Intro - Checklist - Prep - Rough In & Box Placement - Stud Preparation - Wire Installation - Terminal Placement - Wire Connection I - Wire Connection II - Fixtures & Outside Wiring - Track Lighting - Wiring Extensions - Breaker Box
Margin of Error: Exact
Wire nuts are for making connections between the wires. Wire nuts come in various sizes, distinguished by color, and may differ with each manufacturer. (Usually yellow, red, or gray will cover most household uses.) Always select the proper-size connector for the wires being used; these should only be used where the connection won't be pulled or strained in any way.
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When making connections between solid wires using wire nuts, strip
1 1/2" of insulation from the wires to be joined and hold them parallel. Twist these together securely with pliers. Then cut off the ends of the wires to fit the twist-on connector. Slip the wire nut over the bare ends of the wires, and twist the nut clockwise around the wires, pushing them hard into the nut.
A good safety precaution is to pull on each wire to assure that it is secure, then wrap electrical tape around the wire nut and the wires connected.
Simple wiring connections of two cables can be handled easily. More complex wiring, such as lights that involve switches, outlets that are switched, and junctions where the wiring is continued on to other receptacles, involves more wires. To simplify such arrangements, join wires by a method called "pig-tailing." Local code may dictate use of pig-tailing in your area.
Tip: Use a voltage tester to check if electricity is present at the outlets.
Pig-tailing
Pig-tailing connects two or more wires together with another 6" pigtail wire that has been stripped 3/4" on each end. The pigtail wire will be the wire you connect to the outlet or switch. This reduces the number of wires to be connected at the receptacle. Below are some of the common uses of pig-tailing.
Note: Most manufactures recommend cutting the wires so that they are even on the end, then applying the nut. When the nut is tightened, it will twist the wires and make a secure connection.
Connecting wires at a duplex receptacle. Strip all wires 3/4" and then hold all of the wires of like color together with another 6" wire of the same color. Twist the ends of the wires being connected with the pigtail wire tightly together. Then screw on a wire nut of the appropriate size. You can check the security of your connection by holding the wire nut and giving a good tug to each wire.
Now it is a simple matter to connect the pigtail portion of the connection to the terminal black to brass, white to silver, and the bare grounding wire to the grounding screw. Once pigtailed, it is easier to bundle all of the wires together to fit them into the box. Then you can simply screw the duplex receptacle (outlet) onto the electrical box with the screws provided.
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