How to connect two wires

Connecting aluminum wires to each other: types of connections, how to tin and solder

Creating reliable electrical contact when installing a cable is not as easy as it seems. This is especially true for aluminum wires: due to the physical properties of the metal, problems may arise when connecting them.

Features of aluminum wires

Aluminum wires cannot be used in residential areas

According to the PUE standards, it is prohibited to use aluminum conductors during installation in residential premises.

Aluminum wire is a cheap solution, with a price that is an order of magnitude lower than copper wire. It is not subject to corrosion, as it is instantly covered with a thick oxide film. Has a low specific gravity.

The main disadvantage is the low electrical conductivity of aluminum. It is 37.9 μS×m, which is almost twice as bad as copper, which has 59.5 μS×m. The low flexibility of the conductor makes it impossible to install in places where it is subject to repeated mechanical stress.

There are four types of wire connections: crimping, squeezing, welding, and soldering. Crimping sleeves and terminal blocks will ensure easy and quick cable installation in places where high mechanical resistance is not required. Soldering and welding will provide the most durable and reliable connection, but require skill and the use of special tools.

Pressing method

Pressing is done using a special sleeve into which the cores are inserted, after which they are crimped with a special tool - a crimper. Sleeves vary in diameter, length and material. When installing the cable, only aluminum or brass sleeves must be used. Using brass elements, you can connect both aluminum to aluminum and copper to aluminum wires.

When connecting aluminum conductors, copper-containing sleeves must not be used. These two metals form a galvanic couple, which leads to accelerated destruction of aluminum.

To connect cores with different sections, special sleeves with different diameters of inlet holes are used.

The correct choice of sleeve diameter will protect the chain section from overheating. A larger diameter will give a small contact patch and increased resistance. If the cross-section of the sleeve is smaller, it is necessary to reduce the cross-section of the cores, which will also negatively affect the conductive properties.

Compression method

Wire compression terminal

When routing cables in a distribution box, accidental contact of adjacent wires is highly undesirable. Terminal blocks are used for this purpose.

The terminal is an insulated sleeve into which the conductors are inserted. Internally, either a screw or a spring is used for fixation.

If you intend to install a stranded wire, before installing it into the terminal it is necessary to crimp it with a special sleeve, which will improve contact and reduce the likelihood of pinching.

When using terminals with a screw connection, you need to clearly control the clamping force in order to avoid cutting the wire with a screw and its subsequent destruction. Wago terminal blocks do not have this drawback. In them, the mechanism for fixing the core is a brass plate and a spring. The use of brass in the composition makes it possible to safely connect cables made of different metals.

Welding method

When welding, a drop forms at the end of the twist

Welding provides the best electrical contact. Due to the homogeneity of the resulting connection, there is no problem of increased resistance of the circuit section.

A welding machine is used with an output power of up to 1 kW and an adjustable voltage within the range of 14-20 V. Welding is considered successful if a drop has formed at the end of the twist, with a diameter approximately equal to the twist.

When welding, a carbon conductor is used along the end of the twist. The exposure time should not exceed 2 seconds.

There is an option for gas welding of wires. In an inert gas atmosphere, the oxide film ceases to form, which significantly facilitates the process, but specific knowledge and equipment are required.

Soldering method

When welding wires, tin solder is used

Before tinning the surface, the oxide film is removed. This can be done either by mechanical force, for example, sandpaper or a brush with metal bristles, or by using a special chemical - flux. It is a white powder that dissolves in water and is then applied to the ends of the tinned wires.

Aluminum oxidation in air occurs in a matter of seconds, so mechanical action alone cannot remove oxides. It is recommended to combine the use of flux and surface cleaning.

If two wires are being soldered, using a 60 W soldering iron will be sufficient. For wires with a large cross-section and when soldering multi-core twists, you will need a soldering iron with a power of 150 W or more.

The tin content in the solder must be at least 50%. You can take solder with 60-90% content.

Soldering aluminum step by step:

Degrease the surface. Gasoline and alcohol will do. This will thin the oxide film.
Fix the wire strands in the required position.
Apply flux. Make sure it hits the cable joint.
Warm up the twisting area with a soldering iron or gas torch. In the latter case, you should be careful, as the metal heats up quickly and can melt.
Tin the connection point. Gently rub the solder with a soldering iron until a homogeneous shiny film appears.

A properly treated surface acquires a characteristic metallic sheen. Sagging and untinned areas should not be allowed to appear.

Tin solder is susceptible to corrosion, so the finished connection is treated with varnish.

When extending wires, if operation is expected in difficult conditions, a soldered or welded connection will perform best. In everyday life, for cables that are not subject to mechanical stress, crimping with a sleeve is quite suitable.

Source: https://StrojDvor.ru/elektrosnabzhenie/soedinenie-aluminievyh-provodov/

How to connect an Internet cable (twisted pair) to each other

In this article we will show you how to connect your Internet cable that has broken or simply needs to be extended. It’s clear that you don’t need any special knowledge to connect the wires. Therefore, we decided to give you practical tips and recommendations on how best to connect a network cable and show you what connection methods are available. Now, perhaps, let’s move on to considering several connection options, and you yourself can decide which one is most suitable for you.

For this method you will need electrical tape, a knife and your hands, from the right place. In almost any home these items are always available.

The first thing to start with is to take both ends and remove the protective outer braid from them.
Now unwind all the wires individually and remove the insulation from each.
Twist all the wires strictly according to color. In this action, twisting must begin with the insulation, as in the photo.

It is advisable to trim the sharp ends of the twisted strands, but not necessary.
We isolate each color of twist separately, and at the end all together.

You might be interested in knowing: How to install parental controls on your phone and Windows 10, 7.

If you make such a twist in your home and hide it from a curious house cat, it will serve you for many years. And you don’t have to urgently run to the store for a new wire.

But if such a twist is located on the street, then it is still advisable to replace the cable in the coming months. Since in the place where the twisted pair is twisted, under the influence of natural factors (rain, snow, wind, sun) your connection will oxidize. Because of this, you will experience frequent interruptions in the Internet, reduced speed and loss of pings. Well, or, if you want to save money, then every six months you will have to make a new twist in place of the old one. So the decision is yours.

We showed the first way to connect your Internet cable to each other at almost no cost.

Method No. 2: We make twisting with soldering

This option will, of course, be more reliable than the first. It is performed as follows.

We do everything the same as in the first option until the moment when it is necessary to insulate each color of the core with electrical tape.
Having twisted all the wires according to color, take a soldering iron and start soldering. There is nothing complicated about this; even a person who picks up a soldering iron for the first time can cope with it.
After soldering, we insulate each twist separately with electrical tape, and then all together.

This twist will last much longer, so if you have a soldering iron, we recommend using it. That's all, now you know how you can connect twisted pair cables to each other using a soldering iron.

See also: How to find out if there is bluetooth on a laptop.

Method No. 3: Use scotch-lock to connect the twisted pair

Scotch-lock is a small connector made of durable plastic that is not afraid of environmental influences. It is filled with a special hydrophobic gel, thanks to which oxidation will not occur inside the connector.

This connector is a very convenient thing, the only drawback is that it is difficult to find on sale. Prices start from three rubles and above.

Remove the main braid from the cable and, color by color, without removing the insulation, insert the two wires into the adhesive tape.
Take pliers and squeeze. If possible, ring the created connection with the tester.

If you need to connect two cables that are crimped, then the ideal option is to buy a special adapter, see the picture below.

If a wire is broken or extended, a twisted pair splicer will help. You just need to insert the network cable on both sides according to the colors and use a thin screwdriver to press all the wires in until they stop. An example is given below.

See what to do if it says: Authentication error when connecting to wifi on an Android phone.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is nothing complicated about connecting an Internet cable; anyone can handle this task. And now you know all the options on how to quickly connect an Internet cable at home. We hope everything works out for you, if you have any questions, write below.

Source: https://lanportal.ru/lan/kak-soedinit-lyuboj-internet-kabel-vituyu-paru-mezhdu-soboj.html

How to connect aluminum wires: do it quickly and correctly

Connection of aluminum wires

How to connect two aluminum wires to each other? It would seem like a rather banal question, but even here the first answer that comes to mind is not always correct. After all, twisting of wires is prohibited according to the PUE standards, and any wires can be connected only by crimping, soldering, welding and using screw clamps. And we’ll talk about how to do it correctly in our article.

Properties of aluminum wires

But we propose to start our conversation with a quick analysis of the properties of aluminum wire. This will allow you to identify problem areas and understand possible problems during its installation.

Comparison of copper and aluminum wire

Let's start with the advantages of aluminum wire. The main one is the price, which is an order of magnitude lower than that of its main competitor - copper.
Another advantage of this material is its lightness. This has led to its widespread use in power lines, where weight is very important.
Well, the last advantage is its resistance to corrosion. Aluminum is almost instantly coated with a persistent oxide film, which prevents further oxidation. At the same time, this film also has negative aspects - it is a very poor conductor of electric current.

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Areas of application of copper and aluminum wires

Then there were only continuous shortcomings. And the first of them is the low electrical conductivity of aluminum. For this material it is 38×106 S/m. For comparison, for copper this parameter is 59.5 × 106 S/m. This results in the fact that, for example, a copper wire with a cross-section of 1 mm2 is capable of passing a current almost 2 times greater than a similar aluminum wire.

Resistance of some substances

The next significant disadvantage is that aluminum wires have very low flexibility. In this regard, they cannot be used in places where the wiring is subject to repeated bending or other mechanical stress during operation.
Well, and finally, the instructions say that aluminum has such a bad property as fluidity. As a result of thermal and mechanical influences, it can lose its shape, which has an extremely negative effect on contact connections.

Note! According to the PUE standards, since 2001 it has been prohibited to use aluminum wire for installing electrical wiring in residential premises. This ban significantly reduced the use of aluminum electrical wiring in everyday life.

Methods for connecting aluminum wires

As we said above, aluminum wires can be connected in four main ways - screw or bolt clamps, pressing, welding and soldering. Let's look at the features of each of these types of connections.

Connecting aluminum wires using the compression method

Let's start with the most common connection method - compression. It can be of several types - bolted, screw or using a pressure spring, which is used in Wago terminals.

The screw terminal may damage the aluminum wire	Connecting aluminum wires to each other using this type of connection has one drawback. If you use conventional screw terminals, then using a screw you can completely or partially press down the soft aluminum core. This will either reduce or completely destroy contact.
Brass lugs for aluminum wires	To exclude this option, the connection should be made through special contact nozzles made of brass. Brass has less elasticity and is more difficult to bend. Therefore, such attachments provide reliable contact and eliminate the possibility of damage to the wire.
Aluminum lugs for bolting wires and cables	For bolted connections of aluminum wire, special lugs should also be used. They are attached to a wire or cable using the crimping method and then these lugs are connected using a bolted method.
Wago terminals for connecting aluminum wires	As for Wago terminals, everything is much simpler here. This type of connection cannot damage the wire, so such terminal blocks can be used without additional attachments. This somewhat compensates for their higher price.

Connecting aluminum wires using the pressing method

Recently, connecting aluminum wires with a sleeve has become increasingly popular. This is partly due to the widespread use of crimpers or, as they are also called, crimping pliers. This tool allows you to crimp wires of different sections, ensuring fairly reliable contact.

Crimpers for crimping wires Sleeves for connecting aluminum wires

The connection of wires by crimping is carried out using special sleeves. These sleeves are available in different diameters and materials. To connect aluminum wires, either aluminum or brass sleeves should be used. Copper should not be used under any circumstances, since the connection of these two materials can lead to the formation of galvanic isolation and ultimately the complete destruction of the aluminum conductor.

Note! The cross-section of the sleeve for connecting wires must correspond to the cross-section of the wire.

If you use a sleeve with a smaller cross-section, then to insert the wire into the sleeve you will have to reduce its cross-section, which will negatively affect the contact. If you use a sleeve with a larger cross-section than the wire, then the area of the contact connection will be much smaller, which again will lead to overheating of the contact.

Sleeves for connecting wires of different sections

To connect wires of different sections, there are sleeves with different diameters of the inlet holes. They can also be used to connect more than two wires in one sleeve.
Sleeves for connecting aluminum wires have a strictly required length. Believe me, the manufacturer did not make a reserve in the sleeve, so cutting the sleeve in half in order to save money is a very bad option. After all, when connecting two wires, crimping should be done twice with opposite crimps. If you cut the sleeve in half, you won't be able to do this, and the contact will be poor quality.

Another frequently asked question relates to connections between stranded aluminum wire and solid wire. It is possible to make such a connection using crimping, and it will be of sufficient quality. The main thing is to choose a sleeve with the appropriate inlet diameters. Indeed, in most cases these are wires of different sections.

Connecting aluminum wires welding method

The best quality of connection is ensured by welding. Due to the fact that in this case the wire forms a single whole, problems with transition resistances, the possibility of reducing the pressure force, and much more are practically eliminated. But there are also a lot of problems here.

Welding aluminum wires

The fact is that, as we said above, an oxide film forms on the surface of aluminum. It has completely different heat and electrical conductivity than aluminum itself. In this regard, welding aluminum wires is difficult.
Since the melting temperatures of oxide and aluminum differ, attempts to simply weld wires with a carbon electrode will not be very successful. Oxides will remain on the molten drops of aluminum, and the compound itself will not be homogeneous, as in the video.

The photo shows the process of welding aluminum wires

To eliminate this problem, you can remove oxides from the surface mechanically, but this is labor-intensive and not always effective, since the formation of a new film occurs almost instantly.
Based on this, in most cases, various fluxes are used for welding, which can destroy the oxide film. This material should destroy the oxide film and practically not react to pure metal; in addition, it should not produce harmful compounds during welding. Selecting such material is quite difficult and often you have to make a compromise.

Wire welding technology

But even with the use of fluxes, it is quite difficult to make a welded connection of wires with your own hands without proper preparation. This is due to the fact that it is extremely important to select the proper welding voltage (usually no more than 20V) and exposure time to the conductor (usually 1-2 seconds).

Note! In addition to electric welding of aluminum wires, gas welding is also quite common. It has its own characteristics regarding both the materials used and the welding temperature.

Connecting aluminum conductors by soldering

The last option that can be used to connect sockets with aluminum wires is soldering. This method is quite labor-intensive and can hardly be called fast.

Therefore, it is used extremely rarely for power plants, and in low-voltage networks, aluminum wires are used quite rarely due to their rigidity. Nevertheless, let's consider this option.

Soldering aluminum wires

The main problem here, as in the case of welding, is the oxide film. In addition, there is such a problem as the lack of visual control over the temperature of the wire. Indeed, with prolonged exposure to high temperatures, aluminum can change its physicochemical properties.
Based on this, the process of soldering aluminum becomes quite complex. First of all, we need to get rid of the oxide on its surface. This can be done using any abrasive materials, but you should not be zealous, since a new film is formed almost instantly. Our task is only to reduce its thickness.

After this, the wires are fixed and solder and flux are touched to the wires. It is better to use TsOP-40 or its analogues as solder.
Flux for soldering aluminum is F - 59A, F - 61, F - 34 or other similar compositions. They destroy the oxide film quite well.

Solder for soldering aluminum

When the solder touches the wires, they should be scraped across them to make it easier for the flux to break down the oxide film. If soldering is performed without using flux, then the intensity of friction of the solder on the wires should be more intense.

Conclusion

Connecting aluminum wire with a sleeve and using terminals are the simplest options. At the same time, the use of crimping does not require additional materials, but requires the presence of a crimper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2J-6t4Rfb0

The use of pliers and other auxiliary tools may affect the quality of the connection, so their use is unacceptable. However, when comparing price and quality, the crimping method is one of the best for connecting aluminum wires.

Source: https://Elektrik-a.su/energii/soedineniya/kak-soedinit-alyuminievye-provoda-260

How to connect two wires without soldering - electrician's advice - Electro Genius

In the life of every person, situations may arise when he needs to connect certain wires with each other.

There are a huge variety of methods on how this can be done. This is worth talking about in more detail.

How to connect wires in a box

Very often a situation arises when a person needs to connect wires in a junction box. Here you can use several widely used connection methods at once.

You can use the most ordinary twist. Many experts say that this connection method is the best. To connect with a twist, the wires must be properly stripped and then twisted in the appropriate colors.

That is, phase must be connected to phase, zero to zero, and ground to ground.

There are other methods. For example, plastic terminal blocks can be used to connect wires in a box. They are sold in every store that has this line of business.

They are made of plastic so they can be separated easily and easily. In this case, you will need three pairs of contacts. Here, wires from one cable are also inserted on one side, and wires from another cable on the other.

You can also press the wires in pairs. For these purposes, you will have to purchase special press-fit fasteners. They are made of metal. For pressing, you can use a special tool, or you can use ordinary pliers.

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How to connect wires in a socket

Quite often people think about the question of how to properly connect the wires in an outlet. There's really nothing complicated about it. Everything is quite simple and clear.

First you need to open the outlet. There are often three wire mounts here. One of them is intended for underground. This is where you should twist the yellow-green wire from the cable.

Next, you need to connect the two wires that remain. One of them is zero, and the second is phase. How exactly to connect them does not matter, because we are talking about alternating voltage.

The wires are connected using a bolted connection. Sometimes you need to connect an additional cable to an outlet that will go to another outlet or switch. In this case, you should do things a little differently.

Here you need to tuck the wires from one cable under the corresponding bolt, and then tuck the wires from the other cable under the bolt. After this, tightening is done.

Moreover, the tightening should be done to the maximum. In this case, the contact will be good, which means that the wiring will serve faithfully for many years.

After this, the socket is assembled. Most often this is done using a screw connection. In principle, the work can be considered completed.

How to connect thin wires

With thin wires, there may be some problem during the connection process. Yes, of course, the best way in this case is soldering, but you can do without it.

To connect two thin wires together, you can use twisting. Here this connection method is also acceptable. However, twisting should be done as carefully as possible.

Thin wires must not be live. At the same time, they are twisted and then additionally insulated with high quality using heat shrinkage. This method is also considered quite effective.

You can go another way. In this situation, you can use a terminal block. However, it must be significantly smaller in size than that used to connect phase wires.

Everything is quite simple here. Pairs of contacts are connected to the terminal block according to color and then tightened firmly using a bolt. It is also a fairly common method that is used everywhere in relation to thin wires.

Source: https://orenburgelectro.ru/baza-znanij/kak-soedinit-dva-provoda-bez-pajki-sovety-elektrika.html

How to connect two wires together

A home electrical network is a complex system of electrical installations and devices connected by electrical conductors. Wires are connected in electrical panels, junction boxes and device housings.

Let's look at how to connect wires without soldering using special clamps and terminals so that the switching is as reliable as possible and meets safety requirements. For this purpose, we provide 4 detailed instructions with the best ways to connect electrical wires.

We will also supplement our material with useful installation tips from experienced electrical installation specialists.

Briefly about possible switching options

Electricians use various methods of connecting conductors - from the simplest insulated twisting to crimping with special sleeves.

Some procedures require additional supplies and special tools, while others are performed manually.

The question of choosing the most reliable connection methods became relevant when the load on the home network increased - many powerful devices appeared, and accordingly, the requirements for the use of conductors and electrical installations became more stringent.

Factors influencing the choice of method:

total cross-section of conductors;
type and method of cable insulation;
the material from which the wires are made;
purpose of the switching node;
external connection conditions;
degree of mobility of the connection, etc.

The installer on site determines how he will make the switching, taking into account the listed factors. Much depends on his skills in using special tools (soldering iron, welding machine, crimping pliers) and materials that are at hand.

However, professionals always have an installation kit with them and use methods recommended by GOST and PUE standards.

Today you can encounter a variety of wire connection options:

According to PUE 2.1.21 , simple twisting, in principle, should not be used for switching. Only welding, soldering, crimping and various types of clamping devices are permitted.

To perform soldering or welding, special equipment is not always at hand, especially if the work is performed by an amateur. Therefore, it is advisable to consider methods that are both reliable and affordable.

Safe and effective types of connections

Let's consider 4 options for connecting conductors, suitable for home installation: spring terminal blocks, terminal blocks, PPE caps and crimping with sleeves.

To perform the work, you will need consumables - terminals, clamps, sleeves, selected depending on the type and cross-section of the conductors. We recommend purchasing products only from trusted manufacturers, and not cheap Chinese substitutes.

Method #1 - switching with WAGO terminal blocks

The main advantage of terminal switching is 100% connection reliability. Thanks to WAGO's developments, screwless connections have become an international standard.

Now other manufacturers are also producing spring clamps. They are used in high-speed cars, airplanes, moving chains - that is, where special responsibility is required.

To install the terminal block, you do not need any special preparation. Experienced installers who value quality have also long used only self-clamping terminals.

We offer step-by-step instructions for connecting 2 conductors using a 222 series clamp, representatives of which are successfully used to connect branches of various types of wires:

After correct execution of the actions, spontaneous opening of the terminal is impossible. The advantage of such a connection is the possibility of disconnection. To open the conductors, you must first press the moving mechanism and then remove the corresponding conductor.

Advantages of terminal connection:

connection of single- and multi-core conductors made of copper or aluminum, as well as mixed connections;
high quality connection;
the conductors are not damaged during installation;
the design provides for reading the circuit parameters without disconnecting;
neatness and order in places of work - distribution boxes, switchboards, electrical installation devices.

This method saves time - it only takes a few seconds. However, it requires caution. If the ends are not inserted all the way, overheating may occur and the terminal block body will melt.

The main disadvantage is the high cost, especially of branded products. For example, a set of 20 Vago three-wire universal terminal blocks costs about 500 rubles.

Even more information about Vago terminals in the following video:

Method #2 - Using Terminal Blocks

Inexpensive plastic products have a clamping mechanism with which the conductors are fixed and connected inside the housing. Each single- or multi-core wire is stripped of its insulation, inserted into a separate socket and secured by tightening a screw.

Using a stripper to remove insulation allows even a beginner to cope with this task without much difficulty.

The wires can be wound in two ways - from one side or from both sides, towards each other. This method is often used for wiring in distribution boxes, so manufacturers began to produce distribution boxes with built-in terminals.

Advantages of connecting with blocks:

efficiency;
quick installation;
aluminum/copper connection;
high quality.

The main disadvantage is that only 2 reins can be connected with one pair of blocks. Experienced installers do not recommend using the block method to connect stranded or aluminum wires, since a screw connection can destroy more fragile material.

And another minus is a large number of low-quality pads.

To better understand this method of connecting wires, we recommend looking at why terminal boxes are good or bad:

Method #3 - use of PPE caps

Non-flammable plastic is used to make spring clip-caps. The housing material is an insulator, suitable for mechanical and fire protection parameters.

To install the cap, you need to prepare the wires, insert them inside, and then forcefully make twisting movements. To protect the exposed parts of the cores from oxidation, the inside of the cap is treated with paste.

The caps are compact and have a simple design, so they are often used for desoldering. One distribution box contains up to ten products.

A practical example of using PPE for wiring in a distribution box:

After completing the connection work, carefully place the caps in a circle and close the junction box cover. You can unscrew the spring elements at any time and make reconnection or repairs.

Advantages of PPE:

low cost;
material – non-flammable polymer;
high speed and ease of installation;
variety of colors.

The last point can come in handy when using old, non-color-coded wiring. You can determine the purpose of the cores using caps, selecting them by color. We talked more about color coding of wires in this article.

The main disadvantage is that the connection is considered unreliable. The spring force is not enough to ensure a strong connection, which is why additional twisting is performed.

It is recommended to check the quality of the products before use.

And one more thing - PPE is not intended for switching aluminum/copper wires .

Method #4 - crimping conductors with sleeves

This method is chosen by installers who really care about the quality of the connection. Crimping with a special tool guarantees an increase in the contact area and minimal resistance.

If you cut the crimped sleeve in half, you can see that all the wires have practically merged into one monolith.

The veins can be wound from one side or from both. In any case, their total cross-section should not be larger than the diameter of the sleeve.

In practice, they often choose a larger sleeve, and the free space inside it is “clogged” with pieces of wiring. The more densely the sleeve is filled, the better the connection.

Step-by-step instructions for crimping:

If there is a shortage of space in the box and compactness comes first, before crimping the sleeve is cut in half and crimped only once. But this should be considered an exception.

This method is considered inexpensive - each sleeve (copper) costs 8-9 rubles, and pliers can be rented.

Advantages of crimping:

excellent connection quality;
efficiency;
high speed.

The disadvantage is that the connection is permanent, and if necessary, you will have to completely replace the switching blocks. If there is a supply of wires left in the box, then the old sleeve is cut off and a new one is installed.

The downside is that without a special tool it will not be possible to perform high-quality crimping.

Tips from experienced installers

There are many controversial issues both in connection methods and in the use of individual mounting products. But a number of rules apply to absolutely all craftsmen who do electrical installations.

For example, it is strictly prohibited to twist aluminum conductors with copper ones . The process of rapid oxidation leads to the destruction of the commutation and the creation of a dangerous point, which can spark or flare up at any time.

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A few more important rules:

If the conductor is covered with an oxide film, it must be carefully removed using either contact paste or fine sandpaper. It is better to select the diameters of sleeves, tips, caps according to size.

Single conductors in screw terminals are held loosely. Therefore, it is recommended to bend the stripped end in half or make an arbitrary loop out of it.

At the end of the work, be sure to check the reliability of the connections - lightly tug the wires. It happens that the switching is unsuccessful, and the core simply slips out of the terminal block.

If the volume of the distribution box allows, for example, the panels accommodate a lot of wires and devices, then leave the cable with a reserve. Sometimes switching is required and the extra length is useful if the connections are permanent or burnt.

We also have other articles on our website on conductor connectors, methods of connecting wires of different sections, and recommendations for choosing the best connector:

Methods of connecting electrical wires: types of connections + technical nuances
Terminals for connecting wires: which terminal blocks are better and how to work with them
Wire connectors: the best types of connectors + what to look for when choosing a connector

Conclusions and useful video on the topic:

Comparative analysis of various switching methods:

As you can see, when arranging electrical wiring, you can completely do without soldering and welding.

There are enough modern devices on the market to ensure the switching of conductors using safe and efficient technologies . The choice of method depends on personal preferences and financial capabilities .

Are you looking for a safe way to connect electrical wires without soldering, but do you still have questions that we did not address in our article? Feel free to ask your questions to our experts in the comments section.

If you have extensive experience in performing electrical installation work, in particular, connecting conductors without the use of soldering and welding tools, please leave useful recommendations for beginners and additions to our material below under the article.

Source: https://vodavdome.website/elektrika/elektroprovodka/kak-soedinit-dva-provoda-mezhdu-soboj.html

How to connect two wires of different sections

First of all, you must understand that different types of connections may be used in different conditions. And their choice depends on the specific task at hand.

For example, it is much more convenient to connect small-section wires up to 2.5 mm2 in a compact junction box with terminal blocks or clamps. But if we are talking about a groove or a cable channel, then the sleeves come first.

Let's consider the three most simple and at the same time reliable types of connections.

Let's start with the connection type PPE. It stands for:

It looks like a simple cap. Comes in different colors.

The cores are inserted into this cap and twisted together.

How to do it correctly, first twist the wires and then put on a cap or twist them directly with the PPE itself, is discussed in detail in the article “PPE cap for twisting wires.”

As a result, thanks to PPE, you get a good old twist, only immediately protected and insulated.

On top of that, it has a spring-loaded contact that prevents it from coming loose.

In addition, this process can be slightly automated by using an attachment for PPE for a screwdriver. This is also discussed in the above article.

The next type is Wago terminal blocks. They also come in different sizes, and for different numbers of connected wires - two, three, five, eight.

They can connect both monocores and stranded wires together.

For stranded ones, the clamp must have a latch-flag, which, when open, easily allows you to insert the wire and clamp it inside after latching.

According to the manufacturer, these terminal blocks in home wiring can easily withstand loads of up to 24A (lights, sockets).

There are some compact specimens also available for 32A-41A.

Here are the most popular types of Wago clamps, their markings, characteristics and what cross-section they are designed for:

There is also an industrial series for cable cross-sections up to 95mm2. Their terminals are really large, but the principle of operation is almost the same as that of small ones.

When you measure the load on such terminals, with a current value of more than 200A, and at the same time you see that nothing is burning or heating, many doubts about Wago products disappear.

If you have original Vago clamps, and not a Chinese counterfeit, and the line is protected by a circuit breaker with a correctly selected setting, then this type of connection can rightfully be called the simplest, most modern and convenient to install.

Violate any of the above conditions and the result will be quite natural.

Therefore, there is no need to install wago at 24A and at the same time protect such wiring with a 25A automatic. In this case, the contact will burn out if overloaded.

Always choose the right terminal blocks for your car.

There is also a fairly old type of connection, such as terminal blocks. ZVI – insulated screw clamp.

In appearance, this is a very simple screw connection of wires to each other. Again, it comes in different sections and different shapes.

Here are their technical characteristics (current, cross-section, dimensions, screw torque):

However, ZVI has a number of significant disadvantages, due to which it cannot be called the most successful and reliable connection.

Basically, you can only connect two wires to each other in this way. Unless, of course, you specifically choose large pads and shove several wires there. What to do is not recommended.

This screw connection works well for monocores, but not for stranded flexible wires.

For flexible wires, you will have to press them with NShVI lugs and incur additional costs.

You can find videos online where, as an experiment, transition resistances on different types of connections are measured with a microohmmeter.

Often a situation arises when it is necessary to connect a copper conductor to an aluminum one. Since the chemical properties of copper and aluminum are different, direct contact between them, with access to oxygen, leads to oxidation. Often even copper contacts on circuit breakers are susceptible to this phenomenon.

An oxide film forms, resistance increases, and heating occurs. Here we recommend using 3 options to avoid this:

bolt + nut with steel washers

They remove direct contact between aluminum and copper. The connection occurs through steel.

special Wago terminal blocks with paste

The contacts are separated from each other in separate cells, plus the paste prevents the access of air and prevents the oxidation process from developing.

use of copper-aluminum adapter sleeves GMA

The third simple way to connect conductors is crimping with sleeves.

GML sleeves are most often used for joining copper wires. Deciphered as:

For connecting pure aluminum - GA (aluminum sleeve):

To switch from copper to aluminum, special adapters GAM:

What is the crimping method? Everything is quite simple. Take two conductors and strip them to the required distance.

After this, on each side of the sleeve, the conductors are inserted inside, and the whole thing is crimped with press pliers.

Despite its obvious simplicity, there are several rules and nuances in this procedure, if not followed, you can easily ruin a seemingly reliable contact. Read about these mistakes and rules on how to avoid them in the articles “5 Rules of Crimping” and “Crimping Insulated Tips, Sleeves and Terminals”.

To work with conductors of large sections 35mm2-240mm2, a hydraulic press is used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRHLv23JFv4

Up to cross-sections of 35mm2, you can also use a mechanical one with a large span of handles.

The sleeve must be crimped two to four times, depending on the cross-section of the wire and the length of the tube.

The most important thing in this work is to choose the correct sleeve size.

And in this way you can connect several conductors at one point at the same time. In this case, only one sleeve will be used.

The main thing is to completely fill its internal space. If you are crimping three conductors at the same time, and you still have voids inside, then you need to “fill” this free space with additional pieces of the same wire, or with conductors of a smaller cross-section.

Only after this can you press.

After crimping, such a connection must be insulated. The most convenient way to do this is with a heat-shrinkable tube HERE.

There are tubes with an adhesive base. When heated, this glue flows out and ensures the tightness of the connection.

Insulation using a thermal tube is also a fairly simple process. In the absence of a gas burner or hair dryer, even a lighter is sufficient for small sections.

Sleeve crimping is one of the most versatile and reliable connections, especially when it is necessary to extend the cable, including the input cable.

In this case, the insulation turns out to be almost equivalent to the main one, when also using the outer tube HERE as a casing.

In addition to all the above connection methods, there are two more types that experienced electricians rightfully consider the most reliable.

electric welding

soldering wires

However, this type of docking cannot be classified as simple. It requires special equipment, which even 90% of electricians often do not have available.

And even with its help it is not always possible to connect an aluminum monocore wire with a flexible copper stranded one. In addition, you are forever tied to an outlet or extension cord.

What if there is no voltage or generator nearby? More details

At the same time, on the contrary, 90% of electrical installers have elementary press pliers. It is not necessary to purchase the most expensive and sophisticated ones for this.

For example, batteries. It’s convenient, of course, just walk and press a button.

The Chinese counterparts also cope well with their task of crimping. Moreover, the entire process takes no more than 1 minute.

How to connect the wires?

It may seem to some that there is absolutely nothing complicated about this, but later, if you do not pay due attention, this can lead to the wiring failing, and even the impossibility of restoring it without major repairs.

That is why it is necessary to know in what cases and what joining technique should be used in order to achieve the best result.

Connecting a pair of wires is the most common case when a consumer needs to create a circuit, but cannot do without a break.

Depending on the operating conditions, the following types of connections are distinguished:

· soldering – a reliable connection, used in low-voltage circuits, electronics and household networks with low load;
· mechanical clamp – used in household and industrial networks; depending on the load power, the corresponding types of clamps are used;
· mechanical twisting is the simplest and most accessible method, can be used in household networks.

Source: https://MyTooling.ru/instrumenty/kak-soedinit-dva-provoda-raznogo-sechenija