[miamicuse]

Using a wire nut.

I recently installed six security motion lights around the exterior and the lights have #16 stranded and my lines are #12 solid.

I typically try to pretwist the two conductors together whether it's solid-solid, stranded stranded, but with a #16 stranded and #12 solid it's kind of hard to twist the #12, so I just wrapped the #16 stranded around the #12 solid as tight as I could then twist on the wire nuts.

After I finished I decided to watch some youtube video to see if someone might recommend a better way to do it.

I found one that says the stranded wire itself must be pretwisted all together, then twist it onto the solid.

I found another video that says you wrap the solid around the stranded. I think it's kind of hard to wrap a #12 solid around a #16 stranded.

I found yet another one that says don't pretwist the stranded by itself, don't pretwist the two together, just line them up and twist the nut in.

Yet another one says line the stripped conductors up but only twist the insulated portion together, then twist the wire nut in.

OK I am confused. Is there a "best practice" for this?

 

[Oso954]

Deleted

 

[Oso954]

Align the wires so the stranded wire extends slightly beyond the solid. (Tip of the stranded leads the tip of the solid into the wire nut)
Slide the wire nut over the wires and screw it on as you would with any two wires.

 

[darren]

Align the wires so the stranded wire extends slightly beyond the solid. (Tip of the stranded leads the tip of the solid into the wire nut)
Slide the wire nut over the wires and screw it on as you would with any two wires.

Than a quick small tug on the stranded to make sure it is in there tight.

 

[Jim Port]

I wrap the stranded around the solid and cap.

 

[Bret86844]

I like to line the wires up next to each other and wrap one piece of electrical tape around them, a couple inches away from the ends. The really helps to keep them from slipping when putting on the cap. Stranded wires always seem to slip when wrapped around solid ones.

 

[Oso954]

Taping is a waste of time. As long as you continue to use it as a crutch, you will never learn to do it properly.

 

[darren]

Taping is a waste of time. As long as you continue to use it as a crutch, you will never learn to do it properly.

Waste of time and very frustrating for the next person that has to take it apart.

 

[FrodoOne]

Using a wire nut.

I recently installed six security motion lights around the exterior and the lights have #16 stranded and my lines are #12 solid.

I typically try to pretwist the two conductors together whether it's solid-solid, stranded stranded, but with a #16 stranded and #12 solid it's kind of hard to twist the #12, so I just wrapped the #16 stranded around the #12 solid as tight as I could then twist on the wire nuts.

After I finished I decided to watch some youtube video to see if someone might recommend a better way to do it.

I found one that says the stranded wire itself must be pretwisted all together, then twist it onto the solid.

I found another video that says you wrap the solid around the stranded. I think it's kind of hard to wrap a #12 solid around a #16 stranded.

I found yet another one that says don't pretwist the stranded by itself, don't pretwist the two together, just line them up and twist the nut in.

Yet another one says line the stripped conductors up but only twist the insulated portion together, then twist the wire nut in.

OK I am confused. Is there a "best practice" for this?

When viewing these pages - as an "outsider" - I find it sad that electrical practitioners in North America seem to be compelled to use only "Twist-on wire connectors" (Wire nuts) - of various different sizes (and colours) for various different combinations of wire gauges twisted together.

In contrast with this, most other developed countries do not use such "Twist-on" devices for "Low Voltage" electrical connections. (In fact, such devices are usually not "permitted" for "Low Voltage" connections in most other developed countries - but are permitted only for "Extra Low Voltage" connections.)

While there are other connecting devices used in Europe and elsewhere, may I draw your attention to a very simple "Screw connecting" device which has been used in Australia and New Zealand for about 90 years. This is the BP (Blue Point) Screw Connector - as pictured in http://www.twadatacomms.com.au/our-products/screw-connectors-single/ (Note the "Double" Screw Connector shown below the "Single Screw Connector. "Double" Screw Connectors are here always used for Earth connections - to be sure, to be sure.)

As indicated in the reference, these connectors are rated at up to 32 A (450 V) and can accommodate conductors up to the equivalent of 2 * 6 square mm (CSA). (i.e. greater than 2 * 10 AWG) The quality of any connections made via these connectors can always be assessed, since the device insulation being transparent, the wire insulation up to the Brass connector can be seen as can the remaining amount of bare conductor, projecting into the insulated space beyond the Brass of the connector.

Because of the size of hole in these connectors and the relatively large screw concerned, I will admit that is necessary, when joining something as small as only Two 1 square mm (CSA) (10 A) conductors (Approximately AWG 17), to double over the twisted pair prior to inserting them and screwing down the connection. This is in order to increase the volume of the material being connected.

 

[Jim Port]

Nothing sad about it. Twist on connectors properly sized and applied are a safe low cost method of splicing wiries.

 

[Bret86844]

Taping is a waste of time. As long as you continue to use it as a crutch, you will never learn to do it properly.

What's the best way to keep them from slipping? I can't seem to wrap them together well because the solid piece never intertwines with the stranded. Or is it simply getting good at holding them properly while twisting on the cap?

 

[Jim Port]

The solid is never going to wrap around the stranded, the stranded is more flexible and wraps around the solid

 

[Frozen13]

Wago lever nuts?

 

[lenaitch]

Many people say to twist the stranded wire before trying to make a good connection with solid wire in a wire nut. A right-handed person will normally put a right-handed twist to the wire. I have heard (but not tried) that putting a left-handed twist on the stranded wire will help it lock it better.

 

[Know A Little]

Than a quick small tug on the stranded to make sure it is in there tight.

A tug on the wirenut never hurts.

 

[darren]

What's the best way to keep them from slipping? I can't seem to wrap them together well because the solid piece never intertwines with the stranded. Or is it simply getting good at holding them properly while twisting on the cap?

I always put the stranded past the solid a bit and twist on the wire nut. Quick tug on the stranded and 95% of the time the it will be solid.

 

[paintdrying]

I have been testing those clip on wagos on outside post lights. Have not had a problem for the last three years.

 

[Msradell]

I have been testing those clip on wagos on outside post lights. Have not had a problem for the last three years.

I've heard that they work very good but haven't used them yet. They certainly are much simpler for some applications, especially ones like this.

 

[TimPa]

I typically strip a tad more insulation off the stranded, since it is doing all the "wrapping". then I hold the 2 wires firmly together as I twist the nut on, forcing the solid wire to get engaged into the nut.

the times that I experience them coming apart after the tug test, is because the stranded wire wrapped itself around the solid, and there was little engagement of the solid wire to the wire nut, if any.

 

[Frozen13]

I have been testing those clip on wagos on outside post lights. Have not had a problem for the last three years.

They work great!