# 3M wire connectors, stupid question



## Jay82304 (May 12, 2015)

I know this is a dumb question but does anyone know the or if there is a difference, besides color, between the 3M tan/yellow and 3M orange/blue wire connectors?


----------



## Voltron (Sep 14, 2012)

Jay82304 said:


> I know this is a dumb question but does anyone know the or if there is a difference, besides color, between the 3M tan/yellow and 3M orange/blue wire connectors?


Doesn't appear to be a difference between those two color combinations. :001_huh:


----------



## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Nothing other than I hate them all.


----------



## telsa (May 22, 2015)

3M's pdf indicates that they cover the exact same wire range// combinations.

http://solutions.3m.com/3MContentRe...assetId=1361822756056&blobAttribute=ImageFile

See the second page.

The tan/yellow and tan/red are probably "valute engineered" plastics.

3M Alludes to a revised metallic coil geometry... for a better bite.

I love the orange/blue and red/yellows -- but they are priced out. 

I use Ideal, instead.


----------



## tjb (Feb 12, 2014)

Found a place somewhere on their site referring to the tan ones as designed for residential, and the orange/blue for industrial/commercial. Prolly plastic quality. Otherwise identical as to capacity. I like them.


----------



## telsa (May 22, 2015)

tjb said:


> Found a place somewhere on their site referring to the tan ones as designed for residential, and the orange/blue for industrial/commercial. Prolly plastic quality. Otherwise identical as to capacity. I like them.


Yes, yes.

So the whole color shift is a price-point game.

Got IT !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knob_Creek_(bourbon)

Believe me, 3M reads the trades -- the merchandising // marketing trades.


----------



## Jay82304 (May 12, 2015)

Telsa, I've never triedthe ideal. Are you saying the ones that resemble the 3M ? I've seen them. I'll have to give them a shot if they are cheaper because I can't imagine them being any worse they all do the same job.


----------



## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

Jay82304 said:


> Telsa, I've never triedthe ideal. Are you saying the ones that resemble the 3M ? I've seen them. I'll have to give them a shot if they are cheaper because I can't imagine them being any worse they all do the same job.


The blue Ideal twisters are great


----------



## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Jay82304 said:


> Telsa, I've never triedthe ideal. Are you saying the ones that resemble the 3M ? I've seen them. I'll have to give them a shot if they are cheaper because I can't imagine them being any worse they all do the same job.


The Tan wire size by Ideal is the single most popular out this way, as our most common make-up is in #12... and we are in a production, not service, setting. 

One may crank on the tans with a 5/16 nut driver, a very popular feature. :thumbsup:


----------



## TheApprentice_ (Apr 11, 2015)

i use tan/red 3m performance plus mostly and i do residential


----------



## Ink&Brass (Nov 6, 2013)

Blue Ideals are #1 here. Red Marr brand for bigger stuff.


----------



## tjb (Feb 12, 2014)

Ideal tan twisters rule the roost around here. But having been given a couple sample boxes by a 3m rep, I'm sold on their smaller size. They accept 3 #12s, which is perfect for 90% of the receptacles I wire anyway.


----------



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

It is really easy to send copper thru the 3m cap by hand twisting. Much easier than Ideal tan twisters. Try it sometime.


----------



## Satch (Mar 3, 2011)

Never tried the tan/blue but we use the O/B (orange blue) 3M at work and we won't be without them. We are all commercial/industrial so very little 14 gauge. Where the O/Bs work great is lighting fixtures and motor wiring boxes or anything with small and/or stranded wires. I do agree with the poster who says you can drive a 12 guage right through the cap though. When I use them with 12 guage I limit it to two conductors. Otherwise we step up to Ideal reds.


----------



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Satch said:


> Never tried the tan/blue but we use the O/B (orange blue) 3M at work and we won't be without them. We are all commercial/industrial so very little 14 gauge. Where the O/Bs work great is lighting fixtures and motor wiring boxes or anything with small and/or stranded wires. I do agree with the poster who says you can drive a 12 guage right through the cap though. When I use them with 12 guage I limit it to two conductors. Otherwise we step up to Ideal reds.


What? Is the name macmikeman too off limits to include??.........:laughing:


----------



## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

I've tried other brands but haven't found anything that compares to tan twisters.


----------



## eddy current (Feb 28, 2009)

Ideal Can-Twist. The blue ones. All I use up here eh !


----------



## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

the 3ms are great for when you stip the wire too far or dont keep the wires together right. the skirt covers some of that!


----------



## Satch (Mar 3, 2011)

macmikeman said:


> What? Is the name macmikeman too off limits to include??.........:laughing:


It's top secret double probation to mention it.


----------

