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On Tue, 21 Feb 2017 15:23:26 -0600, philo wrote:

On 02/21/2017 03:05 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 21 Feb 2017 09:29:12 -0600, philo wrote:

On 02/21/2017 08:49 AM, Ralph Mowery wrote:
In article , says...

I cannot picture a situation where I'd ever have two different gauges of
wire but after that one let loose on me I've always pre-twisted
first...then after the wire nut is on, tug on it to be sure all is
secure,,,then as a final precaution, tape it all up

Just about all the lights in a house has 2 sizes of wire. Usually a 14
feeding the light and one much smaller that comes with the light.

If you have to use tape, you are doing something wrong.

I DO NOT have to use tape. The connection is just fine without it. I
do it as a precaution and many of the electricians take that same
precaution as well. Because I now triple check the integrity I use the
tape more as a precaution to prevent a short in the event a wire nut
cracked and the shell portion would fall off.

You gotta use better wire nuts!

The one that broke was just a standard type

as to taping I checked a number of on-line advice pages and some
inspectors insist on wire nuts being taped and others say they shouldn't

No absolute answer one way or the other.

I say if I triple check the integrity to add tape is OK .

FWIW: The broken wire nut I saw was up in an attic and possibly heat was
a factor?
possibly, but usually heat deforms thermoplastic nuts, and discolours
thermoset and phenolic long before they crack. Generally broken
wirenuts have been physically abused..