Listed connectors????

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220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
Went to a flickering lights service call this morning.

From the symptoms the HO described I went straight to the service.

I determined that a 200A upgrage had been done in the early 80's with no permit. The overhead connections were obviously not done by the utility.

I climbed up to get a better look and :

DSC01453.jpg


Are those....?????

DSC01454.jpg



Why yes they are. 3/4 inch two screw romex connectors. I was 90% sure the problem would be here. POCO removed them and I cut the remaining tape off.

DSC01455.jpg



Actually they weren't that bad. I expected oxidation and burned conductors but had neither. POCO replaced with proper crimps and I chased the problem down to the main breaker. It was stuck on the bus pretty good and I had to coax it off. I found a suitable replacement ( Home Depot 3 miles away!!!) and cleaned up the bus so they could squeeze a few more years out of their service.

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JohnE

Senior Member
Location
Milford, MA
A lot of guys around here used those 2 screw romex connectors on service changes years ago. The POCO would come around after the inspector cleared it and put their own connectors on.
 

donselectric

Senior Member
Location
nh
i do the same... they hold up for the week or so

why spend big money on burndys for the poco to toss in the christmass fund.....
 

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
donselectric said:
i do the same... they hold up for the week or so

why spend big money on burndys for the poco to toss in the christmass fund.....

Gee I dont know, maybe so you dont loose a neutral and burn the house down?

You guys are nuts!
 

EBFD6

Senior Member
Location
MA
I have seen this installation many times and have not run into a problem yet, on the other hand i have gone on service calls where a listed connector that was loose has caught fire and melted off...go figure! Maybe UL should test romex connectors as suitable for this use:rolleyes:
 

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
My POCO has a annual class for electricians and inspectors and they talk about the proper protocol for getting service and such, but they always have a table setup with all the hack crap they remove from jobs they go back to, I've seen madison straps as meter jumpers, emt as fuses, all kinds of wild stuff...
 

JohnE

Senior Member
Location
Milford, MA
stickboy1375 said:
You guys are nuts!

For the record, I have never done it. I first heard of it when a wiring inspector had a note in his office that said "romex connectors not allowed on service upgrades any longer..." I asked what the heck it meant. That was in the mid 90's. I was also fortunate enough to do the maintenance work for Mass Electric back then, so I always seemed to have the right connectors in the truck.:grin:
 

electricalperson

Senior Member
Location
massachusetts
j_erickson said:
For the record, I have never done it. I first heard of it when a wiring inspector had a note in his office that said "romex connectors not allowed on service upgrades any longer..." I asked what the heck it meant. That was in the mid 90's. I was also fortunate enough to do the maintenance work for Mass Electric back then, so I always seemed to have the right connectors in the truck.:grin:
ive heard of a trick that people like to use romex connectors for temporary service hookups. i would never do this since cheap listed connectors are a better way to go. temporary = permanent to me
 

satcom

Senior Member
stickboy1375 said:
Gee I dont know, maybe so you dont loose a neutral and burn the house down?

You guys are nuts!

The guys that do idiot things like using the 2 screw connectors, on service connections, should be banned from working with anything electrical for life, and then have someone assigned, to make sure that they don't leave the house, without a responsible adult escorting them.

It is difficult to believe, that anyone can be that dumb, how sad, but you can bet guys that did this, had poor, or no training in the trade.
 
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electricmanscott

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
satcom said:
The guys that do idiot things like using the 2 screw connectors, on service connections, should be banned from working with anything electrical for life, and then have someone assigned, to make sure that they don't leave the house, without a responsible adult escorting them.

It is difficult to believe, that anyone can be that dumb, how sad, but you can bet guys that did this, had poor, or no training in the trade.


Wow, a little overboard I think. What's it like to be the God of all wiring? Should we bow, kiss your feet, what's the protocol 'cause I don't know..? :grin:

I have done it. And obviously as demonstrated by this very thread....it works and works well for many years.

$.99 Hose clamps work well too. :wink:
 

Sharpie

Senior Member
Location
PA
Could the dry climate of Phoenix have anything to do with the lack of bi-metal reaction? I don't know if there needs to be moisture for a reaction or not. Anybody know?
 
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