Just Finished A Breaker Box Test Of Security
Out of curiosity 12 connection brand new tin plated aluminum bus Twelve wires were used Six wires were stripped and clamped tight TIGHT with set screws The remaining six were stripped, had the...
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In my opinion strongly YES. It used to be manufacturers used solid 14 gauge in RVs. I do not know about today's models. If you know what a "Euroterminal" is, the originals were made from nylon and brass with steel set screws. Inside the barrel the threaded set screw did not screw down directly onto the conductor. There is a thin permanent sheet metal "tang" what the set screw forces down onto the conductor. The set screw never touches the conductor.
Then the Chinese came along. Polyethylene housing UNPLATED aluminum receivers. Straight set screw contact with the conductor. These terminal strips are JONQUE. They can be identified by a straight shot look into an empty barrel. If the little metal tang is not visible, avoid. Also the Soy sauce derivatives look sort of translucent rather than opaque white. Copper to straight unplated aluminum is hazardous to your fire insurance.
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I just purchased a lot of ORANGE COLOR Euroterminal blocks on eBay. By connecting stubs and running a heavy load across the terminal I decided the orange blocks are superior. They are also heavy for their size. Wish I bought a hundred.
The best possible shape to insert into a block with set screw with no tang is a half moon wire end. When I did the Duran yard, Fernando Duran about had a heart attack when I inserted 1 AWG 3 phase feed wires into the massive set screw blocks, tightened the snot out of them, then used a pencil type butane torch to heat the terminals then let them cool. He could not believe his eyes. The next day I handed him the 3/8" drive allen driver with socket. He didn't strain pulling another quarter turn on the set screws. He had double-checked the tightness the day before. Being the cable had like 20 strands of solid 10 gauge it was not necessary to solder the tip. This was a big truck repair shop with 200 amp 3 phase 257 service -- a 20 HP 4 cylinder compressor and 8 1000 watt metal halide lights. Tecate Mexico.
It is through lazy carelessness that home rated electrical is not disallowed for recreational vehicles. The trick is to fix what ails it fast and cheap and soldered wire tips seem to do the job.
Then the Chinese came along. Polyethylene housing UNPLATED aluminum receivers. Straight set screw contact with the conductor. These terminal strips are JONQUE. They can be identified by a straight shot look into an empty barrel. If the little metal tang is not visible, avoid. Also the Soy sauce derivatives look sort of translucent rather than opaque white. Copper to straight unplated aluminum is hazardous to your fire insurance.
'
I just purchased a lot of ORANGE COLOR Euroterminal blocks on eBay. By connecting stubs and running a heavy load across the terminal I decided the orange blocks are superior. They are also heavy for their size. Wish I bought a hundred.
The best possible shape to insert into a block with set screw with no tang is a half moon wire end. When I did the Duran yard, Fernando Duran about had a heart attack when I inserted 1 AWG 3 phase feed wires into the massive set screw blocks, tightened the snot out of them, then used a pencil type butane torch to heat the terminals then let them cool. He could not believe his eyes. The next day I handed him the 3/8" drive allen driver with socket. He didn't strain pulling another quarter turn on the set screws. He had double-checked the tightness the day before. Being the cable had like 20 strands of solid 10 gauge it was not necessary to solder the tip. This was a big truck repair shop with 200 amp 3 phase 257 service -- a 20 HP 4 cylinder compressor and 8 1000 watt metal halide lights. Tecate Mexico.
It is through lazy carelessness that home rated electrical is not disallowed for recreational vehicles. The trick is to fix what ails it fast and cheap and soldered wire tips seem to do the job.
