electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Interesting, can i ask what y'alls' reasoning is? Actually, IMO, if I had to trust a mechanical connector with my life, I would probably choose a split bolt over any other device.
Split bolts or Polaris lugs
- Thread starter Farmfly
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Just never liked them and feel there are much better choices. As far as mechanical connectors where a set screw puts direct pressure on the conductor, I don't like them either. On large equipment, I take the supplied mechanical connectors off and replace them with compression connectors.
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
I never cared for Set screw connectors either, they kind of give me the creeps, particularly when you look closely and see how often the strands get pushed out in different directions and some aren't even tight. I agree split bolts or not super user friendly, but I like the integrity of the joint and the small footprint.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Seen a lot where the wires could just be pulled out...yes I know that is mostly on the installer, but ...
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Yup certainly installer error. You could have the best in the world solid gold compression connector and the wrong die used or the bolts not tightened.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
yes, that is like pretwist or not for wire connectors...both work exactly the same if the installer does it correctly, but it was easier to make the guys pretwist than to get them to correctly install the wirenut without pretwisting.
SSDriver
Senior Member
- Location
- California
- Occupation
- Electrician
Compression lugs work well(and I do use them on very large motors) but I have never had an issue with a split bolt. I can carry a handful of different sizes on my van that cover all the motors I see regularly from 5hp to 75hp. To do the same for Compression lugs I would need 12 lugs for every size of wire imaginable with different size rings so bolts would work on various sized motors. I've never had a split bolt fail, plus I end up wrapping it with 3 different tapes. Nothings pulling out.
Old timer I used to work with and occasionally still help when I have days off was adamant about using split bolts over polaris/Burndy insulated lugs on motors. I didn't quite agree with him as I heavily prefer the insulated lugs.
Sure enough last year we had to replace the connections on a water company well pump motor with the insulated lugs that burnt up that another EC installed. I didn't question the split bolts again after that
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I think this may be somewhat regional....I don't think I ever disconnected a motor in my 40+ years in the field that used split bolts for the connections.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Wish I had a picture of the split bolts in a 100 amp panel someone installed. They apparently replaced the panel, and the wires were too short. They must have had at least 2” of rubber tape and 10 or more wraps of electrical tape on it! LOL!
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
As of 1/1/2023 and for now you cannot use them to splice service conductors. NEC 2020 230.46
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
You can't use anything as there is nothing listed for that purpose.
While on splices in pecker heads years ago we started using T & B crimp Lugs on both the motor leads & wires that feed mist motors from 25 HP & larger because it was very dependable & quicker splice verses a split bolt bugs. We might have broke or tied a record by replacing 3 bad 100 HP motors in 8 hours. One of them was 8' off the ground so we had to use a chain block to hoist motor up. We used some 33 tape then varnished cambric tape then 33 tape. We used grade 5 hex bolts & always replaced the lock washers.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
We got away from the use of varnished cambric decades ago. Originally I was taught that it was used to make it easier to get the rubber tape off. We use 130C rubber tape installed per the directions...that is sticky side out, and all you have to do is cut though the tape, and split the whole tape assembly off of the connection using two pliers. The 130C was always followed by 33+. However, if available I will use the silicone filled, re-usable Raychem GelCaps.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
split bolt is a dirty word if used on aluminum and particularly for weather exposed applications - like on service drop connections or similar. Tape them all you want, that just holds what water that gets in for a longer time.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
I know, and it is a problem for us in many jurisdictions. A few that we deal with, however, have chosen not to enforce 230.46 until there is equipment available that is compliant.
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
I Dont see what the issue is or why it would be different than any other connector. I believe they have more surface area contact than most other mechanical connectors.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Probably isn't much different than any other mechanical connector. Compression connectors are the preferred method in this situation. Almost never see those fail without physical abuse being a factor anyway.
- Status