Wire nut use?

[Karl H]

When we IR motors, I've found more failures where wirenuts were used
than other termination methods. Polaris have done pretty well in IR tests
that I've seen.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

How many wire nuts are rated for the finely stranded wire often used as motor terminations?

-Jon

I'd wager this is the issue. The wire nuts that fail I bet didn't hold the fine strand wire next to the supply conductor (maybe pulled the fine strand into the head and push the other one down with just enough bite to keep them from falling out) and the connection heated up to failure.

I bet the wire nuts that don't fail are intalled by an electrician that takes care to make a better connection. Putting stranded to solid or two different types of straded wire together using a wire nut takes a "feel" to get it right (but since it's not listed I guess you can't "get it right").

 

[chris kennedy]

Polaris have done pretty well in IR tests
that I've seen.

My connector of choice for this application.

 

[Sierrasparky]

I'm not familiar with polaris.

 

[480sparky]

I'm not familiar with polaris.

Polaris. (Not the snowmobiles!)

 

[Sierrasparky]

Polaris. (Not the snowmobiles!)

Figured that.

Islco makes those too don't they. I like those.

You gots one of those snowmachines?

 

[brian john]

Figured that.

Islco makes those too don't they. I like those.

You gots one of those snowmachines?

Polaris taps are a better choice in my opinion.

 

[Twoskinsoneman]

The problem with wire nuts is that sometimes they are not properly installed. I have seen a couple of cases myself with motor terminations where the wire nut was umproperly installed and the wire nut failed (melted). Where I work, wire nuts for motor terminations are not allowed, even for fractional horsepower motors.

Dido. Small motors ring terminals only. Crimp lugs all the way up to 750kcmils. no wire nuts period.

 

[480sparky]

............You gots one of those snowmachines?

No, and I don't understand the attraction to them either.

Get all bundled up in 14 layers of Thinsulate, jump on a machine that takes more energy to man-handle than I exert at work, speed off in weather that's already 20 below (not to mention the wind chill I'll introduce on myself), and top it all off with the whine of the machine that keeps me from having a normal conversation with another human.

Not my idea of fun.

 

[mlp425]

I've worked in production plants for twenty years. I've changed hundreds of motors. Wirenuts are used the majority of the time on small motors. Some have ring terminals. Yes wire nuts will melt if installed wrong, but so will a ring terminal. so will a split bolt. anything installed wrong will fail.

You took the words right out of my mouth! I personally use properly installed wire nuts when I can.

 

[Sierrasparky]

No, and I don't understand the attraction to them either.

Get all bundled up in 14 layers of Thinsulate, jump on a machine that takes more energy to man-handle than I exert at work, speed off in weather that's already 20 below (not to mention the wind chill I'll introduce on myself), and top it all off with the whine of the machine that keeps me from having a normal conversation with another human.

Not my idea of fun.

I guess in your neck of the woods. Never gets that cold here. I would only like to use them to travel to the winter back-country that I could not otherwise see. Cal has a lot of neat winter places.

 

[realolman]

Dido. Small motors ring terminals only. Crimp lugs all the way up to 750kcmils. no wire nuts period.

I have always felt it was difficult to hold and tighten a screw and nut on ring terminals.

For whatever reason, I am not that crazy about crimped connections on smaller wires either... an extra connection on every conductor.. Then you have the odd shape of the screw to insulate with tape or putty etc.

I have worked in the same place for 30 years, so the results of what I did have always come back to me, one way or another ...seen and hooked up a couple thousand smaller motors with wirenuts and I can't recall one single motor failure that could be attributed to the use of wire nuts.

I think it is important to skin the wires too long, twist the stuff together, and then cut the whole bundle to length before you put on the wire nut. Then you know you got all the wires and they're all the same length.( I know you don't have to ... it's just the way I feel the best about. ( see previous paragraph ))