Push in wire connectors

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well it might end up back to the wire caps or something... anyway. I don't follow the directions anyway.. anyone ever install a garbage disposal with out reading the directions? oh boy... there is a prepunch hole you need to wack out before hooking up the dishwasher drain line...:)yes, I read them after it was installed. I saved myself..
 
kwired said:
There are differences, I wouldn't say the comparison is as extreme as apples to hamburgers. Maybe apples to another fruit.

In the twist on wire connector the spring surrounds the conductors, the primary connection is direct contact between the conductors and the spring keeps pressure between the conductors. That spring does deform when used - put three #12 into most yellow's then remove and compare the spring to an unused connector - it has been stretched from use.

I took a Wago push in apart - there is two metallic pieces inside. A fixed bar and the spring pressure piece. Primary connection is contact between fixed bar and conductors, the spring piece is there to assure pressure to this connection.

Some similarities yet some differences between the two. But both are relying on spring pressure to maintain contact.
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I noted they're not all created equally

For ex, one of the lesser quality sorts i encountered had a 3A rating

Not exactly inspiring.....

~RJ~
 
They may or may not be good, I haven't gone exclusive with them but have used a lot of them on solid 12 and 14 AWG for maybe 5 years or so. Haven't had a call back and found one to fail yet. Though they are supposed to take stranded wire as long as it is not fine stranded, the few times I have tried to insert stranded wire at least one strand wants to not cooperate - so I don't ordinarily use them with stranded - have used "lever lock" style on stranded a few times though.


One has to realize just because something is new doesn't mean it is all bad. Auto mechanics from 50+ years ago would think the aluminum engine blocks we have today are junk. There are some drawbacks I would imagine, but look at how much horsepower they can pack into a small space today and how much more efficient they can be - when they are working properly.
 
peter d said:
We can agree to disagree on this one. I'm not using them other than for normally non-current carrying uses (EGC's) and small current (ballasts). Others can do as they wish.
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I havent used them in several years but back then I had the opposite mentality. I used them on normal circuit conductors but preferred to use a wire nut on my EGCs. My thinking was a failure on a normal circuit conductor would show itself by blinking lights or something but a bad connection on my EGCs would not be known.

That was just me though. I wouldn't be bothered if someone else used them on their EGCs.
 
K8MHZ said:
I have found that the decision to twist or not to twist is part of our trade. A skilled craftsman is given the choices and sometimes not twisting is prudent and other times twisting is prudent. A skilled craftsman knows the difference.
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:thumbsup:

I can make a solid connection without pretwisting. I've never been one of those people who declares all untwisted connections to be "hack".
 
rambojoe said:
that is what the directions on the say to do... pretwist,trim, then cap...
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Actually most don't and I have no problem without twisting my wires. A local argument. Using Ideal red yellow wing nuts or the tan twisters, I get a good twist on the wires when I don't twist them first. I also have no problem with the WAGO's by the way. I have used them on hotel style installation and I love the labor savings
 
kwired said:
They may or may not be good, I haven't gone exclusive with them but have used a lot of them on solid 12 and 14 AWG for maybe 5 years or so. Haven't had a call back and found one to fail yet. Though they are supposed to take stranded wire as long as it is not fine stranded, the few times I have tried to insert stranded wire at least one strand wants to not cooperate - so I don't ordinarily use them with stranded - have used "lever lock" style on stranded a few times though.


One has to realize just because something is new doesn't mean it is all bad. Auto mechanics from 50+ years ago would think the aluminum engine blocks we have today are junk. There are some drawbacks I would imagine, but look at how much horsepower they can pack into a small space today and how much more efficient they can be - when they are working properly.
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Exactly, and wago-type connectors aren't exactly new anyway. And auto mechanics are apparently more accepting of "new" technology than electricians. All-aluminum engines have been used in US production since 1961...the Buick 215 cu in Skylark all-aluminum had a high enough power to weight ratio to be used in racing, was purchased from GM by several auto manufacturers around the world and continues to be used to this day. GM even tried to buy the rights back. It's only failing for GM was a high block scrap ratio due to difficulty detecting casting flaws thanks to early testing technology. But the engines were extremely reliable.

I'm fully on board with a conservative approach to new products...I wait and watch before diving in. But wagos work fine when used properly...just like anything else.
 
K8MHZ said:
I know that a space heater was used in most or all of the failures.

The other common denominator was the cheap brand of receptacles, Slaters.
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I don't find other brand economy line receptacles to be any better or worse as a general rule.

romex jockey said:
no....but i just don't wish to be the test pilot

~RJ~
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I have seen them around for a few years before I started to use them in other than where light current is all that is expected.

Those that think they are fine in recessed cans but won't use them elsewhere - before the LED trims came into main stream one could easily have feed thru conductors in the fixture J box and pass entire 15 or 20 amp rating of the circuit through the first one in the circuit, the low load was only on the one conductor going to the fixture the box is attached to.
 
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