12 Tips for Easier Home Electrical Wiring

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Next, walk along the length of the cable, straightening it as you go. The electricians we talked to prefer this method because they can keep the cable contained in the plastic wrapper for easier handling and neater storage.

Pulling plastic-sheathed cable through holes in the framing is a lot easier if you straighten the cable out first. The trick is to lift a handful of coils (four loops will reach about 12 ft.) from the center of the roll, and toss them across the floor as if you’re throwing a rope.

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Family Handyman

Pack Electrical Boxes Neatly

If you’ve done much wiring, you’ve probably run into the issue of an overstuffed electrical box. Here’s how to ensure a neat and compact box.

First, gather all the bare ground wires along with a long pigtail and connect them. Fold them into the back of the box, leaving the pigtail extended.

Next, do the same for the neutral wires. If you’re connecting switches (as shown here) you don’t need a neutral pigtail. Leave the hot wire extra long and fold it back and forth across the bottom of the electrical wire box.

Put a wire connector cap on the hot wire to identify it. The neatly packed box makes it easy to identify the wires and leaves you plenty of room for switches.