Getting three wires into one screw hole

ed110220

muckybutt wrote: »

You can get arcing around the conductors for starters, often twisted wires snap when they are placed in the connection point, a big cause of faults etc etc



You have proved you are no expert by posting what you did ! twisting together is as I have explained above very bad practice, twisting as you mentioned before is dangerous. Twisting wires together will still be the same as putting them in singularly !

What's wrong with putting the wires into the connector singly? I thought that was how it was meant to be done ie all three wires into the same terminal with the insulation left on up to the terminal, then screwed done onto the copper conductors.

That's how it was done originally, presumably by the council.

tlh858

If you twist wires together, they will take up more space due to the twists and therefore be more difficult to fit into the terminal.

They are also more likely to fracture and break off.

It will also make it far more difficult for the next person who has to remove them to replace the timer or whatever else they are connected to.

Insulation tape is not required, because there shouldn't be any exposed copper showing if the wires are connected properly. Insulation tape will often dry out and fall off anyway, or if not, turn into a disgusting sticky mess.

prowla

Yes - twisting them together will take up more space.

There should be no exposed copper.

muckybutt

ed110220 wrote: »

What's wrong with putting the wires into the connector singly? I thought that was how it was meant to be done ie all three wires into the same terminal with the insulation left on up to the terminal, then screwed done onto the copper conductors.

That's how it was done originally, presumably by the council.

I didnt say they shouldnt be put in singularly ! that is how they should be.

As for twisting the wires takes up more room ? thats ridiculous ! the wires dont grow thicker lol and the individual wires will still be the same cross sectional area.

This is one reason part p was bought in dodgy diyers thinking they are sparkies.
Follow my or dsvardy's advice.

diable

5 years of a City and Guilds 236 Part 1 and Part 2 wasted, I should have come on here and did a distance learning course.

How many 2.5 mm cables allowed in to a 25 mm metal conduit located in an aviation fuel depot?

muckybutt

Watch some diyer say as many as you can fit in with some washing up liquid as lube :rotfl:

roddydogs

I must admit that I have always twisted the wires together, because any socket ive removed always had them that way, so I just followed on from that.
Surely if you put the wires in singly, the hole is round but the screw is straight, there is a danger that one or two of the wires will slip by the side of the screw and not be as tight?

keystone

roddydogs wrote: »

I must admit that I have always twisted the wires together, because any socket ive removed always had them that way, so I just followed on from that.

Thats not actually what post #2 is suggesting. He's saying strip one conductor back some way, wrap the other two around it close to where the insulation has been removed then stick just the single longer conductor into the 'ole. Thus the two that are wrapped round the single conductor have no proper connection and thats what is unsafe.

Cheers

roddydogs

keystone wrote: »

Thats not actually what post #2 is suggesting. He's saying strip one conductor back some way, wrap the other two around it close to where the insulation has been removed then stick just the single longer conductor into the 'ole. Thus the two that are wrapped round the single conductor have no proper connection and thats what is unsafe.

Cheers

yes but other posters are saying you shouldn't twist them at all.
come on you lecceys, tell us how you do them.

muckybutt

roddydogs wrote: »

come on you lecceys, tell us how you do them.

We have and the reasons why you should not twist - end of !
:wall: