Common Options

Strip just enough wire to wrap around the terminal -- about 3/4 inch. Then form it into a loop using needle-nose or lineman's pliers. It takes practice to make loops that lie flat and are neither too big nor too small.

Hook the wire clockwise around the terminal so that tightening the screw will close the loop. With receptacles, the black wires go to the brass side, white to silver. Tighten firmly, but don't overtighten, which can damage the device. If you do crack a device in any way, throw it out.

A few codes require that splices be soldered. More often, soldering house wiring is prohibited. If you need to solder a splice, start by twisting the wires together. Heat the wires with a soldering iron, then touch lead-free, rosin-core solder to the splice. The solder should melt into the splice.

To complete a splice of two or more wires, use wire connectors. These come in a variety of sizes. Select the size you need depending on how many wires you will connect as well as the thickness of the wires (see the chart at the end of this section). Wire connectors firm up the splice and protect bare wires better than tape. First twist the wires firmly together. Do not depend on the connector to do the joining. Twist the wire connector on, turning it by hand until it tightens firmly. As a final precaution, wrap the connector clockwise with electrical tape, overlapping the wires.