Biggest Mistakes DIYers Make When Connecting Wires Together

Biggest Mistakes DIYers Make When Connecting Wires Together | Part 2

Рет қаралды 369,271

2 жыл бұрын

In this video I go over some more of the most common mistakes DIYers make when connecting wires together. These mistakes can cause major issues over time or possible even not long after installing them. I will also talk about and show better ways of approaching the issues.
Items Used In The Video:
Lineman Pliers: amzn.to/3rMcXkO
Wire Strippers: amzn.to/3EDfwee
Basic Wire Nut Assortment: amzn.to/3EERf7q
Wago 221 Assortment Beginner Set: amzn.to/3EN5Cqw
Wago 221 Larger Assortment: amzn.to/3k5cciv
Single Gang Old Work Boxes: amzn.to/3c1U3Bb
14/2 Romex NM Wire: amzn.to/3NTLhmf
12/2 Romex NM Wire: amzn.to/3aoiiJJ
Don't see what you are looking for? Here is my How To Home Amazon Store, where you can find many of the tools and shirts I use and wear in my videos! amzn.to/3mcqu1E
Thank you for watching and for subscribing. You can support the channel at no cost to you by using one of the above affiliate links. This helps support the channel for new content!
Blessings,
Adam
How To Home assumes no liability for damage or injury. How To Home highly recommends using proper safety procedures and professionals when needed. Our content is for entertainment purposes only. No information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not How To Home. How To Home will not be held liable for any negligent or accidental damage or injury resulting from equipment, tools, electrical, fire, electronics or any items contained in this video. Attempt projects and repairs at your own risk.

Пікірлер: 427

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Something I want to note, towards the end I say you want to maintain the same color all the way through. What I meant by that is maintaining the same size. Hope this was helpful!

@billhandymanbill2775 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, the same gauge. Years past, they didn't have the helpful color guide (Yellow = 12 gauge, etc.) on NM (Romex) cable and all of the outer jacket was white both for 14 gauge and 12 gauge.

@Sembazuru Жыл бұрын

@@billhandymanbill2775 How much should one really trust the jacket color? Is there an enforced standard from the wire makers to make sure that they put the yellow on 12AWG NM cable only? Or can a shady manufacturer put a yellow jacket on a smaller wire, charge the same as other 12AWG NM cable and pocket the difference in the amount of copper used? I always try to find the labeling on the jacket, but should I be trusting the jacket color more?

@billhandymanbill2775 Жыл бұрын

@@Sembazuru I would have to say that the color is the “industry standard” with yellow being 12gauge

@zacharythebeau163 Жыл бұрын

@@Sembazuru not at all, that's how much. I have a bundle of 12/3 with ground that's white. A few companies have also started to use blue and purple sheathing. Color is really only good for new builds and even then really based on the wire brand. Many contractors like certain brands for different reasons and if that company regularly uses the band (other than when they change their color) it can be pretty reliable. Many also do practice certain standards between companies and color, but it's best to actually check. Like the bundle I have that's 12/3 I mentioned is personal use I got from my grandfather that was a full electrician owning his own company before retiring and passing away just a few years ago, but the wire is likely older than me at over 30 from before he retired, but still has a nice flexible rubber sheathing and still safe.

@bobcosgrove3235 Жыл бұрын

@@zacharythebeau163 The type of NM cable approved for indoor (dry location) use is NMB cable, and a color code for the plastic cable sheathing has been an industry standard since about 2001: White - #14 AWG (rated for maximum 15 amps) Yellow - #12 AWG (rated for maximum 20 amps) Orange - #10 AWG (rated for maximum 30 amps) Black - #8 and larger (higher amperage ratings - not shown above) Gray - UF (Underground Feed) means cable rated for exterior use but color does not indicate wire size. Wire size printed along sheathing.

@allegory7638 Жыл бұрын

Your videos are good because you get to the point and keep it on topic, with the necessary details. The number one thing about how-to videos is not wasting the viewer's time, and you do a great job of including a lot of relevant information while not wasting my time. Thanks!

@Blake4Truth Жыл бұрын

Funny cause I was thinking the opposite. 1) A simple instruction to know and follow the instructions/specifications on the wire-nut or other connectors’ box, and 2) never use any wire in a circuit where the fuse is rated for greater amperage than the wire. The fuse must always be rated equally or less than the weakest component in the circuit, wiring, connectors, outlets, switches included. A two minute video tops.

@KevinCoop1 Жыл бұрын

Generally speaking your video is correct. As far as your wire size discussion, as an electrical design engineer for contractors, I have designed 20 amp branch circuits many times with #4, #6, #8, #10, and #12 all in the same branch circuit. It happens all the time in branch circuits feeding parking lot lights to reduce voltage drop. But I agree that people that do not do their due diligence will very probably cause problems. As far as #14 on a 20 ampere breaker, yes, it is a NEC violation. As far as the #14 burning up and causing fire, not so accurate. Table 310.15(B)(16) shows #14 at 75C rated at 20 amperes. The NEC code making panels decided many years ago to oversize #14, #12, and #10 and require them to be 15 amp, 20amp, and 30 amp. So, wrong yes. Cause a fire? Most likely not. Respectfully, Kevin

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback Kevin!

@junkerzn7312 Жыл бұрын

This was helpful to me too, thanks Kevin! We are redoing a solar backfeed with the intent to up-size the system to roughly 5kW of real production on 240VAC circuit. If I understand this correctly, my choice of 10-gauge wire and a 30-amp breaker should be correct. The actual circuit will not carry more than 21 amps (5kW). More likely to be closer to 4.5kW actually, so more like 19A max. -Matt

@KevinCoop1 Жыл бұрын

@@junkerzn7312 According to NEC, you are required to take full output on the inverter times 1.25 = overcurrent protection size of 30 amps at 240 volts. 2 pole breaker. #10 copper is rated at 30 amps. The maximum solar you can put on a 200 amp panel is 20% so 40 amps. If 100 amps then 20 amps. Best wishes, Kevin

@junkerzn7312 Жыл бұрын

@@KevinCoop1 Thanks Kevin! There were some tidbits in there that I wasn't aware of. It looks like I'm sizing the system properly. Fortunately I have a 200A service going into my home and the back-feed goes directly into the main panel.

@whattheschmidt Жыл бұрын

@@KevinCoop1 Heh, I didn't think about that too much but it makes a lot of sense, I assume because of you are producing, consuming all that, and drawing in near the max power - that can overload the main panel? I had a 5.1kW inverter then added 2kW more (microinverters) and that's well under the max for my 200 amp panel, but I did upgrade the panel at the initial solar install...good thing I did that! Looks like I had to anyway of course though. The original 100 amp main panel is now a sub panel in my garage.

@ThatGuyFromArizona Жыл бұрын

As a homeowner/DIYr, everytime I watch one of your videos I learn something. Thank you for the time and expertise you put into your videos.

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

You are very welcome. I am happy to hear any time they are helpful for someone. Thanks a lot for the feedback!

@alexbelle3941 Жыл бұрын

Second rip on mixing wire gages was Exactly what I came here. THANK YOU for this post. I was going to run 12/2 into a junction box and run 12/2 out for an extra receptacle and 14 gage out to power 2 light fixtures in the basement. I will just run 12/2 for all of it. Thank you again.

@binaryglitch64 Жыл бұрын

Did a job for a demo/re-mod contractor, the original wiring was all black for 14 gauge and black with a mostly worn off silver stripe for 12 gauge... it was a major pain thinking about things like making sure there's no mixed boxes (like in your example)... I'm really appreciating the relatively standard color coding of sheathing nowadays.

@robertalexander2506 Жыл бұрын

Yeah the Inspectors like it too, much easier to tell if someone is trying to get away with wiring a Dinning Rm with 14 wire!

@briank1263 Жыл бұрын

Biggest issue I've seen in almost 20 years in the trade is a copper to aluminum connection without the proper splicing compound and rated solderless pressure connector... I did a HUD housing project in Orlando and all of the units were run in 14 gauge aluminum in the 60s. We didn't run any new wiring. We were required to use this special crimper that only one company makes and you have to take a class to be able to use it. The crimps were insanely expensive and they only gave us one tool. It was a nightmare. We had to crimp copper pigtails at every termination point including the panel... we did not look behind walls or in attics, however. Some of the buildings didn't have power for over 10 years. When we finally put power back to the buildings one of the units started smoking from the attic.. one of my guys ran up there(even though I told him to let it burn) and put out the fire with an extinguisher. The problem was a copper wire spliced to an aluminum wire with a regular wire nut. I've never actively witnessed an electrical fire since that or before and I've never had one of my jobs light up ,thank God. Fortunately it occurred when no one was inside the building, it would have been a much different story otherwise. Stay safe fellas.

@aliabdelhadi1104 8 ай бұрын

U can splice the copper and aluminium together then soldering them ..I think this should prevent oxygen from entering .. this is a cheaper way than using an expensive crimper

@michaelvorel8688 Жыл бұрын

You did an excellent job of explaining the 20A and 15A circuits and 12 ga and 14 ga respectively. One of my big pet peeves. Sharing a neutral on two 120V circuits and two separate 120V circuits in same gang box are my others.

@doc145 Жыл бұрын

I just read that two 120v circuits in the same box is ok as long as the total voltage is under 300v.

@LordoftheCats 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! I had no idea. Thanks for this! The shop building on our property has seen several people over the years do various wiring projects. There is a mix of yellow and white wires running here and there. Wire nuts run a gambit of colors. I've got some serious checking to do!! Very valuable info even if you don't do any DIY wiring. At least you can realize ya might have a problem in the making.

@johnunsicker7440 2 жыл бұрын

if you are going to look at your electrical wire mess, make sure you read the wire size on the cable older wire wasn't always color coded like the new stuff.

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Yup you are right about that. I have corrected some issues in my own home that were done by a pro when it was built. Nothing that was just awful but could be better. Thanks a lot for the feedback and good luck on the hunt!

@theostickle2604 Жыл бұрын

Thank you. Been having some strangeness with wall sockets and light switches. Previous owner was a cob-jobber. Have discovered a number of just wrong wiring (three sets of wires going to a light switch and two coming out to a series of wall sockets for instance). Again, thank you.

@MadDogClyde741 Жыл бұрын

Just wanna say thanks for the great videos ! I know a lot of Residential Electric but I’ve also learned a few tips from you ! I’ve watched 2 of your videos and became a subscriber because I’m looking forward to see more videos by you ! 👍🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

@richardgoff6739 Жыл бұрын

Really good video. I had no paid much attention to the size of wire nuts that I used in the past. If it looked like it fit, then I used it. I would always do the pull test though. Thanks for educating me.

@user-gt2po9rj7y 6 ай бұрын

I appreciate your explanations and wish I had seen them earlier. Respectful way of teaching to a novice the safe and effective ways to handle these situations.

@adgieem1 Жыл бұрын

My knowledge of electricity wiring is just enough to get me in trouble. Your video is VERY GOOD. very helpful. Thank you for making it.

@jeannemyers489 Жыл бұрын

So very helpful. I almost did exactly what you are talking about with the 14 ga. and 12 ga. wiring. You saved my bacon working on my 😅53 yr. Old house!

@cbb80 Жыл бұрын

I have 14 gauge all over the house and the previous owner decided to put in 20A breakers 😭 there are even some on GFI. I've been replacing them as I go (I used to work for a VERY strict and particular electrician when I was just out of high school 20+ years ago. I watch your videos to validate all of the things he used to say and I learned, and I have to say you have both been on the same page with everything. ;) The electricians who wired my house were also hacks, big time. Constantly correcting everything as we refinish each room, they loved back stabbing outlets, and they just fall right out as my old boss used to say it would.

@ottoroth9377 Жыл бұрын

Replace those 20A breakers back to 15a....and on the heavier draw runs...put in 15A ARCFault....gotta protect those circuits!

@Ithirahad 10 ай бұрын

I experienced the opposite problem: The ancient backstabs would refuse to release, no matter how much I poked or prodded the release tabs. I often ended up just re-terminating and putting a new outlet/switch in.

@dolfinwriter5389 7 ай бұрын

@@Ithirahad Original construction in my 45 YO house, I'm replacing every single switch and outlet, and every single one of them was backstabbed. I just cut the wire and reterminate. I'll pull out the bits of wire for my copper bucket when I break the old devices down to get the brass tabs out for scrap. Let me add that I also vacuum out all of the debris in the box that is either from original construction or somebody's shoot remodeling in the past. Almost all of the outlets brass innards are packed with dust bunnies too. Seems like that would make good kindling for a not-so-nice electrical fire. Think about that if you have an older home with old outlets.

@Crumbly_Muffins Ай бұрын

@@dolfinwriter5389 Better than my situation. Bought a house last year, and the previous owner informed me that a particular breaker would always trip but he couldn't figure out why. It took me about 30 seconds of looking to inform him that 90% of the house was wired to that one 20A breaker. The only things that weren't connected to it were the heavier appliances like the water heater and dryer. Currently in the process of undoing the rat's nest of junction boxes and separating the rooms out to the other 19 unused breakers in the panel lol

@dolfinwriter5389 Ай бұрын

@@Crumbly_Muffins It's a damn miracle the place didn't burn down. But there's no real way of knowing WHICH idiot did that. I'd be checking every wall and the attic for hidden junction boxes too. If you're still under Home Owner's warranty, you ought to be able to get this fixed at no cost to you. Any inspector worth a damn should have discovered this too, by counting the number of devices on each breaker and by a thermal image survey of the box and wiring.

@johnnyhines3574 Жыл бұрын

thank you so much for such good information daily...ive been learning alot from you over this past summer as a DIY;er...again thank you!

@paulsccna2964 Жыл бұрын

Ideal 74B (yellow) has a long List of variations for cable size and quantity. Again, great info for the DIY.

@LS-fm2zt Жыл бұрын

Your videos are extremely helpful. Many thanks!

@abrahamrivera1023 Жыл бұрын

Thanks. Last 2min answered a lot of questions.

@mjohnson8447 Жыл бұрын

Very good video. I'm a DIY person with limited knowledge of wiring. Thanks for the sharing.

@greenspiraldragon 11 ай бұрын

I'm not an electrician. I didn't even know the wire nut colors meant something. Learning something new every day.

@johnwells1724 Жыл бұрын

Nice job. One comment I would like to share is that not all romex 12 gauge wire is yellow sheathed. It could be gray in the case of underground burial wire, white or black sheathed in the case of 60's vintage 12 gauge wire. A 15 amp outlet can serve as a quick reference to wire gauge by trying to push or back stab the wire into the back of the outlet. If it does not easily go into the wire hole it is likely 12 gauge. Also sometimes with THHN insulated 12 gauge wire it may appear from the outside of the insulation to be a 14 gauge wire because the THHN insulation is much thinner than the older wire dielectrics. A good thing for someone to have if they do not know how to recognize wire sizes by just looking at them is a simple plastic wire gauge. It will allow them to just try the different sized holes to determine the gauge of the wire. Of course, first check the wire sheath, if accessible, to see if it is marked on the sheath.

@jimbetzing3587 2 жыл бұрын

Just good basic info. Hope it saves somebody some serious problems.

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it. I also hope that it is able to help as many people as possible. Thanks a lot for the feedback Jim!

@jerlaine1638 8 ай бұрын

I clicked on ine vufeo just to see if I was doing a cardinal sin and well jow im gonna buy another tool and casually going through just because you explain stuff so well. In fact as a Handyman whos done just about everything now I can say I'm definitely gonna refer my customers to your videos and not feel bad because they'll be in great hands

@chengsaephan7847 Жыл бұрын

Thank you. This video has great information.

@jonesgang Жыл бұрын

Years ago code allowed for such a wire combination. Say from a switch to a light fixture. None of the companies I worked for would allow that. We pretty much ran #12 all throughout, except for circuits that require #10 (water heater, dryer), #8 (stove/oven), (#6 (HVAC) and #4 (HVAC) depending on your HVAC requirements) SER (service wire) you generally do not run through the structure which is you 4/0 2/0 wires. But there is this weird issue with some hard-wired appliances. Like a stove or oven. It gets fed with #8 from panel but attaches to #10 at the appliance. So that gets a little confusing for the DIYer. Great video!!!

@K31swiss Жыл бұрын

The tap at the appliance has higher rated insulation on it.

@kevinfisher3663 Жыл бұрын

Great Video Can learn from your video's you explain really good much appreciated!!!!!!

@jeffolliff6718 Жыл бұрын

Great information as always, keep up the great work 👍. Side note, other than cost Wagos are fine. IMO

@vboricuataino 4 ай бұрын

Great information for DYI people like me.

@paulslater42 Ай бұрын

Great video thank you!!

@ronyshemon2961 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your help man good job 👍

@MisterEMixez 4 ай бұрын

Awesome information! Thanks much!

@HowToHomeDIY 4 ай бұрын

You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!

@luisbernardez4853 Жыл бұрын

Excellent imfo young man.thank you.

@staffordgarland9226 Ай бұрын

you are a great communicator/teacher!

@lcee6592 Жыл бұрын

Great advice as always!

@fernandocollazos1980 2 жыл бұрын

Hi from Colombia 👍. Thank you.

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Hello! You are very welcome. Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!

@johnfiallos3316 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video very informative 👌

@tonyd3029 Жыл бұрын

I am a Texas Master Electrician. That is a great information. Thank you

@richardhuston915 Жыл бұрын

Your videos are a big help and informative. I need to add a sub panel and would like to see a video on how to add a sub panel.

@derrickmclaughlin4391 11 күн бұрын

Good explanation!

@lexzan 4 ай бұрын

I've always been super sketch about electricity - We're basically told it's dangerous at a young age and I never had the confidence to even approach the subject. Which, is weird, because I give zero f's about danger in general (sorry, squirrel!). Your videos have instilled a new found sense of confidence in me to attempt smaller projects. Still have more vids to watch so I get the whole picture but just wanted to say thank you 👊🏼👊🏼

@johnfreisen661 Жыл бұрын

EXCELLENT JOB SHOWING THIS PART 2. So many cities and states have local codes for min circuit and wire size. Example New Mexico only allows 12g or larger for receptacle circuits. But you stuck to the issues of mixing and matching improperly and violating NFPA 70 NEC Art 310.15(B)16 Chart -60 degree column for a branch circuits under 100amps. 14g wire is only good for 15amps. As you stated 12g is okay downsized to 14g if on a 15amp breaker as to avoid the long distance voltage drop. As an inspector and master electrician. I hope more see this video as so many incorrectly mix and match because it is what they have in the garage or on the truck. Keep up the great work.

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Glad to hear you liked it and that you found it to be helpful for others. Thanks a lot for the valuable feedback!

@yafalamm581 2 ай бұрын

Well done!

@FadedHero636 Жыл бұрын

You should try Wago 2273 series, it's what I'm using instead of the purple wiring nuts on my wiring.

@tekki2060 Жыл бұрын

Actually, this was a very helpful video.

@mikebavoso26 2 жыл бұрын

Great job.

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!

@Leeproeun 11 ай бұрын

Thank you 🙏

@dalesworld1308 Жыл бұрын

I did a bathroom gut in a rental once and someone had added a light with a pull cord over the medicine chest and used lamp cord in the wall to connect it to power at the outlet next to the vanity. Totally freaky, but the light didn't draw more amperage than the lamp cord was rated for so it worked. But what if a new tenant had come in after and changed that light to one with an outlet and then run a hair dryer or electric heater off of it? You just don't cut corners with electricity.

@natehoy6924 Жыл бұрын

Unsheathed (single-layer soft insulated) lamp cord inside walls has its own risks far beyond being "freaky". Some clueless idiot coming along later and adding a receptacle to a light fixture is just barely scratching the surface of the scary going on there.

@howardfitzner7789 Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you liked it. Thank you very much for the feedback and the Super Thanks Howard!

@LordxJoe Жыл бұрын

Can you do a part 3 where you talk about switched receptacles and how you're supposed to pigtail the wires before it gets to the receptacle instead of using the receptacle as a splicing point? While it works, it's not code.

@danielmason1326 Жыл бұрын

Been doing a lot of research for an upcoming project, removing an existing light fixture , which appears to be the end of that 15 amp circuit . I want to use that as a junction box to further extend it to hang two pendant lights over our breakfast bar. So my question ,when splicing ( essentially I want to y off from that one wire ) the 2 wires that are needed for both pendants for placement reasons and current layout of the electrical.. is there any reason I can’t or shouldn’t do it that way ? Cause it looks like my only other alternative would be to splice from the old light , run it over to the first location then doubling back with same wire to the second .. hopefully that makes sense .. great videos 🙂

@daktusdurggery5505 2 ай бұрын

Will you talk about what needs to be run for smart switches? What needs to be run for fridge, what for dryer, what for oven and so on

@herbertbell9438 Жыл бұрын

Wiring up stuff on old trucks like tail light wires I just solder them then put electrical tape and coat it with liquid electrical tape or PVC , ABS glue or the like. The tape never comes off, you can coat the tape and the were so it's glued to the wire as well. They're hard to cut apart but they hold really well and for a very long time.

@MrNateFlax Жыл бұрын

good stuff

@markfalcon5949 6 ай бұрын

Our house was built in the mid seventies by some REAL hack contractors. I had baseboard htg units in each room. When I first bought the house in ‘87, I had to do extensive drywall repair because the joint tape just fell off. So as I stripped each wall the baseboard heaters were removed. And I found the 240 volt wiring just sticking out of a hole kicked in the drywall and the wiring just hanging out. Talk about hacks, so I had to repair each “hole” and install junction boxes in each. Now I am not an electrician by trade, but I knew enough to safely rewire each heater. Now the heaters , what is left of them are not used as we have a heat pump system for the whole house.

@everettlbenson5635 Жыл бұрын

gold hand, thx dude.

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

You bet!

@biscayne66 Жыл бұрын

Why do these videos always pop up a week after I tapped a 14/2 into a 12/2 cable on a 20A circuit? Arrrrrrrgh!!! My spidy sense was was tingling while I was doing it too. Off to the big box store tomorrow for a 6' piece of 12/2. Thank you!

@jamesjensen7615 Жыл бұрын

What do you think about the new screwdriver handle that has a port to tighten wire nuts?

@renegomez7709 Жыл бұрын

I like the set up behind you with your cordless tools,can u talk about your set up,how u did that,what u used and so on? Thank you! Like your videos ! Zemogauto

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot for the feedback. I just ran some 1x2s and screwed pegboard down to them.

@user-ee6qj6lf1i 10 ай бұрын

On typical house switches in the home that I purchased most of the single pole wall switches are cracked where the 14 ga wire is pushed into the switch. Some switches when I removed them the wire has actually fallen out.

@quaddad Жыл бұрын

Good to know as my daughter is looking to buy a 1966 house that has obvious signs of DIY electrical work in the attic. Will want an electrician to look this over.

@antilogism 11 ай бұрын

Even without a DIY. I've been in my house 15 years and I still come across little issues. It's good to have a fresh set of eyes. Also, there have been a LOT of code changes that and be adopted for safety.

@Shalmaneser1 Жыл бұрын

This is an educational critique. I would rather have background, information & techniques first, then discuss possible mistakes and poor practices.

@webhead7204 Жыл бұрын

Never knew that about different gauge wires in the same box. We're finding all sorts of hokie dumbass diy home depot specials all over our house that we bought 3 years ago!

@kolankprof 7 ай бұрын

Could you please enable the SAVE feature, so I can add your video to my Electrical Wiring Playlist? Thank You! Great Video!

@HowToHomeDIY 7 ай бұрын

It should be there.

@joelamissa5692 Жыл бұрын

Very informative. What about if I connect a 12 (20 amp) to a 14 (15 amp) and the panel is 15 amp? The outlet for TV done I used a 12 wire and it goes to a junction box of 14 which then goes to breaker 15 amp. Lights and TV is on that breaker. Hoping for a response

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

It's an inconsistent situation, but would not be a problem. 14 gauge wire for a 15 amp breaker is the standard and the minimum. 12 gauge is acceptable.

@jwil4905 Жыл бұрын

Me: "Wire nuts are old-school-fine. They've worked for decades and I'm going to keep using them." Also Me: (Opens box of new light fixture and finds pre-attached Wagos) "Yes!"

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

I am with you!

@kenbrown2808 Жыл бұрын

free is a very good price.

@STARDRIVE Жыл бұрын

Good, because for lights wagos are just fine :) Wire nuts have never dissapointed me, because the concept is so basic. But there´s a lot to go wrong when designing and manufacturing push in terminals. In the early days, some were downright scary.

@PhantomWorksStudios Жыл бұрын

Don't forget there could be the old alluninum wire in there too at which point you will need special wire nuts if your mixing copper and alluninum wires.

@robertalexander2506 Жыл бұрын

To the wire nuts you're talking about I would like to make a suggestion of the Ideal Tan Twister wire nuts. I have used them for many years and in my opinion they are superior to the old original yellow & red wire nuts. Also for me my hands are getting weak and you can put a 5/16" nut driver on them or I use an Ideal 12 in 1 with the handle that will turn a wire nut, thanks!

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

I found that an appropriate size deep socket also works well

@robertalexander2506 Жыл бұрын

@@surferdude642 that would be just another tool weighing down my tool belt even more! LOL.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

@@robertalexander2506 Yeah, I guess that's a consideration.

@robertalexander2506 Жыл бұрын

@@surferdude642 I'm getting to be an old fart,I no longer work full time as an Electrician. I've learned a few things about lightening up my tool belt out of necessity! LOL

@wynnhornburg2448 Жыл бұрын

I agree with your comment with regard to NOT down sizing the wire size when extending a circuit. However, are we not doing this every time we load a circuit with numerous item’s such as lamps TV’s, Computer’s, Fan’s, extension cords with numerous additional loads? IN MOST INSTANCES ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED WIRES ARE 14 gage or less. It is a known fact such circumstances of substandard wire sizing continues to be responsible for the loss of life and property. Your thoughts??

@CoolerQ Жыл бұрын

The important difference is that those cables are in open air and therefore can handle heat better than wiring in enclosed spaces.

@PhantomWorksStudios Жыл бұрын

Actually to answer your question more and better then pup could go check out technology connections extension cords You won't regret it!! ^^

@pld8993 Жыл бұрын

Appliances, lamps, TVs, etc, are current limited by design. For example, if you have a luminaire with a medium base lamp socket, you could never pull anywhere close to 15A, unless you could find an 1800 watt light bulb.

@bc1173 Жыл бұрын

@@CoolerQ those wires are not in open air. a free air conductor cannot be in a cable, there's a separate amperage chart for free air copper and free air aluminum conductors

@thenexthobby Жыл бұрын

Stop and ask how often it's not a problem, and why code allows it: If the assumption was that every 15A receptacle would see a 15A draw, every room would require individual circuits to use 14g wire per fixture or receptacle. Most devices don't draw that kind of power and/or are seldom used simultaneously.

@ptman3 2 жыл бұрын

According to Ideal's chart in the video, the min for Red is two #18, not two #16 as stated in video.

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

You are absolutely right, it does say a min of two #18's, if I said #16 then I misspoke. It was a hot day and my brain was clearly fried at that point lol. Appreciate the call out!

@stemmentor9700 Жыл бұрын

My home was built in 2001 I purchased it 2013. Home inspector went through it and he happened to be the president of some American Inspectors “something”. Growing up doing this type of work and with 20 years construction experience in the Navy. I was excited to see 20A and 12 G from the panel to everything but range and dryer and HVAC. However. Once I started remodeling, one thing I like is to replace all switches and outlets to part with cheap “ contractor grade” stuff. At this time I noticed what I suspected and that every outlet less the garage was using 15A receptacles and switches. In addition, it seemed, every run would continue with 14GA after that to the next outlet. I called him on this and asked if this is acceptable as I wouldn’t have passed it. Never got back to me. I was taught to use 20A for outlets and 15A for lights and I try to avoid tapping into an outlet to feed a switch. Some vids on KZfaq talk about this. I understand amperage and design, etc. it just seems ok here as I help others out and see the same stuff. So what gives. NEC has always been “law”. Given I want to strangle whoever built this house, I should stop asking questions. anyone know of other states that say this is ok?

@freddybee4029 Жыл бұрын

@STEM Mentor, the only one to strangle is your self. Codes change with time passed, as you should full well know. These makes me think, you are bull shitting about about the Navy, as you would have known this fact.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

I agree with your concern. If it's a 20 amp circuit the entire circuit should be 12 gauge, even light switches if they are on that circuit. It's like the analogy, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

@thenexthobby Жыл бұрын

What you described would be fine with a 15A breaker, due to the 14g wire being included.

@carrynew7637 5 ай бұрын

My home was built in 1988 before they changed 12/2 to yellow. As a home owner and not electrician, I had to figure out what I needed to install an outlet near a vanity light.

@carletonbritt6142 2 жыл бұрын

The advantage of the Wago is it works with the multi-strand wire typically found in lights and ceiling fans. I prefer the stab-in style when connecting solid wire Romex.

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

I appreciate the feedback!

@Sembazuru Жыл бұрын

Fun with terminology... You are probably referring to lever-nuts when you say Wago. You do know that Wago also makes stab-ins similar to the Ideal branded stab-in demonstrated in the video... (I'm just making a point. I honestly don't have the experience to know how the Wago stab-ins compare in usability and reliability to the Ideal stab-ins.)

@tomcole7046 Жыл бұрын

Everyone has their opinion on wire connections. A properly installed wire nut is in my opinion a better connection. You have more surface area of the wires touching.

@waynesheppard22 Жыл бұрын

@@tomcole7046 Will a DIYer properly install a wire nut every time?

@tomcole7046 Жыл бұрын

@@waynesheppard22 As I said, everyone has an opinion. In my opinion, if you don’t know how to properly do the job, you should hire a professional. This goes for carpentry, plumbing, and especially electrical. I have been on far too many service calls where stab in type connectors were used and am amazed that there wasn’t more fires. The two pole version of the wago might be fine to connect a ceiling fan or light in a box where there is a single piece of romex in the box, and the current draw is less than 3 amps. I would never use them on wiring carrying more than that.

@Digidoc316 Жыл бұрын

I'll admit to doing this. Most of the supplies and multibranch circuits are wired completely with 20A 12-2. The ONLY exception to this is a branch feed to a dedicated LED lighting sub-circuit. The dedicated hardwired lighting sub-circuit is running 14-2 I had as a left-over. It powers 6 LED plate lights at 9 watts average. 6x10 (safety fudging)=60 watts. The total load on the dedicated sub-circuit is 60W@120V = 2 amps; well below any range of concern. But, you're right; it could be confusing to someone who hasn't worked on the circuit.

@bc1173 Жыл бұрын

im not sure you're using the right term when calling it a multi wire branch circuit

@Digidoc316 Жыл бұрын

@@bc1173 I may not be. The main feed line has one branch tap to the dedicated lighting sub-circuit; the primary "trunk" line from that point continues on to feed the gas range outlet. So, to my way of thinking, I consider the lighting circuit, a sub-circuit (or branch) of the range outlet main circuit.

@TheOctane24 Жыл бұрын

So I have a 20 amp 12-2 circuit going in to a room, I want to tap that and put a light switch and some leds would that be fine? Also using 14-2 for the light wiring

@bc1173 Жыл бұрын

@@TheOctane24 that would be against code. you'd have to run 12/2 from the plug to the switch and the light switch would have to be a 20a switch. if the circuit breaker is 20a all of the devices and wiring down the line have to be adequated sized to be protected by the breaker. So you can run 12/2 wire on a 15a circuit, but you cant run 14/2 wire on a 20a circuit. basically the circuit breaker has to be equal to or less than everything it's protecting so that the breaker trips before electrical damage occurs on the wiring or the devices.

@natehoy6924 Жыл бұрын

@@TheOctane24 No. The expected load on the portion of the circuit in question really isn't the issue. The issue is that you have a breaker that will only protect against unintended loads above 20A and if you induce a load of more than 15A on your 14 gauge wire, bad things might happen. Even if no one ever says "hey, that's a great spot for a receptacle for my 2000-watt space heater!", you still might have a partial short circuit (possibly even within your LED fixtures or your wiring to them) that provides just enough resistance not to trip the 20A breaker, but plenty of juice to heat up your 14 gauge wire and cause issues. It's definitely against code, and also very unwise, to make any permanently-installed wiring a thinner gauge than the circuit is rated for.

@TheOctane24 Жыл бұрын

So I have a 20 amp 12-2 circuit going in to a room, I want to tap that and put a light switch and some leds would that be fine? Also using 14-2 for the light wiring

@thenexthobby Жыл бұрын

If you do that it's no longer a 20A circuit, it's a 15A circuit with some of the wiring oversized (safe and correct so long as you use a 15A breaker.)

@Sembazuru Жыл бұрын

In my house the previous owner (or the flipper I bought the house from) seems to have put most of the home-runs out of me electrical box as the yellow 12AWG NM cable, but used 15A breakers. Personally, I'd be concerned swapping a 15A breaker for a 20A breaker because I have no idea if someone slipped a white 14AWG NM cable in the middle between junction boxes somewhere... But I do know something about rating, derating, and ohm's law from my training in electronics, even though the vast majority of my knowledge of NEC is only that it exists. ;-) It also doesn't help that the flipper thought it was a good idea to spray-paint the entire basement ceiling and all the service pieces (the wires, the water and gas pipes, etc) white to make it "look nice" (and probably to hide some sins). And as soon as the inspector that I hired went through it looks even more janky than it would have without the paint because of all the places the inspector had to scrape off the white paint to be able to visually do his job to try to find the (now hidden) sins... Moral of this story... If you can help it, avoid buying from a flipper.

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Yeah that is true. There are contractors out there that only use #12. But like you said, with it being a flipped house, you don't know what all has been done.

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

When I wire homes (I do new construction btw) I use 14 awg for 15 amp, 12awg for 20 amp and so on, to avoid confusion in the future. It also saves money when 20 amp isn't required. The only time I will use 12 awg on a 15 amp, is when I have a long run (over 100 foot) from the panel to the end of the circuit and I want to compensate for voltage drop. That rarely happens, because when we find we have a bunch of runs far away we typically will run a 60 amp subpanel near the far location vs having to oversize all our runs. It's far more economical. Especially with the price of wire now.

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

If you really wanted to, once you know what's on that circuit, you could remove the coverplates on switchs, receptacles, lights, etc to see if 14awg had been run anywhere in between, if it turns out to be all 12awg, it's probably safe to up the breaker to 20 amps. That being said, in certain cases such as a long run to the panel, they will often oversize the wiring to keep voltage drop under control, but if there's multiple circuits far from the main panel it's far more common and economical to have a subpanel, say 60 amps or so, near the remote location, instead of oversizing all the circuits.

@mechanicmike2858 Жыл бұрын

I have a 30 amp RV circuit that I ran 10/2 wire approximately 30 ft on a garage wood frame building what is the best way to secure the wire to the framing I was thinking some 3/4 wide plastic staples but I want it to both look and be safe

@bc1173 Жыл бұрын

Use armoured cable (BX). Any exposed wiring within 5 feet of the ground needs to be protected either in some form of conduit or armoured cable.

@jagslion3 Жыл бұрын

I gave you a thumbs up for your back the blue T-shirt

@HowToHomeDIY Жыл бұрын

Thanks Jay. I mainly wear it as I am a former LEO. Some have tried to make it political and that is not my intention.

@hansoncrack Жыл бұрын

If running 12 ga wire on a 15 amp breaker. Can you splice 14/2 into it if the only thing they are running is led lights.

@eddiejenkins7613 Жыл бұрын

Can you show us different wire gage and wine to use them

@zerosparky9510 Жыл бұрын

i like the ideal wire nut.

@chriscohlmeyer4735 Жыл бұрын

As a now passed electrical contractor put it to me many years ago, wire all outlets to potentially take 30 amps and all lighting circuits to take 20 amps even if you just put in 15 and 20 amp fuses as 1) with the old screw in fuses it is too easy to up the fuse if you keep blowing it, 2) you don't know what future electrical devices may be plugged in that may have heavy draws, and 3) you know how you wired your cabin or house but 10 to 30 years later someone else might not have a clue how you set out the circuits. Wire connecting devices, always have an assortment of sizes and always check/tug each wire and the group to ensure you don't have a faulty one (yes I have pulled the springs out of even quality connectors) or a poor insertion (yes even if wires are twisted it is too easy to miss align and push a wire out of the twist) or fixing an old botched job you didn't notice a wire partly melted until you tug the wire apart. Triple check stranded to solid wire connections that are typical with light fixtures, too often those connectors are all that holds the fixture until you finish the mounting process and you only have two hands.

@barondugger Жыл бұрын

That was when wire was significantly cheaper...

@pld8993 Жыл бұрын

@@barondugger And even then, it was a waste of time and $$ to do so. #14 THHN is already rated for 25amps and #12 THHN is already rated for 30amps. Even old TW, 14 was rated for 20 and 12 was rated for 25. Haven't seen a fusebox without Type S adapters in many, many years, which limited the fuse size to match the rating of the adapter.

@bc1173 Жыл бұрын

@@pld8993 people dont realize it's not the wire being protected it's the devices that are only rated for 60 degrees celcius

@dannyfernandez8700 5 ай бұрын

I have always used my needle nose pliers and linemans to twist wires together. In my experience wire nuts cannot do the same job. Simply put the wire nut is a basic cover for the exposed wire.

@nfn7121 Жыл бұрын

So is just using a gage wire that is greater (could take more power) best?

@baileyflyfish Жыл бұрын

I'm curious if you have a recommendation for a wire nut alternative for 8ga wire. I am a Wago convert, but their max size is 10ga. Any other options?

@ronmerkus5941 Жыл бұрын

Yes it's called Big Blue , no waggles

@17kcotsdoow86 Жыл бұрын

Something else to note. Quite often a larger size wire is used for long runs of higher amperage loads. For example if I need a full 16 Amps (maximum for a 20A breaker typically) and the load is over say 100ft away(rule of thumb without doing calculations) in a big house or accross the yard, up sizing the wire to #10 or bigger is required. But that does not mean that you can just throw a bigger 30A breaker on it. The circuit is still only capable of safely delivering 16A. There's more to a circuit than just wire size and breaker size when looking in a box or the panel.

@correcthoarsebatterystaple Жыл бұрын

So here’s what I think is a common situation - you replace a light switch with a smart dimmer or a timer switch that needs neutral. The current neutrals are twisted together in a wire nut. Do you need to untwist them, add your neutral pigtail, and re-twist, or can you leave them twisted, add your new neutral pigtail and screw a lab appropriate wire but on top. There’s often not lots of wire left in the box if you need to cut and re-strip.

@surferdude642 Жыл бұрын

I would consider using a Wago lever nut in that case. You should still have enough room to cut the twisted part, re-strip 1/2".

@gdelete8098 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tips. Just curious, why not just use the 12g wire everywhere and not use 14g at all. Is the cost savings really that much?

@K31swiss Жыл бұрын

Yes, not to mention the box fill issues.

@glasshalffull2930 Жыл бұрын

If you’re building your own home, the cost differential isn’t that much (few hundred bucks), but if you’re a builder that’s building 250 homes then it adds up. One application where it’s a waste to use 12 gauge would be lighting circuits. With the conversation to LEDs, you will never be stressing that circuit under normal usage. The biggest issue for a DIYer is that the thicker 12 gauge is harder to work with and get it neatly back into the box.

@coreybabcock2023 Жыл бұрын

I always do my due diligence when It comes to wire sizes and breaker checks never assume always check

@Roy-ij1wq 8 ай бұрын

Wago also makes 221-612, 221-613, and 221-615 connectors that accept 20 to 10 AWG. The only difference is they are slightly larger than the more commonly used 221-412, 221-413, and 221-415 connectors that only accept up to 12 AWG.

@ricker76er Жыл бұрын

It’s also good to note that there is no industry standard to correlate wire nut size to wire nut color. A red Ideal wire nut may not necessarily be the same size as a red 3M wire nut. Read the package your wire connectors came in.

@markarita3 Жыл бұрын

He covered that starting at 1:25.

@irescochaos 11 ай бұрын

Is there a number of outlets that should be considered before adding to an existing circuit

@catsmeow5566 Жыл бұрын

What if I have a 20amp breaker powering multiple outlets and such and I want to add a vanity light in, pigtailing off a 15amp outlet with 12awg wire but the vanity light's wires are 14 or 16awg?

@dhelton40 Жыл бұрын

I have to wonder about some of the comments below. Not sure what Michaelvorel8688 is refering to, but it is not that uncommon to share a neutral, we do it all the time in conduit and some in residences. A double pole breaker should be used. I think these may become less popular as ground fault/arc fault breakers become the standard. As for two switch circuits in one box, sometimes it is necessary and using seperate boxes does not have a very good look...use your meter to check! Also LordxJoe, Multiwire Branch Circuits should be pig tailed to prevent an open neutral, but half switched no, not unless the top and bottom are on sererate circuits. I also want to point out that the two hot "Legs" in a residential panel are not phases. While they are opposite in the phase rotation, they are the same phase. They should be refered to as Leg 1 and Leg 2, not phase 1 & 2....and no this is not the two phase system that was in the code book until the late 1970's, that was a system used in factories in the first half of the 20th century. It was dropped from the code book because it was obsolete. I really don't know if the code ever allowed over head fixed lighting to be reduced in wire size to 14 gauge tapped from a 20 amp circuit. I have however seen this. From strictly an engineering point of view, it probably isn't that dangerous, as a dead short would certainly trip the breaker and I can't really guess what could overload the circuit, if only light fixtures were on the 14 gauge wire. Would not worry about it unless doing a complete rewire.

@Paul-jp8zz Жыл бұрын

careful to with older homes, back in the 90's, both 14AWG and 12AWG were both white. Gotta look at the labeling on the wire, don't assume based on color if dealing with older wiring.

@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын

Good point! Prior to using white for 14awg, yellow for 12awg, orange for 10 awg and black for larger sizes a fairly common mistake sometimes even overlooked my professional electricians and electrical inspectors, is accidentally mixing up 14 and 12 awg romex, such as when tying in bathroom lights to the bath receptacles which must be 20 amps, or when running the 3 wire with ground romex for 3 way switches on a 20 amp circuit. Worth noting that the code does not require wire manufacturers to color code the outer jacket or even what colors to use with what sizes, the white, yellow, orange and black more or less has just become the de facto standard, if you will.

@DCDura Жыл бұрын

even in later 1960s there was a white outer covering for the different gauges.

@MetatronsWing 2 жыл бұрын

Yes question please… What was the purple cap thing you had on your ground wire? What is that for? And does that have to be on every ground wire? It was in your last video?

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Hey Deb, what was the last video about that you saw so I can look at what you are referring to?

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Oh ok yeah that is someone else’s channel but I watched it. That is a green wire nut, also known as the “Greenie,” that allows the original ground wire to come through the top of it and then connect additional grounds to the wire nut if connecting other outlets or switches to that feed. Basically it can save you from using an additional portal in the box. It is not required to be used though. But in some situations, really nice to use. I hope this helps!

@MetatronsWing Жыл бұрын

@@HowToHomeDIY thank you so much!!!!!💜💜😁

@MetatronsWing Жыл бұрын

Oh wait.... So it's used as a splice? I'm using 220 wire so it has a ground wire through the whole thing and when I connect a switch in the middle of the line do I need to use a little greeny to splice the two grounds together before I go to the switch???

@mikeslater6246 Жыл бұрын

@@MetatronsWing with all due respect and with no offense intended, using the term 220 wire to describe the wire in your question clearly indicates you have little of the basic understanding required to be doing electrical wiring installations. Since you don't understand the terms used in electrical wiring it is very possible you would not understand the answer given. For your own safety please get a pro to do this or a do-it-yourselfer that does have the knowledge necessary.

@Heavy69Metal 6 ай бұрын

how do I splice say two 12 gauge or AWG wires into 1 12 gauge AWG wire? As well as protect to and seal it via heat shrink it or plastic dip it or both or electrical tape it? Or for speakers

@j.c.7511 Жыл бұрын

good you

@beyondfossil 2 жыл бұрын

Great series so far! Thumbs up. I've started using Wagos around the house and seeing all the gotchas with wire nuts, I'm more leaning towards Wago style. Wagos provide clear count of how many wires it can accept and wire gauge. The lever locking mechanism is easy to verify with a good strong tug. As you've shown, there's more opportunity to mess up wire nuts especially for DIY. I like that Wagos can easily add/remove wires without having to undo everything. If you have to undo everything, it just introduces another opportunity to mess it up -- not to mention the additional work. I ran out of neutral connectors on one of my home's subpanels. So I spliced in a 5-port Wago on one of the available ends. I have 3 of 5 ports used up with 2 available at any time. Maybe some of the problems with Wagos are the knock-offs on eBay and AliExpress. They're tempting because of their cheaper price. They look exactly the same but you can tell they're fake because they don't have the Wago logo or markings.

@HowToHomeDIY 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah definitely stay away from the knockoffs. I have heard from others that they do not have the same quality. Glad you are liking the wagos. I use them for certain installs. Thanks a lot for the feedback!

@Sembazuru Жыл бұрын

Can someone comment on this use of any sort of splice to pig-tail in an electrical panel? It seems to me that there might be on over-rating potential there as you could have multiple 15A circuit returns going through the splice. Does NEC have any issues with this?

@glasshalffull8625 Жыл бұрын

I was concerned about the safety of WAGOs when they first came on the scene in the US, but many pros use them and I read they’ve been used in Europe for a decade or so. The greatest advantage is when you have very short wires to work with and a wire nut just won’t work.

@46bovine Жыл бұрын

A friend wired an addition on his house. He wired the outlets with 12 AWG but installed a 15 amp breaker. Thinking that was a safer situation. The breaker would trip before the wire even got warm. The city inspector made him remove the 12 AWG saying that it didn't meet code. Both Arthur and I thought the inspector was all wet but ripped out the 12 and installed 14 AWG as ordered.

@trespire Жыл бұрын

What ? That does not make sense !

@mikeslater6246 Жыл бұрын

@@trespire it only makes sense when you realize that there seems to be just as many bad building inspectors as there are good building inspectors and the bad ones are usually on a power trip (no pun intended). Why do they do things like that, because they can!

@46bovine Жыл бұрын

@@trespire Exactly. The inspector from Virginia Beach, VA, where Arthur lived, insisted that would not meet code. WTF? Rather than raise hell and get this moron fired or reeducated, Art thought it was easier to make the change. Yikes. This happened in 1971.

@whattheschmidt Жыл бұрын

@@46bovine Why not just swap the breaker to the 20 amp the circuit can support?

@stemmentor9700 Жыл бұрын

@@mikeslater6246 a lot of crooked and arrogant ones on the “ take” as well