WAGO Retainers

[Quickstep192]

I just started using WAGO connectors. They seem to be perfect for making connections between stranded and solid wire.

I’m mildly concerned about the lever catching something when all the wire is getting put into the box and possibly opening the lever.

So, I put a wrap of tape around the connector and that was great until I needed to take the tape off to reposition a wire. It’s hard to find the end of the tape.

So I 3D printed this little cover. It’s made of slightly rubbery material. It’s a snug fit, but can still be removed if necessary.

What do you think? Is this worthwhile?

 

[johnre]

There may be an issue with the lack of a fire retardant rating for the 3D printed material - other than that, probably OK.

 

[mike93lx]

3d printing makes people seek out printable solutions to problems that don't exist

To find the end of a piece of tape, leave a folded over tab.

 

[duneslider]

I've never had one come accidentally apart but I also don't use them a ton. I'm not sure its that big of a problem and you don't really get back into box that often do you? Seems like tape would be just fine, I mean I tape all my wire nutted connections as well...

 

[rlitman]

I think that if you're worried about the levers, just buy the cheaper Ideal kind that have no levers. Me, I'm not worrying about the levers. They don't just snag and lift.

 

[Mike65]

I have used them a couple times when going from solid wire to stranded. They have their place.

 

[rooster59]

Needs UL approval inside electrical box

 

[mike93lx]

Needs UL approval inside electrical box

Ooh ooh I got this

Ul doesnt approve anything. They "list" it

Hopefully I made the sparkies proud

 

[PCustoms]

Ooh ooh I got this

Ul doesnt approve anything. They "list" it

Hopefully I made the sparkies proud

You forgot to mention the other NRTL...

 

[MOS3522]

I mean, electrical tape? Heat shrink? Both seem and easier and safer way to go.

 

[PCustoms]

I mean, electrical tape? Heat shrink? Both seem and easier and safer way to go.

And unessesary

 

[mm08822]

or...............................................wirenuts!

 

[dave*99]

Is this worthwhile?

No.

 

[MOS3522]

And unessesary

Yes and that too!

 

[whateg01]

If I need to take electrical tape off, I just slice it along the side of whatever it's on. But I wouldn't worry about the lever nuts getting popped loose.

 

[nadogail]

I have begun to leave a small tab of tape for unwrapping whenever I tape a something up.




I’m

 

[whateg01]

I have begun to leave a small tab of tape for unwrapping whenever I tape a something up.




I’m

I often use masking tape to write on when I lay out cuts on metal since it's usually easier to see than a scribe Mark. I've been folding one or both ends over for a long time.

Another place it's very useful is on the roll of packing tape. The dispenser is supposed to keep the end from getting stuck again but it seems like it never does.

 

[Meursault74]

What do you think? Is this worthwhile?

I think it's cool you were able to 3-D print something like that.

I'd let those skills and equipment be used for something else though.

Electrical tape or zip ties are already everywhere and will work just fine.

I have many rolls or Electrical Tape and many different sizes of zip ties in my garage. I don't have a 3-D printer.

 

[dscheidt]

I’m mildly concerned about the lever catching something when all the wire is getting put into the box and possibly opening the lever.

It’s not like they come undone when no one is messing around in the box. Check before you put the cover on.

 

[whateg01]

It’s not like they come undone when no one is messing around in the box. Check before you put the cover on.

But did they all get flipped as the last of the gap disappeared? Schrodingers wago!

 

[Quickstep192]

One of the cool things about WAGOs is that you can remove them and re-do them if you want to.

In my case there was a white wire looping through a pair of black wires and the opportunity to neaten it up couldn’t be resisted. But, getting the tape off was a pain and it didn’t look as pretty. So I thought - what if there was a little cap that could do this so I could assemble and disassemble at will. Or, I could just do a neater job of putting it together to begin with!

 

[whateg01]

... and it didn’t look as pretty.

Well, obviously that's what matters when doing electrical work! Smh

 

[Quickstep192]

Well, obviously that's what matters when doing electrical work! Smh

My boss used to have a saying: “Neatness is next to bonusness”

I know guys that insist on making all the screws on a switch plate have the slots facing up and down.

I don’t do that because I tighten the screws to a specific torque spec!!

 

[PCustoms]

I don’t do that because I tighten the screws to a specific torque spec!!

And where exactly is the torque spec for a cover plate screw published?

 

[whateg01]

And where exactly is the torque spec for a cover plate screw published?

Is it not three ugga duggas?

 

[dave*99]

I know guys that insist on making all the screws on a switch plate have the slots facing up and down.

I don’t do that because I tighten the screws to a specific torque spec!!

I’m that guy. You can be too. Give it a try. Talking about a torque spec on a cover plate is nonsense.

 

[knobby]

Well, obviously that's what matters when doing electrical work! Smh

I go as far as clocking fittings alike wherever possible it keeps a professional look and can be a good tel tail if someone has been in there messing around.

 

[whateg01]

I go as far as clocking fittings alike wherever possible it keeps a professional look and can be a good tel tail if someone has been in there messing around.

I've honestly never walked through the living room and wondered, has anybody been messing around with the receptacles in here?

 

[JohnX14]

My boss used to have a saying: “Neatness is next to bonusness”

I know guys that insist on making all the screws on a switch plate have the slots facing up and down.

I don’t do that because I tighten the screws to a specific torque spec!!

I've been doing electrical for well over 40 years. Naturally putting on wall plates was the first thing they let me do. I always turned the screw until tight. Never looked at horizontal level or vertical plumb. Tight was tight. Yes, I've heard 1000 complaints from buyers that the slots aren't the same. I recently had some rooms painted in my own house. The painters removed and replaced the wall plates, and put all the slotted screw slots of the wall platese vertical. I may be nuts, but that drives me crazy. It draws my eyes to the plat screws. IDK, YMMV

 

[dave*99]

I've been doing electrical for well over 40 years. Naturally putting on wall plates was the first thing they let me do. I always turned the screw until tight. Never looked at horizontal level or vertical plumb. Tight was tight. Yes, I've heard 1000 complaints from buyers that the slots aren't the same. I recently had some rooms painted in my own house. The painters removed and replaced the wall plates, and put all the slotted screw slots of the wall platese vertical. I may be nuts, but that drives me crazy. It draws my eyes to the plat screws. IDK, YMMV

Your OCD is opposite from mine. Perhaps DCO?

 

[Quickstep192]

Is it not three ugga duggas?

3 ugga duggas is for steel plates.
2 ugga duggas for plastic plates.

 

[Quickstep192]

I've been doing electrical for well over 40 years. Naturally putting on wall plates was the first thing they let me do. I always turned the screw until tight. Never looked at horizontal level or vertical plumb. Tight was tight. Yes, I've heard 1000 complaints from buyers that the slots aren't the same. I recently had some rooms painted in my own house. The painters removed and replaced the wall plates, and put all the slotted screw slots of the wall platese vertical. I may be nuts, but that drives me crazy. It draws my eyes to the plat screws. IDK, YMMV

Same here. Something about them being all vertical that looks funny to me. Also, I’ve had more than a few times where the plate broke after trying to get from tight to vertical.

They really should make them hex drive or Torx drive so they’re not noticeable at all

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Unnecessary. Size the box properly and plan your bends when putting wire back in the box, whether it's Wagos, wirenuts, or something else. Don't just cram everything in there blindly. I've used a few hundred Wago lever nuts at this point and have never had one pop open.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I know guys that insist on making all the screws on a switch plate have the slots facing up and down.

That's called "good craftsmanship"

Even NEC 110.12 states that "Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner."

 

[Quickstep192]

Your OCD is opposite from mine. Perhaps DCO?

I don’t know about you guys, but I have CDO. It’s like OCD, but with the letters in the proper alphabetical order.

 

[dave*99]

I don’t know about you guys, but I have CDO. It’s like OCD, but with the letters in the proper alphabetical order.

Thats dyslexia.

 

[knobby]

I've honestly never walked through the living room and wondered, has anybody been messing around with the receptacles in here?

Well pardon me i must have missed the part where this thread had strayed to strictly the orientation of cover plate screws.
Silly me thought that it was about connectors then electrical practice in general.
Thinking that if you ever did electrical work for pay it was half ***.

 

[PCustoms]

Well that escalated...

 

[Dagny]

I wish people would quit wrapping tape around wire nuts.

 

[alfredeneuman]

That's called "good craftsmanship"

Even NEC 110.12 states that "Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner."

It's useless. The eye the beholder. dept... One man's tin is the other man's gold. It's the least enforceable thing in the entire Code book.