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The day I found out my wire nut method was costing me time and money
For years, I'd twist my wire nuts on by hand, then give them a little tug to check. I thought that was good enough. Then, on a big apartment rewire job in Spokane, the lead guy saw me do it. He said, 'You know you're supposed to pre-twist the wires with linesman pliers first, right?' I argued that the nut does the twisting. He showed me on a scrap piece: the hand-twisted connection had way less copper contact inside the nut. He said a bad connection there can cause heat over time, and that's a call-back I don't want. It made me think about all the boxes I'd done that way. Do you guys always pre-twist, or is the wire nut alone enough if you crank it down hard?
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derekgibson5mo ago
Nathan is right, it's a real risk. A hand-tightened nut can feel solid but still leave gaps inside. Those loose strands make a poor connection that heats up under load. Over years in a wall, that heat cycle can break down the insulation or even start a fire. Taking the ten seconds to pre-twist with pliers makes a solid, clean joint every single time. It's one of those basic skills that separates a lasting install from a future problem.
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christophermorgan4mo ago
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kim.stella4mo ago
Is pre-twisting gonna make my coffee this morning or fix the leaky faucet I've been ignoring? Guess I'll just keep winging it like everything else in life.
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