ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Ground screw not tight

Leviton recommends 12 in/lbs for screw terminals not otherwise marked.

It isn't terribly tight, just tight enough to hold without squishing the wire.

Now for SQ D Breakers at 35 in/lbs, you'll think you're gonna break it before it's tight enough.

Get a torque-screwdriver, some specs, and play with 'em!

Right, Tom?

There are receptacles out there that look like pin back devices, that are good for solid, stranded, 14 ga and 12 ga wires. The device has little clamps inside the receptacle that holds the wire good and tight. They cost more that the plain receptacles, but it might be worth it.

I'm familiar with those.

They're called back-wired terminals (according to the manufacturer's catalogues).

It's a little clamp that tightens over the stripped conductor as you turn the screw.

They're mostly used in the expensive industrial and hospital-grade sockets but shouldn't be confused with that stab-in pressure-lock crap (which I HAAATE because if you goof and have to rip the wire out of the hole, it's distorted the springy metal jaw in there and it will never hold the wire in properly ever again).

A a Colombian-manufactured (Luminex brand)NEMA 15-amp duplex-receptacle I brought back two years ago from my last trip to Colombia also has this type of terminal with the screw and clamp. It holds the conductor quite securely. The quality level of wiring devices currently manufactured down there is quite good, by the way.

It's a bit reminicent of the terminals with set-screws that European wiring devices usually use (instead of the wrap-around screw type terminations we have).

Much easier to use (no wire bending involved). :-)

[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 10-21-2002).]