Motor Terminations

Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jonny1982

Guest
When splicing together the motor leads in the peckerhead, if the leads are 10 wire, is it acceptable to use regular wire nuts and then tape with rubber tape and super 33? Is there an actual code that says rubber tape must be used for splicing motor leads in a peckerhead?

Thanks
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
When splicing together the motor leads in the peckerhead, if the leads are 10 wire, is it acceptable to use regular wire nuts and then tape with rubber tape and super 33? Is there an actual code that says rubber tape must be used for splicing motor leads in a peckerhead?

Thanks
The code does not care how you make the connection...job specs often do.

My specs call for ring crimp terminals, screws and nuts, and a GelCap for the insulation if the motor junction box is large enough. If the motor junction box is too small for a GelCap, then rubber and plastic tape is required. Usually 130C and 33+.
 

electricalist

Senior Member
Location
dallas tx
I like wire nuts on 10 and smaller but the best bet is to get specs on how the the manufacture and or the owner of the motor want it. It seems safe enough to get sound opinions ,but from experience its not worth it. We installed 72 nsi type connectors to save time and they were expensive,,either poor workman ship or wrong type nsi, a few failed. Manufacture suggest split bolt. We lost our butts changing them all out...Lesson learned. Never assume responsibility for motor connection method.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
I like wire nuts on 10 and smaller but the best bet is to get specs on how the the manufacture and or the owner of the motor want it. It seems safe enough to get sound opinions ,but from experience its not worth it. We installed 72 nsi type connectors to save time and they were expensive,,either poor workman ship or wrong type nsi, a few failed. Manufacture suggest split bolt. We lost our butts changing them all out...Lesson learned. Never assume responsibility for motor connection method.

Strange,, I've seen more split bolt failures (usually from improper insulating) than I have NSIs
 

electricalist

Senior Member
Location
dallas tx
The ones put on were maybe t 4 black type. Its been a while. What found was that nsi connectors that were gray were for fine stranded wire like the motor side taps.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Rubber tape is a good insulator - but a big PITA to remove.

I learned early in my career that you use friction tape for "padding" instead of rubber tape. Much easier to disassemble.

I still end up cussing at others installs with rubber tape if I have to disassemble them though.

You can only cut the motor leads so many times and you have nothing left to work with.
 

electricalist

Senior Member
Location
dallas tx
ed3c57eaf3f042edbf7b14634943bc68.jpg

This was a suggestion to me.
 

PetrosA

Senior Member
It's been at least 30 years since I was taught to tape split bolts or waterproof taping of underground butt splices and I do them so rarely that the exact procedure is fuzzy in my memory. Anyone know of an online tutorial for them?

One thing I've changed from what I was taught on split bolts is to do one layer of reversed 33+ first to make it easier to get the rubber tape off later. Slice and peel.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
ed3c57eaf3f042edbf7b14634943bc68.jpg

This was a suggestion to me.

Do they make those big enough for motors that need larger then 10 AWG conductors?

Getting back to OP, why do so many people think they need to tape wire nuts? I also find that practice to be a big PITA to take apart and pretty much provides no useful function other then giving the installer some warm fuzzy feeling they did some good by doing so.

I have used wire nuts for years for connections in small motors and with no tape with little troubles. Biggest problem was with a motor for a shaker type machine - but problem was with more then just the wire nuts sometimes. Best solution so far for that machine was to fill the pecker head with fiberglass insulation so nothing was able to move around very easily with all the shaking that goes on.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
I usually wirenut #10 and smaller. #8 on up gets insulated taps.
That's what I do.

....One thing I've changed from what I was taught on split bolts is to do one layer of reversed 33+ first to make it easier to get the rubber tape off later. Slice and peel.
That's what I do when I use a spit bolt.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Rubber tape is a good insulator - but a big PITA to remove.

I learned early in my career that you use friction tape for "padding" instead of rubber tape. Much easier to disassemble.

I still end up cussing at others installs with rubber tape if I have to disassemble them though.

You can only cut the motor leads so many times and you have nothing left to work with.
The rubber I normally use is Scotch 130C and the manufacturer's instructions say to wrap with the sticky side out. It comes off easy if you do that. Just slit the rubber with a knife and use a couple of pairs of pliers to open it up. It comes off in one piece and does not stick to the connection.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Strange,, I've seen more split bolt failures (usually from improper insulating) than I have NSIs
I have never even seen a split bolt used for motor connections, but I agree, that they can be difficult to insulate properly and have seen some failures in wireways as a result of poor instalaltion practices when taping them.
 

iceworm

Curmudgeon still using printed IEEE Color Books
Location
North of the 65 parallel
Occupation
EE (Field - as little design as possible)
comments concerning 480V only - zip to 200hp

This is the spec that most of my customers use:

ring tongue lugs (uninsulated-crimped if not already on the T leads)
SS nuts and capscrews - generally no washers, cut short so they only stick out a thread or so
fiberglass tape (27?)
130
88 or 33

The fiberglass tape prevents a lot of evils. Makes removal/repair a lot easier.

You guys are getting addictive - and I've got a paying job this week

Later

ice
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top