Evolution of the Quick connect [RE-wrenches]

[Matt Tritt]

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William,

William Miller wrote:

>
> At 02:32 PM 1/12/2008, you wrote:
>
>> When was the last time you were in central America?   Every body uses 
>> MC's in Europe.
>
>
> Matt:
>
> We're talking about the NEC here.  Last I checked, the NEC does not 
> apply in Europe or Central America.  I see no logic in the argument 
> that wiring is bad in Central America so why not make it bad here as 
> well?

That's not the point I was trying to make, but while we're on it, not 
everything the NEC requires makes 100% sense. (To put it mildly) 
Requiring locking MC's seems pretty dumb to me, since the weakest point 
then becomes the swedge (or crimp) and the panel attachment. Regular 
MC's are pretty good, IMHO, the + contact being all tucked away in a 
deep socket and all. The CA example doesn't mean I think its good, just 
that, depending on the time and place, just about any wiring can be risky.

>
>
>> My bet is that a five year old crazed enough to be attempting jungle 
>> jim stunts on hanging MC cables would simply pull them apart, or 
>> right out of the back of the module.
>
>
>
> Actually, the failure mode is for the pin or socket to pull out of the 
> shell and then you've got plenty of metal for the unfortunate tyke to 
> connect with.  Children that like to climb any structure resembling a 
> jungle gym aren't crazed-- they are normal.

The tyke in question would really have to have pulled the short straw. 
We've sold thousands and thousands of modules, and I've never heard of a 
single instance of this happening. I suppose that anythings possible, 
but the probability is right down there with being hit by a bullet that 
somebody shot up in the air - in the middle of Wyoming. The chances of 
the kid falling out of a tree is many times greater, but hardly anyone 
puts climbing guards on trees (except to keep out the rats!) (I liked 
climbing sheer cliffs with loose rocks when I was a kid. ;-)

>
>
>>  He would then need to find a nail and poke it into the connector to 
>> make contact, virtually as ,or less dangerous as sticking the same 
>> nail into a standard light socket or wall outlet. 5 amps versus 20 or 
>> greater. Do most parents block wall outlets or make it impossible to 
>> unscrew a light bulb?
>
>
> I see little advantage to one voltage and amperage over the other.  
> Check your resources-- they are both fatal.  And yes, those of us who 
> have had young children block receptacles and keep lamps out of reach.


I've raised two children successfully, and never blocked a light socket 
- (and I doubt that it's even possible) Plugging outlets is easier, but 
the plugs come out very easily with a knife or fork! All this stuff is 
dangerous as hell, when you come right down to it, but I still  think 
that the danger from a locking MC is probably greater than one that 
simply pulls apart because all that strain has to go somewhere - the 
weakest point. In all candor, I have to admit that I take a pretty hard 
line when it comes to the placement of small turbine towers, and am 
viewed by at least a couple people as being overly worried about it. 
What if a small turbine looses a blade and it hits someone?! What if the 
tower fails and it comes crashing down on Bubba at the Bar-B-Que? Turns 
out I haven't been able to find a solitary case of either happening 
anywhere on the planet, but it still is worrisome. ;-)

Equally respectfully,

Matt T


Respectfully,

>
> William Miller
>
>
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