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Stranded Wire 101

9K views 37 replies 22 participants last post by  Hmacanada 
#1 ·
I'm looking for a general consensus on the joining of two stranded wires...I've been doing electrical work for a good couple of years. I started a new job and in the last month I've found three people that believe that you should twist the wires (with your Klein's) prior to making a wire nut joint. I'm personally appalled!!!!!! I believe I've been well trained and I was always told your Klein's should never touch the copper prior to joining the joint. What's your thoughts???
 
#3 ·
I've tried both ways, and IMO, pre-twisting stranded wire has a much higher pull out rate than not pre-twisting. (I always hold the wirenut in one hand and give a tug on each individual conductor after installing the wirenut to check for a loose connection that will allow a conductor to be pulled out).

I just about always pre-twist solid to solid, but not solid to stranded nor stranded to stranded.
 
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#7 ·
Im a big fan of wagos, but after a lighting Reno job where I was using them on stranded, I decided to stop. I didn't have any failures, but I really didn't like the connection that stranded made in a wagos.

Maybe I stripped to much insulation off, maybe i didn't hold my tongue right, who knows. But until I find a way to use stranded in a wagos and not feel shaky about the connection, im gonna have to stick with wire nuts.
 
#17 ·
As an apprentice I had an old timer show me. That's a one heck of a solid way to tie wire together. If I remember correctly, the wires cross then fold back on each other and twist, so that there is two separate twists, one wire twisting on the other. I don't know if I said that well enough.
 
#6 ·
. There's absolutely no reason to ever do this . As long as the wire is stripped long enough ( so it doesn't bottom out on the insulation ) and the wire nut is tight , you'll never have an issue . I rarely pre twist solid . I almost always use ideal twisters and have the screwdriver that drives them .
 
#8 ·
By no means do I question my wiring methods...and yes I twist solid...but not stranded...and I always pull on my joints if i question the connections...I'm kinda feeling out what others were thinking on the subject...I don't think I've ran into three people in my whole career that twist stranded prior to wire nutting a joint...now three in on one job within a month =/
 
#11 ·
Solid wires twist around themselves better than stranded.

I twist the hell out of my nuts and I once returned to a job I did and had a wire nut pretty much fall out of a JB I opened. Since then I don't trust stranded connections as much as solid.

I wouldn't have thought it could have ever happened to me. It left me wondering if the stranded wire wants to untwist or something.
 
#28 ·
Solid wires twist around themselves better than stranded.

I twist the hell out of my nuts and I once returned to a job I did and had a wire nut pretty much fall out of a JB I opened. Since then I don't trust stranded connections as much as solid.

I wouldn't have thought it could have ever happened to me. It left me wondering if the stranded wire wants to untwist or something.
Time to start using a quality wire nut like a tan twister!!:thumbup:
 
#13 ·
If the stranded wire isn't hot, I'll hand twist it then put the wire nut on. If it is hot, I'll just let the wire nut do it's job. I'm not a fan of wagos except for solid wire. Currently I use only stranded wire for what I do and hand twisting them together seems to give a good, solid connection.
 
#14 ·
If I am splicing with wirenuts, I always twist the wires whether they are solid or stranded. I have seen way too many of the popular wirenuts fall off of untwisted connections. I have found that the old style Ideal 73, 74 and 76 wirenuts seem to make the most durable connections. Yes, I know that everyone believes that what they use and that their methods are the best.
 
#15 ·
I have found that the old style Ideal 73, 74 and 76 wirenuts seem to make the most durable connections.
X 2 :thumbsup:
 
#18 ·
MHElectric said:
Im a big fan of wagos, but after a lighting Reno job where I was using them on stranded, I decided to stop. I didn't have any failures, but I really didn't like the connection that stranded made in a wagos. Maybe I stripped to much insulation off, maybe i didn't hold my tongue right, who knows. But until I find a way to use stranded in a wagos and not feel shaky about the connection, im gonna have to stick with wire nuts.

Same here man. Must just be us. Everyone else seems to love those things
 
#23 ·
When I do stranded, I spread apart the strands fanning them out. Then I lay one fanned strand on top of the other and twist. It kind of braids them together and forms a really strong joint. Then wirenut or solder.
 
#31 ·
When I do stranded, I spread apart the strands fanning them out. Then I lay one fanned strand on top of the other and twist. It kind of braids them together and forms a really strong joint. Then wirenut or solder.
Wow! How long does it take you to do 30 #10 splices that way???:001_huh:
I cut em, strip em, and twist the wire nut on.
 
#32 ·
chrisg9265 said:
Yea...that's how I was taught
That's what I do too. Hand twist, clip to length, Wirenut on. I had problems getting Wirenuts to start (3M tan/reds) when using my linemans to twist stranded wires. No clue why, but I hand twist as it makes me feel better than just lining up the wires and cranking the nut on. I also pre-twist solid, so there's that too.
 
#35 ·
Absolutely! If you don't get them about perfect (stranded wire), one conductor gets pulled into the wirenut while the other gets pushed out.
 
#38 · (Edited)
jrannis said:
I think if I caught someone using a western union splice and then soldering it, I would get their money. Reminds me of the hipster my daughter saw in Brooklyn using an old style typewriter while sitting on the sidewalk. :laughing:
I used to use western unions all the time. To splice tracer wire for buried plastic pipes gas/water. Don't anymore though , since going on my own it's a butt splice and a heat shrink way faster !!
As far as putting connections together.... Twist solids together. And stranded places together trim to same length and spin on wire nut
 
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