My electrician buddy told me I was using the wrong wire nuts for everything

2 comments

2 Comments

Wait, there's a wrong way to use wire nuts? I mean I thought you just twist them on until they're tight and call it a day lol. Like are we talking about using the wrong size or something? Because I definitely grabbed a random one out of my toolbox last week and jammed three wires in there that were way too thick for it. My lights still work though so I guess I got lucky or something.

lee.lucas15d ago

Read an article from a home inspector once that said improper wire nuts cause a surprising number of electrical fires. It stuck with me because he showed pictures of connections that looked fine on the outside but were melted or arcing inside. The key thing is you need the right size for the wire gauge and the number of wires. If you jam too thick a wire into a small nut, it might not grip properly and can come loose over time from heat cycles. Your lights work now but that connection could be getting hot and dangerous. I'd pick up an assortment of the right sizes next time you're at the hardware store, just to be safe.