Wire Connector Selection Guide
Wire Connectors for Splicing: Wire Nuts, Lever, Push-In, and Crimp
This category is splicing wire connectors, the twist-on wire nuts, lever connectors, push-in connectors, and crimp splices an electrician goes through by the bag on a lighting job. If you are looking for board-level or harness-style component connectors, that is a different product family; everything here joins building wire inside boxes, fixtures, and outdoor splices.
The practical question is never "do I need wire connectors," it is "which type, in which AWG range, and how many." The chart below sorts that out, and because product pages show live stock status, in-stock items ship within 24 hours, and shipping is free on every order with no minimums, restocking the van mid-project does not require a supply-house run.
Connector Types Compared
| Type | Typical AWG Range | Conductors | Reusable | Best For |
|---|
| Twist-on wire nut | 22 to 10, by size | 2 to 5 or more, per package rating | Yes | Branch circuits, fixture hookups, the general-purpose standard |
| Push-in connector | 18 to 12, solid wire | 2 to 8 ports | Limited | Fast junction box work on solid conductors |
| Lever connector (Wago style) | 24 to 12, solid or stranded | 2, 3, or 5 ports | Yes | Mixing solid and stranded wire, rework, fixture whips |
| Crimp butt splice | 22 to 10, by color code | 2, in line | No | Vibration-prone and in-line joins where a permanent splice is wanted |
| Waterproof gel-filled | Per package rating | 2 or more | No | Landscape lighting, irrigation, and other wet or buried locations |
Two habits keep electrical connectors code-clean on a splice: match the connector's listed AWG range and conductor count to the actual splice (the range printed on the package governs, since color coding varies by manufacturer), and use connectors listed to UL 486C or an equivalent splicing standard. Lever connectors have earned their place on lighting work specifically because fixture whips are stranded and building wire is solid; a lever connector clamps both reliably where a push-in only accepts solid.
Buying in Contractor Quantities
Electrical wire connectors are a consumable, and per-piece cost drops fast when you buy by the box instead of the blister pack. A crew roughing a lighting retrofit will burn through hundreds of connectors in a week, so it pays to stock the two or three sizes that cover your typical splices (a 14 and 12 AWG general-purpose nut plus a 3-port lever handles most fixture work) and keep waterproof connectors on the truck for exterior calls. With no order minimums and free shipping, topping up a single box costs the same per unit as a bulk order.
Stocked Alongside the Rest of the Rough-In
Live inventory on every product page shows what can ship now, and in-stock items ship within 24 hours, so connectors can ride along with the fixtures they will wire. Pick up bulk wire and cords in the same order, house the splices in electrical boxes and fittings, and find switches and dimmers under controls and devices. Not sure which connector a spec calls for? Ask through the QuickShipLights support portal.
