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tibberous
Stranger
Registered: 12/26/04
Posts: 1,194
Last seen: 5 months, 21 days
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Splicing together 4 wires
#13843896 - 01/24/11 07:01 PM (13 years, 2 months ago) |
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I have a wire that connects to an outlet. I'm trying to add in another outlet and a light. So, I take the four ends and wrap them all together, then electrical tape them, right? Is there anything else to it, because it looks pretty shitty - I don't want it catching fire.
I got wire nuts, but they don't seem to fit. Just tape them on?
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero
Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
Loc: Caribbean
Last seen: 1 month, 18 days
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Re: Splicing together 4 wires [Re: tibberous]
#13846170 - 01/25/11 04:51 AM (13 years, 2 months ago) |
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> I got wire nuts, but they don't seem to fit. Just tape them on?
No! To do this properly, you need the correct size wire nut. Strip about 1/2 inch of insulation from each wire. Line them up side by side all in the same direction. Twist the metal ends together three or four turns (with pliers to save your fingers). Slip on a properly sized wire nut. Twist the wire nut tight.
Wire nuts are color coded by size. You didn't say what gauge wire you are using, but if I were guessing, I would guess you need a red one (or possibly tan if you are using smaller gauge wire). Yellow will almost certainly be too small. A properly sized wire nut should slide on the twisted wires with a slight resistance.
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
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tibberous
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Registered: 12/26/04
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Re: Splicing together 4 wires [Re: Seuss]
#13848520 - 01/25/11 03:03 PM (13 years, 2 months ago) |
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Yeah, I had the red ones. I ended up just taping them on, before I read your reply. The wire was rated for 20amp - it was a heavy gauge, which might have been why the wirenuts didn't go on -- also I couldn't wrap all the ends together at once, I had to wrap 2 then wrap in another one.
It's working anyway =/
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