How to stay warm

CavemanCharlie wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:
Huntindog writes “You do know that many if not most S&B houses are wired in a similar fashion. I have seen quite a few that forgo using the screw teminalal that are present and unstead use the quicker push in wire attachment... Not disputing which one may be better... Just stating a fact. I do think that the screws make for better contact when new,,, But the downside in a mobile application may be the a tendancy to loosen over time”

So.. If someone tells you jump off a cliff BECAUSE they did and lived, you should do it also?

That “justification” is school kid mentality..

There where MILLIONS of houses and mobile homes built in the 1970s and early 1980s which were exclusively wired with ALUMINUM WIRE for all outlets and switches.. Some burned MOST did not and are still in use today..

Does that make it right or good to use?

No.

Millions of homes, mobile homes, RVs plumbed with grey QUEST plastic pipe.. Some broke and flooded and MOST have not and in fact most are STILL IN USE TODAY..

Does that make it right or good to use?

No.

There where millions of 80% efficient FURNACES in homes and mobile homes in the 1980s through late 1990s which high temperature plastic pipe was used to connect the furnace to the flue.. It was recalled when it was discovered that the pipe indeed would get brittle and crack causing a high risk of CO poisoning.. Some DID crack, some were replaced, many are STILL in use (recall never done).

Does it make it right or good to use?

No.

As far as screws used in mobile applications coming loose.. I would be more scared of that little 14 ga contact point heating up and causing a fire with a heavy load.. That contact point is a lot like having a piece of 24 ga speaker wire between the 14ga wire and the plug.. Sure it can be done, for a short time, then it over heats..

Can’t say that I have had ANY of my screw terminals come loose even in mobile applications over the years and heck, even my GENERATORS all USE SCREW TERMINALS for the OUTLET TERMINATIONS FROM FACTORY..

Boy you want a shake test, a GENERATOR will test your connections..

There ALSO IS NO SUCH THING AS A “RV VERSION” of a vampire tap.. Never was designed for RV EXCLUSIVE RV USE, but it found it's way there for EASE OF INSTALLATION.

It was designed for MOBILE HOME BUILDERS to BUILD FASTER WITH LESS LABOR. Has nothing to do with "quality" but has everything to do with trimming the cost per unit built.

RV manufacturers picked up on the idea of saving labor time and ran with it..

I WILL STILL PICK MY SCREW CONNECTIONS OVER THE FLIMSY VAMPIRE TAP ANY DAY.

I'm not arguing with you. I'm just pointing something else out.

If you don't wrap the wire around the screw. And, if you don't wrap it the right way. And, if you don't get the screw tight. Then you would still end up with a bad connection.

Again, I'm sure you do it the right way. I'm just pointing out another thing that I have seen done wrong that makes for a unsafe connection.

If you can't figure out the correct DIRECTION to wrap the wire around a screw terminal you have no business messing with electricity..

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out you have the wire wrapped wrong when tightening the screw results in the wire trying to eject it's self from the outlet or switch when tightening the screw.

Not arguing, but it is a pretty simple concept that I learned back when I was perhaps 10 years old messing around with batteries, light bulbs and other misc electrical/electronic stuff..

Not saying that electricians don't make mistakes (they do) but I am saying that a PROPERLY WIRED outlet using a screw terminal IS a much more reliable method..

Screw terminations ARE SLOWER and therefore is more labor intensive..

And businesses ARE in business to MAKE MONEY, so if they can cut down on LABOR by using devices that are QUICKER they WILL do that (and sacrifice some quality along the way)..