Push In Wire Connectors Or Wire Nuts ?

nywoodwizard

I like the push ins but I'd like to here if anyone has ever had any problems with them. I still use wire nuts ,but i would prefer the push ins if i had to do it everyday. I think for safety sakes its a safer connector for a homeowner to use also, its fairly dummy proof.

The other day I'm installing a set of sconces flanking a bathroom mirror for my bro, and they have the push in connectors, its cool, but when i look real hard at the connector there is only one empty hole in each connector. Did the company think people were only going to install one and not a pair ? So this fixture with the push in connector made no sense, because now either i have to pig tail it or just cut the connector off. The high hat company got them right, three hole connectors

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stp57

I bought some that said that braided would work with them. I found the opposite to be true (unless you want to solder the wire first). They are great for solid wire though.
Steve

DAVIS081404

They do have their place, however I wouldnt sugest using them in all locations. Ive been in a couple of houses that used them instead of wirenuts at every splice. Nothin but trouble. For cans and the such.....ok.

Ponsse

I use them on existing installations where somebody has cut the wires off too short in a single gang box and I can't get my fat fingers in there to twist a wirenut on, they work great in that situation!

DAVIS081404

Agreed

Magnettica

Makes wiring-up those hi-hats a whole lot easier.

The built-in connectors, for new and old work, are also a plus.

They might suck though if you're doing T&M.

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kingsmurf

the Fire Department . . .Funeral Home and I the working electrician need the extra work . .please continue to use them . . . . .the kids need college money . .made a tidy sum just this week from previous installers work
. . .all of the receptacles were nicely back stabbed on a diasy chain . .had some melted recepatcles . .a couple were dead loose . .and not a single receptacle in the chain properly pig-tailed

just cause UL approved it doesnt mean its good . . . . .have you tried the new UL approved stab-in wire connector? Oh man theres college money
. .crappy little spring loaded deal . . .clear plastic . . . .much better than a properly twisted/squared off . .wired nutted splice

as long as folks keep using the back stabbed receptacles . .I will never be out of work

stp57

Push nuts & back stab receptacles are not a fair comparison. The push nuts are very well constructed & alot of metal contacts the wire. The clear housing is a great idea. It lets the skeptic see that the wire is properly inserted. As long a you don't use them for stranded wire, I doubt they will ever cause a problem.
Steve

mdshunk

All your years as a carpenter-handyman give you the confidence to say that?

kingsmurf

I perfer any day ..any time a splice that is twisted clockwise....tight...sometimes even soldered...squared off and run into
appropriate wire nut

and side screws for receptacles and other devices . .sheer contact and grip,,period

but to each his own...I make great money repairing the other choices on an too regular basis

I own my own business and do have the luxury of my own standards

stp57

Point well taken MDShunk,
I did do retrofit lighting for years & we used alot of the push nuts without incident. The previous threads here on push nuts really didn't address any particular problem either, just speculation. So, from what I have read here at this forum & have experienced, there doesn't seem to be any evidence that these things tend to fail? I've replaced 1/2 a dozen backstabbed switches in my 5 yr old house because of failure, but the push nuts seem to grip the wire much better?
Steve

hbelectric

Besides the cheap Home depot push-in's they sell, i use Wago's all the time.
Just lol at making aliving from Push-in conectors, talk about exageratting.

The last case i had, some Mr. Knowitall electrician tell s me he's not using the Wago's, that i give him. I end up going back to fix his wire nut joints, because nothing is working. He says by code, we can't twist the wires anymore. Not sure if that is true, I'm still using the 2005.

I prefer using stranded for ease of pulling wire and enjoy solid for making joints. So typicaly any run with more than 3 circuits or hard pulls, will get stranded and no wago's.

I remember having to fix a few flourecent light fixtures, because of Wago's. But i think it's typically from the # 18 wire they use. But even then, it's pretty rare.

Bkessler

I saw I think it was wago's that were approved for stranded wire the other day in the supply house.

Waco

What I encountered using the push-ins on some Halos was that the leads to the fixture (and ground wire) weren't seated very well in the connectors. I ran into quite a few like that, so I made it a habit to reseat those wires before connecting the house wiring.

I have some doubt about them, but they are sure faster than wirenuts!

Aiken Colon

For retrofit lighting, ballast applications Jan 1 08, it is now NEC code to use a different type of push in connector called a luminaire ballast disconnect. It looks nothing like the push in connectors the OP was originally referring to however.

As far as the push in wire connector the OP was referring to, we sell quite a few of them so someone out there likes em. For some odd reason they usually purchase a 20lb fire extinquisher at the same time.

JJ

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