Split Bolts?

[millelec]

I work in a power plant, we pull pumps every few years for seal/bearing work. prefer bolted together lugged connections since working in peckerheads, easier to tape/insulate. that said, I've never lost a motor due to a bad splitbolt connection and they're more convenient if have had to shorten heat damaged leads or are working in a space where can't flex leads together w/bolted lugs.

 

[Saywatt]

Learn me. How are the threads on a split bolt susceptible to loosening any more than the threads on a polaris or any other threaded tap?

In other words, you crimp all your splices, but how do you crimp your end/final connections?

 

[kwired]

Learn me. How are the threads on a split bolt susceptible to loosening any more than the threads on a polaris or any other threaded tap?

In other words, you crimp all your splices, but how do you crimp your end/final connections?

There are crimp terminations also. The crimp connects the conductor to the lug. The lug however is often still attached to equipment via a bolt just like a mechanical lug.

 

[ohmhead]

I get it, you don't like split bolts. I thought, however, the topic was a 30a. cir.

Yes time & labor waste and not a good connection with most motor peckerheads they are not going to fit inside and most of the time we use crimps because they dont come off there easy to apply and your done .

Also if you read what the OP said key words in any circumstance he wanted everyones input not just people who use split bolts .

 

[ohmhead]

Yeah, in that particular instance for grounding conductors the code calls for irreversible methods. For all the rest of the conductors, a split bolt is fine. By the way, you can still use split bolts for taps to a GEC.



I'm well aware of the crimp connectors we are talking about. Again, how does a properly torqued split bolt loosen up over time?




I agree that with all that's available now it would be pretty foolish to use them. But Burndy still makes them up to 1000 kcmil size and they were used for decades on all sizes of wire before all the modern stuff came on the market.


I am not advocating the use of split bolts with all the modern products available today. But I believe your claim that split bolts are "no good" is totally bogus.

Well just a little bit of 3 grade input but lets talk about mechanical connection a split bolt is not like a regular mechanical lug look at it closely .

The threaded shaft is cut down the middle the wire is installed inside of this word split bolt has a meaning its not as solid as a bolt and nut .

A lug or threaded mechanical connector is better the threads are complete solid thicker on the sides its metal structure is going to expand but can take the heat better meaning less change of a loose connection not that it never will but a better chance think heat sink there made to withstand the heat and hold up for that size wire and current of that wire size .

Most folks that use split bolts find the biggest one and install the wire any size in it so its not the correct tightening for that wire general statement made .

It can expand most folks dont use the correct tools to tighten them and most folks use a pair of channel locks .

When they tape them its only good for low voltage work theres lots of electrical work out there and different types of projects i guess we have different methods .

The OP asked for any circumstances so we gave him input .

Most projects specs today call for crimps for motors for transformers and the like why because its a better connection .

And yes iam old and have seen lots of split bolts used and installed and last many years but is it a good connection no.

I have seen the tape melt off inside gutters out side here in florida motor pecker heads vibrate and rub off.

Electricians install with a hammer to get the split bolt with 4 rolls of tape to fit inside a box or motor.

Sorry about my 3 grade gramer but i went to electricians school if they wanted a English teacher at my company to do electrical work they need to hire one .

 

[ohmhead]

I work in a power plant, we pull pumps every few years for seal/bearing work. prefer bolted together lugged connections since working in peckerheads, easier to tape/insulate. that said, I've never lost a motor due to a bad splitbolt connection and they're more convenient if have had to shorten heat damaged leads or are working in a space where can't flex leads together w/bolted lugs.

If you used a crimp connection do you think your heat damaged motor leads would be less of a repair yearly you say you work in a power plant .

We have also but only new construction work.

New or old work motors are a joke to make up the peckerheads are too small and i wish they had room in them for taps to be made .

 

[peter d]

Most folks that use split bolts find the biggest one and install the wire any size in it so its not the correct tightening for that wire general statement made .

It can expand most folks dont use the correct tools to tighten them and most folks use a pair of channel locks .

And yes iam old and have seen lots of split bolts used and installed and last many years but is it a good connection no.

I have seen the tape melt off inside gutters out side here in florida motor pecker heads vibrate and rub off.

Electricians install with a hammer to get the split bolt with 4 rolls of tape to fit inside a box or motor.

It sounds like the problem is with poor workmanship and improper selection of the right size, not the split bolt itself.

Sorry about my 3 grade gramer but i went to electricians school if they wanted a English teacher at my company to do electrical work they need to hire one .

Just pointing out that your posts are difficult to read sometimes. I'm just a bit fed up with attempting to decipher text message language. I'm not questioning your ability to do electrical work but when you post messages on a public forum it helps if they can be easily understood.

 

[ohmhead]

It sounds like the problem is with poor workmanship and improper selection of the right size, not the split bolt itsel














Just pointing out that your posts are difficult to read sometimes. I'm just a bit fed up with attempting to decipher text message language. I'm not questioning your ability to do electrical work but when you post messages on a public forum it helps if they can be easily understood.

Wer knot texn iam 58 yrs old did not have a computer when i started in this trade .

Never took typing in school we didnt have computers back then .

Yea we kinda been around a few years we enjoy your responses but if you cant read my writing gee i dont know what i can do .

 

[Foghorn]

Thnx

Thnx

Thanks to all of you for your input, but I am still unconvinced in any direction!

The gut feel about the negatives of split bolts appears that they are OLD, well so am I, but I still work (most of the time).

Comments regarding imporper use of SB's could apply to crimps as well. Incorrectly applied crimps will fail, and incorrectly applied SB's will fail.
Any advantage toward SB's is that there are no SPECIAL tools needed.
:roll:I have seen crimps made with "nearly the right tool" or "the crimper we had" with less than stelar results!

In either case, it appears that properly applied SB's have the same reliability as crimps, they both need to be well tapped, insulated, properly installed.

I agree that 30a could be #10 wire, but in this case the customer is requesting #4 (suprising because the run from the breaker is ony 4 ft), so red nuts won't cut it. (He is paying for the wire / installation)

Again, I thank you all, and I will continue to do as the customer requests. I was asking for my own peice of mind.

 

[mull982]

My experience with split bolts have been that most of the time contractors when installing them dont seem to tighten them enough. On a recently completed project here at our site there where several instances where we had to go behind the contractor undo all of the tape and tighten split bolts that we were found to not be tighted enough in the first place. There were problems with these circuits that when troubleshooting led us to the split bolt connection. For this reason in future specs I may not allow the use of split bolts.

Split bolts are also only rated to handle a certain number of conducotrs which I believe is marked on the split bolt. I have seen instances where this number was exceeded to make the situation work.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

...
Split bolts are also only rated to handle a certain number of conducotrs which I believe is marked on the split bolt. I have seen instances where this number was exceeded to make the situation work.

Most are only for two conductors, some are for three, but I don't think any are listed for use with more than 3 conductors.

 

[K8MHZ]

Split bolts are getting expensive. For about 4 bucks more you can get Polaris or Ilcos.

What I don't like about split bolts is the inability to connect one wire at a time. It takes two hands to tighten the bolt up properly and two more to hold the wires in while you are tightening the bolt.

Then you have to spend eons being a tape monkey.

The Polaris type connectors are so much easier and quicker to install they are well worth their price. When my very small collection of split bolts run out, I won't be using any more of them. I may even save a couple. They will be museum pieces once the trade catches on and split bolts no longer have a following.