Connecting stranded to soild with wire nuts?

[duneslider]

Just curious what the pro's say is the correct way to connect stranded to solid. Specifically, I just installed a smart switch that required a neutral connection. The line and load (black wires) connected with standard screw terminals just like the original switch but the neutral was a stranded section that needed to connect to the other solid neutrals in the box. The neutrals were all twisted together, I took the nut off and added the stranded in and screwed the nut back on. I gave it a tug and it was secure and then I added electrical tape just to be safe (I was taught that back in the day, not sure if that is good or bad practice).

I have more switches to do. Did I do it right? Should the stranded be twisted around before twisting on the nut? Should I not wire nut and instead use a wago? I have Ideal wing wire nuts from lowes and also 3m wire nuts (just for reference). I notice that a lot of time the stranded wire ends have been soldered. Should I make sure the stranded is soldered first?

Just curious how a Pro approaches these types of connections?

 

[rlitman]

Well, the Wago makes for a painlessly simple way to handle this problem, and for most, perhaps is the safest option.
But we've been mixing solid with stranded under wire nuts for many years, so it IS possible. It's also easy to mess up, but your tug test should let you know if you got everything in there, so long as you did a tug on EVERY individual wire.

What I do is make sure the stranded wire is about 1/16" ahead of any solid wires bundled together before installing the wire nut. And MOST of the time it works just fine, because for the most part, you'll be joining wires of the same gauge. It can get fiddly when you're joining a small stranded wire to a large solid. You need to make sure the stranded makes it into the spring without the solid wire pushing it out of the way at the tip, but don't put so much stranded wire in to clog up the tip of the wire nut and stop the solid wire from being pulled in.

 

[BillK]

Just about every single ceiling light fixture I have seen has stranded wire that you attach to the solid feed wire with a wire nut. I dont see what the issue is ??

 

[u2slow]

I twist any solids together first with pliers. Then twist stranded around to end at the tip of the solids. Install wire nut.

When it's just one solid and one stranded, a wire nut that's a bit too big won't bite right.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

best practice is to "lead" the strandeds ahead of the solids so it will get a good bite in the wire nut. twisting the solids first then leading the strandeds above the solids is a good way to do this

 

[sparky 1971]

A lot of it has to do with the quality of wire nuts. The cheap nuts aren't worth a **** and are nothing but an exercise in futility. Everyone has their preference, but I like Ideal. The twisters are my favorite and I go through a ton of tans every year. The orange and gray twisters come in handy outside of the tan's range. I also carry red and blue wing nuts. I will also pre twist the solids if there are more than three, but that's more to make it easier to hold the wad of wires than anything else. Pre twisting the solids also makes it a helluva lot easier to change the dimmer out hot in the future, sparks aren't flying everywhere and lights turning on and off when the solids come apart.

 

[olytdi]

WAGOs solve nearly all wire joining issues.

 

[Bert_]

This is a non issue. The current on that wire is so low that as long as it doesn't fall out it will never be an issue.

 

[rlitman]

This is a non issue. The current on that wire is so low that as long as it doesn't fall out it will never be an issue.

For the ceiling light fixture example this is true, though I wonder if a loose connection would cause nuisance AFCI trips. For the smart switch example it is not necessarily true.

 

[duneslider]

Okay, so I guess I did it right. I have just seen a few methods used and was curious what pros had to say. I typically always twist solids together before wire nutting. I don't do this stuff professionally so it doesn't hurt me to take a little longer. When I was doing tile and had to pull out backsplash outlets I had a lot of wires pull out of wire nuts but that never happened if the electrician had twisted them. I have also had a handful of wires pull out of the back stabs too. I am also acknowledging that a lot of the issues I encountered were probably from sub-par workmanship.

 

[cmandp]

The tug test is essential I think for every connection and every wire in a wire nut.

For stranded wire I usually strip more than normal for solid. Twist the strands and then twist that around the solid wire/wires in a loose helix (maybe 1 to 1.5 turns) and wire nut it.

Usually for things like your smart switch they pre tin the stranded wire(s) which makes it like a solid wire, nice and easy.

 

[jeepxj]

anyone crimp the end of the solid for these kinds of connections?

expert diagram:

|
|
\
/
\

 

[Bert_]

For the ceiling light fixture example this is true, though I wonder if a loose connection would cause nuisance AFCI trips. For the smart switch example it is not necessarily true.

It's absolutely true for the OP's smart switch. The neutral connection probably has less than 1/100 of an amp on it. It is only running the electronics in the switch. He said the line and load are screw terminals

 

[RPH]

Then you have these.

 

[rooster59]

The stranded will wrap around more, strip the stranded longer than the solid.

 

[walta]

I guess I am the only one that “tins” the fine stranded wire with solder before connecting it to a solid wire with a wire nut.

Walta

 

[sparky 1971]

I guess I am the only one that “tins” the fine stranded wire with solder before connecting it to a solid wire with a wire nut.

Walta

You're probably right.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I guess I am the only one that “tins” the fine stranded wire with solder before connecting it to a solid wire with a wire nut.

Walta

i probably should but dont

 

[gilbo]

Well, the Wago makes for a painlessly simple way to handle this problem, and for most, perhaps is the safest option.
But we've been mixing solid with stranded under wire nuts for many years, so it IS possible. It's also easy to mess up, but your tug test should let you know if you got everything in there, so long as you did a tug on EVERY individual wire.

What I do is make sure the stranded wire is about 1/16" ahead of any solid wires bundled together before installing the wire nut. And MOST of the time it works just fine, because for the most part, you'll be joining wires of the same gauge. It can get fiddly when you're joining a small stranded wire to a large solid. You need to make sure the stranded makes it into the spring without the solid wire pushing it out of the way at the tip, but don't put so much stranded wire in to clog up the tip of the wire nut and stop the solid wire from being pulled in.

WAGOs solve nearly all wire joining issues.

I'm with these folks, WAGO and forget about it

 

[pbon]

Especially when holding the light fixture up with 1 hand while you try to twist the wires together with a nut. Wago makes that easy.

I like the idea of tinning stranded wire end and sometimes find them pre-tinned but don’t really have the time to do that. Maybe if I was retired and the only property I had was my house.

 

[duneslider]

I have no issue tinning wires if that would be considered a better method. I have a very nice soldering iron and can do it very quickly, and can easily prep them all ahead of time.

If these were new circuits I would consider wago, right now the neutrals are already twisted together and in a wire nut. I am just adding the stranded to it. Going to wago would require additional cutting and stripping (again not a big deal but slightly more time to do) I haven't used wago for home wiring but use them at work for controls wiring quite frequently, mostly for stranded smaller gauge stuff.

 

[cmandp]

I'm just a DIYer but I don't use Wagos and I don't bother to tin stranded wire to make a connection.

As long as you have striped enough (but not too much) insulation and are using a correct sized wire nut then do the tug test. I would feel confident to say the connection is good for most anything especially something low current like a dimmer/smart switch or a light fixture.

 

[Marcin_ose]

Surely Wago is the silver bullet...except above 10 gauge. Once the larger size comes into existence, it will be paradise.

 

[rlitman]

Necro thread brought back, but this caught my eye...

I guess I am the only one that “tins” the fine stranded wire with solder before connecting it to a solid wire with a wire nut.

Walta

Tinning stranded wire with solder has a known creep issue when used in fixed connections such as under screw terminals or in crimps. Whether that's a problem under a wire nut isn't something I can answer, though I'd guess it's fine in wire nuts with metal springs, and potentially unsafe in all-ceramic types.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

We join stranded to solid (10-14 THHN) all the time, with wire nuts. Just leave the stranded slightly beyond the end of the solid when you twist the wire nut on. No issues.

 

[lund]

I twist any solids together first with pliers. Then twist stranded around to end at the tip of the solids. Install wire nut.

When it's just one solid and one stranded, a wire nut that's a bit too big won't bite right.

Exactly. I twist the solids together (lightly) into a wire nut, remove the nut, then twist in the stranded wire following the right handed wrap direction and pre-twist a bit more, then trim the top and put in the wire nut while adding a little extra overall twist. Don't go too crazy with over twisting though or you will complicate any future work. This works well for me even in the most problematic case when joining lighter gauge AL wire for light fixtures with 12 or 14 gauge solid copper. I typically use pliers for the twist. I also give a light pull test at the end to make sure all is ok. I generally prefer NOT to use tape since that can complicate future repairs but I will if I am worried about the security or anything poking in the end of the wire nut.