Gfci breaker coiled wire

[Arkansas74]

I was told years ago that the coiled wire needed to stay coiled but I know some will straighten the wire out. Does it hurt to straighten it out or should it stay coiled?

 

[jim dungar]

I was told years ago that the coiled wire needed to stay could but I know some will straighten the wire out. Does it hurt to straighten it out or should it stay coiled?

You can straighten it out. It is coiled simply for convenience in packaging.

 

[infinity]

I agree with Jim and in my experience I have seen it where you need every inch of the stretched out conductor to reach the neutral bar.

 

[GoldDigger]

On the other hand the coiled leads on SPDs must be completely uncoiled and should be cut to length.

 

[domnic]

coiled wire

coiled wire

On the other hand the coiled leads on SPDs must be completely uncoiled and should be cut to length.

what is a SPD?

 

[GoldDigger]

Surge Protection Device or words to that effect.
Not the wiring equivalent of an STD.

 

[electricalist]

On the other hand the coiled leads on SPDs must be completely uncoiled and should be cut to length.

Im glad you said that. I ve always despised the coiled wire and cut it to length out of spite. Makes the panel look like a chaos. I d say im either doing the right thing for the wrong reason or the wrong thing for the right reason. Im cutting it.

 

[kwired]

What you don't want is to place a iron core in that coil, nail or screw will do, it will create an inductor and it will be in series in your circuit.

 

[Ponchik]

What you don't want is to place a iron core in that coil, nail or screw will do, it will create an inductor and it will be in series in your circuit.

I will have to try that experiment and see what will happen.

 

[Jraef]

I will have to try that experiment and see what will happen.

Note: if you do not attach said nail or screw to something immovable, it becomes a projectile. I know... :slaphead:

 

[don_resqcapt19]

What you don't want is to place a iron core in that coil, nail or screw will do, it will create an inductor and it will be in series in your circuit.

Isn't it still an inductor?...just an air core inductor.

 

[GoldDigger]

Isn't it still an inductor?...just an air core inductor.

Absolutely. What the iron/steel core adds is a many times higher inductance for the same wire configuration. It also greatly improves the coupling between two windings when they are wound on a common core.