Home Wiring

[Matt Wilson]

I'm adding some outlets and a switch to my garage, and making the connections using junction boxes in the attic. When twisting the ends of the wires with my lineman's pliers (before putting the wire nuts on), I boogered up some of the wires pretty good. The pliers have rough, serrated jaws, and this seems unavoidable on the soft copper wires. I'm a little concerned over these nicks, because I've read on some forums that nicks can lead to broken wires over time. So now I'm getting concerned and wonder if I should re-do them.

Also, I wasn't using my head, and on one set of wires, I twisted them in the wrong direction (opposite the nut tightening direction), then I un-twisted them, straightened them out with the lineman's pliers (which added more nicks and gouges) and re-twisted them correctly. Those wires are now cold-worked and more brittle, possibly making them more sensitive to gouges.

How big a deal is this? Do I need to cut off the nicked parts and start over? How do I avoid this to begin with, since lineman's pliers cause this kind of damage? I want to pre-twist the wires, rather than just relying on the nut to do it. Surely electricians must run into this.

Thanks!

[Gordon Maney]

Do a twist longer than you need and cut off the damaged part you grasped, or use pliers that don't do that.

Most often I have not twisted at all, just screw on the wire nut. [I have twisted grounds.]

[Matt Wilson]

Thanks, Gordon. Yes, that is what I should have done. I can still do that, as I have enough extra wire outside each junction box. I am contemplating this, and it would put my mind at ease. I tend to worry about stuff like this.

[Matt Wilson]

I decided to go back and snip off the damaged parts of the wires, strip the insulation, re-twist, snip off the damage created by the re-twisting, then re-install the wire nuts. It all looks good now, and I feel better about it all. Thanks for the input, Gordon. Now it's on to installing the receptacles and switch in the garage itself. That should be like a piece of cake compared to navigating the attic (stepping on only the joists and working in less than optimal light conditions).....as long as I don't screw something up.

[Gordon Maney]

Run a lighting circuit up to your attic and install a few lights and a switch. Consider adding a couple of catwalk boards.

For future use.

[Matt Wilson]

Run a lighting circuit up to your attic and install a few lights and a switch. Consider adding a couple of catwalk boards.

For future use.

The attic has a light circuit (and a working light), and I even took a drop light and a halogen lamp on extension cords up there, but even so, the lighting is less than optimal. But then, I'm picky.