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Just realized I was tightening terminal screws wrong for 15 years
A retired electrician at a diner in St. Louis told me I should back the screw off three turns before inserting the wire, and I have not had a single loose connection on a range or dryer since.
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the_taylor2d ago
Man that hits close to home... I learned the same way after dealing with a loose dryer connection that kept tripping the breaker every few months. An old timer at the hardware store showed me that exact trick and it's wild how something so simple can make such a difference. Always figured you just crank those screws down tight as possible... nope, that's what causes problems down the line. Feels like everyone learns these little secrets the hard way, you know?
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linda_dixon492d ago
Wait, has anyone actually checked if those little plastic wire guides on the back of the appliance terminals are snapped in the right way? lol I spent years blaming my own tightening technique, then realized the stupid little plastic tab was preventing the screw from getting a full bite on the wire. Took a pair of pliers to snap it off clean and suddenly all my connections held tight. These appliances are built so cheaply now that half the time the screw itself is made of softer metal than it should be too. I've seen brand new dryers where the threads strip out just from normal tightening because the manufacturer skimped on materials. Sometimes it's not even your technique that's the problem, it's the junk they're selling us.
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