How to connect two copper wires

Connecting electrical wires - reliable methods

First, let's define what a distribution box is? This is a hollow device made of polymer, round, rectangular and square in shape with a lid and special cable entries. Used to connect conductors together.

Today, a variety of conductor connections are made. This diversity depends on various factors:

• wire section;
• core material (CU, AL);
• number of conductors;
• operating conditions (temperature, climate).

Knowing all these factors, connections are selected in such a way as to comply with certain electrical and fire safety requirements. In addition, you need to consider in which places such boxes with conductor connections will be used:

• dry rooms;
• wet areas;
• especially raw.

Connecting electrical wires in a junction box

To determine which connection method to choose under certain conditions, you need to refer to the PUE (Electrical Installation Rules). According to paragraph 2.1.21, from PUE -7 of the main document on electrical installation, all end connections of wires and cables must be carried out by means of:

• crimping with sleeves;
• clamps (using a bolt, screw);
• welding;
• adhesions.

Connecting wires using crimping sleeves

Connecting wires using a sleeve followed by crimping is the most reliable method and has good electrical contact.

How to connect wires:

• strip the insulation from electrical wires of a certain length;

• take a sleeve of the appropriate length and diameter;

• insert bare wires into the sleeve;
• crimp (press) the sleeve in two or three places with a special power tool (press pliers);

• Apply insulating material (heat-shrink tubing) to the sleeve.

If you don't have heat shrink tubing, you can use insulating tape.

You must take into account that the sleeves are selected in such a way that the diameter of the twisted wires matches the inner diameter of the sleeve. You should not use a sleeve that is not the right size.

How to connect wires using clamps - nut or bolt type

The most common way to connect wires is with a Walnut clamp. This clamp received this name because of its external resemblance to a nut. They are produced in different sizes for connecting both thin and thick wires.

The inside of the “Nut” consists of two main and one intermediate metal plates. There are 4 screws along the edges of the plates. The plates themselves are placed in an insulated carbolite housing, consisting of two parts.

The design feature of Oreshok is that aluminum and copper wires can be connected into one circuit using an intermediate plate.

A bolted connection is also used to connect wires. For a certain cross-section of wires, the size of the bolt is selected. For example, for a wire cross-section of 1.5 - 4 mm², a bolt with a diameter of 6 mm is suitable, for a cross-section of 6 - 10 mm², a bolt diameter of 8 mm, 16 - 35 mm², a diameter of 10 mm.

To connect aluminum to copper using a bolt, a washer is also used - a gasket.

After carefully compressing the wires using a nut, this connection is isolated.

Advantages:

• low cost;
• good insulation for "Nut"
• It is possible to connect aluminum conductors with copper conductors.

Flaws:

• loosening of the threaded connection in the “Oreshok”;
• plenty of insulation for bolted connections;
• The connection dimensions are suitable for large junction boxes.

Connecting wires using welding

One of the best ways to connect wires in a box is welding. How is this all done?

To begin with, the insulation is removed from the ends of the wires. Then the wires are twisted together. The ends are ready for welding.

Welding of wires is carried out with a special welding machine with a voltage of 12 - 36 V. The welding current is regulated depending on the cross-section and number of wires, from 70 to 120 A and the power of the device is sufficiently 500 - 600 W. The work can also be carried out using an inverter welding machine.

For welding I use special graphite electrodes for aluminum and graphite-copper electrodes for copper. The work is carried out in special glasses to protect the eyes from the electric arc.

One cable of the welding machine with a clamp or pliers is connected to the twist, and the second to the electrode holder (holders). The electrode is brought to the tip of the twist and when touched, contact occurs and an arc appears, with the help of which copper or aluminum wires are melted so that a droplet appears. This is enough to make the most reliable contact.

The only drawback of this connection is that when disconnecting the wires, if necessary, you will have to bite off the tip of the twist (welding site).

Soldering wires with solder

An equally wonderful option for connecting wires and ensuring good contact is using ordinary soldering. To use this method, you will need a little soldering skill using an electric soldering iron.

It is best to take a soldering iron with a power of 80 W or 100 W - this is what you need. With this soldering iron you can quickly heat the place (twist) where you will apply the molten solder.

For soldering, POS-30, POS-40 solder is best suited. For such solder you will need rosin or SKF flux (alcohol-rosin flux), which is applied to the soldering area before heating.

In addition to the material listed above, specialists use a so-called solder tube for soldering, which contains rosin inside. This tube is sold in almost every electrical goods store.

It is highly recommended not to use soldering acid. After soldering, its trace remains on the twist and over time the acid will only corrode the twist, which will lead to dire consequences.

And so, to solder wires you will need inexpensive material and an electric soldering iron. This connection by soldering is a more affordable and simpler method.

Connecting wires with terminals

One way or another, connecting wires using twists will eventually disappear into summer. And their place will be taken by those materials and devices that will meet the requirements of modernity and a more professional approach.

Today, terminals are increasingly being used to connect wires. One of the nice features of the terminals is the quick connection of wires of different metals, which avoids direct contact between metals.

Existing terminal requirements:

• information about permissible voltage;
• information about the cross-section of the core;
• increased heat resistance;
• reliable fixation of the wire core;
• corrosion resistance.

The terminals are: knife, spring and screw.

Knife terminals are mainly used for grounding or grounding. They are convenient because you don’t need a power tool, you can quickly connect and disconnect the contact, which saves time.

Spring terminals have become very popular. Such terminals include products from WAGO. Using WAGO terminals you will receive: simple and quick installation, reliable connection of conductors.

Screw terminals (terminal blocks) are housing cells, each of which contains a metal tube with screws.

Installation work with this type of terminal is not difficult; you just need a screwdriver to tighten or unscrew the screw that presses the exposed wire core inside the tube.

Connecting electrical wires outdoors

What to do if there is such a need to connect wires on the street, in the open air?

Street connections are made in different ways: using a “nut”, bolted connection, twisting. For some time, such connections perform well, but then oxidation of the wire cores, weakening of the bolted connection, and rust occur. The problem begins.

You need to understand that such a connection will be negatively affected by precipitation, summer heat, and frost. To minimize this impact and make a good connection, you first need to prepare a set of materials:

• IP65 junction box;
• sleeves for crimping;
• conductive paste;
• Heat-shrinkable adhesive tube.

Lead the cable or wire into the junction box. Place the sleeves on the bare wires using conductive paste and crimp them.

If you have one aluminum wire and the other copper, then use copper-aluminum sleeves.

Next, take adhesive heat-shrinkable tubes prepared in advance and cut to the required size and put them on the sleeves.

By exposing the tubes to high temperature, we casing the sleeves. To apply high temperature to the tubes, use a gas burner, a blowtorch or a professional electric hair dryer.

After the thermopipes have cooled, carefully place the finished connections in the box and close the box tightly with the lid.

This connection will provide you with high reliability for many, many years.

Conclusion

In this article you looked at all types of correct connection of wires that do not exist today. Choose the type of connection that is suitable for your operating conditions.

You may not be able to perform some types of installation work due to lack of skills, tools, or you doubt the correctness of your actions. Then resort to hiring a specialist who, due to his experience, will do everything right.

Don’t forget that proper installation of electrical wiring is the key to your electrical and fire safety.

Source: https://electromc.ru/soedinenie-elektricheskix-provodov/

How to connect copper wires to each other

When performing electrical wiring, you inevitably face the need to connect sections of wires to each other. Connections are made in junction boxes that are mounted in the wall or on the wall. Usually in such a box the wires leading to the machine in the distribution panel and the wires going to the socket, lamp, switch are connected. Another wire can go in transit from our box to the next one. All connections, of course, are made in accordance with the diagram.

Wall Mounted Junction Box

So. Before you run and connect the wires, let’s remember what main types of connections exist:

• twisting of wires and their further soldering or welding;
• connection using terminal blocks;
• connection using “nuts”;
• connection of neutral wires using connecting busbars;
• spring terminals type WAGO;
• use of bolted connections.
• connection using sleeves.

The good old way of joining - twisting

To twist the wires and insulate the twisted area, you don’t need anything other than pliers and electrical tape. High-quality and carefully made strands of copper wires last for several decades. Don’t forget to clean the exposed areas of the conductor core (TCC) before twisting them.

For greater reliability, the twist can be soldered using standard tin-lead solder and rosin or other flux. It is even better to pass a short-term welding current through the joint.

At the end of the twist, a bead (drop) of copper is formed; such a connection will last until the insulation is destroyed. Only copper conductors can be welded and soldered. But if we look at the PUE. then we will see that twisting is prohibited. especially in wooden houses and baths.

therefore they do twisting with soldering or welding.

twisting with soldering and twisting by welding

In general, it is much more difficult to achieve reliable connections for aluminum conductors than for copper. When twisting aluminum wires, due to the mechanical properties of the material, it is very easy to tear or break the exposed part of the TPG.

Using screw and generally threaded connections for aluminum wires, it is necessary to periodically stretch the contacts, since the material “floats” over time, the contact resistance gradually deteriorates, and as a result, the contact may burn out and, in the worst case, a fire.

The main problem that can arise when performing conventional twisting is electrochemical corrosion when trying to connect wires made of different materials; it is especially dangerous to try to twist wires made of copper and aluminum. In practice, there are more than one cases where such connections had to be redone.

To perform twists that are homogeneous in material, PPE (connecting insulating clamp) is widely used. The PPE cap is screwed onto the wires connected together, ensuring their twisting and squeezing the exposed areas of the TPG. The insulation of such a connection is quite reliable, and certainly no worse than using electrical tape. When using PPE, it is necessary to very carefully ensure that the sizes of the cap and the connected wires match.

Terminal blocks

Connections using terminal blocks are widely used. The plastic body of the pad contains contact sleeves (usually brass) with internal threads. Reliable contact is ensured by screws that clamp the wire inserted into the sleeve.

Branch cable clamps

To reliably connect wires made of different materials and to branch wires from the main (main) line without breaking it, cable clamps (“nuts”) are used. The “nut” core consists of two pressure dies and a separating central plate.

This entire structure is bolted together. The main feature of cable compression is that the connected cores contact each other only through a steel separating plate.

Often, “nuts” are used when installing an input into a house or apartment to transition from the main aluminum wire to copper internal wiring.

Walnut clamp without cover

"Nut" fully assembled

Connection bars

To connect a large number of working neutral or protective grounding conductors in distribution panels, busbars are widely used. The zero bus is attached to the panel structure or installed on a DIN rail through an insulating stand, the “earth” bus is attached directly to the housing. Both buses have several holes with clamping screws for connecting cores.

Grounding bus

When using screw terminals, the force with which the core is pressed against the contact weakens over time, especially in the case of contact with aluminum. The contact deteriorates and the junction begins to heat up. This leads to the need for periodic inspection and tightening of threaded contacts.

Spring terminals

Screwless spring terminals significantly speed up the installation process. Their design was developed by the German company WAGO in the fifties of the twentieth century. Terminals for construction installation based on flat spring clamps allow you to reliably connect any copper and single-core aluminum wires in any combination without the use of special tools.

The main advantage of spring terminals is that the spring itself is always movable; spring steel clamps create a specified clamping force throughout the entire service life of the terminal. It automatically matches the cross-section of the conductor; force is applied to the surface of the conductor without deforming it. This ensures constant contact.

Wire installation in WAGO 222 series

The use of spring terminals allows you to reduce electrical installation time (this is especially important for large volumes of work), there is a separate terminal space for each conductor, the conductors are not damaged, reliable protection is provided against accidental touching of non-insulated contacts, all connections look aesthetically pleasing and compact.

There are spring terminals with plug-in contacts (for example, WAGO terminals 773, 2273 series). These terminals can only be used for single-core wires. The bare end of the core is simply inserted into such a terminal block with little effort. To disconnect the contact, the wire is also unscrewed from the terminal block with a little force.

Even more convenient are universal terminals - “latches” (for example, WAGO terminals of the 222, 221 series). They can be used when assembling temporary circuits, since establishing and disconnecting contact takes a few seconds. These terminals allow you to connect wires of different materials and different cross-sections.

The tinned busbar ensures a permanently reliable and gas-tight connection. For example, the performance characteristics of the 221 series are 32 A/450 V and a maximum temperature of 105 °C. 221 series terminals can be used at ambient temperatures up to 85 °C.

It is recommended that before connecting the aluminum wire, fill the terminal with a special contact paste that removes the oxide film and prevents further oxidation of the wire. The WAGO product range includes terminals filled with such paste during manufacture.

WAGO 308 with paste

There are special spring terminals for connecting lamps. Typical parameters of such terminals are that on the mounting side it is possible to connect one or two copper or aluminum single-core wires with a cross-section of up to 2.5 square meters. mm; on the luminaire side - any copper wire of the same cross-section. The rated current for copper wires is 24 A, for aluminum - 16 A.

Connecting different materials with a bolt

When connecting copper and aluminum wires, it is necessary to prevent direct contact of these metals. To do this, you can use branch cable clamps (“nuts”). Spring terminal connectors can be used. You can use a regular steel bolt onto which insulated wire ends made of different materials are wound. Between the wires, a steel washer must be placed on the bolt; it is advisable to spring it with a Grover washer for the durability of the connection.

The final view of connecting wires made of different metals

Sleeve connections

The most reliable connection method is a sleeve connection. It is necessary to select the sleeve itself for the cross-section of the wires. Place the wires on one side and the other and use special pliers to crimp the sleeve with the wires.

Crimping the sleeve with a special press

After this, the sleeve is insulated with electrical tape or heat-shrink tubing. Certainly. The connection quality is good, but the work increases significantly. Moreover, it is difficult to select and buy cartridges in a store.

Source: https://electricremont.ru/kak-soedinit-mednye-provoda-mezhdu-soboj.html

How to connect two wires without soldering

It is clear that you can connect two or three wires together by soldering them, but this is the most difficult way, because you need a soldering iron, socket, solder, flux. Of course, the easiest way to connect wires is to twist them. If you know how to do it correctly, such a connection can be quite mechanically strong and provide good electrical contact. Check out the photo below. It shows the method used to join cables together with high mechanical strength.

This method however has its drawbacks. Making such connections is very tedious, especially if there are to be many of them in an electrical installation.

In addition, the length of the cable used for connection is long, which indicates how much less wires we will need for installation if there are really a lot of such connections, or how much we will have to pay to connect the system.

What is important is that under no circumstances can such connections be made under voltage, which sometimes cannot be turned off and you have to work under current.

Precautionary measures

Wires often vary in size and type of conductor. The thinnest wire in the entire system must be able to carry the maximum current that flows in the circuit. In addition, the connection between two wires can further increase the series resistance, especially if it is not a good one or, for example, it does not match the diameter of the wire. This can cause the connection to overheat, which is often observed by inexperienced electricians.

Depending on the voltage and current, different standards apply for these types of connections. These standards exist for a reason, and if you ignore them, you are doing the job at your own peril and risk. Sometimes it ends in a very unpleasant way. A typical example is the possibility of a fire due to the use of an unsuitable electrical connector, even if the connector is located in a completely different location than the fire that occurred.

Now let's look at the most popular and frequently used cable connectors for connecting electrical wires together.

Electrical terminal block

If you want to connect several different electrical circuits together, you can use an electrical terminal block as shown in the figure. The topic of terminal blocks is very broad - this is a huge group of connectors that would be difficult to cover within one article, so let's just study the photo - most of us have already had the opportunity to use this type of connection when installing chandeliers and lamps.

Nuts for cables

These types of connectors (Molex 0191600039) come in a variety of colors and sizes. They are very popular in electrical installations in different countries. They are used for connections in the indoor energy network. Such a nut consists of a truncated cone made of insulating material with a thread inside.

Using this connection is simple - take two insulated ends of the cord, insert them into the cone and twist. This nut makes it easy to connect even very different wire diameters, and also allows you to connect two, three or four wires at the same time.

Provided that all bare conductors are contained within an insulated cone, the connection is completely insulated. However, the connector itself is not very durable and a strong tug may cause it to come loose, which means you should consider whether there might be any mechanical stress in that area.

The good thing about this connector is that you can unscrew it to make changes if you wish.

Wago quick connector

The quick connector (Wago 221) shown in the photo is designed to connect two wires together, but they are available in versions with five simultaneous connections. The insulated cable ends are placed into connectors that snap into place by pressing a lever.

Useful: Connection diagram for DRL (DRL) via a contact relay in a car

The lever makes it very easy to attach and unfasten the connector - the connection can be reused several times. Additional accessories for Wago connectors are also available, which allow, for example, the entire connector block to be permanently mounted in the housing.

Spade terminals

Anyone who knows about car wiring has seen what spade terminals look like. Here are photographs depicting such a connector: there is a male version (Panduit DNF18-250-M) and a female version (Panduit DNF14-250FIM-M).

Terminals of this type are clamped onto insulated wires using a special device - a crimping tool. Connectors are available in a wide range of insulation colors. Very often the color is also an indicator of the recommended wire thickness at which the terminal should be crimped.

Typically, part of this connection is attached to the relay or other device block, and the other part is slipped over it and located on the cable, but there are also simple crimp connectors.

When using it, make sure that the entire connection is completely isolated. Special insulating gaskets make this quite reliable. Connectors of this type provide a fairly high resistance to accidental disconnection, even for high tensions.

Plug crimp connectors

These connectors use the same crimping and insulating tools as spade terminals, butt connectors (such as the Phoenix Contact 3240061 connector) are often found in the same manufacturer series as automotive terminals.

This connector is simply a metal tube (sometimes insulated) in which the stripped end of one wire is placed at one end of the tube, crimped, and repeated for the other wire on the other side.

Bullet connectors

The specified connection is not separable. This connection is often heard in the English name: Bullet Connector. The photo shows a pair of Panduit connectors: EBV18-4MB-Q and EBV18-4B-Q.

This type of connection consists of a metal tube in which the cable is clamped on one side, resembling a bullet (sometimes with additional insulation), and on the other, a similar tube into which the so-called “bullet” enters. An electrical wire is also connected to the second tube.

Scotchlok connector

Sometimes it is necessary to use an unbroken cable for connection. Of course, you can always cut it and make, for example, a three-way connection. There is a practice for this, which consists of removing a small section of the insulation of the wire and wrapping it with another. However, a much better solution is available - Scotchlock couplings, shown in the picture.

This connector has two tracks. One of them slides along the main wire (insulated), and the other for the butt wire.

The entire connector on both wires is covered, which may require the use of pliers, especially with larger gauge wires or thicker insulation.

When closing the connector, a special knife is pressed into the insulation, which, after passing through it, touches the inner conductor, closing both wires located in the element. This type of technology (with cut contact insulation) is called IDT.

IDT Butt Connectors

Now that we have already presented one type of IDT connector, we will learn about several more connectors of this type. The photo shows an example of an IDT butt connector (Keystone 8377). There are many series of connectors of this type, such as the i-Clamp Keystone shown or the Coolsplice series from TE Connectivity.

Very convenient pedal type connectors, considered one of the most modern.

Fittings connectors

There are also such connectors as fittings. Fully insulated, which means you can work under voltage if necessary.

Summarizing

For all the connection options described above, it is important to remember that some of them - for example, terminal strips or nuts - are universal and very popular, while others are specialized, that is, they serve a specific application. We always need to think carefully to choose the right connector for connecting wires in an electrical network or other installation that we are repairing or creating. And if in doubt, ask in the comments and we will try to clarify the question.

Source: https://2shemi.ru/kak-soedinit-dva-provoda-bez-payki/

Methods for connecting wires to each other

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.
Moreover, this can be implemented both in different types of Vago, and in just one.

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.

But we should not forget that this experiment refers to “fresh contacts.” Try making the same measurements after a year or two of intensive use. The results will be completely different.

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.

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.

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

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.
Of course, you won’t use either PPE or Wago for these purposes, but GML cartridges are just the thing! At the same time, everything comes out compact and can be easily reduced, either in a groove or in a cable channel.

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.

Source: https://domikelectrica.ru/sposoby-soedineniya-provodov-mezhdu-soboj/

How to connect two copper wires together

In the process of installing electrical wiring, especially in residential premises, it is necessary to use technologies for connecting wires and cables. This process requires some skills and knowledge. After all, an incorrect connection can lead to irreversible processes. Disruption of the general power supply and fires may occur.

The fact is that a carelessly executed connection of multi-core wires can lead to a fire, which in turn leads to a threat to the life and health of people. Requirements for installation of wiring in residential buildings are specified in the Electrical Installation Rules, abbreviated as PUE. The PUE allows the use of electrical wiring made only with copper wires in residential premises.

The connection of stranded and single-core wires is permitted only by crimping, welding, soldering or using crimps. In compression, the connection is made mechanically, using screws or bolts and clamps.

Various twist options

Unprofessional connection . This is a twisting of a stranded wire with a solid one. This type of connection is not provided for by the rules, and if such a connection of wires is discovered by the selection committee, the facility will simply not be accepted for operation.

Twisting a stranded copper wire in a steamed box is used as an intermediate operation before soldering or welding the joint and it is necessary to solder or make crimp connections.

However, twisting is still used and here you need to know how to properly twist stranded wires. It is often used in emergency cases when it is not possible to make a professional connection and the service life of such a connection will be short. And yet, twisting can be temporarily used only for open wiring, so that you can always inspect the connection point.

Bad wire connection

Why can't you connect wires by twisting? The fact is that when twisting, unreliable contact is created. When load currents pass through the twisting, the twisting area heats up, and this increases the transition resistance at the connection point. This in turn contributes to even greater heating.

Thus, the temperature at the connection point rises to dangerous levels, which can cause a fire. In addition, a violation of contact leads to the appearance of a spark at the twisting point, which can also cause a fire. Therefore, in order to achieve good contact, it is recommended to twist wires with a cross-section of up to 4 mm 2.

Learn more about color coding of wires.

There are several types of twists. When twisting, it is necessary to achieve good electrical contact, as well as create mechanical tensile strength. Before you start connecting the wires, they should be prepared. Wire preparation is carried out in the following sequence:

• The insulation is removed from the wire at the junction. The insulation is removed in such a way as not to damage the wire core. If a cut appears on the wire core, it may break at this point;
• the exposed area of ​​the wire is degreased. To do this, wipe it with a rag soaked in acetone;
• to create good contact, the degreased section of the wire is sanded with sandpaper to a metallic shine;
• After connection, the wire insulation must be restored. Insulating tape or heat-shrinkable tubing can be used for this.

In practice, several types of twists are used:

simple parallel twist. This is the simplest and most common type of connection. With good parallel twisting at the junction, good contact quality can be achieved, but the mechanical tensile forces will be minimal. This twist may become loose if vibration occurs. To properly perform such twisting, it is necessary that each wire wraps around each other. In this case, there must be at least three turns; Conventional twisting of two wires

Stranded twist of three wires

"winding" method. This method is used if it is necessary to branch a wire from the main line. To do this, the insulation of the wire is removed at the branch section, and the branch wire is connected to the bare area by winding;

Connecting the wire to the main

• bandage twist. This type of twisting is often used when connecting two or more single-core wires. When using bandage twisting, an additional conductor made of the same material as the wire cores is used. First, a simple parallel twist is performed, and then a bandage of an additional conductor is applied to this place. The bandage increases the mechanical tensile strength at the junction;
• connection of stranded and solid wire. This type is the most common and simplest; first, a simple twist is performed, and then clamped;

Connection of stranded and solid copper wire

• other various connection options.

Professional connection

Let's consider various options for reliable connection technology: soldering, crimping, welding and terminal connection of wires. You will avoid unreliable twisting when installing soldered boxes and other connections.

Soldering wires

Connecting stranded and single-core copper wires by soldering is one of the reliable methods. With this connection, good electrical contact is created, and the joint is mechanically resistant to tensile loads.

This method can be used when: splicing two damaged wires, extending wires, moving sockets or switches. Wires connected in this way can be used in hidden wiring.

If the connection point is well insulated, then such a wire is not inferior to a solid section.

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

The technology for such a connection is as follows:

• the preparation of the wires is carried out in the same sequence as before the start of twisting;
• cleaning sections of wires to a metallic shine;
• coating joints with solder (servicing);
• the wires are connected using one of the types of twisting;
• wires connected by twisting are soldered with solder;
• The soldering area is treated with emery cloth. There should be no burrs at the soldering site that could damage the insulation;
• the connection point is carefully insulated.

The wires connected in this way can be placed under the plaster. For reliability, the connection point should be placed in a polyvinyl chloride tube.

Welding method

Welding belongs to the category of permanent connections. This type is the most reliable. It is with this method that the connection section acquires solidity. The contact resistance and mechanical strength of the connection section are no different from a solid wire. Welding is carried out using both direct and alternating current.

Various types of welding machines are used for professional wire welding, but inverter current machines are the most widely used. These devices are mobile, they can be easily carried on the electrician’s shoulder, and are small in size.

Inverter devices have a wide range of operating current regulation. The welding arc ignites easily even at low operating currents, and is stable throughout the entire welding period.

Source: https://MyTooling.ru/instrumenty/kak-soedinit-dva-mednyh-provoda-mezhdu-soboj

Electrical contact - wire connection

Electrical contact depends on the quality and reliability of the wire connection. When installing electrical wiring, it is impossible to do without connecting the wires .

At the connection points, the electrical contacts must satisfy the following basic requirements:

• — reliable contact, without additional resistance. The resistance of the connecting contact should not be greater than the resistance of the whole piece of wire;
• — mechanical strength in case of tension. If the wire at the connection points is subject to random stretching, then the strength of the contact should be no less than the strength of the conductor itself.

Wire connection methods

1. Twisted wire connections. Due to its simplicity, the most common method. To do this, just take two wires, remove the insulation (for reliable twisting, at least 5 cm of insulation is removed), then the bare wires are twisted together.

The twisted bare conductors are insulated with conventional insulating PVC tape. In place of the insulating tape, you can use special “twist caps”. Twist caps are screwed onto the connected wires, thereby insulating the exposed parts and additionally pressing the electrical contact.

It is not permissible to twist wires of dissimilar metals, such as copper and aluminum.

2. Connecting wires by soldering. Using soldering, making connections takes a little longer, but this method is more reliable than conventional twisting.

When twisting contacts, no matter how good it is, the connection points have some resistance and when current flows, the twisted contacts overheat.

The consequences of poor quality twisting are melting of the insulation at the joints, short circuit and fire.

Soldering guarantees reliable electrical contact with low resistance and the necessary mechanical strength. For soldering, ordinary tin-lead solder and rosin are used.

3. Use of terminal blocks. The terminal block itself is an insulating plate with contacts. Using terminal blocks, you can connect copper wires to aluminum wires.

Terminal blocks, based on the method of securing wires in them, are divided into terminal blocks with a tightening screw and terminal blocks with clamping plates.

Terminal blocks in which the wires are pressed with a screw have one drawback. In them, the wire can be damaged by the twist itself when the contact is tightened. This is especially true when connecting aluminum or stranded wires.

Terminals with pressure plates are more reliable than screw terminals, since when tightened, the wire is pressed against the terminal by the plate.

4. Spring terminals. Probably the fastest and most efficient way to connect wires. To do this, the insulation is removed from the conductive core and inserted into the terminal. They differ from screw ones in that the wires are fixed not with a screw, but with a spring clamp.

Today there are a lot of spring-type clamps, the most common of them are terminal blocks from Wago.

Used to connect both soft stranded and single-core wires of different sections.

These terminals can also be used to connect copper and aluminum wires. For this purpose, special “Wago” terminal blocks are used. They use contacts made of a bimetallic plate coated with a special paste that prevents oxidation of the wires.

5. Branch compression. Branch clamps, or “nuts” as they are popularly called, are used to connect a line to the main without creating a break in it.

The compression itself consists of three metal plates with screws and an insulating box in which these plates are located. Branch clamp is often used to connect copper and aluminum wires, for example to connect to an aluminum overhead line.

Connecting copper and aluminum wires at home

If you need to connect copper and aluminum wires , but terminal clamps and blocks are not at hand, you can do without them. Twisting the wires in this case is not a good way out, because sooner or later the place where the copper and aluminum are twisted will oxidize and this will lead to loss of contact.

An effective solution to this problem is to use a regular nut, bolt and washer.

The reliability of this connection is in no way inferior to the terminal blocks described above. The only drawback is the bulkiness (for example, when used in a junction box) and the large amount of PVC insulating tape for reliable insulation.

Source: https://electricvdome.ru/montaj-electroprivodki/soedinenie-provodov.html

Methods for connecting wires and cables

Electricity is an area in which you need to carefully select materials and monitor reliability and performance.

For high-quality and uninterrupted power supply in the house, the electrical wires must be connected correctly.

In case of an error, not only the functionality of household appliances will be at risk, but also fire safety.

When to connect cables

Cable connections will be required in case of poor-quality wiring performed earlier, or due to errors made during installation work. To restore power to the house, you need to connect the electrical wires. You can make a connection in ways that are divided into 2 groups:

1. For the first group, no special equipment is required.
2. The second group already requires certain skills and professional tools.

Source: http://9692.ru/info/kak-soedinit-dva-mednyh-provoda-mezhdu-soboj/

Types of connection of electrical wires in a junction box

In a field such as electricity, all work must be carried out strictly, accurately and without a single mistake. Some people want to figure out such work on their own, not trusting third parties to carry out a responsible mission. Today we will talk about how to properly connect wires in a junction box. The work must be done efficiently, because not only the performance of electrical appliances in the house, but also the fire safety of the premises depends on it.

About the distribution box

In an apartment or house, wires from the electrical panel are routed to different rooms. There are usually several connection points: switch, sockets, and so on. In order for all the wires to be collected in one place, distribution boxes were created. They carry wiring from sockets, switches and are connected in a hollow housing.

So that during repairs you do not have to look for where the wires are hidden in the walls, electrical wiring is laid on the basis of special rules prescribed in the PUE (Electrical Installation Rules).

The main recommendation is that all connections are made in the junction box.

Distribution boxes are classified according to the type of fastening. So, there are boxes for external installation and internal installation. For the second option, you need to prepare a hole in the wall into which the box will be inserted. As a result, the box lid is located flush with the wall. Often the cover is hidden with wallpaper or plastic during repairs. As a last resort, an outer box is used, which is attached directly to the wall.

There are round or rectangular junction boxes. In any case, there will be at least 4 exits. Each outlet has a fitting or thread to which a corrugated tube is attached. This is done to quickly replace the wire. The old wire is pulled out and new wiring is laid. It is not recommended to lay the cable in a groove on the wall. If the electrical wiring burns out, you will have to dig into the wall and disturb the finish in order to carry out repair work.

What are distribution boxes for?

There are many factors that speak in favor of the existence of junction boxes:

• The power system can be repaired in a matter of hours. All connections are accessible, you can easily find the area where the wires have burned out. If the cable was laid in special channels (corrugated tube, for example), then the failed cable can be replaced in an hour;
• Connections can be inspected at any time. As a rule, wiring problems occur at the connection points. If the socket or switch does not work, but there is voltage in the network, first check the quality of the connection in the junction box;
• the highest level of fire safety is created. It is believed that dangerous places are connections. Using a box will keep them in one place.
• minimal time and financial costs when repairing wiring. There is no need to look for broken wires in the walls.

Connecting the wires in the box

There are several ways in which conductor connections can be made in junction boxes. Note that there are simple and complex methods, however, if executed correctly, all options will ensure the reliability of the electrical wiring.

Method number 1. Twisting method

It is believed that the twisting method is used by amateurs. At the same time, this is one of the most reliable and proven options. PUE do not recommend using twisting, since the contact between the wires is unreliable. As a result, the conductors may overheat, putting the room at risk of fire. However, twisting can be used as a temporary measure, for example, when testing an assembled circuit.

Source: https://www.bazaznaniyst.ru/sem-sposobov-soedineniya-provodov/

How to properly connect stranded wires to each other

In stranded wires, the cross-section is formed by several, sometimes intertwined, cores. Knowing how to connect stranded wires to each other, you can easily do this work yourself and get a strong contact that is absolutely safe during operation.

Where are stranded wires used?

Any stranded conductor contains at its base a large number of thin wires. The use of a multi-core cable is important in areas that require a large number of bends or, if necessary, to pull the conductor through holes that are too narrow and long enough.

The scope of application of stranded conductors is presented:

• extended tees;
• mobile lighting devices;
• automotive wiring;
• connecting lighting fixtures to the electrical network;
• connecting switches or other types of levers to influence the electrical network.

Flexible stranded conductors can be twisted repeatedly and easily, which does not negatively affect the functionality of the system. Among other things, this particular type of electrical wiring is distinguished by plasticity, and greater flexibility and elasticity is imparted to the wire by weaving a special thread, which in strength and composition is a bit like nylon.

Methods for connecting stranded wires to each other

The methods used today for electrical connections of stranded conductors are distinguished by the ability to obtain not only strong, reliable and durable, but also completely safe contact of the conductors.

Stranding of stranded conductors

This option is the easiest to implement and intuitive, not requiring the use of special equipment or professional tools.

Twisting is the easiest way to connect stranded wires

1. Strip the conductors at the ends of the conductors from the insulating layer and place them on top of each other. Twist the exposed strands overlapping each other.

   Before connecting the wires, the ends must be cleaned

2. Strengthen the twist using pliers. Simple parallel twisting is quite reliable from the point of view of contact between the cores, but vibration and mechanical forces applied to break can easily destroy the strength of such a connection.

   Use pliers to twist the wires together

The second method consists of the following steps:

1. Strip the conductor cores from the insulating layer and place them on top of each other crosswise.

   Peel the insulating layer of the wires and stack the wires on top of each other

2. Wrap one bare wire around the other over the entire surface.

   Wrap one wire around another

   Wrap the wires

3. Visually verify the strength of the winding. Using simple or traditional twisting, the electrical connection of additional conductors to the main, leading electrical wiring line is carried out.

Twisting wires using the third method:

1. Remove insulation from the ends of the conductors. Place the bare ends on top of each other and wind the first core.

   Place the wires on top of each other

2. Wind the second core, then visually verify the reliability of the connection. The sequential twisting method involves “winding” each connected conductor onto another, which ensures optimal contact of the cores.

   Wind one of the cores

   In this method, one wire is “wound” around another

There is also a fourth method, which is as follows:

1. Using a sharp knife, strip the ends of the conductors from insulation and align them along the length.

   Align the wires in length

2. Bend the connected stripped ends and wrap them with a piece of another core.

   Twist the folded strands with a piece of conductor

3. Perform a visual inspection of the connection and make sure it is secure. Band twisting consists of parallel application of the connected cores to each other and subsequent fixation of the resulting connection using a tightly laid soft conductor.

   Bandage twisting ensures a reliable connection of cores

Soldering method

Soldering the conductors using a household soldering iron ensures high-strength contact and good electrical conductivity. Tinning of stranded conductors is carried out using rosin (flux) and standard solder using standard technology.

1. Strip the wires of insulation and remove any resulting oxidation if necessary.

   Remove all oxidation from the wires

2. Heat the wires with a soldering iron tip until the flux melts and immerse the heated wire in a container with rosin.

   Heat the wire with a soldering iron and immerse it in rosin.

3. Apply molten solder to the soldering iron tip and carefully transfer it to the exposed parts of the core. After tinning, the wires should be connected to each other by twisting, which must be “tightened” with pliers.

   Tighten the twist with pliers

Terminal type connections

The use of terminals of different types is the most accessible way to connect multi-core wires in everyday life. In most cases, the terminal blocks used are divided into a couple of main types.

The principle of operation of clamping terminals involves fixing the wire using a built-in spring mechanism.

Terminals are often used to connect wires

The screw-type terminal block involves reliable fixation of all connected stranded wires using a screw. To increase the area of ​​wire contact with a conductive surface, an additional bend of the core is required.

The wires in the terminal block are secured by tightening the screws

Stage-by-stage execution of work:

1. Strip the ends of the conductor and align them in length according to the depth of the terminal block.

   Align the wires in length

2. When connecting more than one conductor to the terminal block at the same time, you must first connect the wires by parallel twisting.

   First you need to twist the wires

3. Check the reliability of the twisting and then fix the wires in the connector hole.

   Fix the wires

Crimping method

The crimping method involves connecting wires or cables using a copper or aluminum sleeve using special crimping pliers of a hydraulic or manual type.

In this case, the connection is made using a special sleeve

The pressing technology involves stripping the insulation according to the length of the sleeve, and conductors that are too thin should be connected by twisting. Then all the cables are folded together and placed inside the sleeve, after which double crimping is performed along the entire length. The method allows for a reliable and safe connection of multi-core wires made of different types of materials.

Bolted connection

The simplest, but not reliable enough way to connect stranded wires is twisting followed by bolting. This detachable connection option is most often used in open wiring conditions.

Bolted connection is the simplest, but not very reliable

To increase the level of reliability of the connection of stranded wires, it is recommended to strip the ends of insulation, then tin the cleaned areas and fasten them with a bolt.

Application of connecting insulating clamps

PPE elements are used when it is necessary to connect multi-core wires with a small cross-section (within 25 mm2). The design feature of this clamp is a plastic body with a built-in cone-shaped spring.

This method is suitable for connecting wires with a small cross-section

Stranded wires are first connected into one bundle using twisting, onto which the clamping part is then screwed. Among other things, the wire connection does not require additional insulation.

Security measures

In order to ensure safe operation of connected stranded wires, it is important to insulate all parts of the electrical wiring.

Proper insulation helps prevent dangerous contact of conductive parts with each other or with the human body.

When choosing an insulating material, it is necessary to take into account the operating conditions of the electrical circuit, but in most cases, insulating tape, as well as a special vinyl or heat-shrinkable tube, are used for this purpose.

If the connection area is exposed to the negative effects of high temperatures, it is recommended to use varnished cloth or fabric insulating tape as an insulating material.

Correct execution of all stages of electrical installation is of no small importance.

Only with reliable connection and proper connection of all elements of the electrical network is it possible to minimize the risk of areas with poor contact, and also prevent local overheating and electrical wiring breaks.

Multicore cables are a popular and widespread option, widely used for arranging electrical wiring for various purposes. The general rules for the separate connection of stranded and single-core conductors do not have any differences or features, therefore it is allowed to use twisting, screw clamps, PPE elements, welding and soldering for this purpose.

Source: https://aqua-rmnt.com/ehlektrosnabzhenie/kak-soedinit-mnogozhilnyie-provoda-mezhdu-soboy.html