house wiring Q


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Old 03-19-23, 03:18 PM
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house wiring Q

Greetings all ! My question is related to traditional 110 V house wiring. I want to "economise" on room in a typical 2" X 4" receptacle box. I've started to use Wago connectors to create pigtails in boxes - I love them. In regular or smaller boxes with 14/2 wire (with ground) - this can get a bit tight in the box. So my question is: can I pigtail with much more flexible stranded Silicone Electrical Wire ? If yes, what gauge ? I guess this wire is typically used in boat and auto jobs. It just seems this would make "stuffing" all that wire back into the box much easier to manage. It seems that stranded wire is approved by Code for residential work. Thought ? Thanks !
 
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Old 03-19-23, 04:04 PM
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The gauge of the tails should match the wire being used..... #14 or #12.
You'd need to check the wires voltage rating and make sure it's up to the task.

Not sure if stranded wiring should be used in Wago's.
I don't use them myself.
 
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Old 03-19-23, 04:23 PM
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Wago's are rated for stranded wire.
 
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Old 03-19-23, 04:57 PM
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You'll want to make sure the wire you use is UL listed and code approved for your area. No real need to go with silicone wire if you want stranded, you can get thhn stranded wire. Personally, I find stranded wire harder to work with in tight boxes because it is springy and doesn't want to stay put when pushed back into the box. Perhaps the real answer is to use the largest boxes you can and make sure you follow the guidelines for box volume and wire fill.
 
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Old 03-22-23, 10:12 AM
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The other issue with stranded wire is that it doesn't always play nicely when attaching to receptacles/switches via the screw terminals. You can get around it by using pressure-plate devices, but it adds additional cost that isn't always required.

The biggest thing you can do to optimally fit all the wires into the box is to practice folding them nicely. Many people just shove the wires in and it makes it hard. If you fold the wires in, grounds first, followed by connected wires, then the device wires, you can fit a lot more in smaller boxes. (within box fill requirements of course)

Lastly, I wouldn't use "non-standard" wire. While silicone wire may be appropriately rated, it will appear that it's a 'hack job'. I would always suggest using standard home wiring methods and materials whenever possible.
 
 

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