Crimps

[Texdangerfield]

Hello everyone. I'm writing for advice in regards to a little argument I'm having with another electrician. I'm currently doing a series of kitchen rewires and I'm in the habit of crimping the old 2.5 circuit and placing then in the wall (the old kitchen circuit also powers the bedrooms) but the other electrician argues that it's better to use connector block. I'm told that the regs state that crimps are classed as unbroken conductors. Is there mention of this in the regs? I can't seem to find it, thanks if you reply!

 

[matt.leung]

if u use connector block, you need access to these junctions. with crimps & heat shrink or the use of waggo's these junctions can be burried away in walls as they are maintanence free joiins

 

[kme]

+1

Assuming, of course, that these conductors are still in safe zones, after you`ve finished? If not, the choice of connector is irrelevant - except for the connections needing to be accessible, except for soldered, braised and compressed connectors.

the reg you want is 526.3

 

[Texdangerfield]

Thanks for answering!, these joints however, will be buried away with no access to them so that would mean crimps are the better way to go? Thanks for Reg reference! And yes, these joints are in sufficient zones

 

[Dufjax]

Crimps all the way...... Just done the same in a kitchen refit and needed to extend some cables. Crimped, Heatshrink, capping then plaster..... Still in the safe zone obviously!

 

[m4tty]

+3 crimps all the way. No choccy blocks lol

 

[Badger]

crimps for me aswell

 

[Evans Electric]

I have to say that until recent changes in practice , anyone doing crimp lug joints under the plaster would have been asked to to go and work for someone else TBH

Things move on I suppose .

I suppose the opposite exists with JBs under the floor , apparently after all these years of trouble free service , the grub screws now undo themselves.

 

[Sidewinder]

Deke,

Grub screws have always undone themselves, it is a phenomenon known IMHO incorrectly in this situation as hysteresis.

It is more evident in highly loaded conductors where significant heat cycles occur and it is based on the fundamental laws of physics.

Thing is see the same can happen with crimps even if made with the correct "compression" tool.

Same physical phenomenon will occur unfortunately.

IMHO again crimps and small solid conductors are not a good mix if they are under high load, bigger conductors will deform in the crimp and offer multiple facets, small ones will not.

The "best" maintenance free connectors are spring loaded with springs that do not change mechanical properties until above the design temperature that they will reach in service no matter how many heat cycles they are submitted to, again IMHO.

However, I can back my opinions up with the science, the physics the chemistry and the engineering to explain my opinions and I can even demonstrate some, ask KME I blasphemed on the phone to him last week when I missed one of these and had a VERY minor "accident" I dropped a component out of a vice.

 

[kme]

You did indeed blaspheme. I asked Rev. to come and slap your legs (Mrs. SW says you like that), but I haven`t heard back yet....

 

[Texdangerfield]

Well as you know Evans Electric sometimes when you've got so many kitchens to do in a week that all are not originally a dedicated circuit then sometimes you're

Only option is crimping, crap I know

Sidewinder, can you please show me these spring loaded connectors? They seem interesting!

I also should point out I'm not placing crimped joints to be plastered over hehe, either in plasterboard Walls or with channel protection.

 

[Sidewinder]

Wago's mate!

 

[Texdangerfield]

Wago's mate!

Wagos? *googles*

 

[Evans Electric]

I'm not having a go , Tex, just commenting that things have changed .

I appreciate Slidegliders technical comments on JBs and grubscrews but even so I don't remember finding even an old grotty one that wasn't still sound.

Light switches and sockets with loose connections yes . I just don't see a JB under a floorboard as a big problem TBH .

 

[Ash]

Why are people still using connector blocks?

I'm still waiting for sockets and ceiling roses to have wago-style pushfit connections as standard.

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saying that, I did have an argument with another electrician about wagos/connector blocks, with his opinion that he wouldn't trust wagos to handle full load. His reason why "because you can see in a connector block a big lump of copper"

 

[andy_spark]

"a big lump of copper"

Who doesn't like a big lump of copper

 

[Evans Electric]

Would they take the strain of 2.5 solids being forced back into a KO box . What sort of standards do they compy with ? I do use them on lighting .

 

[batty]

Do the new cables not come down the walls when you do the rewires?

 

[Texdangerfield]

Sorry Evans I wasn't implying you where having a go sorry if my wording made it seem so.

 

[Badger]

Do the new cables not come down the walls when you do the rewires?

well normally i take on the outside of the property clipped direct sort of affair, stops someone putting a nail or screw through the cables at a later date :^O