Using terminal blocks within a CU

[ackbarthestar]

The trouble with soldered joints is they dont really have a raited current! A bit of oil/ crap on the joint and it may look ok but wont draw any current. Do you lay the conductors end to end? or side by side? If side by side do we solder a one inch joint or longer? whats the current carrying capacity of 2 x 2.5mm solid core conductors soldered side by side an inch long?? Does it allow greater current carrying capacity if layed 2" side by side and soldered? What if theres crap in the joint? do we derate the joint by X factor??

Block or conector, solder and theres two many varibles.. (A Electronics hobiest (i know a dry joint when i see one))

Making a solder joint with solder alone is a no..no..

electrician's solder goes soft at 160 deg C, which means under a fault condition it may melt at that instant and fall apart,

We were taught to loop the two conductors to be joined and then either pinch or twist the ends, then solder. You are now guaranteed that when the solder melts, if it does, your joint won't fall apart......

 

[Engineer54]

The solid core crimping saga again, dear oh dear!! The use of good crimps with a decent crimping tool (my preference is always to use bare crimps over-sheathed with two layers of heat-shrink) and you'll have a perfectly suitable trouble free joint!! Over the years i've seen literary hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of crimped solid core cables be they butt or terminal crimps types. The only failures i've ever seen or known were due to operator error, not the crimped connections themselves!!


Said it before and i'll say it again, i'm NOT a lover of the coloured PVC butt/through crimps, i'd rather see the heat shrinkable insulated crimps being used, if your intent on using insulated crimps...

 

[Midwest]

Can't see an issue either, using crimps. After all, correct me if I'm wrong, isn't that what Waggo's are effectively?

 

[pmf]

Hi Guys

First time poster. I would go down the insulated crimp and heat shrink route all day long.

 

[IanHug]

All this to avoid not wiring in numbered order?

Is there a reg that says you must wire in order? And would anyone trust someone to have done this without checking anyway?

 

[Guitarist]

Can't see an issue either, using crimps. After all, correct me if I'm wrong, isn't that what Waggo's are effectively?

No, Wagos are a constant pressure sprung connector. The problem with crimps is that all copper will "move" when electricity flows through it (which is why you will find what was a tight connection on a switch or socket has become loose a few years later), and if this occurs within a crimped connector then contact can be lost. With multistrand cable, this doesn't occur, as the strands have been displaced to a point where movement is negligible.
All that said, provided the crimp is fixed with a good quality ratchet tool, and the cable either side is supported with heatshrink (preferably adhesive lined), then you will find that the connection will usually give years of service.

 

[telectrix]

just received some butt connectors from line products. they are push-in, spring clamping the cables ( like wagos ) but are inline. slightly bulkier than crimps. think they're rated at 20A and accept up to 2.5mm.

 

[ackbarthestar]

Well, you might mix the order of cpcs if the circuit required high integrity earthing, but then whatever order the cpcs and neutrals are placed they then should be labelled.

 

[Engineer54]

just received some butt connectors from line products. they are push-in, spring clamping the cables ( like wagos ) but are inline. slightly bulkier than crimps. think they're rated at 20A and accept up to 2.5mm.

Just tried to find them on their web site but couldnt see them. Do you have a link Tel??

 

[telectrix]

Just tried to find them on their web site but couldnt see them. Do you have a link Tel??

nope. i phoned farrel at line products and asked him if he had anything like it and he sent me some. i knbow he's not got any in stock as he sent me all he'd got. he promised to order some more asap.

if you can imagine a 2 port wago split and opened out so that cables came in from left and right instead of parallel, then it's something like.

 

[Engineer54]

Cheers, might keep an eye out on the site, they might highlight them at some time!!

 

[plantpot]

google

"ideal industries spliceline"

think this is what you are after

 

[telectrix]

yep, that's them, or very similar.

 

[funkymonkeytwo]

All this to avoid not wiring in numbered order?

Is there a reg that says you must wire in order? And would anyone trust someone to have done this without checking anyway?

No there is no regulation it's simple just number the cables and then put them where you can, I can't see all the fuss lol

 

[Guitarist]

No there is no regulation it's simple just number the cables and then put them where you can, I can't see all the fuss lol

That reminds me, I must find my thimblejigs... (teflon coated cable label applicator for you new pups)

 

[Thefailsafe2012]

That reminds me, I must find my thimblejigs... (teflon coated cable label applicator for you new pups)

try saying that as fast as you can after a few Sunday sherbets!

 

[se7aq]

Thanks for all your replies. It was just for the main bonding that I was thinking about using a connecting block. I was also enquiring if putting the neautrals not in same order as the MCB's would cause a problem/be a danger for the next electrician? As I was taught to wire them in sequence as it were.

Cheers

 

[funkymonkeytwo]

No there is no regulation it's simple just number the cables and then put them where you can, I can't see all the fuss lol

That reminds me, I must find my thimblejigs... (teflon coated cable label applicator for you new pups)

Far from a new pup iv been an apprentice trained monkey for 16 years , there are numerous number applicators on the market, why would you want to use a frying pan ?

 

[spod]

Hi there guys, not even sure if this will post! it's been about a year since I joined the forum but haven't been in it since until recently, I was interested to ask if you do use crimps/ heat shrink/ good quality crimpers etc would you have to derate current carrying capacity of the circuit or is it negible. Would it be suitable for a ring final and would it be classed as a mf join, cheers

 

[Guitarist]

Thanks for all your replies. It was just for the main bonding that I was thinking about using a connecting block. I was also enquiring if putting the neautrals not in same order as the MCB's would cause a problem/be a danger for the next electrician? As I was taught to wire them in sequence as it were.

Cheers

Crimp or new cable basically.

 

[LineProducts]

LINE 32A IN LINE are now in stock: up to 2.5mm2, 450V
LINE 32A IN LINE [LIL32] - £0.09 : for electricians by electricians

 

[trev]

9 Pence !!!!! crikey, you think we're made of money

 

[somersetsparks]

I'll stick with choc block 9p for a whole pack lol

 

[Megavolt]

Lol tight gits