THHN Connections

[thecj3man]

I have searched till I am exhausted, so I figured it is time to ask a question.

I am going to begin wiring my Barn for power this week. This is hopefully the next step in constructing a workshop in the coming months. The local power company is going to set a new pole and transformer and run 200 amp service to my barn. In the future I hope to be able to connect the new shop with the barn so that I have adequate power.

I have purchased the meter base, 200 amp dis-connect, main lug panel, THHN wiring, and a bunch of PVC conduit and fittings. My question concerns making the connections in various locations that are not screw terminal locations. Is a wire nut the best solution for 12 gauge wiring? If so what is the consensus on twisting the wire before applying the nut? If there are better solutions then I would like to know about them.

Thanks,
WAP

 

[Tyberius]

I vote wire nut with a good twist before.

 

[Mustang51js]

Wire nut, make sure the two ends are even before you put it on,twist to the right until you can't twist anymore and good to go

 

[Mustang51js]

Just make sure you get the right nuts, tans are good,reds are usually to big

 

[n8n]

+1 on wire nuts, follow instructions for the particular wire nuts that you are using. Some require pre twisting some do not recommend it. Always give each wire a little tug after you think they're secure just to be safe.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Ideal makes screwdrivers that the end of the handle is a socket that fits wire nut shapes and will give you a lot of torque to twist the wire nuts and wires at the same time. Electrical supply places are were you can find them.

 

[shooting4life]

Ideal makes screwdrivers that the end of the handle is a socket that fits wire nut shapes and will give you a lot of torque to twist the wire nuts and wires at the same time. Electrical supply places are were you can find them.

I would use these, I have been meaning to get a few but I just do not do much electrical. After about 4 wire nuts I wish I owned this tool, then I finish the project (usually 2-3 more nuts) and forget to buy it.

 

[3/4 drive]

Ideal also makes a wire nut spinner that goes on a cordless drill , I use mine on a 7.2 Dewalt screwdriver it takes alot of the work out of twisting wires together.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDCRLQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[mobiledynamics]

I've used everything from my preferred Ideal Tans to 3M Performance Orange/Blue - then tan/yellow without a nutdriver. Anything 6 or larger, I'm using a Polaris.

With that said, I don't like to use said nutdrivers - as to overapply too much torque. Afterall, it's stranded. With solid, I always twist, snip and wirenut, but let's not get into the twisting versus not debate...

 

[600SL]

I used the Push on type WAGO connectors. Got a box of orange and a box of green from McMaster.

http://www.newark.com/wago/773-164/terminal-block-pluggable-4pos/dp/28K2291?CMP=KNC-GPLA

 

[jeff000]

I used the Push on type WAGO connectors. Got a box of orange and a box of green from McMaster.

http://www.newark.com/wago/773-164/terminal-block-pluggable-4pos/dp/28K2291?CMP=KNC-GPLA

Garbage.
I worked maintenance at a large hospital here for a few months a few years back and I spent half of every day replacing those wago's with wire nuts to get pot lights working again.

I prefer the Ideal Cantwist wire nuts personally.

 

[shooting4life]

I've used everything from my preferred Ideal Tans to 3M Performance Orange/Blue - then tan/yellow without a nutdriver. Anything 6 or larger, I'm using a Polaris.

With that said, I don't like to use said nutdrivers - as to overapply too much torque. Afterall, it's stranded. With solid, I always twist, snip and wirenut, but let's not get into the twisting versus not debate...

You mean you don't then wrap the wire nut in electrical tape?

 

[ddawg16]

I do a LOT of commercial stuff using THHN/THWN stranded wire in conduit. Field connections MUST be 14g or larger...

We always use wire nuts for stuff down to 6AWG.

The key is stripping off enough insulation and making sure you get the wires lined up.

Pre-twist? Why? If you do it right...the wires will be twisted when your done. Easy to confirm....unscrew the wire nut...if you did it right, there will be a nice little twist there.

 

[jeff000]

I do a LOT of commercial stuff using THHN/THWN stranded wire in conduit. Field connections MUST be 14g or larger...

We always use wire nuts for stuff down to 6AWG.

The key is stripping off enough insulation and making sure you get the wires lined up.

Pre-twist? Why? If you do it right...the wires will be twisted when your done. Easy to confirm....unscrew the wire nut...if you did it right, there will be a nice little twist there.

Why do you guys use THHN in EMT down there? I never understood that. So much easier to pull solid, and splice it, and terminate it, and doesn't turn into a nasty mess when you have a little slack in the pull spools, lol.
We only use THHN in the oilfield up here.

Anyways, I agree in no need to pre twist, but if you are a homeowner and don't do much of it, then pre twist might be the better option so you can see if it twists properly.

 

[ishiboo]

Ideal makes screwdrivers that the end of the handle is a socket that fits wire nut shapes and will give you a lot of torque to twist the wire nuts and wires at the same time. Electrical supply places are were you can find them.

I only buy Ideal tans with hexes now. They can be used by hand or any 5/16 nut driver (big cushioned Klein is easiest on my hands), socket, etc. I wouldn't use a power driver for wire nuts.

 

[jefferyb_2]

Use these wire nuts.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SJQHFQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I don't know if your barn is listed as residential or not, but while we're on the subject, you can't use wire nuts or WAGOs on fluorescent fixtures in non-residential buildings anymore. Code requires a disconnect for each fixture. You need to use something like Ideal PowerPlugs:



Tommy

 

[thecj3man]

Thank you for all the opinions fellows. I will pick up a sack of wire nuts and start wiring this weekend.

 

[thecj3man]

I don't know if your barn is listed as residential or not, but while we're on the subject, you can't use wire nuts or WAGOs on fluorescent fixtures in non-residential buildings anymore. Code requires a disconnect for each fixture. You need to use something like Ideal PowerPlugs:



Tommy

My barn is listed as agriculture. I purchased a 8ft T-8 the other day and it came with that style of plug for making the connection.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Why do you guys use THHN in EMT down there? I never understood that. So much easier to pull solid, and splice it, and terminate it, and doesn't turn into a nasty mess when you have a little slack in the pull spools, lol.
We only use THHN in the oilfield up here.

Anyways, I agree in no need to pre twist, but if you are a homeowner and don't do much of it, then pre twist might be the better option so you can see if it twists properly.

Huh? THHN is available in solid and stranded in #14-#10...

 

[ddawg16]

Why do you guys use THHN in EMT down there? I never understood that. So much easier to pull solid, and splice it, and terminate it, and doesn't turn into a nasty mess when you have a little slack in the pull spools, lol.
We only use THHN in the oilfield up here.

Anyways, I agree in no need to pre twist, but if you are a homeowner and don't do much of it, then pre twist might be the better option so you can see if it twists properly.

Try pulling solid through LB's and 90's......

And good luck trying to use solid in a control panel like this....ain't going to happen.

 

[AlwaysFixingSomething]

Huh? THHN is available in solid and stranded in #14-#10...

Actually it's available in a wide range of sizes not just 14-10

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I prefer to work with the solid wire. Much easier to secure under the screws of circuit breakers. Its a toss up as far as stranded or solid in backwired receptacles or switches (the good commercial backwire that requires you tighten up a screw). The solid certainly is easier to wirenut than stranded, and feel like its going to stay together.

Charles

 

[jeff000]

Huh? THHN is available in solid and stranded in #14-#10...

I have never seen THHN solid. Every commercial project I've been on has been RW90 or T90 though. Could be a regional thing though.

Try pulling solid through LB's and 90's......

And good luck trying to use solid in a control panel like this....ain't going to happen.

Like I said, working oilfield we only use THHN, stranded. For reasons like you posted, control panels. Although we have to put farrell's on anything stranded in the panels.
We don't put pneumatics in with our PLC's though.

This is generally what I work with.


and
The actual PLC is on the other side of this panel, but most of that side comes wired from the panel shop.

That said, I think LB's, LR's, LL's T's all should be upsized. Even pulling a pair of #16 THHN through a 3/4 LB ***** more than it should.

In commercial there is almost never a time where you couldn't use at least a 6x6 to replace an LB.

 

[alfredeneuman]

.... you can't use wire nuts or WAGOs on fluorescent fixtures in non-residential buildings anymore. Code requires a disconnect for each fixture. You need to use something like Ideal PowerPlugs:



Tommy

That's not entirely true. While it is in the Code to install the disconnects on the incoming line, once it's installed you could use Wagos or wirenuts on any of the wires

 

[600SL]

I don't know if your barn is listed as residential or not, but while we're on the subject, you can't use wire nuts or WAGOs on fluorescent fixtures in non-residential buildings anymore. Code requires a disconnect for each fixture. You need to use something like Ideal PowerPlugs:



Tommy

That's kind of strange. My florescent fixtures came with Wego type connectors. These were called general duty but came with a 120/277 volt ballast.

 

[600SL]

Garbage.
I worked maintenance at a large hospital here for a few months a few years back and I spent half of every day replacing those wago's with wire nuts to get pot lights working again.

I prefer the Ideal Cantwist wire nuts personally.

Well I will find out soon enough.

 

[66dave]

I used the Push on type WAGO connectors. Got a box of orange and a box of green from McMaster.

http://www.newark.com/wago/773-164/terminal-block-pluggable-4pos/dp/28K2291?CMP=KNC-GPLA

I don't know if your barn is listed as residential or not, but while we're on the subject, you can't use wire nuts or WAGOs on fluorescent fixtures in non-residential buildings anymore. Code requires a disconnect for each fixture. You need to use something like Ideal PowerPlugs:



Tommy

I may be wrong but i am pretty sure you can not use these type of connectors with stranded wire. That being said you would be locked into solid core. What wire did you buy?

For what it's worth I like wire nuts...