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I was trying to install a ceiling fan in my apartment and came across these connectors when removing the light. What is this and how do I take it off?

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It's a push-in wire connector, like these from Ideal.

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The wire should come out without too much difficulty; grip the connector firmly in one hand, then pull the wire with the other.

The instructions for the Ideal connectors that I linked to say:

7. In order to remove a wire, pull and twist the wire back and forth.

Since you're installing a new light fixture, this is also relevant:

6. Connector is reusable on solid wires of the same wire gauge or larger. If reusing connector, cut and re-strip conductor.

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I tried pulling, didn't work. Do you have to pull really hard? – riotburn Dec 28 '12 at 20:43
It takes some force, as they wouldn't be much use if they came off too easily. See this question and this blog post for more information. – Niall C. Dec 28 '12 at 20:48
the blog talks about a release mechanism, how do I get to that? – riotburn Dec 28 '12 at 21:06
There's nothing to get to; he's talking about pulling the wire while twisting it a little. Note: you may not have the exact same make or model of connector. – Niall C. Dec 28 '12 at 22:28
2  
I hate spring connectors. Cut it off and use a good ol' reliable wire nut instead. Way more surface area making the actual connection has to be a good thing. – bcworkz Dec 29 '12 at 0:43
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