How to Connect Wires With an Electrical Pigtail

With this little piggy, you won’t have to go to market 

Electrician with screwdriver
Photo: Kurhan / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
Electrician with screwdriver
Photo: Kurhan / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate
COMPLETION TIME
30 minutes
COST
Up to $25
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
  • Circuit tester
  • Lineman’s pliers
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Screwdriver
  • Wire cutter
SUPPLIES
  • Scrap wire
  • Wire nut

Pigtail wire may sound like something Pippi Longstocking used to create her iconic braids, but an electrical pigtail is actually a common household item. Pigtail connections are most frequently used to ground a switch or electrical outlet and for electrical devices that need to connect to multiple circuit wires. They also come in handy to lengthen circuit wires that are too short to reach a device. A pigtail is composed of three strands of wire (neutral, ground, and hot) that bridge a device connector and an electrical receptacle. 

Prepping to Make a Pigtail Connection

While working with electricity always involves some risk, making an electrical pigtail is a relatively simple project requiring very few supplies. The best way to ensure your safety is to make sure you understand each step of the process before beginning and to be in a state of mind that allows you to carefully attend to the details of the instructions. 

One crucial safety measure when making your own pigtail is that you must cut your scrap lengths from the same types of wire in the circuit. Electrical wires are color coded to easily identify the proper kind. Before getting started on the project, confirm that you’ve got six-to-eight-inch lengths each of live wire, neutral wire, and ground wire.

  1. Turn the Power Off at the Circuit

    Man turning off electricity
    Photo: Gregory_DUBUS / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

    When it comes to DIY electrical projects, safety is paramount. As with any other electrical repair, the first step in making a pigtail connector is to ensure that all power has been cut from the circuit you’re working with. Don’t chance it; after flipping the switch on your service panel, use a simple non-contact circuit tester to confirm that the flow has really stopped. All you need to do is bring the sensor on your tester to each one of your circuit wires; if it lights up while touching any one of them, the circuit power is still on.

  2. Cut the Wires

    Man installing power outlet
    Photo: alexandrumagurean / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

    You can cut the lengths needed for your pigtail connection from any scrap cable of the same color and gauge as the circuit wires. It’s very important to match the gauge so that you don’t exceed the maximum ampacity and to match the colors of the PVC casing on the electrical wires so that you’re not mixing neutral wires (white), ground wires (green or unsheathed copper), and live wires (red or black). 

    With the wire cutter, cut your three pigtail lengths. For safety, and to stay in line with the National Electrical Code, each wire used in a pigtail must be a minimum six inches long. Use your wire stripper to cut back three-quarters-of-an-inch of the insulating PVC. On some devices, you can find a strip gauge that will show you the exact length to strip back.

  3. Attach the Pigtail Wires to the Device

    Man holding pliers
    Photo: Vadym Plysiuk / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

    With needle-nose pliers, loop one bare copper end of the wire, moving in a clockwise direction, around the device’s screw terminal. Even if your switch includes a push-in wire connection, opt for the screw terminal to ensure a secure, long-term connection. Using a screwdriver, tighten the screw until it’s secure, with the exposed wire wrapped snugly around the screw shaft, leaving no bare copper visible.

  4. Braid the Pigtail and Make the Connection

    Electrician mounting wires on the wall
    Photo: ReaLiia / Adobe Stock

    After one end of the pigtail has been connected to your device, use lineman’s pliers to twist together the bare end of the pigtail wires with the circuit wires, turning in a clockwise direction. Once secure, screw on your wire nut, once again moving clockwise. Confirm that no bare wire remains exposed and tug each end of the wire to make sure the connection is secure.

  5. Clean Up and Restore Power

    Electric outlet installation
    Photo: welcomia / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

    Once the connection has been made, tuck any slack wires into the receptacle, and secure your device in its place. Re-mount the cover plate and secure any screws that had been removed. Then turn the circuit power back on and test your device. 

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro 

As long as you’ve already got tools, making your own pigtail is practically free, and it’s an efficient means of quickly solving your own electrical problem. If you’re at all comfortable with doing your simple electrical, it’s a project within easy reach. There are, of course, lots of good reasons to avoid DIY electrical projects altogether. If you’d rather minimize the risk, or just skip the hassle, you can also hire a local electrician. The job takes less than an hour, so anticipate paying just the minimum call-out fee offered by the electrician—typically between $65 and $150.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can make a pigtail with either thermoplastic high-heat-resistant nylon-coated (THHN) wire or non-metallic (NM) cable, often referred to as “Romex.” Each pigtail requires a neutral wire, a ground wire, and a live wire. The gauge of your pigtail wires must match the gauge of those on the device. 

A pigtail is the only safe way to connect an electrical device to more than one circuit wire. Connecting multiple wires to a single screw terminal is extremely dangerous and must never be done. Many electricians will opt for pigtails even when there are multiple screw terminals available so that the device in question won’t halt the flow of downstream current when a problem arises. 

Even in cases where a pigtail is not required for safety or to meet code requirements, or there is no risk of losing downstream current, there are advantages to pigtails. Making a pigtail often takes less time and effort than the alternatives. They also take up much less space in the electrical box. 

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