To Wago or not to Wago?

[slawosz]

Hi,
I know, another Wago thread
One of my winter jobs is to clean up electricity a little bit. Obviously, terminal block and busbars are the way to go, but after reading a lot of positive comments regarding Wago connectors. I indeed used them for in-season ad-hoc modification and they are amazing.
But I wonder if they are good as long time solution if they will last. I am dreaming about longer cruising: Essex - Shetlands, or even further away, and I would like to have electic that I can trust.
Now is a little bit of a rat nest. The boat is Sadler 25, so not a lot of cables really.
Pros:
* ease of use and modification
* I can design system in a way that could be easily replaced for traditional blocks anytime
* I can use my 3d printer to create custom Wago holders that will help keep them tidy
* I can easily inspect cables and replace connectors in case when they would start to corrode
Cons:
* they are not block terminals?
* new device, not marine tested?

My main concern is that they might fail during choppy force 6-7 sail during night somewhere of East Coast!

@PaulRainbow would love your input on this one

 

[Jacana139]

I work for a company that is a distributor for WAGO (as well as other brands) into the industrial automation sector. The advantage of WAGO terminations are that they are a spring clamp so tightens onto copper rather than screw terminals which can vibrate loose. As copper is ductile, when you tighten down a screw terminal the copper will re-form over time.
We don’t sell the installation type WAGO terminals but just checked the tech sheet (see attached) and it states the contact material is suited to sea air.
For those of us who favour belt and braces, they do make a strain relief plastic cover plates as well.

 

[dankilb]

Wago all the way for me. No cons I can see. I’ve priced up everything needed for our 41’ AWB ‘distribution’ (terminals behind the switch panel) and will also be using 221s instead of small bus bars in some areas (e.g. to feed each group of 4 panel switches and their CBs). Only possibly downside is price. Whole lot is already over £200, so not as ‘cheap’ as the individual components can appear. Screw terminals cheaper overall. But still not bad for a 41’ boat and cheaper than Blue Sea or dedicated 12v bits.

 

[Yngmar]

They're definitely reliable enough. A friends recent production boat has them used all over the place (on the original wiring, which, unlike the rest of the boat was pretty well built). On our own boat, the Seatalk bus is joined by three 5-pole Wagos for half a decade with zero issues now. It's been slammed around in all kinds of conditions

You can get mounts for them if you want to neaten it up a bit. They also make the full DIN-rail assortment if you do want to get it all neat and tidy, but that'll cost ya ;-)

 

[Boathook]

I had my flat rewired and all the junctions are wago. Electrician even put some tape round them just to make sure that levers can't lift up. Any wiring I do on the boat is now connected up using wago's.

 

[TSB240]

Wago jointing blocks are fine for temporary additional wiring and IMHO far better than crimped,chock block or soldered connections in the short term. I do t see why you would use them in a new or replacement electrical control panel.

After a few years of temporary additions most boats electrical panels start to look like rats nests and get to look pretty unprofessional and the potential for faults is increased.

Using Din rail mounted spring clamp terminals (wago or any other brand) correctly numbered or marked installed and wired will tidy up most additional cabling.

Our 23 year old Beneteau was supplied from new with spring clamp terminals mounted in this way. Luckily there is still plenty of space on the DIN rails for additional terminals.
I have a winter project to remove all the in line fuses,crimps and chock blocks added by the three previous owners. These can all be replaced by cage clamp terminals including the in line fuses.

They provide a secure point for cables that can be loomed up with spiral wrap to help protect and add strain relief off the connector or run into the associated cable trunking.

I come from an industrial controls panel building back ground and it is rare now to see many new control panels specified with screw type terminals. The time and cost involved in identifying each cable stripping it, crimping an end ferrule and fastening it with a screw driver becomes ridiculous in comparison to using spring terminals where the wire can be simply pushed in and reliably clamped.

 

[dankilb]

They also make the full DIN-rail assortment if you do want to get it all neat and tidy, but that'll cost ya ;-)

This is what I’m in the process of doing for our rewire. The Wago ‘Top Job’ DIN terminals and assorted bits will probably give us change from £300. Not too bad considering, although depends a lot what requirements/alternatives are. The range of options (inc. double deck, fused, etc.) means we can use the original factory wiring for loads (which is otherwise perfect and unmolested) without messing around with it.

 

[Gsailor]

Seems you have a consensus.

I do a bit of electrics and electronics and I love them.

I prefer the ones that have transparent plastic so you can see if wire is in exactly correct place. Just looked at one and itvis labelled "Wago 221"

Have fun.

Are you using tinned wire?

 

[Tranona]

I have used Wagos quite a lot and have made up mini distribution boards by epoxying the connectors either onto removable boards or direct onto panels. couple of examples can be seen in theis photo of the main DC distribution panel.



Sort of evolved ass I went along and probably would not use that choc strip for the neg busbar if I was doing it again. works OK but not very elegant

 

[superheat6k]

I would prefer to use Din rail with sprung din rail terminals. e.g. Wago grey 2001 (RS 240-7718). I am fortunate to acquire these or similar free from control panel upgrades.

Also the Bluesea terminal boxes are excellent, and you can replace the blade fuses with small circuit breakers.

 

[slawosz]

For now, looks like I will end up with few Wagos to connect devices cables to new cables used to rewire my electrics. When I finish, I will post the results here.

 

[dunedin]

Excuse my ignorance, but is there a Wago connector that would replace a simple chocolate bar connector currently used for our mast wiring connections - ie
- circa 8 independent wires
- in one side, out the other
- mast side easily disconnected when need to remove the mast, without disconnecting boat side
- in a very dry location under bunk cushion

Most of the Wago connectors I have used have been separate, with both in and out of the same side, which would take up too much space.

PS. After some searching, is it these that I am looking for
- Wago 221-2411 connectors - WAGO 221-2411 Terminal 2 Conductor 4 mm² Through Connector with Lever (Pack of 10) : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
- Wago 221-2504 base to join them - Mounting carrier with strain relief (221-2504) | WAGO GB

 

[nigel1]

Yes, those connectors are the ones you will need.

I used them after having to cut the cable to a Raymarine GPS and needing to resplice. Used 5 of the inline connectors, and used superglue to glue the 5 connectors into a single block. These were then place in a water tight box with the cable entries through cable glands at each end. Neat solution.

Excuse my ignorance, but is there a Wago connector that would replace a simple chocolate bar connector currently used for our mast wiring connections - ie
- circa 8 independent wires
- in one side, out the other
- mast side easily disconnected when need to remove the mast, without disconnecting boat side
- in a very dry location under bunk cushion

Most of the Wago connectors I have used have been separate, with both in and out of the same side, which would take up too much space.

PS. After some searching, is it these that I am looking for
- Wago 221-2411 connectors - WAGO 221-2411 Terminal 2 Conductor 4 mm² Through Connector with Lever (Pack of 10) : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
- Wago 221-2504 base to join them - Mounting carrier with strain relief (221-2504) | WAGO GB

 

[goeasy123]

Excuse my ignorance, but is there a Wago connector that would replace a simple chocolate bar connector currently used for our mast wiring connections - ie
- circa 8 independent wires
- in one side, out the other
- mast side easily disconnected when need to remove the mast, without disconnecting boat side
- in a very dry location under bunk cushion

Most of the Wago connectors I have used have been separate, with both in and out of the same side, which would take up too much space.

PS. After some searching, is it these that I am looking for
- Wago 221-2411 connectors - WAGO 221-2411 Terminal 2 Conductor 4 mm² Through Connector with Lever (Pack of 10) : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
- Wago 221-2504 base to join them - Mounting carrier with strain relief (221-2504) | WAGO GB

SPL-3 Straight Through Terminal Electrical Block Connectors might be better. 3 in a row. You can zip tie them together to get multiples of 3 or glue them to a mounting board.

 

[Tranona]

Excuse my ignorance, but is there a Wago connector that would replace a simple chocolate bar connector currently used for our mast wiring connections - ie
- circa 8 independent wires
- in one side, out the other
- mast side easily disconnected when need to remove the mast, without disconnecting boat side
- in a very dry location under bunk cushion

Most of the Wago connectors I have used have been separate, with both in and out of the same side, which would take up too much space.

PS. After some searching, is it these that I am looking for
- Wago 221-2411 connectors - WAGO 221-2411 Terminal 2 Conductor 4 mm² Through Connector with Lever (Pack of 10) : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
- Wago 221-2504 base to join them - Mounting carrier with strain relief (221-2504) | WAGO GB

Just use the standard side by side 2 way and mount them on a board using superglue. Label them and leave the boats side permanently connected. When you unstep the mast just open the mast side of each one and pull the wires out. Reverse on stepping. This is exactly what I have done with my 5 wires that come into the boat through a swan neck.

You can see similar mini boards in post#9

 

[thinwater]

Remember that Wago connectors do NOT meet the same pull-out strength standards as screw-type terminal blocks or chock-blocks or splices and are thus restricted to use in enclosure-like uses where there is near perfect strain relief. They are not a substitute in all applications. Convenient, but not strong.

Google the standards.

 

[nigel1]

If you have sufficient space, can use something like this, which will take care of strain relieve and ensure that the connections remain dry.
WISKA Combi 304 Black IP66 Rated Weatherproof Outdoor External Junction Box Complete with 3X WAGO 221-413 and 3X WISKA GLP20+ ESKV 20 Plus IP68 Dome Top Compression Glands : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

 

[dunedin]

If you have sufficient space, can use something like this, which will take care of strain relieve and ensure that the connections remain dry.
WISKA Combi 304 Black IP66 Rated Weatherproof Outdoor External Junction Box Complete with 3X WAGO 221-413 and 3X WISKA GLP20+ ESKV 20 Plus IP68 Dome Top Compression Glands : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

But massive overkill for 8 or so mast connections in a super dry location with no risk of any cable stress.

 

[thinwater]

But massive overkill for 8 or so mast connections in a super dry location with no risk of any cable stress.

Would you use wire nuts in an exposed location? No. Same problem. (USCG does approve wire nuts inside enclosures, so don't say they are not permitted on boats.) Or does the location, in fact, meet the general requirements of an enclosure? If there is no wire stress and it is completely protected from weather, it may. But does it?

I would chose Wago connectors over nut. But this may be a place for a splice or a terminal block.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Would you use wire nuts in an exposed location? No. Same problem. (USCG does approve wire nuts inside enclosures, so don't say they are not permitted on boats.) Or does the location, in fact, meet the general requirements of an enclosure? If there is no wire stress and it is completely protected from weather, it may. But does it?

I would chose Wago connectors over nut. But this may be a place for a splice or a terminal block.

Wire nuts are not permitted in the UK/EU. They are one of the most horrible forms of connecting wires ever invented.

Wago connectors are not the be all and end all, but they are useful in some cases. A set of Wago connectors epoxied in place, with cables supported by cable tie saddles (for instance) are a perfectly acceptable solution in some cases. There is nothing in UK or EU standards that prevent their use.