To Bend or not to Bend

[Burnt Fingers]

Is it current practice to bend the bare copper back on itself when making a connection to a screw terminal, eg in light fittings or 13A sockets?

It is in Network connections where a POTS Cable is terminated to a screw fitting NTE 5, but I thought this was to encourage breakage and later a call to BT. ooo sarcastic.

 

[pushrod]

That's nonsense. And technically bad practice.
What say you carried out an installation in this way, and the cable popped out of the terminal. When you do the required initial verification to commission the installation, this fault will not become apparent. Of course it would show up if you were to go around every point and carry out a polarity test, however that is not a requirement at the moment.

On a side note.... When you twist a solid conductor you will need to use a tool (pliers for example). In doing this, the twisting action will result in straining of the solid conductor and also stretching. This will furthermore cause a slight reduction in the conductors csa at this point..... This is exactly what I remember my old tutor telling me about this subject.

Hi Widdler not my view point - i'm entirely neutral (no pun intended) just saying what i was told and looking for the best way of doing things. I take your point about putting strain on the conductors. Interestingly i was also told that on an initial verification you would check all sockets and that only on a PIR would you just sample them