# Left handed splices of conductors



## Joe Tedesco (Mar 25, 2007)

Have you ever discovered any old work, or new work that had left handed splices?

How does he NEC treat this subject? :thumbup:


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## Ima Hack (Aug 31, 2009)

I've heard of left handed cigarettes, but I've never heard of a left handed splice.


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## electures (Oct 23, 2008)

Joe Tedesco said:


> Have you ever discovered any old work, or new work that had left handed splices?
> 
> How does he NEC treat this subject? :thumbup:


Every year when I teach splicing to my new students I always get a few lefthand splices. Usually from the left handed students. Left handers don't do anything right anyway. 

Don't the instructions included with wire connectors stipulate twisting the wire with a righthand twist. That being said brings up 110.3(B).


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## NolaTigaBait (Oct 19, 2008)

I've seen a few. I also thought that it is a violation as well.


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## Ima Hack (Aug 31, 2009)

You mean the conductors are twisted together counter clockwise before installing a wire nut??


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

110.3(B) but I've never read anything not allowing left-handed splicing.


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## BIGRED (Jan 22, 2007)

electures said:


> Every year when I teach splicing to my new students I always get a few lefthand splices. Usually from the left handed students. Left handers don't do anything right anyway.
> 
> Don't the instructions included with wire connectors stipulate twisting the wire with a righthand twist. That being said brings up 110.3(B).


Maybe you dont teach right!


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## rdr (Oct 25, 2009)

It's awkward for a left handed person to do and has to be acquired a little. I had an old JW point that out to me by having me try to twist a joint counterclockwise. Same difference for them doing it clockwise.


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## Briancraig81 (May 25, 2007)

I've come across it twice in my 11 years in the trade. It is kinda weird when you come across it for the first time. I don't think the NEC says anything about it.
Heck, you could think of it as this: Wires twisted tight going to the left, and a tight wire-nut going to the right. No way that joint would ever get loose and fail (I don't do this but I'm just saying it's one way you could look at it).


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## electures (Oct 23, 2008)

BIGRED said:


> Maybe you dont teach right!


:laughing:


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## Joe Tedesco (Mar 25, 2007)

Section 110.14(B) in the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70 or 70A does not prohibit left handed splices. They are permitted to be soldered splices, or the splice could be completed using a Buchanan's tool and splice cap crimp connectors. 

Search the UL White book for "Wire Connector's." 

Use of an ordinary "wire nut" on a LHS will be difficult or even impossible. 

I have seen splices in a bottle, splices in a pill box, and splices made with duct tape!


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

quack quack


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## mikeg_05 (Jan 1, 2009)

I am left handed and I still twist my wires clockwise. what does that make me??


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## Mr. Sparkle (Jan 27, 2009)

mikeg_05 said:


> I am left handed and I still twist my wires clockwise. what does that make me??


It makes you logical.

Me too, lefty loosy righty tighty dammit!

This isn't a Propane tank!


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Mr. Sparkle said:


> It makes you logical.
> 
> Me too, lefty loosy righty tighty dammit!
> 
> This isn't a Propane tank!


Or one of the small oxygen tanks at big orange.:thumbsup:

~Matt


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Quite frankly, you could break Federal laws by trying to enforce right handed twisting of wire nuts by left handed people. This would be a civil rights case involving the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

In 2008, effective January 1, 2009, the ADAAA broadened the interpretations and added to the ADA examples of "major life activities" including, but not limited to, "caring for oneself, *performing manual tasks, *seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working" as well as the operation of several specified "major bodily functions".[4] The Act overturns a 1999 U.S. Supreme Court case which held that an employee was not disabled if the impairment could be corrected by mitigating measures; it specifically provides that such impairment must be determined without considering such ameliorative measures. Another court restriction overturned is the interpretation that an impairment that substantially limits one major life activity must also limit others to be considered a disability.[4]
The ADAAA will undoubtedly lead to broader coverage of impaired employees. The United States House Committee on Education and Labor states that the amendment "makes it absolutely clear that the ADA is intended to provide broad coverage to protect anyone who faces discrimination on the basis of disability."[10]


I have no employees.......:whistling2:


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## Mr. Sparkle (Jan 27, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> I have no employees.......:whistling2:


Don't worry as soon as you need seasonal help I'll be there. I am available between Nov-April, whenever it's flat or the wind is not cooperating. :jester:


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> Quite frankly, you could break Federal laws by trying to enforce right handed twisting of wire nuts by left handed people. This would be a civil rights case involving the Americans with Disabilities Act.
> 
> In 2008, effective January 1, 2009, the ADAAA broadened the interpretations and added to the ADA examples of "major life activities" including, but not limited to, "caring for oneself, *performing manual tasks, *seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working" as well as the operation of several specified "major bodily functions".[4] The Act overturns a 1999 U.S. Supreme Court case which held that an employee was not disabled if the impairment could be corrected by mitigating measures; it specifically provides that such impairment must be determined without considering such ameliorative measures. Another court restriction overturned is the interpretation that an impairment that substantially limits one major life activity must also limit others to be considered a disability.[4]
> The ADAAA will undoubtedly lead to broader coverage of impaired employees. The United States House Committee on Education and Labor states that the amendment "makes it absolutely clear that the ADA is intended to provide broad coverage to protect anyone who faces discrimination on the basis of disability."[10]
> ...


 
this kind of makes me laugh. do these left handed people also spin right handed nuts and bolts on the wrong way ?


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

wildleg said:


> this kind of makes me laugh. do these left handed people also spin right handed nuts and bolts on the wrong way ?



When will the madness stop?

People discriminate against me every day!! just because I discriminate! I can't help it. I was born this way!!!!:no::no::whistling2:

I think i may have a case!:thumbup:


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Mr. Sparkle said:


> Don't worry as soon as you need seasonal help I'll be there. I am available between Nov-April, whenever it's flat or the wind is not cooperating. :jester:


Its never flat. Ever. There are times however when very few brave souls will venture out cause its over 50 foot on the face side.......


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Never in 39 years.


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## Mr. Sparkle (Jan 27, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> Its never flat. Ever. There are times however when very few brave souls will venture out cause its over 50 foot on the face side.......


I have a video called Triple C with a ton of footage of the winter of......I think 96'....where the outer reefs of Pipline were lighting up like a Christmas Tree........biggest Pipeline I've ever seen on video. I could not even imagine seeing that in person, it must shake the ground. 

Every swell with over 10ft faces closes out here, except for a few spots which end up getting so crowded on those days you would think it was Pipeline or something......

Ok back to the thread......this thread is full of discrimination, I am lefty and have never done what you label as "Left Hand Splicing", I bet this thread is part of a vast right wing conspiracy.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

correct me if I am wrong but twisting the wires together before inserting them into a wire nut violates most installation instructions for said wire nuts...I always twist solid but stranded I don't...it can leave loose strands to escape and cause ground faults..


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## thekoolcody (Aug 30, 2008)

mikeg_05 said:


> I am left handed and I still twist my wires clockwise. what does that make me??


It doesent make you anything, Making splices left handed took a while for me to getting use to.


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## Benaround (May 5, 2009)

BuzzKill said:


> correct me if I am wrong but twisting the wires together before inserting them into a wire nut violates most installation instructions for said wire nuts...I always twist solid but stranded I don't...it can leave loose strands to escape and cause ground faults..


Buzz,

Most instructions say you don't have to twist first, but not a violation if 

you do.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

I didn't know I was handicapped! As a left handed person, I will assist in getting you a contract with any state that is goofy enough to give me special consideration. All the time I just thought I had to adapt to a right handed world...silly me!

Righty tighty, lefty loosey.If upside down? Vicey versey.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Rockyd said:


> I didn't know I was handicapped! As a left handed person, I will assist in getting you a contract with any state that is goofy enough to give me special consideration. All the time I just thought I had to adapt to a right handed world...silly me!
> 
> Righty tighty, lefty loosey.If upside down? Vicey versey.


You only recently became handicapped. We have such wise men who are judges in courtrooms. As a famous man likes to say " The stench from the bench is making me wrench".......


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

I've never had a problem making splices.

$hit, if I have a problem making splices, then opening a bottle of soda woulda had me stumped for years.


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## Power Tech (Aug 23, 2009)

leland said:


> When will the madness stop?
> 
> People discriminate against me every day!! just because I discriminate! I can't help it. I was born this way!!!!:no::whistling2:
> 
> I think i may have a case!:thumbup:


For what? Being a birth defect?






Sorry I couldn't help it, there is so little to discriminate about these days.

OP---Never seen a CCW splice 30 years.

Plenty of untwisted splices.


When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them I work with the handicapped.:laughing:


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## JayH (Nov 13, 2009)

Frasbee said:


> I've never had a problem making splices.
> 
> $hit, if I have a problem making splices, then opening a bottle of soda woulda had me stumped for years.


+1 on the soda bottle!


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## Grimlock (Aug 4, 2009)

Mr. Sparkle said:


> Don't worry as soon as you need seasonal help I'll be there. I am available between Nov-April, whenever it's flat or the wind is not cooperating. :jester:


 

Truthfully he is available from January 2nd 2010 to January 1st 2011 :laughing:

EDIT: I thought wirenuts where designed to thread on clockwise.....


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

I had this probelm when I first started out. When I would use my kleins in my left hand it felt natural to twist CCW but I installed the wire nuts with my right hand and the splice would actually hold. Don't ask me why I did the switch for the wire nuts, I bat/golf right handed. But throw/eat/kick with my left. :dunno:
The JW I was working with caught it early and I made the transition fairly easily.


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## shockme123 (May 13, 2009)

I'm left handed. The only thing I've ever had trouble with is cutting romex according to my instructors technique. Lets just say I developed my own pretty quickly :laughing:


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## Power Tech (Aug 23, 2009)

running dummy said:


> I had this probelm when I first started out. When I would use my kleins in my left hand it felt natural to twist CCW but I installed the wire nuts with my right hand and the splice would actually hold. Don't ask me why I did the switch for the wire nuts, I bat/golf right handed. But throw/eat/kick with my left. :dunno:
> The JW I was working with caught it early and I made the transition fairly easily.


Had a friend in high school, he batted left, threw right, and wrote left?:blink:


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I hold a pen and fork with left hand. Punch, hammer, screwdriver, pick nose, other biological function, twist wirenuts, all with right hand. Very confused....


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## chenley (Feb 20, 2007)

Ran into a left-handed twist a couple days ago in a house that was built in the 50's. Wires were twisted left-handed, soldered, and taped.


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## Power Tech (Aug 23, 2009)

macmikeman said:


> I hold a pen and fork with left hand. Punch, hammer, screwdriver, pick nose, other biological function, twist wirenuts, all with right hand. Very confused....


Yea, I'm right handed and pick with my left.:laughing:


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