# push on connectors



## RICK BOYD (Mar 10, 2008)

what about push on connectors? 
I haven't used them, but they look much easier than twisting and nutting!
any comments?

Rick


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

RICK BOYD said:


> what about push on connectors?
> I haven't used them, but they look much easier than twisting and nutting!
> any comments?
> 
> Rick


You mean like WAGOs?









*Unretouched (Non-Photoshopped) image take from manufacturer's website*

Nuttin' more than repackaged back-stabs off of devices... a wolf in sheep's clothing. The first job I used them on, I spent half a day troubleshooting open circuits. 

Never used 'em since.


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Hate those @&#%%$^ things . I prefer the Ideal twister wire connectors, never had a problem with these.

Forgot to add: Had a friend of mine put pot-lights in his house (hes an industrial electrician) and he used the wago's that came with the pot-lights. A whole bunch of them weren't working and he didn't leave enough wire in the can so I could reach in and check all the connections. Had to take down the drywall to get to the connections and half of those things weren't making connections properly with the stranded wire. GARBAGE. lol


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## sparkyboys (May 3, 2009)

i hate wagos. and i do not like it when people use the drill attachment for wire nut twisting either. hand twist or the hand tool twist or the reamer with wire twister on the bottom.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

cdnelectrician said:


> ..........
> Forgot to add: Had a friend of mine put pot-lights in his house (hes an industrial electrician) and he used the wago's that came with the pot-lights...............


What's a pot light?


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

480sparky said:


> What's a pot light?


Sounds pretty suspicious to me :whistling2: (Probably a can light though)

I have a grow light at my house. I built it for my wife. Check it out:










It's for growing veggies though  That's lettuce in there.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

erics37 said:


> ............That's lettuce in there.


Sure it is. Whatever you say. Just put your hands behind your back........


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## Two-headed boy (Apr 21, 2008)

I love Wagos. Sorry.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

I have installed over 200 of them in the last 2 months and no problems at all. They are a real time saver and make adding a new wire to an existing splice much easier. :thumbup:

Ken hates them and he is a real tool :laughing: *THAT* is a red flag to play close attention to the installing process


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

I like to use Wago's for making up the EGC's. I don't know if I trust them yet for current carrying wires, but time will tell.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

I don't like them at all.


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## Mike_586 (Mar 24, 2009)

Peter D said:


> ..... I don't know if I trust them yet for current carrying wires, but time will tell.


I just don't know how they'll hold up over time. The codes up here have changed and now if a light includes them, you have to use them, but anywhere I don't have to use them, I don't. I'm perfectly happy to let everyone else be test subjects with unproven products until such time that I'm satisfied they've worked out the kinks.

I've run into far too many situations where there were loose connections caused by stabbing the back of a device that loosened up over time to lean heavily towards not having any faith in the things.


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## raider1 (Jan 22, 2007)

I have used the Ideal in-sure connectors for a few years now and never had a problem with them.

In fact I had an in-sure connector used for splicing a grounded conductor. The conductor faulted onto a 150 amp protected feeder and the #12 wire burnt in half and the in-sure wasn't hardly melted. After witnessing that I have not lost any sleep using the Ideal in-sures. I haven't use many Wago's.

Chris


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## JTMEYER (May 2, 2009)

cdnelectrician said:


> Hate those @&#%%$^ things . I prefer the Ideal twister wire connectors, never had a problem with these.
> 
> Forgot to add: Had a friend of mine put pot-lights in his house (hes an industrial electrician) and he used the wago's that came with the pot-lights. A whole bunch of them weren't working and he didn't leave enough wire in the can so I could reach in and check all the connections. Had to take down the drywall to get to the connections and half of those things weren't making connections properly with the stranded wire. GARBAGE. lol


 
We use them all the time on flourecent light ballasts, no problems yet. It was my unerstanding that they should never be used with stranded wire.


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## Mastertorturer (Jan 28, 2009)

sparkyboys said:


> i hate wagos. and i do not like it when people use the drill attachment for wire nut twisting either. hand twist or the hand tool twist or the reamer with wire twister on the bottom.


Anything done well should be hard to take apart. I use the drill attachment for ballast changing. 

What bothers my is when people just twist on the wirenuts till they hold and leave em. There should be 3 spirals in the insulation and bare conductor or it's a crap connection.


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

we are becoming spoiled in this trade. pretty soon we wont even need linesmen pliers people will soon think splicing wires takes too long just push them into a crappy connector. only times ive used these come in halo cans. i ALWAYS twist my wires with pliers and throw a wire nut on


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## sparkyboys (May 3, 2009)

erics37 said:


> Sounds pretty suspicious to me :whistling2: (Probably a can light though)
> 
> I have a grow light at my house. I built it for my wife. Check it out:
> 
> ...


you aught to get the 65w florescent security light from homedepot.
it has the same lumens output as a 400w mh and a 90ft diameter light span.

you could grow 5times more "lettuce" than that. it has low heat and still uses less power than most incandescent bulbs. it uses 65w per kwh.
my "cousin" has 6'x6'x8' closet full of "lettuce"


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

JTMEYER said:


> We use them all the time on flourecent light ballasts, no problems yet. It was my unerstanding that they should never be used with stranded wire.


the Wagos I use are rated for stranded wire, but not *fine stranded* like inside SJ cord.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

sparkyboys said:


> you aught to get the 65w florescent security light from homedepot.
> it has the same lumens output as a 400w mh and a 90ft diameter light span.
> 
> you could grow 5times more "lettuce" than that. it has low heat and still uses less power than most incandescent bulbs. it uses 65w per kwh.
> my "cousin" has 6'x6'x8' closet full of "lettuce"


:laughing:


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## MF Dagger (Dec 24, 2007)

Mike_586 said:


> I just don't know how they'll hold up over time. The codes up here have changed and now if a light includes them, you have to use them, but anywhere I don't have to use them, I don't.
> .


Do they make you use the crappy wirenuts that come with light fixtures too?


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## renosteinke (May 14, 2009)

Interesting how times change ....

I once had a boss / mentor who said I could use "wagos" when I had my own business. Well, he retired, I do, and I do!

I generally like them, though the picture changes if I anticipate that I might have to revisit the connections. For example, if the manner of switching the lights is likely to change. In that case, I use the much more expensive Wago 222-413 and 222-415 connectors. These connectors have little levers for inserting and removing wires. It's really nice to be able to 'work hot' without ever exposing live metal!

Typically, I reserve wire nuts for when there are only two wires to connect.

I have had only one Ideal In-Sure fail to be reliable, and that was where the wire was nicked and scored; you do need a clean connection.

I've also had good results with the manufacturer-supplied push-in connectors.

Still, there IS a difference between these connectors, and the push-in receptacles. I avoid those!


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

electricalperson said:


> we are becoming spoiled in this trade.


I happen to like most of the new products that have come on the market in the last few years. It's call "change" and "improvement." But you're right...let's go back to burndy's and rubber tape for everything. 



electricalperson said:


> i ALWAYS twist my wires with pliers and throw a wire nut on


:notworthy:


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

Peter D said:


> I happen to like most of the new products that have come on the market in the last few years. It's call "change" and "improvement." But you're right...let's go back to burndy's and rubber tape for everything.
> 
> 
> 
> :notworthy:


 now your learning


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## electro916 (Jan 16, 2009)

I have mixed reviews on the Ideal In-sure connectors.

I just worry over time how that spring steel inside the connector will hold up to the heat of amperage draw.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Peter D said:


> I happen to like most of the new products that have come on the market in the last few years. It's call "change" and "improvement." But you're right...let's go back to burndy's and rubber tape for everything.
> 
> 
> 
> :notworthy:


Remember Michael Stivic ('MeatHead', Rob Reiner) from 'All In the Family'?










He once stated on the show, "Sometimes, 'new and improved'...... *aint!*"


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

sparkyboys said:


> you aught to get the 65w florescent security light from homedepot.
> it has the same lumens output as a 400w mh and a 90ft diameter light span.
> 
> you could grow 5times more "lettuce" than that. it has low heat and still uses less power than most incandescent bulbs. it uses 65w per kwh.
> my "cousin" has 6'x6'x8' closet full of "lettuce"


Yeah, dude, but I seriously am growing lettuce. Like, for salads. I don't grow "weed." There's only 3 people in our household and we can only eat so much lettuce.


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## sparkyboys (May 3, 2009)

erics37 said:


> Yeah, dude, but I seriously am growing lettuce. Like, for salads. I don't grow "weed." There's only 3 people in our household and we can only eat so much lettuce.


grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peanuts, carots, anything you want, with that 65w florescent light


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## sparkyboys (May 3, 2009)

erics37 said:


> Yeah, dude, but I seriously am growing lettuce. Like, for salads. I don't grow "weed." There's only 3 people in our household and we can only eat so much lettuce.


looks like your ol lady is doing very well, get two lights and expand, it could become very profitable as organic food, which is very expensive in stores. 

my mom does it, ever heard of (good earth) she supplies atlanta with all sorts of stuff including wheat grass.

mine is just for me


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## Two-headed boy (Apr 21, 2008)

480sparky said:


> Remember Michael Stivic ('MeatHead', Rob Reiner) from 'All In the Family'?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is funny. I think what I like best about it is the word aint.


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

sparkyboys said:


> you aught to get the 65w florescent security light from homedepot.
> it has the same lumens output as a 400w mh and a 90ft diameter light span.
> 
> you could grow 5times more "lettuce" than that. it has low heat and still uses less power than most incandescent bulbs. it uses 65w per kwh.
> my "cousin" has 6'x6'x8' closet full of "lettuce"


 
Where did you hear that information? Same output as a 400W MH bulb???


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

76nemo said:


> Where did you hear that information? Same output as a 400W MH bulb???



Are you really going to trust a stoner to give you accurate information? :laughing:


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## sparkyboys (May 3, 2009)

76nemo said:


> Where did you hear that information? Same output as a 400W MH bulb???


i did not hear a damn thing, duh! i read it for myself on the box at homedepot, duh! and they also have 80w, and 100w=1000w. so do your research.

plus you have to know a little about the intensity of light(how many ft it will cover), spectrums produced, and wasted light. and a lot about biology, atp, proteins, and so on, blah blah blah blah blah.

two, i have been doing this for 6yrs.

three a lot of math to calculate reflected light lumens, aka calculus, duh.
and some freaking common sense.

so for instance, if you take a light, 65w security florescent, which cover 90ft diameter and put it in a room 15x15, light intensity increases 6x. so in a room like 6x6x8=15-18x, with mylar reflection, 30-40x light intensity. plus or minus. 

i aint going to keep going on and on and on, cause i do not have to prove anything but my three lbs every 4 months. so figure it out yourself!


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## sparkyboys (May 3, 2009)

Peter D said:


> Are you really going to trust a stoner to give you accurate information? :laughing:


i blame it on my mom for teaching me gardening. its your fault mom, i learned it from you.:laughing:


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

*Sativa salads???????*



sparkyboys said:


> i did not hear a damn thing, duh! i read it for myself on the box at homedepot, duh! and they also have 80w, and 100w=1000w. so do your research.
> 
> plus you have to know a little about the intensity of light(how many ft it will cover), spectrums produced, and wasted light. and a lot about biology, atp, proteins, and so on, blah blah blah blah blah.
> 
> ...


 
You eat 9lbs. of "lettuce" a year?????:whistling2:
If you went as far as Mylar wall cover, you must really like lettuce.
I might not have all the common sense in the world, but I wouldn't reveal something like this on a public world-wide forum.

My *"DUH".* Sorry:blink:


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## sparkyboys (May 3, 2009)

76nemo said:


> You eat 9lbs. of "lettuce" a year?????:whistling2:
> If you went as far as Mylar wall cover, you must really like lettuce.
> I might not have all the common sense in the world, but I wouldn't reveal something like this on a public world-wide forum.
> 
> My *"DUH".* Sorry:blink:


its not at where i live, duh.


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

sparkyboys said:


> its not at where i live, duh.


 
You're just one "duh" after an other:001_huh:


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## sparkyboys (May 3, 2009)

76nemo said:


> You're just one "duh" after an other:001_huh:


duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Duh!​


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

The biggest prob I have seen with wagos (in can lights) is that guys don't check the connections. all you have to do is tug on them and if the connections aren't tight, cut em off. usually some of them come with faulty connection from factory, but as long as you check them you don't run into problems (its the installer, not the wago that's the problem)


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

wildleg said:


> The biggest prob I have seen with wagos (in can lights) is that guys don't check the connections. all you have to do is tug on them and if the connections aren't tight, cut em off. usually some of them come with faulty connection from factory, but as long as you check them you don't run into problems (its the installer, not the wago that's the problem)


 i never had a problem with them either i think they work good. i just wont buy them for anything else id rather use a wire nut and twist the wires together. at least when i splice i know it will never fail. i practiced my splicing a lot in trade school and always had compliments on how good they looked :thumbup:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

electricalperson said:


> i practiced my splicing a lot in trade school and always had compliments on how good they looked :thumbup:


:notworthy:


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

Peter D said:


> :notworthy:


 dont worry peter stay in the field and someday you will be as great as i am. all those hack skills will soon vanish:laughing:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

electricalperson said:


> dont worry peter stay in the field and someday you will be as great as i am. all those hack skills will soon vanish:laughing:


Who has their contractor licenses though? :whistling2: 


Looks like you'll be working for me after all. :thumbsup:


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

Peter D said:


> Who has their contractor licenses though? :whistling2:
> 
> 
> Looks like you'll be working for me after all. :thumbsup:


 ill have my masters in MA soon. just need to mail in the paper work and study a little more. not too concerned about the code section just little worried with the business law section. i also need to work on studying service calulations too. i dont know it by head yet but can do it from the nec


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