evab52•2mo ago

Finally figured out why my old foreman always pre-twisted his wire nuts before screwing them on

Ever since I started doing it his way about 2 years ago after a service call in Albany where I had three neutrals back out on a dimmer bank, I haven't had a single loose connection - has anyone else picked up a habit like that from an older guy that just stuck?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam6752mo ago

Oh man, that pre-twisting thing is one of those tricks that sounds like overkill until you actually have a call back and then it just clicks. I gotta ask though, what kind of wire nuts were you using before? Because I've noticed that some of the cheaper ones from the big box stores don't have the same grip as the higher quality ones, and that makes a huge difference. Like if you're using the old gray ones that are basically just plastic, they need the twist more than the ones with the springs in them. Always figured that was why the old timers swore by it, they were working with stuff that wasn't as good.

gavin_reed16d ago

Amy's got a point about those cheapo nuts. The spring-loaded ones are decent, but half the time they still spin before they grab. Pre-twist just takes the guesswork out, no matter what cap you slap on top.

amyh212mo ago

Respectfully, I've had way better luck with the cheapo nuts and a good pre-twist than fancy ones without.