ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Alternative connector

I was looking through the Graybar catalog and saw a different type of wire connector.

It's basically a collar with a set screw for clamping the wires together, then a plsatic insulator is screwed over the collar to give the finished appearance of a wirenut.

I like the sound of this: Sort of a cross between our screw terminals & your wirenuts.

Do any of you use these?

(Graybar catalog #40, pg. 3-27 for anyone who has it; made by Ideal.)

I have seen them, looks like a good substitute for splitbolts on small conductors...

Can't get them here (locally in WV) though.

I've never seen a new one, but have taken quite a few out of old existing installations. I always saved them like they were gold, as I didn't realize they were still made. Using them for connections in small motor peckerheads, they worked very well.

Grayar catalog no.:
30-210. Min 2 x #22, max 1 x #16 + 2 x #18
30-211. Min 3 x #20, max 3 x #16
30-222. Min 2 x #14, max 2 x #10 + 1 x #12

150 deg. C max, Cu/Cu only, packs of 100.

No idea of the price; none in the catalog.

They sound like the old Ideal wire connecctors, if you have a lot of terminations to make they are a Royal Pain, IMO I'd steer clear of them, used them about 25 years ago, too much time wasted tightening the set screw. About that time Buchannan came out with there crimp and clear wirenut it was a one shot deal had to crimp the brass ring and then slide the clear plastic over it. They even made a special tool for it with four dies for crimping the brass fitting, it too was a royal pain.

I guess they would take longer to fit than a regular wirenut, but as we're used to tightening screw terminals here anyway, they just seemed like a real neat alternative.