Does anyone still use connector block..?

[Dustydazzler]

I still have loads of 5a & 15a screw connector block strips , I use the odd bit occasionally

just wondered if anyone else still buys & uses connector block or is it all Wagos now ?

 

[snowhead]

still use connector blocks on downlights. got to get rid of my stock of red and black insulating tape in time for the change to brown and blue.

If you wait long enough Tel, they'll have invented "Smart" tape, where it appears as whatever colour you'd expect to see on the joint.
One tape fits all, no need to mess with all the different rolls and changes in colours.

 

[Maji236]

Was that on copper or aluminum wire?

Copper. Very rare do I find the need to splice aluminum. Most aluminum here is just service wire or occasionally on 4/0 & up for feeder to a panel/subpanel.
[automerge]1599782879[/automerge]

I do not think that the clamping mechanism of a Wago connector 'invariably gives out.' They have been subject to strigent testing in the UK to qualify, when suitably enclosed and slightly de-rated, as maintenance-free under BS5733. I.e. a properly made Wago inline connection is expected to be so reliable that it can be embedded into the building fabric, never to be accessible again, without having a measurable impact on the reliability of the installation.

The point of any connection is to have low resistance throughout its life, while withstanding whatever influences it is intended to withstand (vibration, corrosion etc). The way in which a Wago achieves this is different to the way a wirenut achieves it. Significant understanding of connector technology (metallurgy, physics, chemistry) is needed to fully analyse how these differ and what their strengths and weaknesses are in different circumstances.

We are a bit phobic about wirenuts in the UK, without much good reason. We used them in the past, but went off them in the 1960s. I agree with you that a good electrician can make a sound connection between copper wires using a good and suitable wirenut, no problem. There are situations where I would prefer an alternative, which might be a Wago.

To be clear, they have come out with new products/better mechanism. This was my experience & stories from 20 years ago.

 

[pc1966]

Copper. Very rare do I find the need to splice aluminum. Most aluminum here is just service wire or occasionally on 4/0 & up for feeder to a panel/subpanel.

OK, I had wondered as I know the USA uses more of it than us.

In the UK it is practically only ever seen in LV systems on large supply cables, typically above 50mm CSA (about your 0 AWG size). In fact our wiring relations has the minimum CSA for using aluminium in fixed wiring as 16mm (about 5 AWG), compared to copper at 1mm (lighting circuits) or 1.5mm (power circuits).

 

[Maji236]

OK, I had wondered as I know the USA uses more of it than us.

In the UK it is practically only ever seen in LV systems on large supply cables, typically above 50mm CSA (about your 0 AWG size). In fact our wiring relations has the minimum CSA for using aluminium in fixed wiring as 16mm (about 5 AWG), compared to copper at 1mm (lighting circuits) or 1.5mm (power circuits).

Our outlet circuits are typically 15-20A so 14-12AWG or 2-3mm copper (nm cable is typical). We usually have a number of outlet circuits & some are dedicated. Always a "radial" circuit...

 

[pc1966]

Our outlet circuits are typically 15-20A so 14-12AWG or 2-3mm copper (nm cable is typical). We usually have a number of outlet circuits & some are dedicated. Always a "radial" circuit...

Those were the minimum allowed by our regs. Most socket outlets would be from 2.5mm (our 32A ring final circuit style) or 4mm (32A radial).

1.5mm would be only used for a single 13A socket or something like a 3kW immersion heater, but it is not uncommon to see it used for lighting circuits that are only 6A (even though the regs allow 1mm for that).