# Halo can lights



## wyoming 1 (May 7, 2008)

I picked up a Halo can the other day and it has plastic things on the end of the wires. It appears to work like a quick wire outlet with the wires held in place by springs. When I used to work for an electrician we were never allowed to quick wire outlets because we did a lot of service calls where the springs would go bad and lose contact. So my question is are these a good idea or snip them off and use wire nuts?


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## TxElectrician (May 21, 2008)

I cut them off and use wire nuts. 

Many will disagree with me and say that is not needed, but I have not had a problem using wirenuts.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

TxElectrician said:


> I cut them off and use wire nuts.


Same here.


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## Bkessler (Oct 8, 2005)

I have no problem using them. I see more service calls from people not tightening screws down on plugs than wires popping out of the profit holes.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

rselectric1 said:


> same here.


x3.


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## Creter (Oct 13, 2009)

I cut loose and wire nut as well.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Haters....I love WAGOS.

















That should really set a few people off.....:shifty:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Inner10 said:


> Haters....I love WAGOS...........


I love 'em too.


I really enjoy the sound they make when they hit the floor.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

480, honestly speaking...now I know this doesn't refer to your work necessarily but in your day to day activities how many failures have you had from the following:

- A Wago failing

- A connection fail due to someone getting a lousy twist connecting a flimsy 16 AWG stranded wire onto a 12 or 14 solid with a wire nut.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

The first time I encountered Wagos is a house full of can lights (78, if I recall) with them pre-installed.

During trim, I spent an entire day tracking down 9 failed connections. "New & improved" isn't always true.

Wagos have been dumpster fodder for me ever since.



Failed wire nut connections? I know you won't believe it, but I only have knowledge of one.

I keep that melted wire nut as a reminder.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

I deal with mostly stranded wire and I've never had a bad push-connector, the only time they are trouble is if you use the wrong size of wire or don't strip enough insulation off.

Now I've had about a dozen bad wire nut jobs all from the same installer. He would put in alarm system, solder the commons and smoke wires into a big ball and then try to twist on a Marette. After he crammed the bees nest into the can the nut would pop-off and the wires would short out on the board. I now cut the solder ball and joint with a Ideal can-twist nut or a chocoblock.

I feel bad for you gents state-side, these nuts are the cat's meow:


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## wyoming 1 (May 7, 2008)

Thanks Guys, I did cut them off but was just wondering if I was old school. For me the first thing I was taught when connecting a fixture is give the wire a tug to make sure the wire nut bit in. 
For you guys that use wagos do you use them when making up your boxes (outlets, switches ect)


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

I use Wagos on a case by case basis. If it's only going to be a 2-3A load, I don't have a problem with it. Much more, I feel better with wire nuts--though I have to agree with Inner; overall I've seen more bad connections with wire nuts that with Wagos (actually, zero with Wagos).

It's essentially the same argument as backstabbing receptacles, with the difference being that receptacles are much more likely to get abused with "unexpected" high-current loads.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Tinstaafl said:


> ...........-though I have to agree with Inner; overall I've seen more bad connections with wire nuts that with Wagos .............


Only because Wagos are the new kids on the block.

I'll bet you've also seen more old roofs fail than new ones, too.


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## Bkessler (Oct 8, 2005)

480sparky said:


> Only because Wagos are the new kids on the block.
> 
> I'll bet you've also seen more old roofs fail than new ones, too.


I think you just got a bad batch, I've got probably 300 cans out there with wago's. I like them for cans and troffers. What's your brp? (being right percentage)


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## William James (Mar 5, 2010)

20-20. 100%
:whistling


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

480sparky said:


> Only because Wagos are the new kids on the block.
> 
> I'll bet you've also seen more old roofs fail than new ones, too.


Non-sequitur. I've seen bad wire nut connections on brand new circuits; never a bad Wago. Granted, there's not much excuse for fouling up a wire nut connection, but it does happen.


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

TxElectrician said:


> Many will disagree with me and say that is not needed, but I have not had a problem using wirenuts.


And I have not had one problem with them since they have been coming that way. 

These splices are ABSOLUTELY NOT the same as a backstab receptacle. Wago and Ideal have been selling these splices for years now with an almost flawless track record. 

I have seen many melted wire nuts.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Bkessler said:


> I think you just got a bad batch, I've got probably 300 cans out there with wago's.


Just 300 cans? Cripes, I've probably got more like 10,000 out there.





Bkessler said:


> What's your brp? (being right percentage)


I'm right 100% of the time.... didn't you know that?:jester:


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Tinstaafl said:


> Non-sequitur. I've seen bad wire nut connections on brand new circuits; never a bad Wago. Granted, there's not much excuse for fouling up a wire nut connection, but it does happen.



Apparently you don't understand.

The reason you see more bad wire nut connections is simply due to the fact that _there's more of them out there_.

By your logic, there are no auto accidents in Paris, France, because you've never seen an auto accident in Paris, France.


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