LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
I mentioned it before: are the cables shielded?
Tiny butt splices?
- Thread starter TwoBlocked
- Start date
MD Automation
Senior Member
- Location
- Maryland
- Occupation
- Engineer
Tons of places for buying parts like this.
As Roger mentioned above - Mouser is one. Newark and Digikey are also good sources.
I just went to Mouser and entered "uninsulated butt splice"... and clicked on the part below for 16 to 22 ga wire. This is a crimp style connector, I assume you have a good crimper in this size?
Better hurry, there are only 79,257 in stock !!
Hope this helps.
TwoBlocked
Senior Member
- Location
- Bradford County, PA
- Occupation
- Industrial Electrician
Yes, but since the only analog is very slow changing 4-20 mA indication signals, I'm not worried about not having shielding for a couple inches. We'll be splicing the drain wire, and insulate with spaghetti tubing.
TwoBlocked
Senior Member
- Location
- Bradford County, PA
- Occupation
- Industrial Electrician
Hmmm, but there is 120VAC and 240VAC for lighting and heat trace. These will also be spliced in the same troughs.
winnie
Senior Member
- Location
- Springfield, MA, USA
- Occupation
- Electric motor research
If you decide that you want to extend the shield, you can use copper braid or foil tape to cover your splices.
But if the interference you are worried about is 60Hz coupling, that can be pretty well eliminated at the ADC stage by synchronizing your conversion and averaging periods to the power grid frequency.
Jonathan
But if the interference you are worried about is 60Hz coupling, that can be pretty well eliminated at the ADC stage by synchronizing your conversion and averaging periods to the power grid frequency.
Jonathan
TwoBlocked
Senior Member
- Location
- Bradford County, PA
- Occupation
- Industrial Electrician
Thanks! Ya know, I think the controller already has a 60Hz filter. I think I'll just keep the 60Hz wiring bundled separate from the analog. Plan on using an 8" trough. Should be far enough.
winnie
Senior Member
- Location
- Springfield, MA, USA
- Occupation
- Electric motor research
In an 8" trough you have room for insulated splices, braid shield, and heat shrink over the entire bundle.
You would need the more expensive high ratio heat shrink to be able to fit over the thicker bundle.
I've never used these, but they seem perfect for the splice: https://www.zoro.com/dolphin-compon...nector-26-16-awg-pk1000-dc-1000-s/i/G1278916/
You would need the more expensive high ratio heat shrink to be able to fit over the thicker bundle.
I've never used these, but they seem perfect for the splice: https://www.zoro.com/dolphin-compon...nector-26-16-awg-pk1000-dc-1000-s/i/G1278916/
TwoBlocked
Senior Member
- Location
- Bradford County, PA
- Occupation
- Industrial Electrician
Huh! These look like they might work well. Has anybody actually used them? They OK for stranded wire? Amp rating? Can't find a decent spec sheet.
winnie
Senior Member
- Location
- Springfield, MA, USA
- Occupation
- Electric motor research
The closest to a spec sheet is the catalog page from the manufacturer, near the bottom of this page:
dolphincomponents.com
You may need to call the manufacturer for more details.
The Catalog - Dolphin Components
Our catalog features wire connectors, stainless steel, nylon cable ties, and more. Reach out for more details.
dolphincomponents.com
You may need to call the manufacturer for more details.
Seven-Delta-FortyOne
Goin’ Down In Flames........
- Location
- Humboldt
- Occupation
- EC and GC
Late to the party, but DelCity has just about anything electrical you could want.
Here are uninsulated butt connectors for 18ga wire:
www.delcity.net
Here are uninsulated butt connectors for 18ga wire:
Del City - Item #: 221005
those are for stuff like burglar alarms, i would not use them in an industrial environment. they are insulation piercing, hardly equivalent to a proper crimped connection.
TwoBlocked
Senior Member
- Location
- Bradford County, PA
- Occupation
- Industrial Electrician
Hmm, I am still trying to look at all options. Tomorrow I gotta order stuff. Maybe I ought to go simpler, like caps and grease. I'd still use spaghetti tubing for the drains and seal the sheathing with heat shrink, actually, sleeve wire labels.
butt splice a better connection than cap. id do it with butt splice and adhesive lined heatshrink
zbang
Senior Member
- Location
- Roughly 5346 miles from Earls Court
How?
TwoBlocked
Senior Member
- Location
- Bradford County, PA
- Occupation
- Industrial Electrician
Maybe so, but why? With a cap the wires are actually touching.
With the butt splice and the appropriate tool you get a gas tight connection where its crimped. This function is questionable with 2 wires in a crimp cap. Maybe its fine, but I've had issues with them.
MD Automation
Senior Member
- Location
- Maryland
- Occupation
- Engineer
Agree completely.
My 2 cents, fwiw. Use the un-insulated butt connectors. Cheap and super easy.
Maybe people are looking down on them because they are thinking you are going to crimp them with something like this...
The right tool (imo) for a proper butt splice is always a good ratcheting ferrule crimper. These butt splices are just like ferrules, w/o the colored plastic collar on the end.
I am partial to Weidmuller tools, like this...
Expensive, but you get what you pay for. For your application you will need an open-jaw design, like the one above. (A closed jaw crimper will "trap" the tool on the wire once you've made the second crimp).
Crimped properly, like Todd says, it's a strong gas tight mechanical connection. And super simple and fast. With a proper ratcheting tool, it will not release and open until you've crimped completely. Very repeatable.
Apologies if you know all this. And good luck.
I'm going to have to disagree with using a ferrule crimper on butt splices. The mechanics of the crimp are different. Heres an example of what the die for non insulated terminals looks like
Non-Insulated Terminals and Plug Connectors
www.rennsteig.us
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
The important thing is to use the correct crimping tool, and it should always be of the controlled cycle style rather than pliers. Different brands may require a different crimping tool.I'm going to have to disagree with using a ferrule crimper on butt splices. The mechanics of the crimp are different. Heres an example of what the die for non insulated terminals looks like
Non-Insulated Terminals and Plug Connectors
TwoBlocked
Senior Member
- Location
- Bradford County, PA
- Occupation
- Industrial Electrician
Gas tight connection with butt splices? I am dubious.
Anywho, I am leaning toward cap crimps for practical installation purposes. Much, or maybe all, of the wiring might be done by less experienced "field techs." The individual cables can be identified and labeled, cable pairs can be zip-tied together with the labels right next to each other, the individual color-coded wire pairs stripped and twisted together, the caps (with a dab of dielectric grease) put on the twisted splice, and then crimped (yes with a ratcheting tool, thank you
) just once. All in all, takes less technique, less chance of errors and cables can be traced out easier if there is a problem later.
Anywho, I am leaning toward cap crimps for practical installation purposes. Much, or maybe all, of the wiring might be done by less experienced "field techs." The individual cables can be identified and labeled, cable pairs can be zip-tied together with the labels right next to each other, the individual color-coded wire pairs stripped and twisted together, the caps (with a dab of dielectric grease) put on the twisted splice, and then crimped (yes with a ratcheting tool, thank you
) just once. All in all, takes less technique, less chance of errors and cables can be traced out easier if there is a problem later.