Vent: I used to trust push-in connectors on everything until a house fire call

Man, I was that guy who used push-in connectors on every junction box for like 3 years straight. Thought they saved time and were just as good as screw terminals. Then last fall I got called to a house in Portland where a push-in had arced out inside a ceiling box, melted the wire nut and almost started a real fire. The homeowner said they heard popping for a week before calling. Now I only use push-in connectors on solid wire in lighting fixtures or ceiling fans, never on 12 or 10 gauge in walls or outlets. I strip and wrap everything else on the screw terminal with the loop going clockwise. Has anyone else had push-in connectors fail on them, or am I just paranoid now?

2 comments

2 Comments

abbyc3312d ago

Totally agree with your take on push-ins for anything but lights. I started switching back to Wagos after a similar close call, but only the lever style ones. The little orange clips you push wire into? No thanks. Had one on a 15 amp circuit in a basement start getting hot enough to discolor the plastic after a year. Now I just use lever nuts for everything 12 gauge and under, and if it's in a wall, I'm still going back to good old wire nuts and tape.

victor21912d ago

Last year I found a push-in connector in a junction box that had been there since the previous owner's remodel. The wire had actually started arcing inside the housing, left a little carbon track. Lucky it didn't start something worse. Now I keep a jar of old school wire nuts in my truck for any retrofit work. Lever Wagos are fine for service loops and lighting, but anything permanent gets the twist and tape treatment from me.