Quick verdict
Three-piece screw-together connectors that tap a fixture lead onto a 12 to 16 gauge landscape cable without cutting, stripping or splicing: lay the main cable in the channel, lay the fixture wire beside it, screw the cap down and pins pierce both insulations to make the connection, sealed against water. One connector per light, no tools. They are the fast way to wire a run of path lights and the way most DIY systems are built. Pierce connectors must stay dry inside to last.
Strengths
- Connects a fixture to the main cable without cutting it
- No stripping, crimping or tools
- Waterproof sealed body for burial
- Fits 12 to 16 gauge main cable
- One connector per light, upgraded 2021 design
Weaknesses
- Pierce connections corrode if the seal is compromised
- Not for joining two main cables end to end
- Must be screwed fully down or the pins do not bite
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Wiring Lights the Fast Way
A run of path lights means a main cable from the transformer and a short lead from each fixture that has to join it. Cutting the cable at every light and splicing is slow and leaves a dozen weak points. Pierce connectors tap the lead onto the cable without cutting. SUNVIE’s Fastlock2 is a three-piece screw-down connector for 12 to 16 gauge cable: lay both wires in, screw the cap down and pins make the connection inside a sealed body.
This review is based on the maker’s specifications and on how pierce-type landscape connectors perform generally. We have not used these connectors ourselves.
Using Them
Open the connector, lay the main cable in the larger channel and the fixture lead in the smaller, close the halves and screw the cap down until it stops. The pins pierce the insulation of both wires and the body seals around them. No stripping, no tools, a minute per light. Owners of wired systems describe a run of twenty lights connected in half an hour.
Sealing and Reliability
A pierce connection lives or dies on keeping water off the pins. The sealed body does that when the cap is fully down and the connector is not reopened. Screw it to the stop, leave slack in the cable either side so nothing pulls on it, and bury it. Treated that way the connections last years; opened and reused, they corrode.
Polarity
Most 12 volt AC fixtures do not care which wire goes where. Some LED fixtures with polarised leads do; match the ribbed or marked wire on the cable to the matching wire on the fixture. The fixture instructions say.
What They Are Not For
Joining two main cables end to end or extending a run wants a proper in-line waterproof splice such as the Lenporl gel caps or a 5-way hub. Pierce connectors tap; they do not join.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone wiring a run of low voltage path or accent lights.
- DIYers who do not want to strip and splice at every fixture.
- Owners adding lights to an existing cable.
Common Owner Complaints
Connections that failed after a season, almost always from a cap not fully down or a reused connector. Screw to the stop; use fresh ones.
Technique Tips
Lay out all the fixtures and the main cable before connecting anything, so the cable runs straight past each light with a little slack at every connector. Press the fixture lead fully into its channel before closing; a lead that sits high gets missed by the pin. Test every light with the transformer on before burying the cable, and bury connectors a few inches down where a spade will not find them.
Alternatives to Consider
Gel-filled wire nuts for cut-and-splice connections. SUNVIE Fastlock3 5-way hubs for star wiring. Brass hub connectors for professional systems.
Verdict
For tapping fixtures onto a landscape cable, pierce connectors are the fast method and these seal well when used right. Screw them fully down, leave cable slack and never reopen one.
Full specifications
SUNVIE Fastlock2 Waterproof Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Wire Connectors for 12 to 16 Gauge Cable FAQs
Open the connector, lay the main cable in its channel and the fixture lead in the other, close and screw the cap down until it stops. Pins pierce both wires and the body seals around them.
For most 12 volt AC fixtures, no. For some LED fixtures with polarised leads, match the ribbed wire to the ribbed wire. Check the fixture instructions.
Yes, the body is sealed for direct burial. Keep the main cable slack at the connector so it is not strained.
Water reaching the pins. Screw them fully down, do not reopen and reuse them, and they last years.
