Does anyone use terminal strips?

[hillbilly1]

If I remember correctly, the 2011 code now requires terminal blocks installed in J-boxes not to have exposed terminals. I will look it up when I get a chance. We used to do this a lot in the HR lighting box in the orange big box stores.

 

[hillbilly1]

314.28(E) I would consider terminal blocks the same as power distribution blocks.

 

[dbuckley]

The DIN rail blocks are my preferred solution too, not just because I like the pretty colours, but because you can jumper blocks together (example - neutral) safely and reliably, and not having to use looped connections like you do with terminal strips.

Also there are things other than terminal strips that fit right in, such as fuseholders, which is handy to supply power to a PLC or something similar in the same cab. As well as all the heavy DIN rail stuff, like breakers, PLCs, relays, timers etc.

And its easy to troubleshoot; flip off the plastic cover that no-one ever fits, and you can shove in the test probes. Some models and manufacturers of terminals even have holes for test probes.

ALthough it takes work to wire the DIN rails neatly, they do look good if done right, none of the "boxfull of wirenuts or chock block" nightmares.

 

[iwire]

I've used both the Ideal (chocolate block), and the denrail style terminal strips. The denrail style are better in my opinion but is a little more expensive.

Exactly.

 

[PetrosA]

I think the customer was moderately pleased.

Oh, the sweetness of having the budget for a panel like that...

I almost have a hard time imagining that level of work here in very high end residential, although I know it exists. The largest, most expensive residential job I've seen recently had cheap PVC boxes and rats' nests of jumbled wires and wire nuts inside. I would like to see more examples of this kind of wiring (DIN rail stuff) so I can learn something and maybe incorporate it into what I do. Any photos with close ups from you guys who do it would be appreciated!

 

[Besoeker]

Oh, the sweetness of having the budget for a panel like that...

It's cost effective for much of what we do. All the components could be individually screwed to the back panel but they can be din rail mounted. Fit the din rail, three or four screws, and clip everything else to it including the circuit breakers and fuses. The trunking makes it easy to run the wiring and keeps it out of sight which has then the added cosmetic benefit of giving the panel a neater appearance.

 

[petersonra]

No reason you cannot use terminal strips. DIN rail style terminals have a lot of non-obvious advantages such as center jumpers which can be handy if you need to jumper a bunch of wires together.

They cost a little more than wire nuts, but are neater looking and have more options.

 

[iwire]

It sure would be good if we knew what type of work the OP is doing.

Are they doing control work or branch circuits?

Obviously DIN rail terminal blocks are great but there is no place for them in most building wiring unless the customer specifies them. You would not be even remotely competitive with wirenuts.

 

[PetrosA]

Does anyone know if there's an insulated bus made for the insulated plastic terminal strips? I suspect iwire is right about using DIN splicing blocks price-wise but a bus would make the insulated terminal strips a lot more versatile and competitive to wirenuts for branch circuit splicing, not to mention a whole lot prettier.

 

[iwire]

Does anyone know if there's an insulated bus made for the insulated plastic terminal strips? I suspect iwire is right about using DIN splicing blocks price-wise but a bus would make the insulated terminal strips a lot more versatile and competitive to wirenuts for branch circuit splicing, not to mention a whole lot prettier.

I doubt there is any situation that using DIN rail terminal blocks for branch circuits would be competitive.

1 wirenut connects maybe 5 - 12 AWGs, that is at least 3 terminal blocks, DIN rail, and jumpers.

Don't get me wrong, I love jobs where I get to use stuff like terminal blocks but to use them for 'standard' branch circuits would only cost the EC money.

 

[Besoeker]

I doubt there is any situation that using DIN rail terminal blocks for branch circuits would be competitive.

I take your point. We are in a different market segment and in a different country. Different rules and practices. We routinely put crimp terminals and identification numbers on every conductor. For domestic installation work, the crimped terminals and conductor numbering would generally be OTT. But....

The DIN rail terminals are probably more expensive than wire nuts. I have no basis for a comparison. I don' know if you can buy wire nuts here. Certainly, our main distributors don't offer them. TBH, I haven't seen any used here in the past 40 years.

But, FWIW, we buy din rail terminals at the equivalent of around $0.25 each. Slotted DIN rail (already with holes for screwing it to a back panel or anything else) is a bit less than $0.8 per foot. So maybe the hardware, even if it is more expensive, might not be a major cost factor.

 

[mike33]

It sure would be good if we knew what type of work the OP is doing.

Are they doing control work or branch circuits?

Obviously DIN rail terminal blocks are great but there is no place for them in most building wiring unless the customer specifies them. You would not be even remotely competitive with wirenuts.

I agree about not being competitive, but we have a lot of clients that appreciate and sometimes demand to be a step above acceptable. This particular box houses branch circuits and is in a commercial building. The owner seems to have no problem paying for "pretty" upgrades. Of course I only go by the standards set by my boss and he appreciates any suggestions for improvement. He'll tell me when to "go for it" or "this job doesn't justify it."

 

[PetrosA]

I doubt there is any situation that using DIN rail terminal blocks for branch circuits would be competitive.

1 wirenut connects maybe 5 - 12 AWGs, that is at least 3 terminal blocks, DIN rail, and jumpers.

Don't get me wrong, I love jobs where I get to use stuff like terminal blocks but to use them for 'standard' branch circuits would only cost the EC money.

Sorry, maybe I was unclear. I'm referring to the terminal strips like the white plastic ones pictured from Ideal, not the DIN terminal blocks. One of the first posts in the thread mentioned that you can't jumper the blocks like the old style screw terminals so they're basically only useful for butt splices. If there were a bus made for them, you could use them for splices.