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What else can you do with a wire nut ?

robogary

Wire nuts are pretty handy for holding wires together. 

What else can they be used for ?  

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  • I wonder if they could be used as a pencil lead sharpener : )

    Wire nuts are as rare as 4-leafed clovers in the UK. I've only seen them once, when Amazon supplied a couple within a box of parts to connect a Ring doorbell. I binned them, because I had zero experience with them. They look pretty strange to people who have never seen them before, as if they cannot possibly function : ) They are a successful product in North America etc.,  so I know they must function, but they still look odd, takes some getting used-to.

  • in reply to shabaz

    image

    So what is used to connect AC wiring if wire nut is not used?

  • in reply to colporteur

    Pretty much almost always screw terminals, like these ones which are part of a ceiling light fitting. They come in plastic encased blocks too.

    image

    Plastic blocks that can be cut to the desired length:

    image

    The plastic blocks above are nowadays less popular, most electricians here now prefer Wago connectors like the one shown below, which is Wago 221. They are pretty awesome, handy to keep some for quickly assembling cables without soldering or screwing, its just a plastic lever that locks or unlocks the wire. They are reusable too.

    image

  • in reply to colporteur

    What happens in a wire nut? Do you simply twist the cables together and put the wire inside the wire nut hoping it doesn't separate?

  • in reply to cstanton

    The wire nut has a spring inside that you screw onto the twisted wire. It does a good job of accommodating different twist geometries and the spring is made of strong enough wire that you can twist it on tightly. It acts like a multi-layer noose that gets tighter as you twist, ending up with continuous force squeezing the twisted wires with even more conductive wire, and it won't spontaneously loosen off. The plastic thimble provides grip to twist and insulation for the joint.

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  • in reply to cstanton

    The wire nut has a spring inside that you screw onto the twisted wire. It does a good job of accommodating different twist geometries and the spring is made of strong enough wire that you can twist it on tightly. It acts like a multi-layer noose that gets tighter as you twist, ending up with continuous force squeezing the twisted wires with even more conductive wire, and it won't spontaneously loosen off. The plastic thimble provides grip to twist and insulation for the joint.

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