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I have the following pack of wire nuts: enter image description here

On the back of the package is information on the types of wire combinations it can be used with: enter image description here

The range is also specified at https://ecat.eleknet.com/PIM_Docs/Docs/STEP_ASSETS_PDF/13049461.pdf: enter image description here

How do I interpret these ranges? I can understand if it says min. (2) x #16, max (4) x #16. This means I can have 2 to 4 16 AWG wires in the nut. But when different wire gauges and types are mixed into the range, I'm not sure what to make of it.

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    the top of chart shows wire size and count ... it says min 4 wires, 2 #16 and 2 #18
    – jsotola
    Oct 30, 2020 at 3:06
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    @jsotola, what about 2 #14? What about 2 #12 or 3 #12? The chart doesn't address those even though they are likely to be the most common use. I agree that the chart is at minimum confusing, or maybe outright lame... or perhaps there is some esoteric secret knowledge that make mystical electricians able to interpret... Oct 30, 2020 at 5:03
  • I was thinking that, in which case it's more of a list of wire groupings than a range. Since it's drawn as a line, I was thinking electricians somehow intuit the values between the column tracks. I guess not, thanks! Oct 30, 2020 at 5:15
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    looking at the chart again ... i see an inconsistency at 1#14w/4#12
    – jsotola
    Oct 30, 2020 at 7:17

1 Answer 1

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You are not wrong. While Ideal makes great wire nuts, I have to agree those graphs are just junk. It's not really information that lends itself to a bar graph.

This document is available for US models and gives you the exact info you need:

https://www.idealind.com/content/dam/electrical/assets/WireTermination/WireConnectors/TwistOn/WireNut/UL%20ListedWireCombinations.pdf

Other brands have similar reference materials. Here is the section for the US equivalent, model 76B:

Ideal76B

That's more like it, right? But it's a lot to put on a label.

The picture in the question is a Canadian version of the wire nut (or would that be a marrette?) and I can't find an equivalent document for their Canadian product numbers. Ideal's web site was updated a while ago and is half useless.

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    That is a lot to put on a label, but on a label it is on all three boxen of wire nuts I have in the garage. I've had 'em there long enough that I could read it easily when I bought 'em and now need my "old man" glasses to make it out.
    – FreeMan
    Oct 30, 2020 at 11:31
  • That document is annoying. The wire nuts are color-coded, but they don't even bother listing colors?
    – jamesdlin
    Nov 25, 2020 at 0:48
  • Also, that document says things like "1 #8 w/1 or 3 #16". Am I supposed to interpret "1 or 3" to mean "1 through 3", or does it mean 1 #8 w/2 #16" is somehow not an acceptable combination?
    – jamesdlin
    Nov 28, 2020 at 8:53

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