Trimmed Wires Violation Code

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jap said:
I guess I'm just different.
This would be my last choice for something to use to downsize the wire prior to landing it on a breaker.

JAP>
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You are

The item is specifically called a splicer / reducer. It is exactly the correct product to do that job.
 
jap said:
I'm with post #13 on the pin adapter.

JAP>
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Pin adapters can be a real pain.

They do not always fit beside each other on a breaker unless you bought offset pin adapters and crimped them on the right way

Offten they are too long to fit in the space

They only fit one size of conductor so you would have to stock a lot of them and you need a crimper

While you are rounding that up I am already done.:)
 
Carultch said:
If the wire is significantly oversized for voltage drop, and the total kcmil that remains in the terminal is still plenty to carry the current, do those physical consequences to trimming away strands still apply? We know it is a violation but the real physical hazards are the question.
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In my opinion, not usually. Code violations aside, if you "trim" say a 3/0 to become a 1/0 so it'll fit the breaker, and 1/0 is plenty ampacity for the circuit, it probably is as good as a Polaris connector as well as cheaper. The physical consequences come into play when someone eyeballs that trimming (i.e., no calculating), hacks away more wire than needed, and damages other strands in the process (giving say a #1 conductor overall). The pic the OP posted shows just that in regards to the damage. If there are half-cut/badly nicked wires under that lug, chances are pretty good that when it gets torqued down those strands will break, and a 3 wire shave becomes 5 or 6 or 8 or more broken/missing strands. Over time with tension on fairly aggressive bends on wire, or in high temperature fluctuation/vibration environments (like motors), even more strands could break, further degrading the connection

If it were done carefully and by kcmil calculations, my opinion is that there's only be the aforementioned 2 NEC violations which are fairly low on the safety hazard scale (in this case).

I also include liability from non-compliant installs and failed inspections amongst "physical consequences", not just 'will the wire melt/burn/fail if I do this'.
 
iwire said:
Pin adapters can be a real pain.

They do not always fit beside each other on a breaker unless you bought offset pin adapters and crimped them on the right way

Offten they are too long to fit in the space

They only fit one size of conductor so you would have to stock a lot of them and you need a crimper

While you are rounding that up I am already done.:)
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:weeping: so much complaining... :)
They're not that big a deal.

JAP>
 
peter d said:
No, for most the splicer/reducer is the product that gets used. Pin adapters are pretty rare. I doubt most supply houses even stock them in the branches, they need to be ordered.
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:happyno:
 
thank you, this is exactly what i was looking for. much appreciated to all who have volunteered info, and like every other thread out there that when researching this product, Has turned to a talk about different type of adapters to use. lol.

110.3.(B)
110.14 (A)
 
sbutler said:
110.12. "Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner." Trimming conductors is not "neat" or "workmanlike" IMHO.
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Obviously, you haven't seen my work. I was only half kidding when I posted that I was trained to trim the center strands only so it looks like no strands have been cut. My strand cutting is very neat and workmanlike.
 
Use equipment according to ratings

Use equipment according to ratings

The lugs are listed for particular wire sizes. Equipment must be approved NEC 110.3 (a). See NEC 110.3 (b). Equipment must be used as intended.
 
I agree it is a code violation, but it appears to me that it is not unsafe in this case and I am not sure I would do anything about it. if I felt the need to "fix" it some pigtails of smaller conductors that will fit in the terminals seem in order and would be code compliant, even if arguably it is somewhat less safer than the install as is.
 
K8MHZ said:
Putting pin adapters on doesn't change the wire size.

I am not a proponent of trimming strands, but so far, only 110.14 would not allow it, if one considers such trimming as damage.
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What is the ampacity of a trimmed wire?;)

210.19(A)(1) General.
Branch-circuit conductors shall have an ampacity not less than the maximum load to be served.
 
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