If you have an electrical box with wiring that is too short to make electrical connections to outlets, switches or even another junction box, you will need to add 'pigtails' to the wiring in order to lengthen the wiring so you can use it. When a wire run is just short of reaching its intended terminal, extending it requires precision and approved methods to maintain the circuit's integrity and safety. Electrical connections are potential points of failure, and a poorly executed splice can lead to increased resistance, overheating. While the idea of extending electrical wiring can seem complex, it's based on a few core principles: shutting off the power, using the right materials, and making every connection inside a protective junction box. A 'pigtail' is simply an extension that is added to a piece. So, what happens when you go to change a device and the wires are just too short? There are generally two ways to fix this: Sometimes you can loosen the box connector at the back of the box and pull more wire out. You might be able to get some extra slack, strip it, and make your connections. Here is how to address this problem.
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