How many wires at once

Cossack

The books mention how many cables can be ganged in a box, but I am wondering how many individual wires can be twisted together and capped with a wire nut. I need to join four 14ga wires and I will use a red nut.

I would appreciate any tricks you guys could give to twist this many wires. I usually have my wife hold them all lined up together with long nose pliers while I twist with the line cutters. This takes several attempts as the wires often slip out of the pliers.

Thanks in advance for all help. It is much appreciated.
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amakarevic

i definitely lack credibility but i have spliced 4 wires together many a time with minimal effort. helps having the wire stripped a little longer (can always reduce the slack) as well as a wife.

Silk

I tend to disagree, most wives I've seen lately, I wouldn't want to see them strip.

Pudge565

how many wires really depends on the gauge and the specific wire nut and manufacturer as for the easy way to twist em i do the saw as you only i hold the wires with my hand or my hand ohlding the needle nose then twist with the limemans make sure you strip it longer and get a good "bite" with the linemans then they wont slip out and after you twist cut off the part that you held with the linemans makes the twist look better IMO.

220/221

You need your wifes help to put a wirenut on 4 #14's?



Putting 4 14's together is like putting cream cheese on a bagel.


Cut ALL WIRES exactly the same length and strip about 3/4".

If you are right handed, you hold them with your left forefinger/thumb and twist the nut with your right forefinger/thumb.

Sorry dude but....

Stubbie

Cossack

You have to remember that 220/221 comes from a farm background. His mother was 24" tall and could wagon 500 square bales a day by herself.... while 221 drove the tractor...

Actually he has told you how it is done but it is very common to see your very question on DIY forums.

You do not have to twist the wires before putting them into the wirenut. Some do some don't....it's a long story.

I suspect you may be a little short in length for the wires. If you are short or not and are having difficulty go to HD or Lowes and get some of these..




You simply strip the wire and push them into these connectors. You can buy them in several configurations up to 8 wires. However if your using stranded wire I don't believe any will accept 14 awg that is stranded. If your using nm-b (romex) then your fine.

kgphoto

Definitely strip more than 3/4 inch. Just hold the wires with your fingers, forget the needle nose. Bunch them together and then twist with the linemans. They should all evenly run about and form a tight twist. Cut the end off square so the resultant bare area is 3/4 of an inch and then apply the wire nut.

If you find you really cannot do this, then don't pre-twist, but hold them securely and run on the wire nut. There are devices that go in screw guns to spin the nuts and with them, you will have enough to get them twisted by the wire nut.

"Screw-it" brand wire nuts can be driven with a Phillips driver in your drill.

nap

apparently they are available for up to #10 stranded or solid.

I have been using the smaller guys. They will take up to #12 solid or #14 stranded.

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/460071

Stubbie

I was thinking in the back of my head that wagos would but just couldn't recall. I'm pretty sure that ideal and gardner bender will not. Anyway glad you pointed this out. Whats funny is you linked to the same place I grabbed the picture from cause I wanted to get a image of a wago. I see if I had spent a few minutes reading I would have answered my question....

James Con

http://www.idealindustries.com/produ...-a-nut_pro.jsp
No pre-twisting, ya just have to get all the wires in the nut alighned somewhat. Then in the butt end of the screwdriver is a hole that fits the corresponding nut.Then twist the nut like your using a nut driver, also saves your finger tips.

jcalvin

I'm not going to say how many #12 I have put under an Ideal tan wirenut for fear of scorn from the other electricians, but 4 would be a piece of cake.

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Cal

You hired WHO?
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johnrem

look on the box of wire nuts...there should be a chart telling you how many of each gage will fit in whatever wire nut.

darren

I would never admit that i needed my wifes help to put together 4- #14. The most wires I have done in one joint is 7 or 8 #10, may have been over the limit of the marrete but it was a heck of a time getting those together nicely.

I like to strip lots of insualtion, line up the wires and twist. With alot of wires you can twist 3 together then add one more give it a twist, add another one give it a twist. SOme people don't like doing it that way but in situations it has worked for me.

Darren

220/221

I thought about you today Cossack

I connected 4 14's in about 10 seconds and had a good chuckle.