High Voltage Wire Nuts?

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article <1146512436.215291.277120@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>,
ryan@ryansarcade.com> wrote:

My question is: Can I use regular wire nuts to make my connections or
do I need to use special 'high voltage' wire nuts to do this safely?
Any help would be MUCH appreciated.


My answer would be don't use wire nuts - they are the spawn of the devil
and the cause of many a fire in the US. They were banned in the UK many
years ago. Use screw terminal connectors.
Click to expand...

Properly used, wire nuts work really well, I'm sure everything
electrical has caused a fire at one time or another but I've never heard
of one caused by wire nuts themselves. Screw terminal blocks have their
own share of problems, as far as I know it's not legal to use them for
household wiring in the US.
 
In article <WWV5g.131$Th.35@trnddc03>,
James Sweet <jamessweet@hotmail.com> wrote:
My answer would be don't use wire nuts - they are the spawn of the devil
and the cause of many a fire in the US. They were banned in the UK many
years ago. Use screw terminal connectors.
Click to expand...

Properly used, wire nuts work really well, I'm sure everything
electrical has caused a fire at one time or another but I've never heard
of one caused by wire nuts themselves.
Click to expand...
The snag with them is they don't form an air tight seal where the wires
touch, so over the years a high impedance connection results. This doesn't
happen with a properly made screw connection.


Screw terminal blocks have their own share of problems, as far as I
know it's not legal to use them for household wiring in the US.
Click to expand...
How are wires connected to switches and socket outlets? Surely by screw
connection?

--
*Marriage changes passion - suddenly you're in bed with a relative*

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 
Screw terminal blocks have their own share of problems, as far as I
know it's not legal to use them for household wiring in the US.

How are wires connected to switches and socket outlets? Surely by screw
connection?
Click to expand...
Screw terminals illegal?? What? Outlets, switches, and breaker boxes use
screw terminals, along with some light fixtures. As far as I know screw
terminals should be just fine, but I don't know where you'd get a terminal
block small enough for wiring a cealing fan or light. I've used them many
times for larger junction boxes with #6 wire or larger.


- Mike
 
ryan@ryansarcade.com wrote:
Thanks James! Are you still into arcade stuff?
Click to expand...

Yeah to an extent, I filled out my collection a few years ago and
haven't added any more but I still end up fixing them for other people.
 
Screw terminal blocks have their own share of problems, as far as I
know it's not legal to use them for household wiring in the US.


How are wires connected to switches and socket outlets? Surely by screw
connection?
Click to expand...


They have a large screw to wrap the wire around and then cinch it down,
or the kind I like have a screw that pushes a clamp down. 99% of houses
are wired using the silly backwire friction fit terminals, now those
*do* cause fires, they'd be illegal for sure if the trade unions didn't
have such a big influence on the code, they certainly are quick to
install. I have some UK electrical hardware and it does have advantages,
but nothing quite like it is available here. I really do like the little
terminal blocks on sockets and plugs.
 
Michael Kennedy wrote:
Screw terminal blocks have their own share of problems, as far as I
know it's not legal to use them for household wiring in the US.

How are wires connected to switches and socket outlets? Surely by screw
connection?


Screw terminals illegal?? What? Outlets, switches, and breaker boxes use
screw terminals, along with some light fixtures. As far as I know screw
terminals should be just fine, but I don't know where you'd get a terminal
block small enough for wiring a cealing fan or light. I've used them many
times for larger junction boxes with #6 wire or larger.


- Mike
Click to expand...

This is a different type of screw terminal block I'm referring to, like
this http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=16468&ts=19945

I've seen them used, but not for built in house wiring.
 
In article <B9g6g.2659$g01.2129@trnddc01>,
James Sweet <jamessweet@hotmail.com> wrote:
This is a different type of screw terminal block I'm referring to, like
this http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=16468&ts=19945

I've seen them used, but not for built in house wiring.
Click to expand...
They come in 5, 15 and 30 amp versions. They are only suitable for house
wiring in the UK if enclosed in a fire resistant enclosure. For jointing
or spurring cables etc, most would use a junction box designed for the job
and it must be left reasonably accessible for later inspection and not
buried in plaster etc.

I've included a reference to the sort which might be used for lighting
circuits.
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=A331817&ts=37939&id=12802

--
*I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 
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