Wire Connectors

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SceneryDriver said:
The Aussie electricians I used to work with called them Choco-blocks. Apparently, they look like some type of Australian chocolate bar. My shop calls them Eurostrip terminal blocks, and we use hundreds of them each year for LED lighting.

We also use Wago Lever-Locks. We've used them on several cruise ship projects; the ship electricians love 'em. They will throw you off the ship if you try to use wirenuts though :)

I don't understand the hate for wirenuts though. They do need to be properly sized and installed, but that really goes for anything. I've also had no issues with stranded conductors and wirenuts. Just use quality materials, and not the knockoff crap wirenuts.


SceneryDriver
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It has to do with testing requirements in some cases... take the testing requirements in the UK.. Periodically we have to use our meters and other test gear and physically check the various parts of a residence.. three years right now if it is used for rentals, or every time the rental changes in some cases... and the type of checks we have to do include checking phase and continuity and other tests such as insulation tests... all of which are easier if you have a way of disconnecting circuits in a hurry should they be the type that the insulation test can hurt, or that can make a tester fail the circuit automatically... there is actually a whole book written just on testing procedures and a full page required form for the periodical tests.
I love the lever blocks for just that reason and actually prefer the clear block over the grey block as well.. visual check..

But, I am still learning and perhaps the fear some have of the blocks have to do with the old problems of backstabbing receptacles... if you mess it up you have loads of problems..
 
Although more cable then wire connectors, for coaxial cable I prefer PPC compression fittings, part number EX6, and for keystones I prefer Leviton.

I have done exactly one residence with the Wago lever locks, was only slightly slower than using wire nuts. I am sure that with practice that using them would wind up markedly faster than wire nuts, proficiencies with the two being the same. It is a heck of a lot easier adding to a box that has lever locks over wire nuts and Buchanan crimped grounds.
 
kwired said:
Solder and tape:)
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Word.

I got a lotta crap on here years ago because I was still soldering up until almost 2010.

I worked under a guy that’s in his 80’s now, and that was really all I knew even for the first few years after I left him. That generation is all gone now from the trade and we’re all out here using blasphemous wire nuts. Heck I even started using push on connectors a couple years ago. The old man would probably shake his head in disappointment at me

What have I done


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peter d said:
I prefer Ideal for all wire connectors. I never liked any 3M wire connectors. You can call me a brand purist if you like.
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I only use Buchanan WingTwist reds. I’ve never liked the soft plastic of the Ideal brand reds, but I use the ideal “gator” nuts (orange/blue).

I also like the 3M tans.


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Besoeker said:
You can cut them to however many way you require. Even if it's only one.
Do you have a problem with that?
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They have their place, but for general termination and splicing using our common methods of wiring, boxes, and devices, they would be quite difficult.

They work well in control panels and similar applications where wire nuts are generally not acceptable.
 
peter d said:
Yes, I do as a matter of fact. How do you splice 5 or more wires together with those inferior connectors?
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mini bus bar type of solution... the uk sells these busbar thungies that slip in the one side... joining all of them into one voltage, and then you use only the other side...

or you get an insulated buss bar and do the same thing with it... like we use in our lights here...built into the ceiling rose...

But, best is the WAGO..lol..

for the small wires, at least. If you are joining 5 number 4s then I guess you need another way...
 
Adamjamma said:
mini bus bar type of solution... the uk sells these busbar thungies that slip in the one side... joining all of them into one voltage, and then you use only the other side...

or you get an insulated buss bar and do the same thing with it... like we use in our lights here...built into the ceiling rose...

But, best is the WAGO..lol..

for the small wires, at least. If you are joining 5 number 4s then I guess you need another way...
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I get the British way of doing things. But it's completely incompatible here. We use larger boxes instead of those crazy ceiling rose things.

Bottom line, twist on wire connectors are just as reliable as a terminal block when installed correctly with far less labor and take up less room. I really don't get the disdain that the rest of the world has for them. They serve us well here in North America and that includes Canada and Mexico.
 
jumper said:
They have their place, but for general termination and splicing using our common methods of wiring, boxes, and devices, they would be quite difficult.
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I don't see why they would be difficult. Not that we very often use them for permanent connections. Most fittings here, switches, lights etc. have brass terminals with grub screws and capacity to terminate extra switch wires for example.
 
peter d said:
I get the British way of doing things. But it's completely incompatible here. We use larger boxes instead of those crazy ceiling rose things.

Bottom line, twist on wire connectors are just as reliable as a terminal block when installed correctly with far less labor and take up less room.
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With respect, I disagree, I have used both.
 
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