Why the white wire helix?

[ggunn]

I see installed AFCI breakers with that white (neutral?) wire in a helix attached to them, and that wire isn't trimmed or unwound before attaching the other end of it it to the ground/neutral bar. Is there something special about the length and/or configuration of that wire that needs to be preserved when the breaker is installed?

 

[Carultch]

I see installed AFCI breakers with that white (neutral?) wire in a helix attached to them, and that wire isn't trimmed or unwound before attaching the other end of it it to the ground/neutral bar. Is there something special about the length and/or configuration of that wire that needs to be preserved when the breaker is installed?

The wire comes that way to give you plenty of extra wire so it can reach the neutral bar, no matter where the breaker is in the panelboard. It is OK to trim away the extra wire you don't need, but if you don't trim it, it is still in an easy-to-manage geometry due to being packed in a helix shape. There is no electrical functionality to the helix shape, such that one would need to maintain it after installation. It is just a way to pack it efficiently for the breaker in its box, and for managing wire inside the panelboard after installation (should you not bother to trim it).

 

[electrofelon]

At first, when there were just a few afci's in a panel, I thought the helix was handy. Once you get a bunch of them in a panel though it quickly gets to be a mess and needs to be straightened and trimmed, IMO.

 

[ggunn]

At first, when there were just a few afci's in a panel, I thought the helix was handy. Once you get a bunch of them in a panel though it quickly gets to be a mess and needs to be straightened and trimmed, IMO.

That's what I am seeing today - several of these breakers together in a panel with all the untrimmed wire helixes crammed into the panel. It's kind of a mess, hence my question.

 

[hbiss]

Sounds like somebody didn't know what they were doing. This isn't anything new, older GFIs used to come with a coiled up pigtail too, no?

-Hal

 

[MAC702]

...This isn't anything new, older GFIs used to come with a coiled up pigtail too, no?

Yep. I was never able to help myself and just had to straighten and cut it off. Except for the panels where I had to splice it to another piece of wire to get it long enough...

 

[jumper]

Yep. I was never able to help myself and just had to straighten and cut it off. Except for the panels where I had to splice it to another piece of wire to get it long enough...

Ditto.