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Nicked THHN HELP

Just did a remodel and have been wiring up plugs and switches. Noticed in a couple of the receptacle boxes there are nicked THHNWires. In one case, a Neutral and in the other case a Hot. In both scenerios, it is nicked about

3" or so after it enters to box. One one case it is conduit and conceivable could be repulled. Pain though. In the other it is Romex and cannot be replaced within ripping a wall open. I could just cut it real short and pigtail with a wire nut but it makes me cry to cut them so short. I think I know the answer, but can I use heat shrink or pro grade tape and cover the nicks. BTW, bare metal is exposed in both nicks. Is there a permanent splice that is more reliable than a wirenut? I think this happened because they guy was using undersized boxes for homeruns and it is very crowded.
Reply to
Michael Roback
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Shrink tube it?

Reply to
Gfretwell

TRy Scotch 88 tape. Works everytime.

Reply to
Gerald Newton

Tape or heat shrink is probably your best bet as long as it is inside a jbox and not up in a conduit.

Wirenuts are pretty reliable connections as long as they are made up correctly and not in a high vibration environment. There are connectors you can get that look like wire nuts but that crimp together that make a better connection than a wire nut, but for home use, I'd go with a wire nut. I always tape the wires together under the wire nut after twisting them together just incase someone yanks on them.

Reply to
bob peterson

I never tape the wire-nuts, just in case I want to take them apart later ;-). I would not cut the wires short, leave it as a last solution. Heat shrink or tape is a ok since wires are in the boxes. BTW I hate THHN wire, it is so often improperly installed, it causes a lot of trouble. We had to replace probably around five hundred runs of THHN because it was deteriorating in the pipes and causing shorts in the conduits. I think it was combination of the lubricant used during the installation, water, pipes breathing, rust and concrete dust that got in to the pipes during the installation. That might make you feel better when applying heat shrink.

Art.

Reply to
art

Art - just curious - if you hate THHN, what do you use instead?

Reply to
Dwight Duckstein

RW90 it is, it needs bigger pipes and installation is more expensive over all, but as we found in the hard way, it pays off. We use other wire for inside wiring in cabinets (let it be even THHN, then we join them at the terminal strip), and from there RW90. If you have some other ideas I would like to hear them. Thanks. Art.

Reply to
art

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