I tested 7 Wago Knock-Offs Wire Connectors so you don't have to! (Surprising Results)

[@benbaselet2026]

The resistance test is also pretty important for short circuit currents. If you have a whole bunch of connections all over you want your short circuit fault currents to stay high so that fuses blow immediately instead of cooking and heating up places for a longer time.

[@ChristophPech]

A B16 Leitungsschutzschalter on 230V will trip instantly at 80A, which is 18kW and not exceed 2.8 Ohm. I once misconnected a Wago leading to a higher resistance and a nasty surprise. Since then I always measure the installation resistance of all mains circuits.

[@mrdur2101]

if you build up your electrical installation smart (only a few or no connetions) u dont care for that little resistens

[@benbaselet2026]

@@mrdur2101 Whatever you do you should know what you do.

[@apigge8723]

@@benbaselet2026 Good answer! Covers most anything!

[@Tupsuu]

@@ChristophPech Here in Finland we use mostly C10 and C16 circuit breakers and they require 125A and 200A of shortcircuitcurrent tested with a Fluke

[@OleJanssen]

I still can't wrap my head around why people hate Wagos that much. Yes, they're slightly more expensive compared to some other connection types and yes, if used properly, other stuff like wire nuts can be just as safe. But those are not foolproof and if used improperly, they might cause serious issues. That being said, Wagos are simply foolproof and much more convenient. Nice video, though.

[@johnalexander2349]

Other than paid shills, I can't see why anyone would claim that wire nuts are better. But as for "foolproof"... sadly, no. Once had a tenant that rewired a florescent fitting for a LED retrofit tube using Wago 222 blocks... shoved the wires in without lifting the lever. There's always a better fool.

[@aimbuster1]

i buy only wago. thats the way ( i dont not care about some cents ).

[@ezurth]

NEVER underestimate a persons ability to be a dumbass

[@squee222]

wire nuts if used properly provide a higher quality electrical splice. It's really that simple. Wago: DIY idiot proof. Don't need to know much. Wire nut: Good quality permanent splice not dependent on manufacturer to ensure continuity and ampacity but dependent on your ability t make a solid pigtail splice. Do you trust your skill more than a manufacturer? Than use a Wire Nut... if you trust manufacturers of connectors more than your skill, use a Wago.

[@Kalvinjj]

It's quite impressive how absolutely every field has mad raging fanboys and haters. I get it preferring one over the other, that's natural as everyone has different priorities on their selections, specially since both have their upper hand on some aspect than others. But to be hating like idiots and claiming bias and paid review if your precious loses? Damn...

[@maltesartor711]

Confirms me in my experience: ViD Products are absolutely fine to use. German department store OBI sells the non-levered as their house brand, which should mean their certificates are most definetely not faked. And I had no issues when using those and the levered ones so far.

[@kitecattestecke2303]

Still no experience in the long run for just 6 cents cheaper per connection thats test would be mental to do on your own houses :-/

[@arthurmoore9488]

@@kitecattestecke2303 If the certs are genuine and they really are such a common brand, then I see no problem. Wago is the gold standard, but as others have mentioned the largest issue with knockoffs is quality control. That's not an issue from a company with a reputation to uphold. Also, Wago makes those extra hold down products, including DIN rail mounts that you can fit their connectors into. That's another reason they can charge a bit more.

[@maltesartor711]

@@kitecattestecke2303 The push-ins I bought as I ran out of Wagos for a job at my house. Certainly a lot better than the Luster terminals I replaced with them. The only real difference I noticed is, they are a bit harder to push in than the Wagos. The lever mechanism actually feels a bit nicer than wagos, though they are one for one a bit thicker. And I think they would have caused a bunch of housefires already in Germany if they are prone to it - craftsmen shop in department stores in a pinch as well...

[@jimmyb1451]

@@kitecattestecke2303 I bet you're vaccinated though. You don't need "long run" evidence. If we all waited around for "long run experience" before adopting a new product, we'd have nothing.

[@Tobi_DarkKnight]

Wie wo was weiß Obi.

[@KillerSpud]

The only other test I'd like to see is running high currents through them to see how much they will take. Other than that I do think this is really good information and I use Wago connectors in my house wiring all the time.

[@tarakivu8861]

Well, thats determined by the resistance they have which also tells you about power-losses in form of heat.

[@KillerSpud]

@@tarakivu8861 not entirely. It does not show how the housing would deal with the heat it looks like none of them would catch fire, but they will melt at some point and that would be very bad.

[@patnutoris4054]

All of them work well above what is specified for 2.5mm 2 cables. Check out kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIGTonuvi6aso7c

[@JoppedeZeeuw]

He did test the voltage drop at 20A which was negligible. Even with the worst result of 80mV at 20A, that’s still just 1.6W which is less than most dimmer units for house lighting will have to dissipate. None of the numbers are of serious concern even when heat dissipation is difficult. Edit: I checked again and actually the worst result was 1.8 mOhm, which equated a heat production of only 0.036 watts. That’s nothing and maintainable 24/7.

[@Magneticitist]

It's like knife arguments. What's the best knife? I mean what's it being used for? Residential is fine. Wagos are great. Any kind of levernut really. I use them all the time. As for endurance I've never seen a levernut in an old plant that's been sitting there for 75 years+. I just see old wirenuts. When they are crumbling old wirenuts, most of the time they were just covering a tightly braided splice. If I want a high current splice that will never be removed and needs to last forever and even serve as a weight bearing splice if need be, I'm braiding solid copper then soldering it, and then twisting a wirenut over it if we're talking between wagos or wirenuts. If I'm wiring a light switch at home together or something I'm not really too concerned about what I'm using so long as I'm not trying to do some shit like hot glue wires together like jackass.

[@dwaynezilla]

Your style of video making is distinct, clean, and aesthetically pleasing. Writing things out is a great way to fill video space between key points, and it looks really good. Plus it's always relevant because the values/words are related to what you're talking about. And the nice penmanship on the clean white paper is very satisfying, haha. Putting the knockoff connectors on a paper and writing their points is a nice touch!

[@gn6034]

Yeah shame he makes the 1's look like 7's though

[@AndyGneiss]

@@gn6034 That's just the typical handwritten German numbers, and German sevens also typically have a horizontal dash through them (which can help tell them apart). I found it weird when I first witnessed it in school with a teacher from Germany.

[@tildey6661]

@@AndyGneiss everyone should be using a crossbar on their 7s

[@OgbondSandvol]

As it was said for someone else here, in other video's comments: I bought a bunch of Stabilo pens hoping that I could get so smart as Scott, but it didn't work. And being left-handed also helps to make the handwrinting more appealing.

[@Karreth]

Cool. I'll just stick to using genuine Wagos though. They're the industry standard, and no one would ever question your use of them.

[@adamw.8579]

Yep. Really industrial standard.

[@squee222]

big issue with knockoffs is quality control/assurance. They skimp in that area so although they might pass your testing a significant percentage of them (maybe one in a thousand or ten thousand) might be dangerous - which is an unacceptable failure rate for something meant to stop your house from burning down.

[@GLITCH_-.-]

Hm, fair point. But the connecters aren't fire extinguishers or sprinklers. :P

[@Fifury161]

@@GLITCH_-.- I think you miss the point - flawed analogy, fire extinguishers or sprinklers don't have the ability to start or perpetuate a fire. Insurance has a way of pointing blame at something that isn't certified or up to spec.

[@m80116]

In old homes is not uncommon that wire caps become oxidized, spark and fail charred. I still deem very unlikely that a hole in the wall start a house fire. It's all mythology pumped by distributors and electricians to better promote their job. Anyway... 1 to 2 way 3-color coded WAGO copycats it wasn't my choice: they don't exist per WAGO catalogue and they're incredibly convenient while cabling house 3 core wires.

[@aaronporter2180]

Scrolled down to make this exact comment

[@LC-hd5dc]

the other thing is since the knockoffs aren't really cheaper, why buy them?

[@baalzevuv4509]

Some time ago I watched video where Wago connectors were being tested for extremely high amperage and as far as I remember 2,5 mm wire started to loose it's isolation due to heat and started to glow red before even anything happened to Wago connector...

[@paulstaf]

John Ward "Wago 222 Connectors vs Others, Testing Current Overload and Flammability" youtube video

[@cdscissor]

Link for those who like convenience: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIGTonuvi6aso7c

[@daviddavidson2357]

The certificates part made me laugh. It's much easier to have CE molded onto knockoffs than it is to get the certification.

[@theaifam5]

Try to compare with “China Export” symbol 😂

[@tyrgoossens]

@@theaifam5 AKA the "Chinese Excrement" symbol.

[@ulwur]

CE is not a certification, but a self assessment by the manufacturer that the product complies with the standard, but no third party tests are required. So CE is only as good as the manufacturers conciense.

[@MrARBlack]

@@ulwur finally someone Who knows, thanks

[@gowdsake7103]

@@ulwur Ce kinda sums up everything wrong with the EU

[@lazy_termite]

It's rather odd to trust the certificate markings on knock off products, unless there's an online certificate available, which can be fabricated too, but that at least will be something...

[@UKsystems]

Generally speaking you can search the product app in most European countries on a big database of things but a lot of the approvals are not centrally issued. They are self declarations where you actually have document in detail your testing off the product.

[@callux93]

Very accurate testing and rating system. I wish all the brands were available in my area. The point about Wago themselves not being that much more per piece was an excellent conclusion. Absolutely great video!

[@boxman139]

The previous video was not bad at all. I think it was loud minority of people with very strong opinions who thought that their opinions were fact. Wire nuts, if used correctly, can get the job done safely, but so can Wagos. Also, some other commenters pointed out that on places like Amazon counterfeit Wagos are sold as real, and it is possible that any negative opinions about build quality might've stemmed from them buying counterfeits instead of real Wagos. This is really the fault of the website they are hosted on (especially Amazon), as it is very hard to tell these days if a product is real or not, especially considering that many reviews are paid and thus not genuine, inflating the overall rating. Hopefully those people learn to have a more open mind in the future.

[@benjiusofficial]

If the last 6 years have taught me anything, its that, when people are loud and obnoxious about their opinion, I ignore it almost unilaterally.

[@someguy4915]

@@benjiusofficial Usually the ones that scream the loudest/rudest that they know best are the ones that have no clue what they are talking about. Also, people who care that much about whether someone uses a wire-nut instead of a Wago or vice-versa that they go around spamming comments on KZbin videos should typically not be consulted for proper advice anyway, looking at the comment section here, some people really do stay up 24 hours a day spamming their opinion on KZbin xD

[@gn6034]

Wirenuts damage the copper to make a connection so most countries with proper wiring regulations don't allow them. As we have to test the installation and fill out a legally binding document that is our only defense in court if there problems down the line, we don't fuck about with gimmicks like wirenuts we make sure our connection are robust.

[@tristankordek]

7:35 The sudden appearance of the foot made me laugh, you are brilliant, I haven't laughed so much for a while THX :D P.S. Don't worry about comments from people who whine, these tests are needed to let folks know what to use.

[@IanGrams]

I always chuckle when people throw around "you're biased" as if that somehow discredits what you had to say. Literally everyone is biased. If someone claims they are unbiased then that just tells me they lack the self awareness of it. I watch this channel because I want to hear your opinion on things. If I wanted an unbiased comparison I'd read the spec sheets side by side.

[@benjiusofficial]

It's an internet joke; "Your nitpicking and biased; I win, bye-bye." Use it whenever you require intellectual superiority. It's like using Caps Lock but with arguments.

[@ferdi93ferdi]

9:50 the most important thing is: .. the CE - certificate can be given by the company itself, "yup our product is europe compliant" - otherwise they cant be imported or even sold in europe.

[@larkhill2119]

Legally imported or even sold. Third party certification is required outside EU.

[@dutchducks5451]

Don't make the mistake that you have the CE and the C E .. that's a big difference...

[@UKsystems]

However, this approval is simply testing it to required standards and documenting it. Even a cheap brand is likely to carry these tests out to confirm the connectors function.

[@Dansk55]

These Wagos are EXCELLENT when wiring stranded LED lights/fixtures to solid gauge wire that's wired around the house. They also work very well with applications around the car and motorcycle which I have at least a decade of very good experience using. The only reason I still use wire nuts is cause I purchased a whole bunch at a discount years ago.

[@Speeder84XL]

Nice! It's always interesting to know how "no brand" products perform as well (since it's so hard to know beforehand). They are often good, but if you are unlucky you may get some crap. In this case, you also don't want to discover that you got a crap product by it starting a fire, haha.

[@goldenfox334]

Im from the us and have never seen these connectors until one of your previous videos. these look like a amazing idea compared to wire nuts as far as safety and ease of use. what ive always done with wirenuts though is made sure they actually threaded onto the wire first then wrapped the wire in electrical tape or put heat shrink tubing around it to prevent the fire from backing out of the wirenut

[@UKsystems]

The issue is the manufacturers do not say you can do that so it can be argued that that product has no longer been tested in that scenario

[@Lena-qg8bd]

i really didn't expect the slide connectors to perform that well

[@luimobiletech]

Me too

[@luimobiletech]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gp-odmitmpl2gLc

[@Schatzjaeger2]

And I would also not give it 3 points for ease of use. If it is already installed and you don't have the "tool" with you, it is not easy to use.

[@Lena-qg8bd]

@@Schatzjaeger2 i mean nails work just fine

[@ConorNoakes]

@@Schatzjaeger2 if you’re working on electrics and you don’t have the basic tools such as a small flat-blade screw driver then you should probably not start the work and get a professional instead 😂

[@kmemz]

I'll definitely be looking at the ViD connectors if I want to shave some price, and some of those slide connectors if I want to get a few bonus points for safety, thanks for the video!

[@stehlajz]

The ViD seems like a reasonable alternative. The brand ViolaDirekt is German (same as Wago) and the certifications seems legit and can be downloaded from their website. The others are all probably some chinese no-name, the sliding looks also decent but without any paperwork to prove some quality control it can be little bit sketchy.

[@UKsystems]

@@stehlajz certifications are going to be self-assessed so any company can issue the paperwork saying it has been granted

[@dans-designs]

Thank you for taking the time to research this! I thought your last video was very concise and i had never heard of wago connectors before then so thanks again for that!

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

And i always thought wire nuts are - nuts. 👍😁

[@dans-designs]

@@wolfgangpreier9160 dude since your comment, there has been 5 Fake accounts posting to various Adult websites! May need to check your Gmail settings and connected accounts bud!

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

@@dans-designs I am sooo lucky i don‘t use gmail! 😂🤣

[@dans-designs]

@@wolfgangpreier9160 hahah fair enough

[@MrKahvi]

A good testament to the VID connectors is that my school uses them. And if I remember correctly they were sold under the Wurth brand.

[@bluescream7463]

Thanks for the comparison; I was especially interested in the effective amperage through the connection (short time and long time) compared with what's indicated. Great video!

[@GLITCH_-.-]

I would've liked to see an endurance test, where you see if and by how much holding-strength and Ohm change after ten, twenty and maybe fifty uses.

[@mcac-youtube]

An accelerated oxidation test would be great.

[@UKsystems]

@@mcac-youtube all electrical components should be placed in enclosures designed to minimise things like environmental factors that cause oxidisation

[@balesjo]

Working with computer systems for years, I definitely see the benefit of WAGO and the better knockoffs over wire nuts for use in many parts of the system when dealing with bare wire connections.

[@Magneticitist]

I use the lever kind all the time but I can say that there is not some "best" option between them for all purposes. It depends. I've seen lever nut splices where they magically somehow wiggle and pop off, lending to the idea that their use in general could become a little "too easy" for people over time. If I forcefully tried to remove a wire from the nut without opening the lever, I can do it with some twisting and turning. It's just not magically as solid as taking something like 12 or 14 and literally braiding it together. Wagos could probably stand the test of time but AFAIK empirically they cannot compare to wirenuts which have the actual evidence of doing so in many situations. People who are doing basic residential or light commercial wiring don't need to be too concerned about it.. they just need to make sure their joints are good with whatever product they use. Some facilities have local code which requires them to braid and solder permanent terminations in the boxes, something which the thought behind is not possible to do with a lever nut. Some of the thought behind that could be something like hospitals where engineers have kept it in mind that they want feeds to stay together temporarily maybe even in some drastic situation where an earthquake or other climate disaster has damaged some of the infrastructure. Having said that has anyone ever used wagos in a hospital for anything other than small fixture wiring? Would they let you make all the jbox terminations with them? This is just a random and joking example but I bet someone who is in an extremely unlucky situation where they need to hold onto some long ground wire to keep from falling is going to prefer it was fastened at the other end with a braided wirenut as opposed to a wago. I understand a wago may be tested and rated with all the acclaim but again, it's not hard to go see wirenuts older than you in old plants which are still fine. You can't do that yet with a wago unless you're pretty young. Of all the back and forth about wirenut vs wago I just don't get it when it comes to simply and basic wiring. Who cares. Just don't use scotch tape. People are talking about their preferred product for their electronic light switches lol.

[@black.phoenix.]

Scott there's one thing you are missing in the Certificates. For something to be VDE or UL Listed as the name implied there is a number who certifies such listing that you can consult. Having the logo doesn't mean it's not simply a silkscreen applied without any document that certifies such thing (very common with China manufacturers). Other thing is the similarities between the CE logo and the CE (China Export) logo. So just having CE doesn't mean that it's the CE logo we know for products authorised to be sold in the EU but a China Export logo. Just a search online can show you what I'm saying, KZbin doesn't allow links now... I'm a European EE currently living in Shenzhen/Hong Kong so I've come around this kind of stuff all days. That and counterfeits from brands as Knipex, Wiha, Wera and Wago for example.

[@UKsystems]

Not always sometimes it can simply be given a certification mark especially in Europe is a self certification process but in order to use conformity marks it has to issue certain standards a lot of these are self-assessed with documentation but some may need third-party involvement so this can definitely be self-assessed without any formal record of itexternal from the company

[@brucewilson3170]

Vielen Dank. As a scientist, I really appreciate your methodology and rigor. I think you tested the right things and provided the important data.

[@ImSweetKiss]

I think the problem might be with North America, since they use half the voltage, they have double the amps.

[@sciencebug314]

i repeated the resistance test of a wago 221 with AWG 16 fine stranded wire and got 1.1mR as a result. my wago knock-off look-alikes came out even better with just under 1mR (voltage drop measured with a UT181A). i removed more insulation so i could measure directly at the connector's entrance, while running 18A through it.

[@greggv8]

I've come across loose wire nuts several times. Some that I put on, some that I assume an electrician put on due to various aspects of the application like how old it is and knowing that nobody had touched it in years. Seeing some tests of 20 amp rated Wago 221 connectors shrugging off 60 amps while barely warming up is impressive. They're soooooo much easier than wire nuts, especially when connecting 3 or more wires and doubly so when connecting stranded to solid, as is typical with light fixtures. The lever nuts just aren't going to self-loosen, not from any kind of repeated heating and cooling from environment or electric resistance. They also work the first time, no repeated attempts required trying to get stranded and solid or three or four solid wired held just the right way that a wire nut will evenly grab and hold them all. The only 'strike' against the Wago 221 I have is they don't make a 4 hole version! It's like the Holy Hand Grenade scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, slightly modified. Two! Three! Five! When you just need to connect 4 wires but have to try cramming the bulkier 5 hole Wago into the box...

[@adamw.8579]

I made industrial machine wiring using original WAGO 221 - mixed cable types from 0,8mm2 to 4mm2. Zero problems, excellent reusability (for correction work). Expensive but worth any spent coin.

[@OldSchoolLFCGeezer]

Right away, I'd like to say that you have some nice looking PME on your test bench! We also have one other thing in common - great handwriting! Anyway, I commend you on creating such a useful video. The test criteria you employed is very thorough, but the Resistance Test is definitely the most critical test in your list. Way back in engineering school, I was taught that Power is simply a form of Heat and, as you correctly pointed out, Power (P) is a product of both Current (I) and Resistance (R). Put a much simpler way, Heat increases when electrical conductors (wires) have poor contact with one another. Personally, I've never heard of a house fire that started at a simple connection point, but it IS possible. It is far more likely that a wire may come loose and short to ground - which obviously causes a lot of heat - but that's where your Pull Test comes in, which I see as the second most important test in your list. Regardless, thank you for performing this comprehensive product test and, please, keep up the great work!

[@theodorgiosan2570]

I've used many kinds of connectors. The Chinese ones, real Wagos, the Ideal lever connectors, traditional white terminal strips, set screw wire nuts, Polaris taps, split bolt, etc. If I am trying to make a really good connection, I will go for a terminal strip or a small Polaris tap. If I am just trying to connect things together, I usually go for the Chinese 3 input, 3 outputs per input connector. Have one running at 25 amps that has been there for years, recently took apart that box and it's perfectly fine.

[@IH8stpdppl]

At the end of the day name brand wagos aren’t as bad as some people make them out to be (the lever lock that is, the stab in of any brand is garbage). But with properly twisted wires a wire nut is just a better, lower resistance connection than that little bus bar in the wago. I personally only use them for LED lighting fixtures and control wires but that’s just personal preference. Great video bro

[@r6u356une56ney]

Would have been nice if you labeled the amazon links as to which brand each one was. Also, it sucks that the VID ones don't seem to be available on US Amazon.

[@nidusa1]

I can not find this ViD brand on internet search. are they sold as a different brand name also?

[@edwardvanhazendonk]

Thanks for the heavy lifting in testing this all, nice result!

[@mortenmoulder]

Regarding price per unit, you should grab them from China instead of Amazon. You can get a bag of the ones shown in the video for pennies per unit. And they're the exact same one.

[@erikb3799]

Or at least from an electrician supply company to give realistic domestic prices. On the other hand, the channel is aimed at the hobbyist that will likely use Amazon.

[@UKsystems]

Generally speaking, you have to get them from some kind of distributor approved by the manufacturer as many Allpress sellers by reject ones from the manufacturer for recycling purposes but do sell them

[@run-dd]

The CE "certificate" is merely a self-declaration by the manufacturer of conformity with European regulations, which is mandatory for sales to european customers. It is therefore in no way an expression of quality or the like.

[@benjiusofficial]

They need to make sure that certificate is certified before it certifies a product.

[@apigge8723]

@Reimar: Thank you!

[@UKsystems]

However they have to provide suitable documentation to prove it has passed the test forces testing a hot connection. They will use a glow wire test. They will have to submit photos and proof that it has been completed and what temperature they connect failed

[@JUANKERR2000]

If preferring a superior product over an inferior one is being biassed then I freely admit my guilt.

[@JorgeCastilloArg]

I wonder how many of those comments calling you "biased" were also biased because their own choice "didn't win".

[@MCsCreations]

Excellent tests and comparison, dude! Thanks a bunch! 😃 Here in Brazil I never saw those connectors... But online there are some sources... Maybe I try them soon. 😊 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@JPEight]

Hey Scott, Another great video, but just to say, you can't trust the certificate markings on knock off products. There's a reason people joke that CE stands for Chinese Export...

[@daliromeriskie328]

This new intro brings me nostalgia.

[@g.g.2211]

Maybe I've already written this in the past, but I really like your hand written texts and schemes!

[@navorski7660]

I am neither American nor Eropean. I never used any of those connectors before but only electrical tape. I prefer wago connectors over wire nuts. They are reuseable and more practical. Wago connectors are easier to connect and disconnect.

[@natebaker6765]

I'm a Master Electrician in Alberta Canada, and have done lots of service work in my time. I've only seen a wirenut fail when it was a clearly a bad splice from a handyman or apprentice, or aluminum wiring with the wrong wirenut. On the flip side, I have seen Wago and Wago type connectors fail countless times. With that being, I like to see videos like this. I would say the tests you are missing would be vibrations, and extreme temperature fluctuations. Homes have vibrations from people, wind, vehicles outside etc that can loosen connections over time. Regarding temperature fluctuations, here in Canada, we can get -50°C degrees in the winter, +40 °C in the summer. In Alberta we can see temperature swings of 20 - 30°C in a day. This is just ambient temperature, let alone the heat on the wire from having current run through it, and then not, and then current again constantly throughout the day. That causes expansion and contraction in the metals, which can compress the spring, which doesn't bounce back fully over time, and therefore a loose connection happens. The loose connection causes more heat when current runs through, and therfore making this problem worse. Great video tho! Keep it up!

[@UKsystems]

If you are a master you would surely realise that push connectors do not fail. They fail when the circuit is in properly designed if there is minimum disconnection times of something like 4 ms from an overcurrent event there’s not going to be any issue.

[@BL-yj2wp]

The issue with cheap spring terminal clamps is long term reliability. When there is an intermittent fault in an old installation (here in Germany where Wagos and Fakeos have been around for a long time) it's a good bet someone used those hardware store clamps in a junction box. Even the cheapest screw terminals are more reliable. Never had a genuine Wago fail though, and they have been used here since 1974.

[@basvandersluis5662]

Thank you for testing this. It is good to know, but I will still be only using Wago's in my home. It is just an emotional thing. :)

[@nigelross7896]

Excellent video and thanks for your research and unbiased commentary - it is appreciated

[@justinkase1360]

We also use connectors like the 3M "IDC" connectors in the USA, although rarely. I think you might like those because they require no stripping, but you still have to use a tool. I feel like the common connectors used in Europe are more foolproof and less labor intensive, while the US connectors require skill to use and thus leave more room for error. We always twist the wires first and if you are connecting stranded and solid wire then you have to do it a certain way. I really only ever use 3M wire nuts (which are different than what you tested) unless some wire nuts are supplied with a fixture.

[@melody3741]

Well, they're sort of right. If your connector is rated for 30 amps, and and one connector fails at 90 amps, and the other 1 fails at a 100 and 10 amps, in the amps, the 100 and 10 AM connector is not necessarily better, because they're so far above the rated Ambridge that they're both effectively perfect.

[@Azlehria]

It took me a few readings to understand that you meant a single connector failing at 110A, not two failing at 100A and 10A respectively.

[@caffeinatedinsanity2324]

I'm not an electrician, even though I have a similar electrical engineering background to Scott, although far less profound. My takeaway is... The only place where I would say wire nuts shine is if you have to do pigtails with 3 wires, and you have a long daisy chain for outlets and all. Lever nuts are for sure more resistive but probably not enough to cause a problem since they are technically cULus rated here in North America. But I still prefer wire nuts here since anyways you won't be messing with pigtails all that often compared to replacing outlets or switches. Other than that, if you are splicing more than 3 wires, dealing with light fixtures (or anything else that commonly uses stranded wire) or with equipment meant to be replaced over time, lever nuts are the best option, no question. Easier to use, less prone to user error (even for electricians) and allows easier solid to stranded splices. Also speeds up equipment changing. And beware of the emotional old farts that have a broomstick up their backs.

[@UKsystems]

Pigtails are generally more or less banned in most countries because loads of countries require specialised electrical testing with special testing devices where you have to isolate the circuit and any branch profit has to be isolated or you could simply test it all if it’s not having any branches

[@Miketz]

As an industrial sparkie, I think the series of tests you performed were well thought out. However, I think you need to revisit this and actually throw some real power through the connectors. My prediction is that the units that performed the worst on the pull test will have a good chance of releasing smoke.

[@91Matteoz]

In Italy for the 90% of wiring house connection, we use the ForBox connector, is similar to the "screw connector" but the wire are simply inserted (twisted together) into the connector and secured in place by a screw. With this type of connector the contact of the wire is secure by the wire itself, twisted toghether. The screw of the connector guaranteed a solid contact.

[@Ale-Tronic]

We replaced all the manually made wire splices with Wagos before the plaster were put into place, so we knew everything would be safe. But as a generic rule, I'm Brazilian, here I pay about R$2,89 for a three connection Wago, and, for a wire nut, R$0,09, so, I use wire nuts mainly for led lights where the power draw doesn't justify a Wago connector, and, they'll likely never be serviced shortly.

[@ErvahNoir]

I'm sure they're all somewhat similar in thia but I'm curious how water resistant they are now. I have a few projects that require rewiring but a lot of them may deal with at least condensation. Great video as always!

[@Boemel]

When i rewired my entire 1952 house is ordered a box of like 100 3-pin wago and i still have left. totally worth it.

[@michaelmounts1269]

wago’s are absolutely hands down the best option…unfortunately most american’s have never heard of them. even better, Wago DIN rail terminal blocks have dozens of uses…I just recently used them to make a new fuse box for a vintage 60’s vw convertible…great company…with no marketing whatsoever…

[@GarGlingT]

He is still use paper and printed comment. haha I like how he diligently with manual work.

[@Ballroomblitz255]

I would only use official WAGO connectors, the issue with knock-offs is the lack of quality control meaning one batch may be fine but another batch may not meet the same specifications. I might pay a bit more however with electrical loads you want that kind of security knowing that the quality control/assurance process is robust and you can sleep well at night knowing you will have less callouts and that the work is safe. Cheers.

[@MrDavidBFoster]

I'd take the green one over all of them for standard house wiring. Not only would the wedge make a much tighter connection; but it requires a special tool which should deter future DIY enthusiasts. They'd have to really cheap-out on the materials to make it not the better option, IMO.

[@JockeSelin]

Thank you very much! As you are displaying oscilloscopes quite a lot, I was reminded that there seems to be very few tutorials on how to use an oscilloscope on KZbin. (Maybe I just haven’t found them?) Perhaps an idea for a video series? Thanks again!

[@philherb3843]

The CE-Logo you can see on one of the connectors looks like the "China Export" logo, wich is nearly the same as the CE "Conformité Européenne". The Conformité Européenne has an E with a shorter middle slash and if you draw the C and E to circles, the circles will overlap exactly as how wide the drawing line is. You can google an image of the logo to see the difference.

[@ChrisgammaDE]

There is no such official label as "china export". There have been numerous cases where chinese sellers put CE Logos on their products without doing the paperwork, but this is a form of misuse, not "different label". Important thing to note here: The CE-Logo is not a sign of quality. The Logo by itself only means the manufacturer did the paperwork and declares the product conformant to current eu regulations. No external checks involved here (simplified) Further reading: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_marking see "China Export"

[@ChrisgammaDE]

To check if the manufacturer did the CE declaration properly: Have a look into their documentation. The declaration of confirmaty has to provided to the customer. Sometimes in the manual, sometimes seperatly. This is the only reliable way to find out if they did their declaration correctly and not just plasterd the logo on

[@HassanSalehabadi]

your videos are so valuable thank you.

[@hobbesip1]

When it came to the UL listing, did you actually look up the number and verify it applies to electrical safety for this specific product's use case? Case and point: most surge protectors you might find today with a MOV and multiple outlets will have a UL listing, but the number only applies to "relocatable taps", not actual "surge suppression", meaning only the outlets expansion, not the MOV, is certified. This means the MOV could be below below UL certification and possibly fail tests where the MOV can catch fire under a large surge, but the outlets themselves pass. It's a real problem.

[@UKsystems]

The United States agencies who do this approval charge for people to look it up not inside the United States because they can

[@Emphasis213]

Wire nuts are significantly better if you use it correctly. The reason being is that it creates more contact area with the wires by wrapping around each other. On top of that, the wire nut has a inner metal sleeve that creates an additional conductive surface. The twisting of the wire also creates a superior mechanical connection. A recent Test was also conducted where the wago was actually hotter with current flowing through it compared to a wire nut.

[@UKsystems]

Festival as superior connection cannot be made when it simply twisted when a push fit connect has a constant force not affected by temperature also why are nuts? Generally do not have copper on the inside so the metals can react over time contact area does not matter that much where the push connectors have the constant force really really holding it. It is fine

[@boblewis5558]

John Ward tested the push in version to destruction. Answer: 90 Amps!!! ... And the Wago was still connected but the cable insulation had completely melted! 'Nuff said' 😎

[@tylermcnally8232]

nothing beats a properly installed wirenut. Everything else is trying to be a better mousetrap.

[@UKsystems]

However, I bet you pre-twist your wine nuts, manufactures explicitly state no pre-twist and only turning one quarter so I doubt that would actually work

[@fester.]

great vid,i bought the wago copies off amazon and 90% fell to bits,even out of the box when i lifted the handle it fell off,just buy wago original, you get what you pay for

[@rbrianlindahl5499]

The issue I had with a particular brand of knockoff was that the wire was relatively hard to pull out when pulling straight - but as soon as any rotation was applied to the wire, as happens quite often when tucking wires back into a wall box, the wire would simply fall out of the connector. I tried it with both 14 AWG and 12 AWG solid wire, and multiple connectors. The whole thing went back to Amazon the next day.

[@RealJohnnyDingo]

The biggest issue with generic knockoffs, particularly from Amazon, is if you do find a acceptable part there's no guarantee you'll get the same quality part the next time you order. Wagos are always Wagos (at least until somebody decides to make fake ones)

[@RossMitchellsProfile]

@@RealJohnnyDingo Sadly fake Wagos are out there. Things look near identical too. Big Clive has talked about it in some of his videos.

[@my3dprintedlife]

I bought some WAGO connectors based on your recommendation. Love these videos!

[@isaaclove1144]

You're not weak, you bought them to show us! 😊

[@Lovethempeas]

I cant imagine the amount of pens you go through retracing everything you write.

[@AgentPothead]

This is a great video. The only bit I would slightly disagree with is the markings part. The only thing they guarantee is that the factory stamped the logo on the product. That's it.

[@gloomyblackfur399]

The issue with knockoffs is consistency and quality control. Just because one batch of knockoffs is good, doesn't mean the next will be.

[@AFlyingCookieLOL]

Most of the Chinese products remain consistent and updated much more than American products. In many cases far ahead. It's just American companies trying to get a large profit margin by getting Chinese manufactures to build crap items for their own market to profit.

[@damustermann]

ViD are pretty good, they were pretty good priced, so I tried them, and I'm very happy with them.

[@KJBtheMosFett]

Started watching your channel to learn when I Was in engineering school. Now I work in R&D... and I we use the sssshhhiiiittttt out of these connectors. Seriously, this was a really good idea for a video

[@practicalmedicine4359]

I wonder if you would consider doing an additional evaluation on the "push in" wire connectors, represented in the USA largely by Ideal connectors. I actually picked up a pack thinking they were Wago knockoffs, as they look very similar from the outside. Thanks!

[@R4C3R]

I really liked the video, very informative! Did you actually get a copy of / verify the certification for the product, because anyone can print the certification logo on its product. unfortunately I checked it once and the certification appeared to be fake.

[@stehlajz]

Yeah, most of it will be fake (like the general CE marking) but about the ViD UC03M (ViolaDirekt) they are legit, the certificates can be downloaded on their website. The "slide" connector certs on the other hand are unfortunately probably fake.

[@LC-hd5dc]

@@stehlajz there's no such thing as a "fake" CE marking because the manufacturer self-certifies the CE marking. making it essentially useless. per the EU themselves, "You don't need a license to affix the CE marking to your product, however... [o]nce your product bears the CE marking - if the competent national authority requests - you must provide them with all the information and supporting documentation concerning CE marking."

[@stehlajz]

@@LC-hd5dc Actually there is. I know what CE means but many chinese products misuse the logo in way, that it means something else (usually China Export). The difference is in the logo itself, real CE have spacing between letters defined that when you finish the circle of letter C, the line will be at position of letter E. On the other hand the "fake" ones does not give a f about spacing or sometimes even font.

[@someguy4915]

@@stehlajz This is nothing more than an internet joke that for some reason some people started to believe as fact... There is no 'China Export' certification on products, has nothing to do with spacing, even large Western companies have made spacing and even spelling errors on certification markings and even their own brand names... A Chinese factory making crappy products is not going to care about not meeting CE requirements and will just stick/mold it onto their product, you thought they are scared that the fake certificate will get them into trouble but illegally importing them won't?...

[@danharold3087]

I agree with Killer Spud below. Would like to see some high and over current tests. Given the choice I will use a wire nut. But there are enough times that I have run into places where limited space or unhandy locations makes wago's a easier and safer choice because poorly installed wire nuts are a bad deal. So maybe for the inexperienced people they are a better choice. Still maintain a properly installed wire nut to be a better connection.

[@martinlabuda117]

Great tests, original wago connectors are quite expensive :D

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

I was just working on a project that had a heat issue in the wiring and connectors (higher than expected current), and Wago nuts saved my bacon. They sell them by the box on Digi-key, and next time I'm using these for power distribution. Just need some 3D-printed mounts. I do have a small kit box of "made in Germany, packaged in the USA" Wago 221 nuts, but since Amazon knockoffs are a minefield and since I can now buy them easily on reputable distributors, I don't buy them on Amazon anymore.

[@larkhill2119]

Buy some fuse's as well.

[@WoLpH]

I bought a whole bunch of these types of connectors from aliexpress a few years ago and they were much cheaper (about 1/4) when compared to wago connectors. I have a hole set of wago for mains wiring and such, but for other stuff I often use these convenient alternatives with the nice screw-holes as well.

[@iNFiNiTY125]

It’s not that people had problems with your results or you were biased it’s that you showed improper installation of wingnuts and used cheap no name wingnuts compared to name brand Wago connectors. A more fair comparison would be versus the industry standard like Ideal’s offerings and twisting wires together with pliers before installing wingnut as code states.

[@apigge8723]

Agreed!

[@UKsystems]

You felt to realise even namebrand why not say push wires in without twisting and turn one quarter turn that is what a box of them said that I bought to do a test with

[@thomasdickson35]

What makes me nervous about the knockoffs was that, according to research; -Some housings crack when closed. -Some connections were too loose (arc fault, anyone?). -You cannot see failure after installation (obvs). -Any company can make them (somewhere...). But this is a fun investigation!

[@thomasdickson35]

Moral of the story, I'm not wealthy enough to risk it. Still cool though...

[@loungelizard836]

Thanks! Came just in time, I was looking at the Wago clones just today!

[@greatscottlab]

Thanks for the support :-)

[@Veveve1]

nice one! ive been using multiple knockoffs for a while. never found any with a similar price to wago

[@prathampalang6687]

Electricians in india use electrical tape for wiring We have no regard for standards

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

How does electrical tape transport current?

[@prathampalang6687]

@@wolfgangpreier9160 we just twist wires together and wrap eletrical tape arround it and done Its similar to wire nuts

[@Shwyne23]

@@wolfgangpreier9160 u just tape the wires together? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ And just to point it out for everyone: NEVER do that!

[@pierreuntel1970]

@@wolfgangpreier9160 everything is a conductor if the voltage is high enough

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

@@prathampalang6687 Oh, ok. I've done this too, but only with up to 12V. And the last time - lets see, was about 40 years ago...

[@davejack8973]

the notch in the bottom of the connector is for the wire depth ... THE MORE U KNOW

[@Divine_Evil]

4:41, the 2 grooves on the left connector are the mark showing how much insulation to remove...

[@toxeia]

Regarding CE markings for certs, take care to inspect the markings closely. There's a Chinese cert that uses a similar (seemingly intentionally to deceive) marking. It comes down to the spacing between the two letters.

[@AndrewGillard]

Pretty sure that's a myth and always has been. The bad spacing is simply that: mistakenly bad spacing on what's intended to be a regular CE mark.

[@someguy4915]

@@AndrewGillard Indeed that is just a myth, in the same lane as fake CE standing for 'China Export'.

[@rassel2000]

The VID connectors are the same ones Würth sells in their stores :)

[@Gastell0]

If I'm not mistake, CE marking is primarily a certification of materials, not specific functions like electrical conformity - it's mostly used for Import into EU

[@UKsystems]

It certainly is it basically means it meets a certain standard but on top of that certain industry specific things have to be added on for the product if it is relevant it means it complies to all standards and the CE requirement

[@EsotericArctos]

I have a question on the CE marking. Was it a genuine CE marking? I have found CE, even the genuine mark, sometimes is misused by some companies, especially those that are more interested in product dumping than genuine pride in their work. I agree, UL and ENEC are ones to look for

[@larkhill2119]

UL mark is only checked in the USA. A European import could be just as fake.

[@UKsystems]

Ul it’s a terrible certification many things past that and still catch on fire like some outlets that electric car charges can plug in two types that are both approved but one will catch on fire if used with the car charger and one if things like that are allowed to be approved it makes me question what else is

[@helmanfrow]

There's one good reason to buy Wago connectors over knockoffs and that is to support innovation instead of immitation.

[@theodorgiosan2570]

Except some of these "knockoffs" are not knockoffs at all, but new connectors that Wago themselves don't make. For example the 3 input, 3 output per input connectors, and the slide connector with much higher mechanical strength. Wago just recently even started making an inline connector. They haven't made an inline splitter, and the Chinese ones have been around for years at this point. Seems to me like in this instance Wago copied the Chinese design for inline connectors since they were around long before their version. The slide connector is something I haven't even seen before and is definitely a new design. So while they may mostly be lever connectors, and so they all could be considered copies of Wagos in terms of the connection type, the configurations are often so different as to what Wago offers that they could hardly be considered knockoffs.

[@jeremiahrex]

Wago is awesome. Coming from an American electrical engineer.

[@Ezzell_]

great job. i would have given 4 points in the resistance test because it is so important.

[@ChadAF_YT]

Bring an American, I am used to using wire caps. I bought some of those connectors and online, (wago knock-offs) and thought they all sucked. I may have to get brand name wago’s to give them a try. Wire caps work very well, but the ability to switch out wires without re-stripping in very select situations would be very nice

[@UKsystems]

Brand-name ones are good fake ones are good or bad it really depends but if you think about the cost of setting up production line, they have to be very very very cheap to pay that back in enough time

[@Mike-01234]

If you buy them online buy from Digikey, or arrow electronics have to buy 100 at a time they are real Wagos. My other choice is Home Depot they sell real Wago's. Most big commercial contractors I have worked with use the push in connectors like Ideal makes they are cheap and smaller can't remove them have to cut the wire off. They see it as a fast way to connect wires that is NEC approved.

[@DickieBird888]

Interesting video thanks.. What wire stripping tool are you using please?