How do you guys twist 4 wires together ?

[rburke65]

Lineman pliers and years ago, we always twisted the wires. Strip the ends long, and get the insulation even.twist, and then cut wire ends end....apply wire nut

 

[Samh]

I started wiring my shop a few weeks ago. Came here and saw the recommendation of wagu lever nuts. Bought some, and probably won’t ever use wire nuts again. Hold way better than wire nuts.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

I started wiring my shop a few weeks ago. Came here and saw the recommendation of wagu lever nuts. Bought some, and probably won’t ever use wire nuts again. Hold way better than wire nuts.

If they hold better for you than a quality traditional wire nut, you were nutting the wires wrong.

 

[mobiledynamics]

BBY
I've always done pre -twist, trim and then nut.
I did my generator splice box with Wago's Levers.
They have been fine for 2 years or so....

I'm a changed man. If I ever have a electrical box to splice, wago's for me. Especially for tie ins for dimmer boxes where things can get crampy. I like them

 

[Paulski]

I use one of theses tools mounted in a cordless drill or driver:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R2CAK1I/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Strip wires
line up the tops of all 4 wires and slide on wire nut
zip on wire nut with tool until you see the insulated sections of wire twist together a few twist.

I'v pulled off the wire nut after to see if it worked and all 4 stripped wires were twisted

 

[Dh3256]

Is there a trick to twisting the 4 wires together before putting a wire nut on?

Wires should not be twisted before applying a wire nut, that will tend to inhibit the wire nut from making a good connection. Read and follow the manufacturers recommended practice for the wire nuts.

The push in connectors are much more reliable and make a better connection than a wire nut. They are widely used in industry because they are so much better. Also easier to get a good connection, just strip the wire to the correct length and make sure it is fully inserted in the connector.

 

[Dh3256]

just to stir the pot a little here
Lots of love here for the wagos, yet everyone poopoos the backstabbed receptacle and switch???

Completely different contact system. Wagos work well, back stabs barely work at all.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Twist-on nuts have been against the code in many places in Europe for years due to inability to properly inspect connection. Bad twist could result in fire.

Sounds like that's due to operator error or improper training, not product quality.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Ideal makes a screwdriver with socket that fits most sizes of wire nuts. They really do great for getting them twisted in the wire nut. You can even screw them so hard that the wires will push through the end of the wire nut. They are available in both phillips, slot and multi bit with a ratchet.. I love them, try and find them as they relieve a lot of stress on fingers that are not getting any more flexible...

I have a few of those screwdrivers and they work well, but I switched from traditional red wire nuts to Ideal tan 341 twisters, and the tip of them is sized to fit in a 5/16" nut driver, so I can use them with whatever 11in1 I have on me. Either way is nice to have a little more leverage than just finger tips.

 

[mobiledynamics]

If it's 2 wires, I just hand nut them.
3/4/5, I pretwist, maybe do a small snip on the end depending on the twist and then nut.

----these days though, Wago's for #12 and smaller for sure.

 

[allinon72]

In principle, a wire nut is not a very good connection, even if it’s perfectly done. They are used because they are cheap and that’s one everyone’s been using for 75 years.

It’s the same discussion as sweat vs press. People dig in on traditional methods even when something better comes along.

 

[stickshift]

Wires should not be twisted before applying a wire nut, that will tend to inhibit the wire nut from making a good connection. Read and follow the manufacturers recommended practice for the wire nuts.

First time I've heard of this (I'm a DIY'er). So I looked it up:
https://www.idealind.com/content/dam/electrical/assets/WireTermination/WireConnectors/TwistOn/WireNut/WireNut%20WireConnector%20Instructions.pdf

You are correct, though they do say pretwisting is optional. Which means I've been doing extra work all this time when all I needed to do was line up the ends and screw the wire nut on - I did this once, and the connection came loose and melted the wire nut. Always pretwisted after that. But I was in a very awkward position and could barely reach, so that probably had a lot to do with the failure.

Thanks for the education.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

In principle, a wire nut is not a very good connection, even if it’s perfectly done. They are used because they are cheap and that’s one everyone’s been using for 75 years.

It’s the same discussion as sweat vs press. People dig in on traditional methods even when something better comes along.

I'd love to see data supporting this statement. Having a couple or even six wires correctly installed in a wire nut creates a minimum of one lline of contact from each conductor to another vs. a point of contact with these solutions making up for lack of skill or knowledge.

 

[Meursault74]

First time I've heard of this (I'm a DIY'er). So I looked it up:
https://www.idealind.com/content/dam/electrical/assets/WireTermination/WireConnectors/TwistOn/WireNut/WireNut%20WireConnector%20Instructions.pdf

You are correct, though they do say pretwisting is optional. Which means I've been doing extra work all this time when all I needed to do was line up the ends and screw the wire nut on - I did this once, and the connection came loose and melted the wire nut. Always pretwisted after that. But I was in a very awkward position and could barely reach, so that probably had a lot to do with the failure.

Thanks for the education.

The link for the instructions are for one solid wire and one stranded wire.

When there is a solid and a stranded together, I'll use the wire nut only for the twisting , but if there are two solid I'll pre-twist with some pliers.

 

[speed bump]

Typically if I have more than 3 wires to twist together I strip them long, grab the ends with linesman pliers, twist, snip the tip even, and then twist on the wire nut until the insulated portion of the wire starts twisting.

I feel like Ideal or someone else used to have directions that specified pretwisting if you had more than 3 or 4 conductors but I can't remember where I saw that advice.

 

[jkeyser14]

I know they sell the 4 wire push connectors. But I dont trust them with the hot wires. Is there a trick to twisting the 4 wires together before putting a wire nut on? I am learning electrical and **** at this

The neutral sees the same current as the hot wires...

 

[stickshift]

The link for the instructions are for one solid wire and one stranded wire.

When there is a solid and a stranded together, I'll use the wire nut only for the twisting , but if there are two solid I'll pre-twist with some pliers.

No, those instructions are for a series of wire nut models. The example they used was one solid and one stranded. Doesn't mean that's the only combination those instructions apply to.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

In principle, a wire nut is not a very good connection, even if it’s perfectly done. They are used because they are cheap and that’s one everyone’s been using for 75 years.

Is there any data to back that up? If installed properly, a wire creates a solid mechanical and electrical connection. Any item is only as good as its installer.

 

[MatBirch]

A few years back, I did some work for one of the big oil companies up on the North Slope. Wire nuts were not allowed in any connection. We scoffed at the time and did what they wanted because we didn’t have a choice. My journeyman of 40+ years was a little pissed to learn something new, and be told he was wrong. We used some version of a wago, don’t know what brand, but we had LOTS of “failures” while installing them. Possibly a practice thing, but we wound up wasting quite a few as getting the wires to seat caused issues. We were using stranded XHHW #12. I remember they wouldn’t let us use the lever type, only push in. The lever type probably would have made all the difference.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

A few years back, I did some work for one of the big oil companies up on the North Slope. Wire nuts were not allowed in any connection. We scoffed at the time and did what they wanted because we didn’t have a choice. My journeyman of 40+ years was a little pissed to learn something new, and be told he was wrong. We used some version of a wago, don’t know what brand, but we had LOTS of “failures” while installing them. Possibly a practice thing, but we wound up wasting quite a few as getting the wires to seat caused issues. We were using stranded XHHW #12. I remember they wouldn’t let us use the lever type, only push in. The lever type probably would have made all the difference.

Sounds like the same folks whom decided back stabbing receptacles and switches was a good idea. Engineered to fail.

 

[sberry]

I got nothing against the new connectors, just havnt really used them and have a bit of stock left. I do a super tight job so its not an issue and am not a one thread type.

 

[allinon72]

Sounds like the same folks whom decided back stabbing receptacles and switches was a good idea. Engineered to fail.

It’s not an honest discussion to lump levernuts in with push connectors.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Linesman pliers. Twist 2 wires kinda together, then the other 2. Once you have 2 bundles of 2 twist them all together using the pliers. Get a good twist on the wires as well.

Wouldn’t a box and some pigtails be easier than trying to stick a wad of wires together.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

It’s not an honest discussion to lump levernuts in with push connectors.

Matbirch specifically stated: "they wouldn’t let us use the lever type, only push in." I agree with you, it's not an honest discussion to lump levernuts in with push connectors, that's why I didn't.