How to properly use a wire nut.

[@BevinsBuilds]

Quick video on #howto properly use a #wire #nut
Link to my Amazon page
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I do make a small commision on sales from these links.
Link to my other channel Bevins Bricks if you love Lego you will love this channel.
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[@zenmom42]

I was replacing a ceiling light fixture, and couldn't get the connections to hold. Your advice made all the difference, and there's now a lovely, *new* light fixture up there. Thanks a bunch!

[@ashley4074]

I’m a new homeowner and trying to fix things myself, but have been terrified of all things electrical. Showing this in simple terms without breaking the bank is just what I needed! Thank you!

[@HotShotMechPilot]

I wired many connections in my house using this exact technique (same copper exposure length and position of wires prior to nut install). I started second guessing myself when someone insisted that its best to pre-twist. Thank you for reassuring me that my connections are good! Subscribed.

[@derekpost1924]

I've been an electrician for 6 years and have not pre-twisted a single joint, and haven't had a single failure that I'm aware of. What's crazy to me is all of these ignorant and egotistical electricians on the internet who will call other electricians a "hack" for not pre-twisting when it literally says on all the wire nut package instructions that it's unnecessary. I guess I'm a "hack" for installing a wire nut the way the manufacturer recommends.

[@clv603]

I lost hope when I witnessed a sparky spray hard foam inside the void and gasket of a ceiling flush mount light fixture to fix a potential moisture problem by unknowingly (or knowingly, who knows) replacing it with a fire problem so he could get on with the next. I've seen some pretty silly things in residential construction electrical work. I think the only trades that do things right are the ones that can't hide their mistakes. Pavers, bricklayers, dry wallers and to some degree plumbers most of the time lol

[@wildchameleon7622]

It's called suicide wiring because if you don't twist the wires, it can come loose very easily. It happened to me when unscrewing A fire detector, the wires split apart and the hot wire hit the box and sent sparks all over the room.

[@marvinostman522]

I agree with you. I have a friend who has been in the trade for decade’s commercial and residential. He told me not to pre-twist. He said if for no other reason he said think of the guy that comes back later and has to do work on that connection. A wire is a solid substance and will only take so many bend before it breaks.

[@MavoTheGreat]

I’m 6 years in too and I don’t think every “suicide” joint is hack. Like he showed, if you aren’t pre twisting but you’re actually securing them properly and can obviously see they are twisted together then that’s a good joint, but after doing service work for 2 of my 6 years I’ve seen a lot of folks just twist the wire nut on but the wires are just stuck in there straight and unjointed. When they aren’t twisted together and you have the infamous “suicide” joint going on. Then it’s shotty work imo. As long as the joint is done like this guys demonstration I think it’s fine. I still pre twist my joints though. Just a preference in process.

[@mambodiehard]

Simple, crystal clear and to the point. Thanks!

[@gjacobson76]

With multiple wires under a wire nut, I have seen times where a wire will pull out. I myself like to take my lineman pliers and give the wires a partial twist, especially if it is 4 or more solid wires. Stranded wire I do not pre twist. I tape the wires first and work the tape over the wire nut. I never use cheap tape for connections, cheap tape is for pulling wire. In 20 years, I have never had a failure, but I have fixed plenty of other people's screw ups. While the instructions say it is unnecessary to pre- twist, it doesn't not to. I wouldn't say my way is right or wrong or condemn anyone for following the manufacturer instructions. I am simply stating my way and what has worked flawlessly for me.

[@its_notta_cedar]

Maaaaaaan ive been pre twisting for years and never knew any better because thats how i was taught. Then i seen someone not pre twisting and thought "HEY, thats not how i do it, HES WRONG" ill be shaving seconds per connection with this and thats really real real real when youve got hundreds of wire nut connections. I do irrigation if anyones wondering, big ol' fork that high voltage stuff.

[@clv603]

If you really want it done right, heat shrink the joined wires together and fill the void of the wire nut with silicone adhesive before twisting it down. The extra time and cost of material is negligible to make the connection corrosion proof which is every wire nut's worst enemy, and easy to remove and replace or change what's connected down the road.

[@davidweber6024]

Interesting! I just watched this video after reading the instruction on installing a transfer switch and the manufacturer explained the same method.

[@wasserdagger]

Thanks for the helpful - and timely - advice. I'm getting ready to splice together a severed Shop Vac power cord, using wire nuts, and I just wanted to make doubly sure on how to go about using them.

[@AaronAlpar-yh3eo]

Thank you for clarifying this! Nothing would get built if all the wiring connections were all pre-twisted - its a waste of time. You should keep twisting until the wires start twisting around themselves at the base of the wire-nut.

[@bobbyc2768]

Thanks for the video bud, I've never done this before and am renovating my grandmother's house after she passed and had to mess with a broken switch on a ceiling fan and this video helped me get it done fast

[@ejjohnson8100]

Thanks! This is so helpful. I’m trying to install a new garbage disposal

[@lwfrey7923]

This was quite helpful for an amateur such as me. Thank you.

[@felixnavarro5373]

Thank you , simply put and to the point ☝️

[@brugaldr809]

Finally someone whose Not sponsored by waYgo wire nuts or any other "Easy Expensive" nut

[@rock4115]

Ideal states on their video tutorial of wire nuts that twisting is not necessary, but recommended

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Remember that recommendations are often the best way for any manufacturer to avoid liability. If your packaging says to twist...its their lawyers talking. My Ideal packages do not say this. Nor do all my other brands. I have never twisted since in the beforetime...around 1969.

[@drphdzoidberg]

Thanks for this, nice collection in back!

[@surferdude642]

I typically don't recommend pre twisting when using 14 gauge wire, even up to and including 5 wires. Make sure you use the appropriate wire nut. I've seen people pre twist with pliers and gouge and nick the bare wire all over the place, not good. Connecting 3 or 4 12AWG is more challenging and while pre twisting is still not required, it is helpful in my experience. If pre twisting, be generous with the strip length and only grab near the ends of the wires (about 1/4" in) and twist until you have a snug spiral. Clip off the excess and if done correctly you will be left with a perfect spiral and no gouges or nicks.

[@BevinsBuilds]

As you agree there are times where pre-twisting is helpful. My point with this video is there are so many people that say that is the only way to do it correctly and it's not the case.

[@CyberMedics]

Thank you for stating the facts! Always thought the same thing. My Grandfather was an electrician & he explained it just like you. New subscriber here. Do you recommend taping the wire nuts? Keep it up!

[@BevinsBuilds]

Yeah it's surprises me how many people think you need to pre-twist when it's absolutely unnecessary. With taping the wire nuts and the outlet let me say this first, it's not required. But it is something people do and what we call that is a courtesy wrap. :)

[@altemose_prime]

Thanks for the perfect explanation.

[@mattwaters6987]

Thanks for sharing this information. Most helpful. 😊

[@customizedtrainingservices2079]

Great video!!! Short ant to the point!!! I have been wondering about this for years. I have always been a pre-twister. Not any more!

[@BevinsBuilds]

Pretwisting is ok just not needed at all. :)

[@BowersGameCorner]

Fantasticly helpful video! Subbed

[@Scotts_Blocks]

From one sparky to another...thanks for helping with this "Great Debate" 😂

[@Penguin545]

Pre twisting isn’t the only way to make a joint… it’s just the best way.

[@gilguzman08]

Yes sir been doing it right this whole time 💪

[@kevdab]

Super helpful, thank you sir!

[@keystone1355]

Awesome. Put in a hot water heater by myself the other day and wasn’t sure, so I did not twist before.

[@BaghaShams]

I'd like to caution that with some cheap wire nuts, you may not want to twist them too much, as it starts "stripping" its grip on the wires. I stopped twisting when I felt it had a strong enough hold. Thanks for your video, it helped with my home dimmer light switch installation.

[@darrensmith6782]

Thanks for this. It makes sense. I have been wasting a lot of time. I guess the problem is that if you don’t twist it on properly.

[@BevinsBuilds]

That is the biggest problem is most people don't realize there is a technique you need to do in order to use a wire nut correctly.

[@KevinCoop1]

100% correct!

[@charmerxxx]

Maybe, but pretwisting gives much more surface area electrical connection because of the tighter twist with linesman plyers.

[@BevinsBuilds]

It is an unnecessary step and no it does not provide better connection

[@ChrisB5_]

The video clearly debunks this. Did you watch the full video or just the intro?

[@charmerxxx]

@@BevinsBuilds I'll never have a failed connection. Leaves zero doubts. Tech school guy retired. I know how things work.

[@frontagulus]

@@charmerxxx Not pre-twisting also has zero doubt. We also know how things work. For the "surface area electrical connection" comment, could you state the difference in amperage capacity between your pretwist (you do not specify how many twists you make - just one twist could still be described as a pretwist) and that technique described in this video, and also state whether that difference makes a material difference in a range of circuit capacities.

[@frankhouck4446]

“Unnecessary” doesn’t mean “don’t”. I still prefer to pre twist. I believe it ensures good surface area contact. The real question is, how much to torque down. I go pretty heavy with the insulated wire twisting a couple times outside of nut. I also hold the wires stable tightly to keep them from twisting outside nut as long as possible.

[@BevinsBuilds]

No but the point is pre twisting is not required as so many people claim.

[@nyxnaux4737]

@@BevinsBuildsIt’s not required but is good common practice. You’ve obviously never had to troubleshoot, or else you’d understand.

[@nathanr.8556]

Unnecessary means unnecessary

[@frankhouck4446]

@@nathanr.8556 ok…. What’s your point? My point was that unnecessary does NOT mean “don’t”. “Don’t” is binary and finite. Unnecessary is not. It may be unnecessary and, while it is “good enough” and passes code, pre twisting is simply better. It Doesn’t mean it’s necessary.
As a DIY person, I’m not trying to shave seconds off an install. It’s worth it to me to do it “better”.
So, again, what’s your point?
Btw - didn’t you ever learn that defining a word by using that word, or a derivative of that word, in the definition is meaningless? I guess I should ask you “what is a woman”.

[@user-fx5uo3lv1y]

​@@frankhouck4446- Woman means woman

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

Bush wire ? Which fits inside a green basket? Is this why the crow push it on the grass day before yesterday? So it not connected to the light blue wire?

[@rp9674]

Once I saw that how the wire not twisted the wires itself all I needed to know, no pre-twisting

[@rp9674]

Great video, but would have been better if the wire broke and he pretended it hit him in the eye.

[@danrowe79]

Thanks for a great instruction video. WHY do some people use black electrical tape to seal the wire nut after making the connection? Is this necessary? Good to do or bad?

[@rock4115]

Thanks.

[@lawllaygoh]

Great video. Thanks for the tip.

[@quill6211]

Excellent info

[@robertmorin6495]

Good video....Thanks for the tips. Subscribed.

[@Rooster960]

If the wire is too thick ,I would twist them prior to using the nuts, but for thinner wire like 14 ,I think not necessary

[@woodlandburl6648]

Great video.

[@artfay8382]

should have also covered connecting stranded with solid, which is a common situation when installing light fixtures etc

[@davidweber6024]

I find the Wago lever connectors useful for terminating stranded and solid conductors (especially of different gauges). They lock down on each of them individually and offer a secure connection. As a bonus, if you decide to change the light fixture, removing just that one conductor is much easier than when they are bundled into a wire nut.

[@monicabarkerkemper73]

Thanks!

[@R900DZ]

Great video to settle this never ending debate once and for all.

[@BevinsBuilds]

Thanks

[@msstardust7979]

If you wish to add one more wire to the ones already in a wirenut must you undo the pigtail or just put it over and let the nut twist it?

[@Angela-pi6zc]

Thanks

[@boaragile82]

The best approach is, indeed, using different method to splice.
I came to hate wire nuts: everyone and their mother uses them differently, and boy, do they produce interesting results when some idiot screws them on a bunch of five without securing the wires to each other (and by securing, I don't mean tape, but cable tie). The idea of having a spring coiled around several wires has its limitations.
Unless it is a requirement for a splice to be dismountable AND spring clamps are prohibited, I know of no reason to use wire nut instead of hex crimp or spring clamp.

[@bobbystanley8580]

I just had to repair a connection where the wire nut failed. I sure wished it would have been pre twisted before

[@josephd27]

You tell em Daryl 👏

[@BevinsBuilds]

🤣

[@labmanme]

thank you

[@BrickfordCityFire]

I don't know if I will need this, but it's good to know just in case! Great video!

[@BevinsBuilds]

Just some general information for those that need to know how to use a wire nut :)

[@takeoverjupiter]

Its one time use meaning i shouldn’t reused a wire nut after replacing one of the wires?

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

cant imagine why anyone would use these anymore TBH ,very big clunky and the wires arent inline ,maybe was good 20 years ago and faster than block terminals for sure ,but i think most electricians now use cheap spring terminals

[@MrSpacelyy]

That's not twisted really well at all 2:25
It should be much more tightly. Also twist .wires or more.
2 wires is like when making a mistake. Wire could be used without a nut.

[@samc1837]

Have you used wire nut twisting tool? Wondering if that makes it easier to lock without giving me arthritis.

[@BevinsBuilds]

I've always done it the old fashioned way twisting by hand.

[@butters742]

I think its not so much the wire nut that's feared, Its the people who use it. My house is full of really awful connections using wire nuts because the nut wasn't secured on properly, or the wires were not held right when putting the nut on. Half the time i find them melted with no pre-twist because the person who put the wire nut on didnt take the time to secure it. Just doing a pretwist takes a second and increases the surface contact. Just a guarantee verses a maybe. 2 seconds verses a house burning down.
Plus when I'm wiring other houses and you have 8 14/2's coming into a 5 gang box, pre-twisting a good joint helps organize everything. Pre-twists are demanded because it ensures a lot of pros rather then cons from any level of worker experience.

[@BevinsBuilds]

The biggest problem is most people that are wiring houses these days are not licensed electricians. Even if they are they are paid by the job not by the hour so sadly people rush through things and mess up. Pretwisting is an unnecessary added time consumption, just do things right the first time. :)

[@dioncurtiscurtis3188]

lol so essentially the reason why our connection comes out it’s because b/c we didn’t do it properly. Makes sense

[@RustyCas999]

Does having different strip lengths (as in your example here) make a difference?

[@BevinsBuilds]

You should strip them the same length, I was being lazy and in the example I used a ground wire. 😀

[@deewerner]

How do you know what color/size to use?

[@beltycat5490]

No pretwisting !

[@BevinsBuilds]

Correct :)

[@yihsiangng7038]

Can I use on multi core wire ?

[@jeffhicks2987]

Nice video that all l need to no thanks

[@gregfaris6959]

Wire nuts are used extensively in the US, but I have never seen them in any other country (and I have done building projects in 18 countries in Europe and Asia). Even in the UK you never see them. Anyone know if these are legal and used in any country outside the US?

[@BevinsBuilds]

I cant speak for other countries but they are the standard use item in the usa and they are UL listed. Being UL listed yes they are safe and legal to use.

[@BevinsBricksWorld]

@@BevinsBuilds UL Listing means that UL has tested representative samples of a product and determined that the product meets specific, defined requirements. These requirements are often based on UL's published and nationally recognized Standards for Safety.

[@jackriley7967]

What do they used in the other countries?

[@gregfaris6959]

@@jackriley7967 Screw Terminal Strips are extensively used in Europe, and you will find them in pretty much every application where wire nuts would be used in the US. A ceiling light fixture, for example, would come with a two-terminal block already rigidly mounted inside it, so the installer would insert two wires and clamp down the screws, as opposed to twisting bare wires together with wire nuts. I'm not saying that's necessarily better - Just an observation that I have never encountered wire nuts outside the US.

[@I_Died_2_Weeks_Ago]

My wife's uncle was just electrocuted over here in the Philippines, so you can forget about there being any codes over here. I'm about to wire up our generator and I was actually able to find twist caps online to my surprise, although I went with an automatic transfer switch so I most likely won't be using them. Good to have for future projects though.

[@brian2100]

Can wire nuts get warm on a electric water heater

[@user-fx5uo3lv1y]

If Wire sits on it long enough, I reckon they would...

[@SGood54]

How do you do two stranded wires?

[@user-fx5uo3lv1y]

Same as chicks, At the same time...

[@serpentes9818]

my boss aint gonna like this...

[@timyassa4343]

1:16

[@ianmib]

The wire nut fall off because ppl pre-twist. Any more than two wires pre twisting is dumb.

[@antoniskonstantakis5474]

I understand what you are saying but pre twisting is the best way to use wire nut

[@frontagulus]

Could you explain why it's the best way?

[@antoniskonstantakis5474]

@@frontagulus I will try the best I can because English is not my language,,,,,so If you pre twist the wires before putting them in the wire nut you get a better connection and its unlikely that they will come off...that is my experience as a 30+ years of being an electrician

[@paulcross8824]

Been in the business for over 40 years and every time I'm called out to a job for electrical short it's always because somebody forgot to twist the wire before they put the nut on sorry buddy

[@chrishawly]

User error. He showed that if done properly the wire nut twists the wires

[@thepittsburghplug3167]

I pretwist because I have fixed a million non pretwist ed connections.

[@kennysmith1118]

Dude this has never happened to me before but I have a man crush on u. Completely heterosexual mind u! Weird! Love the vid brother

[@comodice905]

Bro what are you saying

[@someguydino6770]

this is another channel that is mostly about a guy's face; you can thank 90's reality TV for convining everyone that they too can pretend to be an actor

[@tommanfredi9289]

I will change my thumbs down if you can comment back to me about the fact of the matter if wire nuts can be used as a tool or not depends on the wire nut manufacturer. If you just use the wire nuts that are made by an offbrand for instance, the ones that come with fixturesare not made with the same integrity as the ones you would buy from a known manufacturer

[@Grid56]

How to use a wire nut. DON'T. These are outdated, and there are many forms of safer, more forgiving connectors out there. In the UK we stopped using these decades ago!

[@bretisimo]

What do you use?

[@Grid56]

@bretwsiciliano Where a proper junction box is not feasible, I think what they use are known as chocolate blocks with screw terminals. I do remember seeing the nuts back in the 70s when our house was being upgraded from old round pin sockets and rubber wiring to modern rectangular and pvc wiring. I was very young then, so it's a bit hazy now !

[@smokeskull]

I bet the new solution is a lot more expensive.
Someone reinvented the wheel just to make money.