I moved into this house a year ago and new things pop up all the time. Just last week I opened up a box in our mudroom and I found a furry little helper draped across the hot and neutral of the keyless.

Today I break the pullchain on the light in our foyer and decide to fix it while I had some time. I open up the box and find 2 older black wires that are no longer in use with a newer 12/2 romex. There are also no wirenuts. ????Hmmm?

The hot and neutral wires were crimped together with ground crimps. The same used to crimp romex grounds together. Then it was wrapped many times with electrical tape. Well, I decided that this will not work and used wirenuts as I put it all back together.

It makes me wonder what I may not be seeing.

That's one of the reasons I am very careful when doing partial remodels about including language like
"The warranty of work only applies to conductors, raceways, opr other equipment physically touched or herein indicated as being inspected by electrical contractor. There may be hazards present that were not observable during the work included in this invoice"

Also, I'll include "WARNING - HAZARD" language with a description on the invoice if I tell the property owner about a dangerous circumstance and he tells me "just leave it alone and fix what you're here for"

I will say this and then run to dodge the rocks IMO the crimped and taped joint was better than any wirenut joint.

Well, E-Man....no need to duck yet!

While the crimps are used today only on ground wires, it wasn't always thet way. Wire nuts didn't really come into use until 1960- and even then, all you had was the spring part! Compared to the older twist, solder, and tape method, either the crimps or the springs were a real labor-saver. Both were insulated with electrical tape.

It's funny this subject would come up today; one of my jobs today was fixing some lighting a guy did in his warehouse. For the second time at this place, I found myself repairing a fault caused by an imperfect taping / assembly job. Wire nuts are much, much more tolerant of the less-skilled worker.


Getting back on-topic, anything that has been added to or modified in an old home is suspect. There are far too many folks doing electric work who aren't nearly as talented as they like to think!

On old work I've run into nuts (2 part)that have a brass conn. w/screw and the 'nut' part threads onthe brass and merely insulates the wires. I like 'em, more labor but solid connection.

Those Buchanon crimps had a tendency to heat, expand, and loosen under moderate to high loads, especially if not crimped properly. I think they had so many problems that they eventually lost listing for current carrying conductors? I don't think you can get the little rubber boots (that went under the tape) for them anymore?

See the following link: http://www.idealindustries.com/IDEA...p+Connectors+and+Insulators?OpenDocument

They still make the crimps and caps and they are listed. We use nothing but Ideal 410 crimps and caps in one customer's factory. Vibration there tends to unscrew the tightest wirenut over time. And before anyone suggests taping the wirenut, I will state that I can crimp and cap a connection quicker.

When I started looking around this house I found none of the previous homeowner's splices used anything but the twist and tape method. He wrapped stranded wire around the solid and folded them over, pinching the stranded. It looked very ugly but I have to admit I didn't find one that had any signs of heating, even in the 1440w bathroom heaters. Copper is very forgiving I guess.
I think I have finally got all of this wiring out but it wasn't easy finding it all. Fortunately he seemed to have a spool of dark brown TW style romex he used so it is easy to trace. Most was done in the 3:12 attic and then covered with blown cellulose. The original 1963 (asphalt/paper Romex) wiring was soldered and taped. That is solid but a pain to work on. I got back to original and stopped screwing with it, running new circuits when I wanted something.

The plant where I work was originaly built in the 40's and the spec has been twist fold over and tape. The reason I was given was viberation. It seems crude but it seems to work.

Well, I guess they still do make 'em....

posted for skingusmc:

gfretwell,

Did it look something like this...



- Steve (skingusmc)

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 03-23-2006).]

In Austria I've seen another type of splice. Take a rather thin screw (think a cover plate screw) and a weird nut with three wings sticking up if you lay it flat on a table. The wires are bent around the screw and the nut is tightened, the wings keeping the wire from silding out. Then everything is taped. I stumbled over those at a friend's place (supposedly 1961, but very conservative wiring in most regards) and first thought of replacing them. in the end I just unwrapped each and every one, tightened the screws and retaped. Probably lasts longer than anything else. Don't care for making up such a connection though...

I'm still wondering why theres a keyless in the foyer. Unless its a brushed nickel keyless... then say no more.

Steve, yup that's the one. Where did you find that? I am curious who used that method of splicing.

gfretwell -

"Steve, yup that's the one. Where did you find that? I am curious who used that method of splicing."

I'll send you a copy of what I have via e-mail.

I found it while looking for a "Western Union" splice.

Steve