Old wiring repair youtubes

I got a switch that needs replacing but I'm afraid because the last time I replaced it the wires were old and the tips broke and i had almost no wire to use. An electrician chum told me about scothclock and I got two spools of wire (I didn't last time) but I'd like to see some videos to build up my confidence. BION last time I was so lost, it was late at night and I prayed for half an hour before I got it to work. Much obliged

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Reply to
vjp2.at
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If you tell us what you're talking about maybe we can help. Then what sort of wire etc.

Reply to
tabbypurr

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Reply to
Taxed and Spent

There are 2 connectors I often use instead of wire nuts. I am thinking schthclock is a brand name for wire nuts. One is like in the video where you just push in the wires. Brand Wall nuts.

The other is WAGO. YOu pull up on a lever, put the wire in and push the lever back down. They are easy to reuse if you ever need to.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

There are 2 connectors I often use instead of wire nuts. I am thinking schthclock is a brand name for wire nuts. One is like in the video where you just push in the wires. Brand Wall nuts.

The other is WAGO. YOu pull up on a lever, put the wire in and push the lever back down. They are easy to reuse if you ever need to.

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I suspect the OP is referring to these. In the UK they are commonly known as Choc Block connectors.

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Gareth.

Reply to
Gareth Magennis

They emphatically *DO NOT* meet the US NEC code for branch-wiring - and wou ld be quite dangerous in such an application. Without seeing the actual sit uation in front of my eyes, I would not dare to opine on a solution. But, i f it were my house, and I could not splice safely in the wall-box, I would bite the bullet and go back to the nearest box or back to the panel. It is

*JUST NOT WORTH THE RISK* to do any less. I worked my way through school as an electrician, mostly doing old-work repairs and installations in an old city. A good number of the houses I worked in were first wired within a c ouple of years of 1913, and I learned the are of the "fish wire" from two e xperts.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
pfjw

e:

E

ould be quite dangerous in such an application.

That's just funny. In UK we use those choc blocks almost entirely, and wire nuts are banned here. We have less electrical fires then the US as a resul t.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

A lot of people don't know the correct way to use a wire nut. Simply lining up 2 or 3 or 4 wires and twisting the nut on will inevitably result in one or more of the wires not getting tied in tightly, and there is the potenti al for it to push out, or worse, heat up in use.

The correct way is to twist the wires together, and then take a dikes and c ut off at least 1/4" of wire at the end of the twist, preferably at an angl e. This forces the wires together and creates a gas tight zone at the cut.

Then twist the wire nut on. Using the correct size wire nut is critical. To o small a wire nut obviously won't twist on, or will leave bare wire expose d. But too large creates the possibility that the wires are not getting com pressed in the nut, no "bite" in the threads, and a likelihood that the nut will work loose when the wires are tucked into the box.

It's not rocket science, but doing it right is critical in preventing fires .

Reply to
tschw10117

ote:

BwE

would be quite dangerous in such an application.

re nuts are banned here. We have less electrical fires then the US as a res ult.

Context? If we're talking total numbers that wouldn't surprise me as the U .S. is far larger than the U.K. If you mean less electrical fires by perce ntile I'd like to see a citation.

Reply to
John-Del

Problem with people in different conutries. Different electrical codes and names used for the same items.

I am in the US. At work one time there was an engineer from England and he wanted a torch. The mechanics drug a oxygen and gas cylinder torch with great difficulty to the area. The Englander then explained what he wanted and it turned out to be a flashlight so he could see in a dark area.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

re nuts are banned here. We have less electrical fires then the US as a res ult.

That is what happens when one is a first-user of a technology. Electrical w iring from central (regulated) suppliers on a common scheme began in the US in/around 1911, with major cities joining in the grid through the next ten years or so. Rural Electrification began in earnest in 1936 and by 1940, t he 'grid' was available to the entire US.

Regulated mains power to a common standard was not made available to the co mmon people in GB until starting in 1926, making GB about 15 years behind t he US, and much slower on the uptake moving forward. Pretty much everything done in the US was brand-new for the first 15 years or so - and the rest o f the world learned from it.

Our house was built in 1890, first wired in 1913, and substantially expande d (both the house and the wiring) in 1928. In 2005, the main service was up graded and grounded wiring extended throughout the house to all branch-circ uits and GFCI devices installed in all 'wet' locations - must have cost a f ortune!

Squigs - as I leaned to call the through-wire devices you are referring to

- are fine if they can be screwed down as a terminal strip (and they are ap proved in that application. But as individual joints, they are quite danger ous. Wire nuts, properly installed, are far tougher and make a far better c onnection than a single screw bearing on two conductors in a small opening. Twist together first (good mechanical connection), cut square or on a very slight angle, then install the correctly sized wire-nut, very tight. I hav e done (easily) tens of thousands, and I carried at least five different si zes on any given job. Were signal-wiring involved, that would be four more sizes.

Terry: I use linesman's pliers (this one:

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) and I still have the pai r I purchased in 1970 at age 18. Dikes, not so much.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
pfjw

Agreed -- it's a better tool (and a better term) and I have several aged pa irs myself. Dikes of course implies a cutter-only tool and I usually use mi ne because sadly, most of the cutting edges in my linesman pliers are badly chewed up from misuse (mostly not by me).

Terry

air I purchased in 1970 at age 18. Dikes, not so much.

Reply to
tschw10117

I keep meaning to replace mine, bought in 1975, which have a large divet out of the cutters from where my father cut through a live 240V 15A cable. It was adjacent to one he'd deactivated :). The wire fuse blew the ceramic holder out of the socket and across the room (the fuse box lid was open at the time). I still use them most days, all the same.

Reply to
Clifford Heath

They emphatically *DO NOT* meet the US NEC code for branch-wiring - and would be quite dangerous in such an application. Without seeing the actual situation in front of my eyes, I would not dare to opine on a solution. But, if it were my house, and I could not splice safely in the wall-box, I would bite the bullet and go back to the nearest box or back to the panel. It is

*JUST NOT WORTH THE RISK* to do any less. I worked my way through school as an electrician, mostly doing old-work repairs and installations in an old city. A good number of the houses I worked in were first wired within a couple of years of 1913, and I learned the are of the "fish wire" from two experts.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

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Interesting.

Can you specify what exactly is the problem with using these connectors?

Gareth.

Reply to
Gareth Magennis

Older wiring (some with cloth insulation) has problems with reworking.

3M sells 'Highland' wire nuts, and 'Scotchlock' crimp or IDC connectors, which (if used properly) could meet code requirements for wall switch wiring.

There's spring push-in items that are easier to use, and quite compact (which can be important when the box is tight), that can attach a suitable pigtail for that wire that broke off too short. Hellerman makes this one:

Reply to
whit3rd

Problem with people in different conutries. Different electrical codes and names used for the same items.

I am in the US. At work one time there was an engineer from England and he wanted a torch. The mechanics drug a oxygen and gas cylinder torch with great difficulty to the area. The Englander then explained what he wanted and it turned out to be a flashlight so he could see in a dark area.

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What's an "Englender"?

Reply to
Gareth Magennis

You tell us. You're the first to mention the word.

Reply to
Clifford Heath

You tell us. You're the first to mention the word.

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Yeah, well, typo.

The sheer fact that someone thinks "Englander" is a word speaks volumes.

Gareth.

Reply to
Gareth Magennis

But not, apparently, this volume:

Ok, I picked an American dictionary. But "New Englander" is a term that includes the word, so it's definitely a word.

Reply to
Clifford Heath

D_BwE

nd would be quite dangerous in such an application.

wire nuts are banned here. We have less electrical fires then the US as a r esult.

U.S. is far larger than the U.K. If you mean less electrical fires by per centile I'd like to see a citation.

Percentage. It was a while ago I looked it up, US is known for its worse st ats on infant mortality and electrical fires. It's way too late to look the m up right now.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

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