Just finished a job where the homeowner insisted on using those cheap push-in connectors instead of wire nuts

I told him straight up that a proper wire nut from Ideal or Wago is way safer for a solid connection... he had a box of the no-name push-ins from a big box store. After I showed him how the cheap ones can overheat and fail, especially on a 20-amp kitchen circuit, he finally let me do it right. Anyone else run into this and have a good way to explain it to customers?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencer6647d ago

Those push in connectors are listed for use and they wouldn't sell them if they weren't safe. I've used them for years on small jobs without a single call back. A wire nut can be put on wrong just as easy if you don't twist it tight. The real issue is overloading a circuit, not the connector itself.

nina_sullivan617d ago

Yeah but spencer664, just because something is listed doesn't mean it's the best choice for a solid connection. I've seen those push-ins fail on solid wire when there's any vibration, they just work loose over time. A properly twisted wire nut with a good tug test is a more reliable mechanical connection, period.