Splices

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DBoone

DBoone

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Location
Mississippi
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General Contractor
I’m really think about changing my ways and not pretwisting solid NM.

I think up to four 12 awg conductors I can splice nicely with a red wing nut.

Five conductors may still get a pretwist. The reason being with the pretwist on the five conductors is the larger the diameter of your wire bundle the longer the stripped ends need to be to get a good twist. Leave them that long long and the wirenut doesn’t fully cover the copper.

Thats just my opinion. Maybe five work great with no pretwist.



I hope I don’t get chastised and ridiculed for a “pretwist” topic :blink:
 
Five works fine with most red twist on's no pretwisting.

Sort of comes down to what you were trained to do and what you are used to doing. Those that have been pre-twisting for years are good at it, repetition made them good at it. I didn't learn to pre-twist, have no issue with it, but can tell you would not be very efficient at doing it that way either, don't have the repetitions and know all the secrets of how to do it fast yet do a good job of it.
 
kwired said:
Five works fine with most red twist on's no pretwisting.

Sort of comes down to what you were trained to do and what you are used to doing. Those that have been pre-twisting for years are good at it, repetition made them good at it. I didn't learn to pre-twist, have no issue with it, but can tell you would not be very efficient at doing it that way either, don't have the repetitions and know all the secrets of how to do it fast yet do a good job of it.
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There is is definitely a technique I’ve learned through the years on pretwisting in order to make a good twist. Hard to explain.

A “non pretwist” done right makes a fine joint. Copper twists together perfectly.
 
I don't have a rule. If the conductors are cooperating and staying together, into the wire nut they go. If they are fighting, they get twisted whatever amount they need to get into the wirenut. Wirenut wins most of the time. And I check every one, every time. If it's an especially tight fit or fight, a Wago is always in the bag ready to be a ringer.
 
I don't have a rule. If the conductors are cooperating and staying together, into the wire nut they go. If they are fighting, they get twisted whatever amount they need to get into the wirenut. Wirenut wins most of the time. And I check every one, every time. If it's an especially tight fit or fight, a Wago is always in the bag ready to be a ringer.
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Me too, As long as the conductors stay together, on goes a wirenut, no pretwisting. :thumbsup:
 
readydave8 said:
This was not pretwisted, took nut off for pic
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Yep that’s a nice twist. It’s a nice long gradual twist. Someone not knowing what they are doing with lineman’s pliers trying to pretwist will end up wrapping the wires around in a circle. No good.

Gotta work it just right with the pliers to get that gradual twist.

Yall know that. Just speaking of people without the experience.
 
LarryFine said:
Did you use a drill to twist??? Those wires are twisted tighter than I might twist with pliers.
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Larry to me they did not look too tight. It’s looked like a good twist to me. Tight enough to get a good twist but not overly done to a ridiculous degree.

I don’t imagine thy would ever cause a problem. But that’s just my humble opinion.
 
readydave8 said:
No it's an Ideal multi screwdriver, that was probably a tan wing nut. I may be twisting too tight but been doing it for years and not aware of causing problems

Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk
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I like to shoot for for a little bit of twist on down the insulated part of conductors. I think even the Ideal box may have a requirement or recommendation about how many twists should be exposed below the connector.

I just go by feel. I have seen where people twist and just the copper ends are twisted. I feel better when my twist goes on down the insulation a little so if for some reason the connector comes loose my splice is still together pretty solid.


EDIT— properly installed connector should never come off but still...
 
DBoone said:
Larry to me they did not look too tight. It’s looked like a good twist to me. Tight enough to get a good twist but not overly done to a ridiculous degree.

I don’t imagine thy would ever cause a problem. But that’s just my humble opinion.
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I didn't mean to imply they were too tight, just very tight.
 
DBoone said:
I like to shoot for for a little bit of twist on down the insulated part of conductors.
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I think I might have twisted a little tighter than usual knowing I was going to take wire nut back off for pic, sometimes a good splice will loosen when backing off

So based on my pic, pretwisting not always necessary? :roll:
 
readydave8 said:
I think I might have twisted a little tighter than usual knowing I was going to take wire nut back off for pic, sometimes a good splice will loosen when backing off

So based on my pic, pretwisting not always necessary? :roll:
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Whatever you you do will be a good splice I’m sure :)
 
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