Ideal is a maker of electrical connectors and hand tools, and on many jobs its name is shorthand for the products crews buy from it most: twist-on connectors, wire strippers, pulling lube and testers. A bag of Ideals means connectors and a pair of Ideals means strippers, depending on context. Its color-coded connector sizes, from small gray and blue up through orange, yellow and red, are what most electricians mean when they name a wire nut by color.
Grab me a bag of red Ideals for the feed-through splices and a bag of greens for the grounds.
Do not mix it up with
- Wago: Wago connectors clamp wires with springs or levers; Ideal is best known for twist-on connectors.
Related terms
Wire nut
Twist-on connector with a tapered spring inside, used to splice two or more wires together in a box.
Wago
Brand name used for push-in and lever-style splice connectors that clamp wires without twisting.
Yellow 77
Wire-pulling lubricant named for a familiar yellow brand, smeared on conductors to cut friction in conduit.