When installing switches or outlets, of which I've done hundreds, I have always done the shepherd's hook around the screws in the correct clockwise direction. My understanding was that push-in connectors are for the lazy DIY-ers and no one wishing to look professional would ever use them.
But I note that the installation video for Jasco not only shows using the push-in connectors, they emphatically add "Do NOT wrap the wire around the screws".
about 1:40 in.
Interesting. OK. So after thinking about it, I now realize that the Jasco switches with screw clamps are indeed much more secure than the spring-tension push-in connectors that I've grown use to avoiding. I may be the last one on earth that realized that.
Most dumb switches have push in connectors which are spring loaded crimp connectors whereas most smart switches have holes by the screw terminals where you make sure the screw is loose and pushed in then put the wire in the whole and tighten the screw which will grab the wire rather than relying on spring tension. They hold really well as long as you make sure the screw is loose first and pushed in when inserting the wire. Just pull on each wire when done to make sure they all got behind the tension plate.
Yep. In addition to what tterk1 says, these are known as backwire and not backstab like dumb oultets are.
All the better outlets and switches are equipped this way. I paid nearly $1.50 per outlet for Pass and Seymore just because they were backwire. So called commercial grade outlets. They are so much better built and hold plugs so much nicer than the $0.49 builder grade stuff.
One thing I like a out the inovelli switches (not sure if the jasco are the same) but they have two holes in the back. So in a number of my boxes I was able to eliminate having to add an extra jumper wire and therefore freeing up more space in the box. It made a big difference in some of my locations.
Can you elaborate on what you mean here? Are you chaining the switches in a gangbox I'm series rather that having a all of them connecting together in a bundle of neutrals?
An example. If you have two neutrals in the box. Instead of adding in a jumper and connecting the 3 neutrals and taking up more space, just undo the neutrals and push them in the two holes.
I know i have done this as well...but i always try to tell myself that "a device is a device and never a splice"...an electrican drilled that into mt head back in the day...
I just want to clarify. You’re freeing up “physical space” not space in terms of the number of wires allowed inside a gang box. Whether they are chained or all twisted together, under NEC it’s the same number of wires.
Correct. In a few locations I just ripped out the box and put in a deeper one because no matter what I could do, everything wasn’t going to fit into it. You can only do so much.
With these smart switches you have to be creative (while still being safe). Regular switches are significantly smaller so they don’t have to fight with the space.
