures of your brief case and never spotted a wire nut.:wink:

And I will usually leave one on the grounds for later also.

Wire nuts already there when you make joints...handy!

 

[brian john]

I've seen pictures of your brief case and never spotted a wire nut.

Chris: You have no idea of the number of times I am poking around in my truck for a SINGLE wirenut. I just seldom have use for them. The number of times I have needed tape and have none is almost embarrassing.

 

[Karl H]

I cap grounded conductors on MWBC. If I cap a single grounded conductor it's because I know the next time I return to the box I won't have any wire nuts on me.Ever have to make a trip to the truck for just ONE wirenut? Drives me crazy. lol

 

[jrclen]

If I'm walking away, I cap both.

 

[K8MHZ]

On T&M jobs I use Ideal natural gray wire nuts to cap off the neutral and black or red ones for the ungrounded conductor and I also cap off the bare grounding conductor with green wire nuts.

On bid jobs I just stuff all the conductors in the box without wire nuts and rely on Darwinism to thin out the herd.

:grin:

 

[jrclen]

On T&M jobs I use Ideal natural gray wire nuts to cap off the neutral and black or red ones for the ungrounded conductor and I also cap off the bare grounding conductor with green wire nuts.

I'm impressed. Color coded wire nuts. That is called above and beyond. :grin:

 

[LarryFine]

. . . I also cap off the bare grounding conductor with green wire nuts.

Yeah, but only when there's more than one.