Electrical Slip-up - I’m in Disgrace!

[LadyInBed]

Nothing wrong with Choc blocks, it's the way you clamp the wire is the problem.
If you strip the wire back, flatten it, then fold the stripped wire back along the sleave, insert the sleave and stripped wire into the choc block with the sleave facing the screw and tighten the screw down onto the sleave, you get an electrical and mechanical, vibration resistant joint.
Of course you need to use good brass choc blocks!

 

[thinwater]

Wire nuts are not allowed here. Good job, they are horrible things.

I did not say wire nuts were permissible on boats. Only on land according to ABYC. USCG permits them in weatherproof boxes. My point, is that Wago connectors should not be used outside of boxes without a CLEAR understanding that they are different from splices and have poor pull-out resistance. (~ 6 pounds in 16 AWG, much less for small wires). Not even close to chock blocks or crimps.

Yes, that is two wires under each screw. Not permitted, looked it up once. The reason is that it is impossible to be certain that the pressure plate is bearing on both wires, particularly if they are different sizes, which is common. Barrier strips with crimped eye are a completely different case. It is in the NEC.

Opinions are one topic, standards are another. Arguing opinions on standards is for committees.

 

[thinwater]

Nothing wrong with Choc blocks, it's the way you clamp the wire is the problem.
If you strip the wire back, flatten it, then fold the stripped wire back along the sleave, insert the sleave and stripped wire into the choc block with the sleave facing the screw and tighten the screw down onto the sleave, you get an electrical and mechanical, vibration resistant joint.
Of course you need to use good brass choc blocks!

What is a sleeve in this context? I'm sure you do not mean the insulation.

 

[PaulRainbow]

What is a sleeve in this context? I'm sure you do not mean the insulation.

He does, seen this posted before. Totally unacceptable method.

 

[Daydream believer]

Soldering the wire ends before insertion into chock blocks is forbidden by the code. The solder can soften when heat cycled, allowing the connection to loosen. Crimp-on ferrules are accepted. If stranded wire is used, the chock blocks must have integral pressure plates (if there is no palte, it is intended for solid wire--the screw makes a good grip, but it damamges stranded wire).

Should it be heat cycling on the small diameter wires in yacht wiring?
Plus , as i solder into a ferrule which is then screwed down tight, I cannot see it comming out. The screw will crimp the ferrule in the middle of its length so for it to pull out the screw would have to be very loose.

 

[Boathook]

I did not say wire nuts were permissible on boats. Only on land according to ABYC. USCG permits them in weatherproof boxes. My point, is that Wago connectors should not be used outside of boxes without a CLEAR understanding that they are different from splices and have poor pull-out resistance. (~ 6 pounds in 16 AWG, much less for small wires). Not even close to chock blocks or crimps.

Yes, that is two wires under each screw. Not permitted, looked it up once. The reason is that it is impossible to be certain that the pressure plate is bearing on both wires, particularly if they are different sizes, which is common. Barrier strips with crimped eye are a completely different case. It is in the NEC.

Opinions are one topic, standards are another. Arguing opinions on standards is for committees.

I try to treat any electrical joint as a failure point and do my best to ensure that it has no load upon it to pull it apart.

 

[Boater Sam]

Nothing wrong with Choc blocks, it's the way you clamp the wire is the problem.
If you strip the wire back, flatten it, then fold the stripped wire back along the sleave, insert the sleave and stripped wire into the choc block with the sleave facing the screw and tighten the screw down onto the sleave, you get an electrical and mechanical, vibration resistant joint.
Of course you need to use good brass choc blocks!

If in this you infer that the insulation is included under the screw I must disagree that it is satisfactory in any way. The insulation will prevent the continued pressure on the copper wire and cause a burnt out connection.

 

[KompetentKrew]

Should it be heat cycling on the small diameter wires in yacht wiring?
Plus , as i solder into a ferrule which is then screwed down tight, I cannot see it comming out. The screw will crimp the ferrule in the middle of its length so for it to pull out the screw would have to be very loose.

I don't understand why you add solder to ferrules - are they really supposed to be used this way?

The correct size of ferrule for the wire is a very slim fit indeed - there's barely any room to breathe before crimping; if there's any free play between the wire and the ferrule after the crimp is made then I'd guess it's a tiny designed-in tolerance, for which there's a good reason. Making it solid would just seem to make it more prone to cracking or dry joints.

I used to be very good at certain types of soldering, a long time ago, but the frequency with which I do it these days I recognise that I'm most likely to make a bad job of it and I'm better off using some other method. The whole point of crimping is that the tool is adjusted to apply the exact right amount of pressure on the crimp.

 

[thinwater]

These best practices (single wire under pressure plate, no soldering of wires under screw) are not my opinions, they are in the standards. Requirments for low-pull-out contectors to be used only inside boxes are in the standards--conections outside boxes must be near full wire strength and insulated/shielded against shorting. I'm just providing information. Yes, you can solder a crimp if you want to, though it will add nothing if the crimp was done properly with a properly adjusted ratchet crimper (I have done the long-term salt spray chamber testing, and I have been making crimps in industry for 40 years).

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

He does, seen this posted before. Totally unacceptable method.

Agree totally with Paul. Never heard such rubbish in 60 years experience. I think some one posted recently re. "Armchair Knowledge"