# Wiring splices **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248 "2020-08-04T12:53:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/41 "2020-08-07T03:45:06Z")
Tape on wire nuts is a bad omen for me. Its completely unnecessary for a properly made joint, if someone found it necessary I’m going to assume it wasn’t made properly. I hate tape wrap on plugs too. As to soldering building wiring I’ve never done it. May have seen one or two soldered connections in the wild but not many. With today’s connector options I dont see why anyone would. I’ve seen lots of old Buchanan type crimp and cap connections in residentials from the 50s that look like wirenuts. The soldered connections were in K&T, threaded pipe, or crimp connected emt installations which I guessed to be from the 1940’s and earlier. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/42 "2020-08-07T12:14:03Z")
> [@K2500](#): > > Tape on wire nuts is a bad omen for me. Its completely unnecessary for a properly made joint, if someone found it necessary I’m going to assume it wasn’t made properly. I hate tape wrap on plugs too Or whoever did it is just “belt and suspenders.” ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/43 "2020-08-07T21:37:58Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I have never seen electrical tape wrapped on a pigtail with a wire nut. Tape instead of the cable ties mentioned above. I’ve never seen cable ties (although it sounds like a good idea). ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/44 "2020-08-07T23:13:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There is a Holy War on the subject of pre-twisting. No… you want a holy war? _In which direction should a standard receptacle be installed?_ ---
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/45 "2020-08-08T00:57:16Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > Or whoever did it is just “belt and suspenders.” How could I trust a man who couldn’t trust his own pants. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/46 "2020-08-08T01:47:25Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > No… you want a holy war? > > _In which direction should a standard receptacle be installed?_ With the ground pin on the bottom as Sir Issac Newton intended! Anything other is an abomination! ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/47 "2020-08-08T02:11:38Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I have never seen electrical tape wrapped on a pigtail with a wire nut > [@K2500](#): > > Tape on wire nuts is a bad omen for me My dad would connect the wires with a wire nut, and then add a few wraps of electrical tape around the nut and last inch or so of wire after to keep the wire nut from unscrewing or working loose. I doubt there was any real danger of that happening, but I’m not seeing any danger in the practice. ---
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/48 "2020-08-08T05:08:04Z")
There’s no danger in the practice at all. There is some danger to be had from a wire nut working loose, but thats a thing that shouldn’t occur with a properly installed wirenut. My point was that there’s no reason to take that “just to be sure” action unless you just weren’t sure, which is a red flag to me when I show up becuase things weren’t working and everything is covered in “just to be sure” tape. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/49 "2020-08-08T13:26:52Z")
I like the idea of taping the wire nut assembly. I don’t do it myself, but then I don’t do a lot of wiring. But as a teen working on industrial wiring I used to see it more often. Nothing is 100% certain. I’ve taken things apart and found cracked wire nuts. And taping would prevent stray strands from wandering into the conductive recesses of the assembly. If electrical fires just weren’t a thing, I could understand disparaging this practice. But if somebody invited me to magically add tape wrapping throughout my house at the press of a button, I’d probably pay $100 for the privilege. What’s the harm? Can we really be sure that mightn’t save us some day? ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/50 "2020-08-08T21:47:12Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > > [@gotpasswords](#): > > > > No… you want a holy war? > > > > _In which direction should a standard receptacle be installed?_ > > With the ground pin on the bottom as Sir Issac Newton intended! Anything other is an abomination! I like what was done in our current house - all outlets with the ground pin on the bottom, except for outlets controlled by a wall switch which are ground pin up. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/51 "2020-08-08T23:06:43Z")
Outlets should be installed in the same direction as the toilet paper. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/52 "2020-08-09T01:02:49Z")
The electrician who wired my house was a devotee of the “save the nuns” school of electricity. And I hate them that way. I’ve rotated most as the occasion arose. I’d purchased some cover plates that incorporate LED night lights into the cover. If the receptacle has the ground pin up, the light faces the ceiling instead of the floor. They only fit if the ground pin is down. Evidently the folks who manufacture aftermarket products expect the ground pin to be down. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/53 "2020-08-09T02:01:22Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > Evidently the folks who manufacture aftermarket products expect the ground pin to be down. Australia is Ground Pin Down. It means the ground pin is less likely to be the first pin disconnected if something falls on or stands on the cord. China standardized more recently. Ground Pin is Up. It means that if something falls between the plug and the socket, it will hit the ground pin instead of a live pin. Australia caught up. The fixed end of the active/neutral blades is now required to be insulated. It means if something falls between the plug and the socket, it doesn’t hit the live part of a pin, even though the plug/socket is installed the way we used to think was best, ground down. (There are a /lot/ of the old style non-insulated-blade plugs around, I don’t know what exceptions there are, except that it certainly doesn’t apply to pre-existing plugs) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/54 "2020-08-11T01:05:57Z")
I’ve been soldering since I was about 14. As a working cameraman, I’ve had to save the day by soldering and/ or crimping video wiring on set. While working on an invention about 2 years ago, a colleague placed a [Wago connector](https://www.wish.com/product/5d2ec5589a83fd38350e648f?hide_login_modal=true&from_ad=goog_shopping&_display_country_code=US&_force_currency_code=USD&pid=googleadwords_int&c=%7BcampaignId%7D&ad_cid=5d2ec5589a83fd38350e648f&ad_cc=US&ad_lang=EN&ad_curr=USD&ad_price=12.62&campaign_id=7203534630&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsYLXgfqR6wIVkI3ICh12uw3tEAQYAyABEgL7d_D_BwE&share=web) into my hand. Changed my life. Certainly changed the design of the invention. For the power-only needs of this device, Wago was the way to go. Cold solder joints. Man…many bad stories. Learning to solder includes learning which solder to use when, how to use and clean the iron tip, etc. A lost art as far as I can tell. I have never encountered soldered wiring in a home of any kind. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/55 "2020-08-11T01:07:33Z")
> [@K2500](#): > > > [@jz78817](#): > > > > Or whoever did it is just “belt and suspenders.” > > How could I trust a man who couldn’t trust his own pants. Made me snort my tonic water. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248/56 "2020-08-12T02:05:38Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > I have never encountered soldered wiring in a home of any kind. I’ve seen soldered earth wires in old wiring. Not line splices as described in the OP, but soldered, and in a home. And of course soldered phone terminations in apartments. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-splices/917248.md?page=2)