Do you twist your solid wires together before you put them in a wirenut.

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Do you twist your solid wires together before you put them in a wirenut.

  • yes i twist them

    Votes: 93 73.2%

  • no i do not

    Votes: 34 26.8%
  • Total voters
    127
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Interesting how it's the basics that get us all riled up ;)

It has been my understanding that twisting is what the code has had in mind for decades when they refer to "mechanically sound" and that solder or wirenuts are only there to keep them from springing apart from thermal expansion. That being said, if a wirenut is designed to be used for twisting wires, I don't see any problem with using it that way.

I was taught to pre-twist but I don't always depending on what kind of wirenuts I'm using. Traditionally shaped 72b and 73b sizes are fine for twisting, 74b and 76b not always. I don't use "reds" anymore - I've moved on to the red/yellow rubber coated Ideals which are waaaaay easier on my sore wrists for larger wires and they're very well designed for twisting wires. I was also taught to strip wire with my lineman's - now I use a stripper. I also use the stripper for cutting wire and cutting pretwisted wires since it leaves a nice, flat cut that the wirenut bites into better.

The one wirenut practice that I don't like is using tan wirenuts for any size wire. Yes, they grab a lot of sizes, but I think they look too OEM ;)
 
Read the directions.

Read the directions.

Don't all the manufacturers include directions?

Check #5 on the instructions.

Idealpackaging0001.jpg
 
Always. solid or copper.
A co-worker didn't twist and i had to trouble shoot his work 3 times.
wire came out of the wire nut and guess how i found it out.
the 3rd time, it was our customer. he called the boss and
after a good talking to, we twist, period.

regards,
james
 
Barndog said:
a coworker and I got into a discussion about twisting solid wires together in a Junction box before you put them in a wirenut.

what is your opinion
Click to expand...
What's a wirenut?
:)

Slightly more seriously, I'm from UK and we haven't used them here in probably forty years. I think they were known as Scruits but my recollection is that was a brand name.

Found this:

Save up to 150% in wire connection time, while minimizing injury and health claims. This revolutionary new SCRU-IT? wire connector provides better quality splices, increased productivity, easier installation, and fewer carpal tunnel injuries and related health claims. This patented, U.L. approved connector installs easily and quickly with a #2 Philips bit, in an cordless screwdriver. Results from comparative field testing confirm that SCRU-IT? wire connectors are much faster and less expensive than "twist on" connectors.
Click to expand...

http://scru-it.com/index.html
It's US rather than UK and possibly a more recent entry to the market judging by the (rather badly written) sales pitch.
 
Twist em? Kinda like - do you tie em in a knot do you tie em in a bow?

It?s all about making a good splice, compare this to ring or spade terminals notice the torque spec for an 8-32, 10-24, & 10-32 = 14-19, 21-27, & 23-31 inch pounds respectively (that aint much); the surface connection is so small compared to a wire nut splice.
 
I always twist my wires when making a splice. Back in the seventies we were always taught to make five turns minimal to ensure the splice was mechanically and electrically secure. Nowadays I see it done with and without twisting and after reading this thread , one can see there are many opinions on this. As for me I will continue to twist.
 
How many have come apart during trouble shooting??

How many have come apart during trouble shooting??

Let me ask>> How many time have you open up a j-box (while trouble shooting "live" --why live-because-- it is hard to locate voltage when is not on) and have had untwisted wires "spring-out" of wire-nuts at you.

From hard earned experiance I had learned to twist the wires before removing a questionable connection.

(sing to row-row-row-your-boat) TWIST-TWIST-TWIST your joints nice and really tight. LAH-de-dah LAH-dehaH Light-it-up and pass around and really blow your mind Whoops !! wrong second verse(bad habit) It shoud go.... close the box, shut it up really tight . lah-de-dah flip the breaker and see if blows off the wall>>>>
 
rt66electric said:
Let me ask>> How many time have you open up a j-box (while trouble shooting "live" --why live-because-- it is hard to locate voltage when is not on) and have had untwisted wires "spring-out" of wire-nuts at you.
Click to expand...

Yep, Been there. There is nothing like having a neutral "pop out" on a shared neutral circuit. I can smell the smoke from here.
 
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