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Wago’s pull test

Baldyhugh
Hi all.

I've been using wago’s for a couple of years now and more recently the 221 series mainly on lighting circuits. As I do with all terminations, I do a gentle ‘pull test’ after connection which was drummed into me from apprenticeship days to check if the wire is securely held. I also do this with the wago’s but on occasion find that the wire will pull back slightly but not pull out. It can then be pushed forward again fully up into the terminal. I find that this happens more with solid conductors rather than stranded or flex. My query is, am I damaging the internal workings of the wago by carrying out this pull test? I like the reassurance of a pull test on terminations but should it be given a miss on wago’s?


thanks in advance
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    Thanks for that Chris. They all appear to have a blade/spring mechanism. Andy’s comment made me think that it was only the non lever types had a blade/spring and the lever types for example 221 series which I use worked in a different way. I was just curious that although they are pull tested on a test rig in the factory, under normal conditions when being used for real, the installer would be best not to pull each conductor for his/her own peace of mind. The thought being that they are sold as giving a known termination whereas a choc block connector For example is up to the installer to tighten to an acceptable torque. I for one give every termination I make a gentle pull test and never had any worries before as doing this will never weaken a screw on a neutral or earth bar in a CU for example but the spring/blade in a wago is designed for a set clamping force and trying to pull a cable out after insertion in a real installation could alter this.
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    I had in mind the older grey-bodied orange-lever types - which I though had a slightly different mechanism - more of a clamping effect rather than a blade - but I could be wrong.

      - Andy.
  • 0
    Having been late to the WAGO party I have only recently begun to use them. Uncertainty was introduced recently when conducting r1+r2 tests on a ring final whereby the socket fronts were substituted with wago grey with orange lever types for test purposes. The test readings end to end were wildly different, so much so that I shorted 2 ends at the board into the earth bar and went back socket by socket to test the end to end at each. I got steady and constant readings that way, so can only conclude that the wagos were a bit hit and miss.
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    Does anyone know why the solid and flex  sizes are shown in metric but the stranded are shown in American sizes? May seem a stupid question but does that rule out using European stranded cable if they state awg sizes?
  • 0
    Baldyhugh:

    Does anyone know why the solid and flex  sizes are shown in metric but the stranded are shown in American sizes? May seem a stupid question but does that rule out using European stranded cable if they state awg sizes?


    Where did you see that? In this data sheet: https://www.wago.com/gb/products/datasheets/Data_Sheet221-412_16.12.2020.pdf?product=221-412&lang=en both systems seem to be quoted for all types.

       - Andy.


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    whjohnson:

    Having been late to the WAGO party I have only recently begun to use them. Uncertainty was introduced recently when conducting r1+r2 tests on a ring final whereby the socket fronts were substituted with wago grey with orange lever types for test purposes. The test readings end to end were wildly different, so much so that I shorted 2 ends at the board into the earth bar and went back socket by socket to test the end to end at each. I got steady and constant readings that way, so can only conclude that the wagos were a bit hit and miss.


    I am surprised. Did you substitute the Wagos for the sockets 'cos they had USB port-saïd you needed to IR test the circuit?


    ETA: see what a mess my smell checker has made of "ports and"! I haven't been there since the First Gulf War. ?


  • 0
    Hi Andy 


    I was just reading it off the box. It shows the awg size beside the stranded cable but on closer inspection it  must relate to Both the solid and stranded Conductors and shows metric equivalent aswell. The way it is printed on the box is a bit misleading. Makes sense now when I see the actual data sheet. Thanks Andy
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    Chris -

    No, the sockets were not available to fit - Click brushed stainless range and wholesaler was out of them, so I thought I could at least get the testing done. New ring installed by myself a week before so all good. To begin with, I suspected dodgy cable but all was ok once I repeated the tests without the WAGOs. Had a similar problem with r1+ r2 on the new lighting cct too. readings swinging wildly, so much so that I thought my test leads or croc clips were dodgy. I swappped out the WGAO and went old school with a 15A screwed connector and all calmed down. - I use a Fluke 1520 ohm meter with IR range - no all-in-ones for me!
  • 0
    Chris Pearson:
    aligarjon:

    I only use the levers if i am connecting a flex as i have never been able to push one into the standard Wago without it just bending over.   If you need to get a smaller cable out of the standard Wago without  destroying it, so maybe to test.  If you push another core of the same size up along side it will pull out with a gentle wiggle if you are careful  (I have only tried it with 1.0mm)  


    Yes, I don't think that the ordinary ones are intended for flex, but there are the straight through ones for lighting with a sort of push button for release.


    I have just tried the second wire trick. It worked for 1.5 mm² and 1.0 mm², but the second wire tends to catch! However, if you use a scrap for the second wire, it can suffer a bit of abuse when you pull it out. 2 x 2.5 mm² doesn't fit. Another good tip! ?




    Funnily enough i only discovered it by doing the 'pull test' after trying to fit 2 conductors in the same terminal ,   :)



    Gary


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