Loading…
19
Swapped from push connectors to wire nuts on a commercial job and never going back
I was working on a lighting retrofit at a warehouse in Columbus last month and kept having push connectors fail on me. Swapped to wire nuts mid-job and everything held solid the first time. Maybe it's just me, but I trust the twist and tape method way more after that night. Anyone else find push connectors unreliable on bigger gauge stuff?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
the_blair4mo ago
Those push connectors always let me down on anything over 12 gauge, man.
3
amy8583mo ago
Has anyone else had those push connectors just straight up fail on 14 gauge too? I mean @the_blair, you're not wrong they're trash on anything thicker but honestly even on smaller wire I've seen them act up. Tbh I think the problem is those spring clips inside just don't have enough bite after you wiggle things around a bit. Ngl I've pulled out fixtures where the wire was barely hanging in there, just waiting to arc out and cause a fire. Wire nuts and a wrap of tape is still the way to go for anything that's gonna see any kind of movement or vibration.
4
west.alice4mo ago
Man I feel you on that warehouse job. Had almost the exact same thing happen on a service call at a grocery store near Toledo. The 12 gauge solid wires just wouldn't bite in those push connectors, kept pulling loose when I wiggled the fixture. Switched to wire nuts and a good twist, bam, no issues the rest of the night. Makes you wonder why they push those things so hard on bigger wire.
3