On 07/21/07 12:38 pm Beachcomber wrote:

I would avoid crimps for just one reason.
What if you had to replace an outlet, light fixture, or switch that went
bad, or wanted to upgrade to the latest and greatest fixtures or
switches? Would you rather just unscrew a wirenut, or try to get the
crimp off with a pair of pliers?

With many people, (especially with those who live in countries where
they are banned), there seems to be some sort of bias against the use
of wire nuts, even though they are a perfectly acceptable and an NEC
legally approved method of making splices.

I must admit to having been horrified the first time I saw a wirenutted
connection. Looked like some real Rube Goldberg affair. What I was used
to seeing for electrical connections was a box made of insulating
material, with firmly attached brass "busbars" with wires inserted into
the holes and held secure by clamping screws.

When done properly, by
twisting the wires together with a pliers and applying the wire nut
with a proper tightness, there is little chance the wire nut will come
off or that the splice will become a high-resistance hot spot.

I have read that the wires must *not* be twisted together first. In fact
I just read a claim that UL approval of wirenuts depends on them making
a secure connection without pretwisting the conductors.

Wire nuts offer the advantages of simplicity, economy, speed, and the
flexibility to make future changes without destroying the connecter.

Open up enough outlet boxes where the splices have been taped after 5,
10, or 20 years and you will, more likely than not, find examples
where the tape has dried up or even fallen off the splices it was
intended to cover.

The ones I just encountered were likely original (30 years) and the tape
was tight.

Perce