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Anyone Ever Worked With These New-Type Wire Connectors?

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January 15, 2018, 03:50 PM
PASig
Anyone Ever Worked With These New-Type Wire Connectors?
My neighbor gave me some of these the other day and claims that they are going to replace the good old fashioned wire nut someday as the standard connector for home wiring.

They appear to be what has been used in Europe for some time now but I'm kind of skeptical with a push-in connection like that. Isn't the beauty of a wire nut in the fact that you are already making a strong mechanical connection with the twisting of the wires to each other and the nut holding that all tight?

Here is what they look like:






January 15, 2018, 03:55 PM
wreckdiver
Old school here, easier is not always better!


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"Once abolish the God, and the Government becomes the God." --- G.K. Chesterton
January 15, 2018, 03:57 PM
Hobbs
Haven't tried those but the concept looks somewhat similar to how copper telephone lines are connected to house lines at the NID on the side of my house. Least that's what came to mind. And they've worked year in and year out in all temperatures ... and even internet connections since I have DSL at 25 Mbit/s.
January 15, 2018, 04:04 PM
GT-40DOC
Something very similar has been available for cars for years.
January 15, 2018, 04:12 PM
Some Shot
If I ever have a wire fall out of a wire nut, I'll consider alternatives.
January 15, 2018, 04:37 PM
Excam_Man
If you like the push in connections on outlets, you'll like those.

Me, I'll stick to reliable connections by using the screws or wire nuts.




January 15, 2018, 04:45 PM
jeffxjet
They work better than great. I love them. You can wire and UNWIRE all day long without damage to the wires. They don’t work for stranded wire however, unless you solder the ends into a solid piece.


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January 15, 2018, 04:45 PM
Krazeehorse
quote:
Originally posted by GT-40DOC:
Something very similar has been available for cars for years.

i avoid using the 3M connectors on automotive stuff if I can easily avoid it. Solder and tape almost never fail.


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January 15, 2018, 04:51 PM
PowerSurge
The name brand connectors (Wago,3M) work quite well. I wouldn’t trust the Chinese knock-offs though.


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The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psalm 14:1
January 15, 2018, 04:57 PM
FRANKT
These may be acceptable for Europe with their [generally] lower-current loads but I think wire nuts still have a bright future here for a while.


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"And it's time that particularly, some of our corporations learned, that when you get in bed with government, you're going to get more than a good night's sleep."
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January 15, 2018, 05:13 PM
cas
I'm leary of them because I've seen them fail many times. For about ten years I worked with several... oh... billion Wink lights that used connectors like that for the ballast neutrals, and often the connectors were the reason the lights stopped working.

Disassemble the light, replace the ballast, put it all back together only to find it still didn't work. Then pull it all apart again, cut those damn things off and put wire nuts in their place. Mad


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Sliced bread, the greatest thing since the 1911.

January 15, 2018, 05:15 PM
ffips
Don't be the fifth ape.
January 15, 2018, 05:23 PM
Fenris
I have an electrician friend that swears by them.




God Bless and Protect our Beloved President, Donald John Trump.
January 15, 2018, 05:26 PM
cas
quote:
Originally posted by Fenris:
I have an electrician friend that swears by them.


Because time is money.


Same with ProPress plumbing fittings. Plumbers don't care that they cost ten times as much, it saves them time and the customer swallows the cost.


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Sliced bread, the greatest thing since the 1911.

January 15, 2018, 05:31 PM
shiftyvtec
I would not let my home get wired with them. Same concept as the back-stab type outlets and switches. I think you'll find most electricians are against them.

I replaced every outlet in my home with the newer Decora style. The originals (1987) were installed using the back-stab method, many that I removed made a less than stellar connection. Every outlet got wired the traditional way by creating a hook in the conductor and screwing down firm.

Think about how little contact area there is to transfer current; a little tab of flat tinned metal contacting a round copper conductor does not offer much surface area.
January 15, 2018, 05:44 PM
Mikito
I have used them with wiring up recessed lights. Which are relatively low current and the load is known. I would draw the line there and not use them in high current applications like outlets.

It does not seem like you can get near the surface area of contact as with twisting and wire nutting.
January 15, 2018, 05:46 PM
Gutpile Charlie
Haven't tried them, nor would I. Just doesn't look to be as good a connection as the traditional wire nut.



"If you think everything's going to be alright, you don't understand the problem!"- Gutpile Charlie
"A man's got to know his limitations" - Harry Callahan

January 15, 2018, 05:55 PM
cparktd
No way in hell I'd use those in a house. But that's just me...
I can't count how many service calls I've made on account of those back stab outlets, and have seen near fires from them, burnt up outlets and melted wiring insulation. No way they can get anywhere near the clamping force of a screw or wire nut.



Endeavor to persevere.
January 15, 2018, 06:46 PM
PASig
quote:
Originally posted by FRANKT:
These may be acceptable for Europe with their [generally] lower-current loads but I think wire nuts still have a bright future here for a while.


Lower current? Isn’t Europe 220 volts and near same amperage as US @ 110 volts?


January 15, 2018, 06:57 PM
tsmccull
1500 watt toaster takes about half the amps at 220 as it does at 120V, thus lower current.