Electrician Pro Tip: Working With Stranded Wire

In this video, we're going over how to terminate stranded wire to a device's set screw.

[@martinoliver7937]

68 years old and tis is the best explanation I have ever had!

[@imtiazhallim4070]

Is it possible to terminate 6mm sq. Stranded wires under the screws on 220v outlet. What is a good way?

[@nathanielfarley5677]

I’m in electrical trade school and I’ve been struggling to find out how to wire with stranded because without twisting it or anything, a few of the strands will stick out and it’ll be a bad termination. I really appreciate this video and I’ll probably try it sometime and see if I can get a hang of it

[@mefirst4266]

Dude if this is a problem to you then you should maybe look for a shoe shinning job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@theelite1x721987]

@@mefirst4266 dude. He's in school. Everyone starts out green at some point. I'm certain you didn't start out as a journeyman on day one...

[@IGSpawns]

Douche​@@mefirst4266

[@mugen-mundo]

Watching the screw clamp down on the stranded wire without fraying was super satisfying. Always used solid wire pigtails now I know it is possible to do a clean install with multi wire . Thanks for the tip.

[@tommyc9237]

I like it. As a boater I am constantly working with stranded wire, even the 120v circuits. This makes more sense to me than crimping spade terminals.

[@stackofiasco5591]

Love you man. Spent some cold dark hours screwing up this task for lack of a pro tip. Thank you very much.

[@philkingmke]

😂 @ cold dark hours. You aiht lyin buddy. This shit was frustrating the hell out of me too. Lol.

[@stevenmarcus64]

Thank you so much! Like others who have commented, I've been struggling with this issue and have been toying with the idea of soldering the wire ends, probably not a legal or safe way to fix wires before attaching to the receptacle/outlet; and the idea of using ferrules--also unsure if they are legal for home electrical wiring. This is prefect, legal, safe, and simple. Brilliant!

[@DriveCarToBar]

NEC allows for appropriately sized crimp on terminals as long as the manufacturer of the receptacle allows their use. You can solder if you like, but when dealing with stranded, I like to crimp on fork terminals.

[@BaghaShams]

Exactly what I was looking for. I couldn't figure out how to keep the strands from slipping out of the screw. I pinched them with the end of my wire stripper and it worked perfectly 👍

[@aking1965]

Thank you for sharing. I have always struggled with stranded wire terminations.

[@tomkearns6830]

very neat way to attach stranded wire. I was struggling with sprayed wire under the screw doing it like the wire was solid.

[@MrReese21]

Usually don’t comment on here, even less often on these types of videos, BUT! With this tip, I have to drop in and say thanks for the video and the tip!

[@R900DZ]

Another way to avoid altogether is to pigtail with a solid and use the solid to terminate to the device

[@mefirst4266]

Against the Law in most states..................... Except backwood states

[@thepitpatrol]

@@mefirst4266 we love Arkansas. And a lot of the code is a ridiculous mess.

[@andrewjohnston7129]

I was wondering about this. Sounds like it’s against code…but not unsafe?

[@R900DZ]

@@andrewjohnston7129 why would it be against code?

[@martinrubin6897]

sure wish I'd seen this before I stripped the wires. Excellent way to make the connection easily without struggling with stray wires escaping out from under the terminal screw.

[@jeanious2009]

I would’ve left the wire jacket on the end a bit longer, like 1” and then taped that to the wire to prevent it from slipping off. Same length on the copper, but longer jacket sleeve. Hell just solder the tips of the wire😂

[@DominicBHaven-qm6nx]

I'm DYI hack and i had to replace a GFCI outlet in my kitchen. The wire in the outlet box is stranded and i struggled to form it around the terminal screws without breaking the strands. I have two other GFCI outlets to replace and will use your suggestion next time. I was going buy some fork terminals, but this sounds like a better and cheaper method. Thanks for the tip. 😊

[@Carlg6]

Have you considered putting the wire into the pressure plate and then screwing it down? It's easier. You don't have to go around the terminal screw.

[@osu895]

Insanely simple. Thank you.

[@bozerbrett7867]

Thanks for sharing and getting right to it without all the fluff.

[@iamreiver]

This is an excellent technique. Thank you for sharing.

[@nearthound9811]

How wonderfully practical and simple! Thanks so much!!

[@tonynes3577]

This tip helps but if I am working inside an electrical box with limited wire length and a small space then there is a problem. In Mexico they use a lot of stranded wire and I am having this problem where I want to change a switch inside an electrical box, and with wire that is old and brittle. Actually, the solution to reducing the problem of having the wire strands break apart is to use crimp CONNECTORS with a professional crimping tool. And never overtwist wire that is old and brittle. The individual strands will break apart.

[@throttlebottle5906]

heat shrink over the old brittle wires, then splice on pigtails. I have always hated stake-on(crimp) terminals in anything but machinery/control cabinets and the chances of getting junk quality terminals is far too great.

[@FixItWithMe]

This video earned my subscription!! Love this trick!!

[@yamasail]

Wish I saw this before yesterday. First time I put stranded on a switch and it was a pain in the ass.

[@guguimke5799]

Man, I wish I saw this 3 hours ago, just friggin spent for ever with this wire

[@gatorwing6231]

Helpful for attaching wire to terminals

[@user-lx5qp7fg6g]

THANK YOU DUDE.

[@morganleekestner4240]

Thank you! You have saved me a ton of time.

[@gregmaggielipscomb9246]

Nice work, T/Y for the vid.

[@herrickkimball]

Excellent!

[@TomCee53]

They didn’t exist when this video was made, but Leviton makes outlets with a lever connection similar to Wago connectors which handle stranded wire just fine.

[@andrewjohnston7129]

Thanks so much for this video! Exactly what I needed as I was panicked after opening up an old receptacle and seeing thin stranded ground. Was feeling helpless until now!

[@66scotty73]

Great video tip

[@garvinwilliams4160]

How about using a Sta-kon spade connector?

[@overlandshower4312]

Thanks for the pro tip!

[@elkalimba4750]

I'm one of the people who complain about stranded wire. I'm gonna try this out next time!

[@melvinmcgregor2673]

Great tip. But why counter clockwise instead of clockwise?

[@palmerjohnson4982]

Im thinking it is because the counter clockwise twist favors the rotation of the screw so the strands dont roll out when you tighten the screw?

[@elpidiolaluan5746]

Should be clockwise. So at the first contact of the screw while tightening, it wont untwist it.

[@mescetacy]

Is this compliant with NEC? I have heard differing things. Have you ever had any problem with an inspector because of this?

[@TakeItEasyGuy1994]

The outlet will say it's not listed for stranded.

[@brendanquach9025]

I think this is more than code.

[@MrKen59]

Perfect - thank you

[@throttlebottle5906]

you ideally don't strip it as far up from the end, so when it's partially stripped, the wire strands are left a short way up inside the insulation and not flush/exposed at the tails end. also wrap electrical tape around the wire and the tail, so it cannot slide off leaving a section of bare conductor. it's wise to tape wrap the whole device to keep any stray strands from sneaking out in future rework. especially if you do any of it "live".

[@juansaldana84]

Thanks bro for the update!!!

[@njsongwriter]

What about inserting it under the plate at the terminal screw? Does that work?

[@phillhuddleston9445]

If your receptacle has one that is the best method but not all receptacles oy switches have them and the ground terminal usually doesn't.

[@Eastbaypisces]

wish i'd of known that before, i just connected wires back stabbing cuz it was too difficult to the regular way with solid wiring

[@nasircooper9260]

Nice trick dude

[@thepitpatrol]

Nice clean efficient!

[@peterwan小P]

it's a useful tip, thanks!

[@vita-girl4345]

Thank you, was running into this issue today and this helps big time. Most of my wires are 10 and 12 guage going into the terminal. Will the thicker wire cause issues?

[@ernestklein7827]

.

[@sofiodotcom]

super helpful!!!

[@FunFunFunFun963]

master

[@1duesy]

Why twist the wire counterclockwise?

[@theelite1x721987]

If you don't, the strands will spread out while being torqued down and you'll end up with a bad connection

[@Hank_Amarillo]

dont the newer outlets have it where the wire just slides under a plate and is pinched down by the screw, rather then hooked around? (like you would on the ground screw)

[@S33Electrical]

Yeah, those are nice. I've only seen them a few times on a standard 20 amp duplex outlet.

[@illestofdemall13]

Yes. Those are the higher grade switches and receptacles. They cost a little bit more.

[@njsongwriter]

@@S33Electrical I'm using 15 amp spec grade receptacles and that's what they have.

[@ThreePhaseHigh]

Better still, wire nut a short piece of 12 solid wire on to the stranded and then The solid wire to the outlet?

[@chrisf9607]

why twist the wires counter clockwise?

[@melvin_0bviously]

The CCW twist is not “undone” when you tighten the screw on the receptacle clockwise (CW).

[@chrisf9607]

@@melvin_0bviously ok thanks good to know

[@rmatrix4777]

I need to replace a 3" section of 18g stranded copper wire. My choices are solid copper wire or, I guess, nickel stranded wire. Which one should I use?

[@johnj1172]

copper

[@jrstf]

How is this better than putting two wires under one screw (which isn't okay)?

[@bfulfs6968]

Code compliant?

[@ThreePhaseHigh]

It works, but instead of going through all that buy a receptacle, made for stranded wire LEVITON 5362-LW 20A 125V WIRE LEAD RECEPTACLE

[@Electrician_In_Moscow]

In Russia it is forbidden to use multi-strand wires to wire houses and buildings, only single-strand cables are allowed in stationary wiring.

[@Gruntled2001]

Даже с оконцовкой нельзя?

[@darwinawardcommittee]

In Soviet Union, house wire you.

[@dwainehiggins4451]

Why?

[@suspicionofdeceit]

What about large conductors? Like say 10mm?

[@Electrician_In_Moscow]

​@@suspicionofdeceit This depends on whether the conductor is a copper one or an aluminum one. In Russia copper conductors with the cross section of up to 10 sq. mm can be whether single- or multi-strand ones, 16 sq. mm and greater are all multi-stranded. For aluminum conductors those numbers are respectively 35 and 50 sq. mm.

[@markmadlena6009]

Never had any problems. Guess I’m just a natural.

[@TheYankmchain]

After you twist and bend it, why couldn't you then solder it to keep its integrity?

[@TakeItEasyGuy1994]

The outlet terminal isn't listed to be soldered to.

[@TheYankmchain]

@@TakeItEasyGuy1994 solder just the bent wire is what I was referring to. Then it wouldn't splay.

[@TakeItEasyGuy1994]

@@TheYankmchain you could do that. A lot of commercially available pigtails are tinned over like you're saying. I wouldn't for the simple fact that it's another mistake waiting to happen

[@TheYankmchain]

@@TakeItEasyGuy1994 I've since, for a project in process, secured Leviton recepticles with pressure plates and they worked fabulously with my stranded 12/3.

[@Joe-rh4bd]

@@TheYankmchain don't backstab.

[@ThreePhaseHigh]

His way works and it may get you buy it for a day or so but just don’t leave it like that.

[@HYDRASHOQ]

Stranded wires should be in a connector. Fork or ring to guarantee no strands come loose due to use.

[@theelite1x721987]

That's actually a code violation. Using a fork connector is not a UL listed or approved way to make a connection. It also adds another failure point. Id be very surprised if any inspector would pass the work if he came across crimped fork connections on receptacles

[@throttlebottle5906]

@@theelite1x721987 exactly! most people don't get that and the terminals they use are often current limiting garbage quality or of poor metallurgy that has galvanic reactions and corrodes! it's wise to note, the devices MUST also be rated for stranded wiring. I don't keep track of what is/isn't now days, but much is cheap junk, so probably only "spec. grade/commercial devices" ( higher cost)

[@AngeloR674]

In the beginning it looked like you took too much wire off..

[@minguyen-rl7sn]

Noice man!

[@Mike_LaFontaine75]

Thats fine if you dont have only 3" of wire coming out of a full box.

[@conniemussetter1529]

Can you do the same with solid copper?

[@suspicionofdeceit]

Connie Mussetter Why?

[@conniemussetter1529]

@@suspicionofdeceit I had a fan timer in the laundry room. My unit was wired in solid copper and the switch had stranded. The reason for my question.

[@1nickdel]

It's a violation to put stranded wire under a screw head.

[@josephlabranch6595]

Are you high?

[@Joe-rh4bd]

This is incredibly stupid. The proper way to connect the wire via a crimp fork and use that to the terminal screw

[@theelite1x721987]

Lol. Nope. The receptacles are not rated for crimped fork connectors. What you call "proper" is actually not a UL approved connection and violates code. Good luck getting your crimped connectors passed by any inspector

[@Joe-rh4bd]

@@theelite1x721987 there's multiple ways to wire these. Not all receptacles are rated for use with crimp forks, but some are. I've never had a issue with the inspector.

[@theelite1x721987]

@@Joe-rh4bd very few are. By code, we must only utilize the receptacles in manners in which they are listed. My local inspectors never want to see them, and any master electrician I've asked told me only hacks use those. The issue they have with them is you add another point of failure. And to be honest, a whole lot of people don't make the best crimp connections or use shoddy tools for it. Use that crimp connection on a circuit with a microwave drawing current and you'll be called back in a few months

[@Joe-rh4bd]

@@theelite1x721987 lmfaooo

[@mefirst4266]

Dude you definitely are not a electrician......... Tint the wires with solder..........

[@theelite1x721987]

You are definitely not one. These receptacles are approved for use with stranded wire, and this is the way you would connect it. A real electrician would know this. You can tin your stranded wire if you want, but time is money. When you have a few hundred connections to make you aren't gonna tin them all. There is no need.

[@jerrynonofbss2588]

So you leave a little tail on each cable or you cut them?