Thoughts on WAGO connectors

[Chainbreaker]

Maybe people don't like Wago because they can't put tape on them. I don't know who started the habit of taping wire nuts but please, cut it out.

Funny you should mention the practice of taping wire nuts... Many years ago (30+) I was having a security system installed in a newly constructed house I had just purchased In Huntsville Alabama where I had relocated to for a nice job promotion. The guy installing the security system was using black electrical tape to secure each & every wire nut. Once he twisted nuts on, he very methodically went around each wire nut & ran tape down & twisted it onto the wire insulation itself.

I thought it was a bit odd & "somewhat anal" and questioned him on the practice. He told me his outfit did it for "earthquake reliability". I guess the thought was you don't want the wire nut vibrating off during an earthquake. However, I think there are a lot more concerns to truly prep for an earthquake but it kind of made sense at the time. But earthquakes in Huntsville, AL ???

 

[87cr250r]

I do quite a bit of electrical work from time to time. My industry isn't very regulated, oddly. There isn't exactly code but there are standards. The standards do explain how to do things correctly and is simple. IEEE 45 is our most relevant standard. Everybody tapes cables where they strip them to break out the wires. I think the seasoned electricians do it because they're used to working on armored/shielded and you're supposed to isolate the shield from ground in most cases. The hacks cut into the inner insulation and tape off the transition to cover their tracks. As the person that also qualifies/accepts the work, I am cheap and lazy. I don't want to do anything extra and I don't want to pay you to do it either. I don't like seeing tape for anything but repair.

 

[G744]

Tape has a correct place in electrical work:

Coding black wires for phase, neutral, or ground.

Also to change another wire color on both ends if necessary.

 

[87cr250r]

A stripe at the end is all I want to see. IEEE45 cables are often not color coded by usual standards (red is ground for single phase AC) but will have a number and the color printed in letters on the wire. I guess this isn't enough so many will tape the entire length of the exposed wire. I hate paying for this.

 

[G744]

^ This.