[RE-wrenches] Flexible stranded Connectors

Wed Apr 30 06:53:13 PDT 2014

I followed up on the crimping tool at Allied and was shocked to see the
price. Paladin used to make crimpers for <$100 that fit 8&10. Now Greenlee
has bought them out and prices are 4x.

There are probably imports that are lower priced with a little searching the
www. 

Anyway the crimpers are only used to hold the ferrule on the wire until you
secure it in the lug so realistically you would not even need crimpers in
most cases. This is what a proper crimp looks like.

Jim 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Solarguy
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 8:29 AM
To: 'RE-wrenches'
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Flexible stranded Connectors

Allied Electronics carries different brands of bootlace ferrules from 20 awg
up to 350 mcm. Tin/copper construction, they are designed to keep strands
from splaying or being cut inside a torqued down lug. We've used them for
years on almost all #10 & #8. It allows the wire to be removed and
reinserted without damage, the ferrule conforms to the shape of the lug
screw and makes more surface contact with the spherical face of the screw.
They take a special crimping tool but they are pretty much foolproof. They
don't say rated for fine stranded but the mfgr should know. 

http://www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=70078429 

Jim Duncan

North Texas Renewable Energy Inc

www.ntrei.com <http://www.ntrei.com/>  

NABCEP PV 031310-57

TECL-27398

ntrei at 1scom.net 

817.917.0527

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of William
Miller
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 1:01 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Flexible stranded Connectors

Ray:

Darn good question, especially since I will be doing the exact same thing,
*tomorrow*.

I have never been clear on the real problem. Fine stranded cables overheat
in the wrong lugs?  Is this true for mechanical or compression?

Aside from code compliance, what is the best common sense approach to Sunny
Islands with fine stranded?  Annual retorquing?  Pin terminals?  Solder
tinning the strands?????

I used to wrap thin copper sheeting around fine stranded just to corral the
strands. Is this a possible solution?

Thanks Ray for bringing up a question I forgot to consider. 

William

Miller Solar

> On Apr 29, 2014, at 10:48 PM, Ray Walters < <mailto:ray at solarray.com>
ray at solarray.com> wrote:

> 

> Hi All;

> 

> In order to avoid any of my work showing up in someone's slideshow of
horrors, I'm trying to find the correct way to wire 3 Sunny Islands with
Cobra X flex cable.

> While it doesn't actually mention it in the SMA manual, a call to SMA tech
support confirmed my suspicions: the DC lugs in the inverter are NOT rated
for flex or fine stranded cable.

> Both SMA and CED recommended I try Grainger's for crimp on adapters.
Grainger had no clue, and nothing came up in searches there.

> From a trade show, I have an ILSCO lug book, that shows a crimp on 

> pigtail adapter.  It does not mention whether its flex rated though on the
crimp side of the adapter, as the adapter is used primarily to land over
sized cables into smaller lugs.  (2/0 to #1, for instance) The best I've
found so far, is NSI, which makes sleeves, that are installed around the
wire, right in the connection:

>  <http://www.nsiindustries.com/products/electrical/connectors/compressio>
http://www.nsiindustries.com/products/electrical/connectors/compressio

> n-connectors/copper-compression/fsflex-cable-sleeve.aspx

> I also found a Schneider white paper recommending sleeves with their lugs:

>  <http://static.schneider-electric.us/docs/Circuit%20Protection/0515DB03>
http://static.schneider-electric.us/docs/Circuit%20Protection/0515DB03

> 01.pdf

> 

> So who has used these sleeves, and where do I get them?

> The sleeves seem like a decent compromise, whilst the ILSCO pigtail 

> adapters are coming in at $40/ ea...... (ouch)

> 

> On the internet, I'm seeing several examples of X flex used directly (no
adapters) with the Sunny Islands, so are folks just blowing off articles
690.31(F) and 110.14, that specify the connector be rated for flex cable?

> And finally, couldn't SMA use a lug that was flex rated?

> For example, Marathon makes Class K rated mechanical Lugs: 

>  <http://www.marathonsp.com/NewRatings.html>
http://www.marathonsp.com/NewRatings.html

> I'd use THHN, but I really don't feel good about wiring the Heineman
breakers with that stiff a wire.  I've cracked breaker cases
before......that's why the X flex is industry standard for off grid DC.

> 

> Thanks for your help,

> 

> --

> R.Ray Walters

> CTO, Solarray, Inc

> Nabcep Certified PV Installer,

> Licensed Master Electrician

> Solar Design Engineer

> 303 505-8760

> 

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