Parallel rated connector?

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No idea. I would have assumed they are all 'parallel rated'. Unless that doesn't mean what the common meaning of the words would suggest.
 
From my experience....

The standard connector ampacity is based on the largest conductor size that it will accomodate based 90 degrees C ampacity.

This sometimes results in undersized connectors as guys just order based off the largest wire they will be putting in the connector.

These look to address that issue
 
Power distribution connectors are rated in amps for the whole connector. So if you have a 4 port 500 MCM max connector you can easily put current equal to 2x500 MCM through it (2 parallel paths).

That is why all power distribution blocks and other types of multiport terminals have to have a current rating on them in addition to size ranges on their ports. But the ampacities are so high it’s rarely an issue. For instance:


4 total ports all rated up to 500 MCM. This is 75 C terminals. We are at 760 A for two cables in a raceway vs 780 A but if we are in free air conditions it’s severely under-rated.

So for Polaris the equivalent IPLDH750-4 is rated 1178 A. 750 MCM is 450 A at 75 C on 3 CCCs in a raceway so even at this point the “parallel rated” claim seems to be a big FAIL.
 
Joe Villani said:
From my experience....

The standard connector ampacity is based on the largest conductor size that it will accomodate based 90 degrees C ampacity.

This sometimes results in undersized connectors as guys just order based off the largest wire they will be putting in the connector.

These look to address that issue
Click to expand...
paulengr said:
Power distribution connectors are rated in amps for the whole connector. So if you have a 4 port 500 MCM max connector you can easily put current equal to 2x500 MCM through it (2 parallel paths).

That is why all power distribution blocks and other types of multiport terminals have to have a current rating on them in addition to size ranges on their ports. But the ampacities are so high it’s rarely an issue. For instance:


4 total ports all rated up to 500 MCM. This is 75 C terminals. We are at 760 A for two cables in a raceway vs 780 A but if we are in free air conditions it’s severely under-rated.

So for Polaris the equivalent IPLDH750-4 is rated 1178 A. 750 MCM is 450 A at 75 C on 3 CCCs in a raceway so even at this point the “parallel rated” claim seems to be a big FAIL.
Click to expand...
So say we have a 500 MCM connector. Now we can assume the connector is rated (at least) for the 500 MCM CU 90 degree ampacity. Say we are just splicing a 2x 500 parallel set, so 2 in and 2 out. IT seems we could overload the connector depending on how the cables are arranged. We would want "IN OUT IN OUT" not "IN IN OUT OUT". Is this every spelled out in any of the destructions? Or is the connector designed for the worst case cable arrangement?
 
paulengr said:
...

That is why all power distribution blocks and other types of multiport terminals have to have a current rating on them in addition to size ranges on their ports.
Click to expand...
But they typically don't have that. I have never seen it until now. How can they 'have to have' that if they've never published it before? Wouldn't UL be getting on them to include amp ratings in datasheets if they 'have to have' it?

Representative instance:

www.polarisconnectors.com/pdfs/NSi/IPLD_series.pdf
Note only the new 'parallel rated ones' have an amp rating. The others just don't.
 
As Joe stated many of these types of types of connectors require that the in and out conductors need to be staggered so that all of the current isn't going across a small portion of metal between only two of the holes.
 
jaggedben said:
Note only the new 'parallel rated ones' have an amp rating. The others just don't.
Click to expand...
Yeah and I am still confused: So I can use a parallel rated one and not have to worry about in/out order, or use a non parallel rated one and just stagger the in outs?

infinity said:
As Joe stated many of these types of types of connectors require that the in and out conductors need to be staggered so that all of the current isn't going across a small portion of metal between only two of the holes.
Click to expand...
Have you specifically seen that in the instructions? Ive spent about 20 minutes looking up instructions and spec sheets and cant find any such statement.
 
infinity said:
As Joe stated many of these types of types of connectors require that the in and out conductors need to be staggered so that all of the current isn't going across a small portion of metal between only two of the holes.
Click to expand...
It's amazing how much easier it is to find a spec sheet online than an instruction sheet. For connectors like these as well as many other electrical components. And I've never, ever, ever received the instruction sheet with the product.
 
I think the parallel connector will let you size the connector based more upon the wire size. If you look at the standard connector vs the parallel connector you will get more amperage out of the parallel rated connector.

I was always under the impression that the connections had to be staggered, and how I always did it, but according to Ilsco, there are a few way to properly terminate so I stand corrected.

See the pages towards the end.

 
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winnie said:
I remember reading explicit stagger instructions, but not which brand nor where.

Jon
Click to expand...
Yes documentation definitely exists because we had this issue on a job several months ago. I have it somewhere (I believe that it's on my old phone). When I can access it I'll post it.
 
So if I stay under the max amps on the 'parallel rated' connectors then I can connect the conductors any which way? But if I stagger/balance properly I can ignore the max amps rating? Is that the meaning of it?
 
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