A retired guy at the supply house changed how I think about wire nuts

I was grabbing some reds for a kitchen rewire last week and got talking to this older guy, Frank, who used to run a crew back in the 80s. He saw me with a bag of the standard winged ones and just said, 'You know, I never trust those wings. They make you think you're done before the copper is really home.' He showed me his method: twist the wires together with your linesmans first, just a good solid twist, then screw the nut on over that. He said the wings let you skip that step, and over time, that's how you get a cold joint. I've been doing it his way for a few days now, and honestly, I can feel the difference. The connection feels more solid before the nut even goes on. Has anyone else switched up their wire nut routine after years of doing it one way?

2 comments

2 Comments

joseph_ellis857d ago

My old foreman said the same thing and it just makes a better connection, idk.

robertb477d ago

Wait, you weren't pre-twisting the wires first? That's how I was taught back in my apprenticeship... the nut is just there to cover the joint, not to make it. Frank's right, those wings trick you into a lazy connection.