Electrician Pro Tip: Working With Stranded Wire

In this video, we're going over how to terminate stranded wire to a device's set screw.

[martinoliver]

68 years old and tis is the best explanation I have ever had!

[larrymargaretsmith]

Retired Electrician 78 years old now. Wish I would of watched your video many years ago, I would of had many more better looking and safer connections. Thank you for taking the time to make a good video.

[stackofiasco]

Love you man. Spent some cold dark hours screwing up this task for lack of a pro tip. Thank you very much.

[mugen-mundo]

Watching the screw clamp down on the stranded wire without fraying was super satisfying. Always used solid wire pigtails now I know it is possible to do a clean install with multi wire . Thanks for the tip.

[stevenmarcus]

Thank you so much! Like others who have commented, I've been struggling with this issue and have been toying with the idea of soldering the wire ends, probably not a legal or safe way to fix wires before attaching to the receptacle/outlet; and the idea of using ferrules--also unsure if they are legal for home electrical wiring. This is prefect, legal, safe, and simple. Brilliant!

[tommyc]

I like it. As a boater I am constantly working with stranded wire, even the 120v circuits. This makes more sense to me than crimping spade terminals.

[brianjmortensen]

The best solutions are sometimes the simplest.
Thank you for illustrating this technique !

[nathanielfarley]

I’m in electrical trade school and I’ve been struggling to find out how to wire with stranded because without twisting it or anything, a few of the strands will stick out and it’ll be a bad termination. I really appreciate this video and I’ll probably try it sometime and see if I can get a hang of it

[MrReese]

Usually don’t comment on here, even less often on these types of videos, BUT! With this tip, I have to drop in and say thanks for the video and the tip!

[BaghaShams]

Exactly what I was looking for. I couldn't figure out how to keep the strands from slipping out of the screw. I pinched them with the end of my wire stripper and it worked perfectly 👍

[martinrubin]

sure wish I'd seen this before I stripped the wires. Excellent way to make the connection easily without struggling with stray wires escaping out from under the terminal screw.

[tomkearns]

very neat way to attach stranded wire. I was struggling with sprayed wire under the screw doing it like the wire was solid.

[aking]

Thank you for sharing. I have always struggled with stranded wire terminations.

[DominicBHaven-qmnx]

I'm DYI hack and i had to replace a GFCI outlet in my kitchen. The wire in the outlet box is stranded and i struggled to form it around the terminal screws without breaking the strands. I have two other GFCI outlets to replace and will use your suggestion next time. I was going buy some fork terminals, but this sounds like a better and cheaper method. Thanks for the tip. 😊

[RDZ]

Another way to avoid altogether is to pigtail with a solid and use the solid to terminate to the device

[FixItWithMe]

This video earned my subscription!! Love this trick!!

[iamreiver]

This is an excellent technique. Thank you for sharing.

[bozerbrett]

Thanks for sharing and getting right to it without all the fluff.

[nearthound]

How wonderfully practical and simple! Thanks so much!!

[forgetfgdfc]

Great! - by twising the wire counter clockwise you don't undo it when tightening the screw clockwise