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[Michael E.]

Really you should use crimps on standed wire to make the jump into the terminals on the outlet. The screws really aren't designed for the strands and you'll end up with about 1/2 of the wire actually making contact.

[Michael E.]

Mac Kerr wrote on Sat, 14 May 2005 21:20

In some areas the fire inspector won't allow anything less than 12/3 SO. IIRC Palm Springs is one of these.

Palm Springs, CA? I just played there a couple months ago, interesting town. At least we found the In-N-Out down the road.

[Brian Adams]

Michael E. wrote on Tue, 17 May 2005 11:41

Really you should use crimps on standed wire to make the jump into the terminals on the outlet. The screws really aren't designed for the strands and you'll end up with about 1/2 of the wire actually making contact.

If I were wrapping around the screw, I think that would be true, but I just use the tension plate that is tightened by the screw.  I feel that that's the easiest and best way to do it, and it also seems like most recepticles are built to be used that way.

[Will Lane]

I used crimp on spade lugs to go from the cable to the outlet, then i had some old 10/4 so I cut out the core and made little 6" wires and put spades on both ends to tie the 2 together.

[Dave Stevens]

B. Adams wrote on Tue, 17 May 2005 10:42

If I were wrapping around the screw, I think that would be true, but I just use the tension plate that is tightened by the screw.  I feel that that's the easiest and best way to do it, and it also seems like most recepticles are built to be used that way.

I'll add my vote for using spade lugs as well.  I've built scores of these over the years and I've found that by using the right lugs, crimped properly the failure rate in high demand or abusive applications is much lower for lugs than for sticking the cable into the screw plate.

Dave

[Brian Adams]

Dave wrote on Tue, 17 May 2005 19:35

I'll add my vote for using spade lugs as well.  I've built scores of these over the years and I've found that by using the right lugs, crimped properly the failure rate in high demand or abusive applications is much lower for lugs than for sticking the cable into the screw plate. Dave

Huh.  Looks like it might be time to open up my quad boxes for a little upgrade...

[JimCreegan]

I made a trip to Lowes today and the only Duplex Receptacle that have the (bad) push in connectors are the $0.46 household grade.  

The standard commercial spec grade comes in the standard (wrap the wire around the screw) and for a dollar more have a double plate wire clamping system that looks to me like it would hold up at least as well as the crimp/screw.

JimC

[Dave Stevens]

JimCreegan wrote on Tue, 17 May 2005 19:15

a double plate wire clamping system that looks to me like it would hold up at least as well as the crimp/screw.

While they may look like they may hold as well as with a lug, my experience is they are more prone to loosening.  It appears to me that with the plate, the pressure isn't as consistent around the connection as with a lug.  If the boxes are used infrequently or live more or less in one place it's probably less of an issue.  Most fo this sort of vibration comes from loading in and out of cases and being bounced about during the in and the out.  The primary application for those sorts of duplexes is solid wire, not stranded.  It appears to me that the solid wire compresses more predictably than the stranded wire does.  I think it's worth it to spend the extra quarter or so per crimp for what I consider a more robust connection for stranded wire.

Dave

[Mac Kerr]

I just measured the voltage drop at FOH on the system I am using here in Dallas. We have 450' of 10/5 going to FOH. We are drawing very little power with only a PM5D, 2 Dugan automixers some playback and 3 video monitors on the power. I am getting less than 2 volts of drop with the system running at low level. We have plenty of supply, with 200A 3