Methods for connecting cables to each other. Connecting wires - methods for reliable ways to connect wires of different types, types and sections (120 photos)

To date, they have invented a bunch of a wide variety of ways to connect. But, for some reason, the way to "bite off, twist and rewind with tape" is not inferior to its position.

But there is also something that is fundamentally wrong.

The reason is that it is categorically wrong to twist two wires from different materials, for example, copper and aluminum, into a spiral. The fact is that during the oxidation of the aluminum wire, galvanic steam is released, which will eventually break the connection. And the more current passes through this connection, the sooner it will collapse. And, if the load on the wires is unstable, then constant heating-cooling will only worsen the condition of the wiring.
This connection of wires can be dangerous. Since sparks in the connection can cause a fire.

Fortunately, there is a sure way out of the situation.

For example, here is such a thing called a polyethylene terminal block:

You can buy such a simple contraption at any hardware store. And if you pull a brass sleeve out of it, you can clearly see how the wires are connected:

You need to put the ends into it and tighten the screws:

When folded, that is, in normal form, it looks like this:

And by the way, each insulating segment can be detached from each other. So, at first glance, everything is perfect and simple, but no. And then there were shortcomings.

If you clamp the aluminum wire, then you need to make sure that it does not work out like this:

This is a clear example of the fact that aluminum cannot be clamped, and if this happens, then once a year the terminals need to be changed. Otherwise, the contact will heat up and this will lead to a fire.

Stranded wires must not be clamped in the sleeve. You may not be lucky and what you already know will happen.

It is important to choose the correct sleeve size for the diameter of the wire, otherwise it may fall out or break if pinched.

When buying a terminal block, do not be fooled by the inscriptions on it. They are lying. It is better to divide the current into 2 or 3 sleeves.

And as practice says, it is better not to buy such terminals at all. And if you use it, then only to connect something small, a light bulb, for example.

The same goes for unnamed Chinese gizmos. Better to be overdressed than underdressed. Therefore, buy terminals from normal proven manufacturers, such as: Tridonic, ABB, Legrand, Verit

TB Series Terminal Blocks

Made from hard black plastic with a lid. This one is much better than the previous one.

Inside consists of two screws and a plate:

Here you need to wrap around the screw and press it with a plate:

A good thing, because here the wires are already clamped by an iron plate, and not by the screw itself, which is undoubtedly a big plus.

.
The surface is such that it does not increase the clamping surface by much, which means that both stranded and solid cores can be clamped. But, nevertheless, aluminum should be checked from time to time. What is bad about such terminals is that they do not share. And less than 6 pieces are unlikely to be found.

Self-clamping terminals (WAGO, REXANT 773 series)

They look like this:

Extremely comfortable clamps. What you need is just to strip the wire and shove it all the way:

Inside that terminal there is such a thing, where the pressure plate is indicated by a blue arrow, and a small tinned copper bar is indicated by an orange one:

Here's what happens when a wire is shoved into it:

That is, the wire is pressed tightly with a plate to the tavern and keeps it so constantly, does not allow it to fall out.

You can, without fear, even push an aluminum wire into this terminal.

Here are exactly the same, but transparent terminals:

Their plus is that through the translucent walls you can see how deep the wires are inserted. This terminal is suitable for 4 kW. However, there is one big BUT. This means that only original WAGO terminals have such abilities. For the rest, the maximum current is limited by a lower indicator.

WAGO 222 series terminals

Such terminals will be indispensable if there are wires of different diameters and from different materials.

These terminals have levers:

When the lever is raised, then you need to insert the wires and fix it by lowering the lever:

You can change the wire by lifting the lever and pulling it out. Sensible thing, conducts current up to 32A.

Wire connection methods

Contact connections of conductors are a very important element of the electrical circuit, therefore, when performing electrical work, you must always remember that the reliability of any electrical system is largely determined by the quality of the electrical connections.

All contact connections are subject to certain technical requirements. But first of all, these connections must be resistant to mechanical factors, be reliable and safe.

With a small area of contact in the contact zone, a rather significant resistance can occur for the passage of current. The resistance at the point where the current passes from one contact surface to another is called transient contact resistance, which is always greater than the resistance of a solid conductor of the same size and shape. During operation, the properties of the contact connection under the influence of various external and internal factors can deteriorate so much that an increase in its contact resistance can cause overheating of the wires and create an emergency. The transient contact resistance largely depends on the temperature, with an increase in which (as a result of the passage of current) an increase in the contact resistance occurs. Heating of the contact is of particular importance in connection with its influence on the process of oxidation of the contact surfaces. In this case, the oxidation of the contact surface is the more intense, the higher the contact temperature. The appearance of an oxide film, in turn, causes a very strong increase in contact resistance.

This is an element of an electrical circuit where the electrical and mechanical connection of two or more individual conductors is carried out. At the point of contact of the conductors, an electrical contact is formed - a conductive connection through which current flows from one part to another.

A simple overlay or slight twisting of the contact surfaces of the connected conductors does not provide good contact, because due to microroughness, the actual contact does not occur over the entire surface of the conductors, but only at a few points, which leads to a significant increase in contact resistance.

At the point of contact between two conductors, there always occurs a contact resistance of an electrical contact, the value of which depends on the physical properties of the materials in contact, their condition, the compression force at the point of contact, temperature, and the actual area of contact.

From the point of view of the reliability of electrical contact aluminum wire cannot compete with copper. After a few seconds of exposure to air, the pre-cleaned aluminum surface is covered with a thin hard and refractory oxide film with high electrical resistance, which leads to increased transient resistance and strong heating of the contact zone, resulting in an even greater increase in electrical resistance. Another feature of aluminum is its low yield strength. A strongly tightened connection of aluminum wires weakens over time, which leads to a decrease in the reliability of the contact. In addition, aluminum has the worst conductivity. That is why the use of aluminum wires in household electrical systems is not only inconvenient, but also dangerous.

Copper oxidizes in air at normal residential temperatures (about 20 °C). The resulting oxide film does not have great strength and is easily destroyed by compression. Particularly intense oxidation of copper begins at temperatures above 70 °C. The oxide film on the copper surface itself has negligible resistance and has little effect on the value of the transient resistance.

The state of the contact surfaces has a decisive influence on the growth of the contact resistance. To obtain a stable and durable contact connection, high-quality cleaning and surface treatment of the connected conductors must be performed. The insulation from the cores is removed to the desired length with a specialized tool or knife. Then the bare parts of the veins are cleaned with an emery cloth and treated with acetone or white spirit. The length of the cut depends on the characteristics of the particular method of connection, branch or termination.

The transient contact resistance decreases to a large extent with an increase in the compression force of the two conductors, since the actual contact area depends on it. Thus, to reduce the transition resistance in the connection of two conductors, it is necessary to ensure their sufficient compression, but without destructive plastic deformations.

There are several ways to make an electrical connection. The highest quality of them will always be the one that provides, under specific conditions, the lowest value of the transient contact resistance for as long as possible.

According to the "Electrical Installation Rules" (clause 2.1.21), the connection, branching and termination of the cores of wires and cables must be carried out by welding, soldering, crimping or clamping (screw, bolt, etc.) in accordance with applicable instructions. In such connections, it is always possible to achieve a consistently low contact resistance. In this case, it is necessary to connect the wires in compliance with the technology and using appropriate materials and tools.

This is an important and responsible operation. It can be performed in various ways: using terminal blocks, by soldering and welding, by crimping, and often by ordinary twisting. All of these methods have certain advantages and disadvantages. It is necessary to choose a connection method before starting installation, as this also involves the selection of appropriate materials, tools and equipment.

At wire connection the same color of neutral, phase and ground wires should be observed. Usually the phase wire is brown or red, the zero worker is blue, the protective earth wire is yellow-green.

Very often, electricians have to connect a wire to an existing line. In other words, you need to create a branch wire. Such connections are made using special branch clamps, terminal blocks and piercing clamps.

In direct contact, copper and aluminum form a galvanic pair, and an electrochemical process occurs at the point of contact, as a result of which aluminum is destroyed. Therefore, to connect copper and aluminum wires, special terminal or bolted connections must be used.

Wires connected to various devices often need special lugs that help ensure reliable contact and reduce contact resistance. Such lugs can be attached to the wire by soldering or crimping.

There are a wide variety of types. For example, for copper stranded conductors, lugs are produced from a seamless copper pipe, flattened and drilled for a bolt on one side.

Welding. Connection of wires by welding.

It gives a solid and reliable contact, so it is widely used in electrical work.

Welding is performed at the ends of previously stripped and twisted conductors with a carbon electrode using welding machines with a power of about 500 W (for a twist section of up to 25 mm2). The current on the welding machine is set from 60 to 120 A, depending on the cross section and the number of wires to be welded.

Due to the relatively low currents and low (compared to steel) melting temperature, the process occurs without a large blinding arc, without deep heating and splashing of the metal, which makes it possible to use goggles instead of a mask. In this case, other security measures can be simplified. At the end of welding and the wire cooling, the bare end is insulated with electrical tape or heat shrink tubing. After a little training with the help of welding, you can quickly and efficiently connect electrical wires and cables in the power supply system.

When welding, the electrode is brought to the wire to be welded until it touches, then it is retracted to a short distance (OD-1 mm). The resulting welding arc melts the twisted wires until a characteristic ball is formed. Touching the electrode should be short-term to create the desired melting zone without damaging the wire insulation. It is impossible to make a long arc length, since the welding site turns out to be porous due to oxidation in the air.

At present, it is convenient to perform welding work on connecting electrical wires with an inverter welding machine, since it has a small volume and weight, which allows the electrician to work on a ladder, for example, under the ceiling, hanging the inverter welding machine on his shoulder. For welding electrical wires, a graphite electrode coated with copper is used.

In a joint obtained by welding, an electric current flows through a monolithic metal of the same type. Of course, the resistance of such compounds is record low. In addition, such a connection has excellent mechanical strength.

Of all the known methods of connecting wires, none of them can be compared with welding in terms of durability and conductivity of the contact. Even soldering is destroyed over time, since a third, more fusible and loose metal (solder) is present in the connection, and there is always additional transition resistance at the interface between different materials and destructive chemical reactions are possible.

Soldering. Connecting wires by soldering.

Soldering is a method of joining metals using another, more fusible metal. Compared to welding, soldering is easier and more affordable. It does not require expensive equipment, is less flammable, and the skills to perform a good quality soldering will require more modest than when making a welded joint. It should be noted that the metal surface in air is usually quickly covered with an oxide film, so it must be cleaned before soldering. But the cleaned surface can quickly oxidize again. To avoid this, chemicals are applied to the treated areas - fluxes that increase the fluidity of the molten solder. Thanks to this, the soldering is stronger.

Soldering is also the best way terminations of copper stranded conductors into the ring - the soldered ring is evenly covered with solder. In this case, all wires must completely enter the monolithic part of the ring, and its diameter must correspond to the diameter of the screw clamp.

The process of soldering wires and cable cores consists in coating the heated ends of the connected cores with molten tin-lead solder, which after hardening provides mechanical strength and high electrical conductivity of the permanent connection. The soldering should be smooth, without pores, dirt, sagging, sharp solder bulges, foreign inclusions.

For soldering copper conductors of small cross sections, solder tubes filled with rosin are used, or a solution of rosin in alcohol, which is applied to the junction before soldering.

To create a high-quality soldered contact connection, the cores of wires (cables) must be carefully tinned, and then twisted and crimped. The quality of the soldered contact largely depends on the correct twisting.

After soldering, the contact connection is protected by several layers of insulating tape or heat shrink tubing. Instead of an insulating tape, the soldered contact connection can be protected with an insulating cap (PPE). Before this, it is desirable to cover the finished joint with a moisture-resistant varnish.

Parts and solder are heated with a special tool called a soldering iron. A prerequisite for creating a reliable connection by soldering is the same temperature of the soldered surfaces. Of great importance for the quality of soldering is the ratio of the temperature of the soldering tip and the melting temperature. Naturally, this can only be achieved with the right tool.

Soldering irons vary in design and power. To perform household electrical work, a conventional electric soldering iron with a power of 20-40 W is quite sufficient. It is desirable that it be equipped with a temperature controller (with a temperature sensor) or at least a power controller.

Experienced electricians often use the original method for soldering. A hole with a diameter of 6-7 mm and a depth of 25-30 mm is drilled in the working rod of a powerful soldering iron (at least 100 W) and filled with solder. When heated, such a soldering iron is a small tin bath, which allows you to quickly and efficiently solder several stranded connections. Before soldering, a small amount of rosin is thrown into the bath, which prevents the appearance of an oxide film on the surface of the conductor. The further soldering process consists in lowering the twisted joint into such an impromptu bath.

One common way to create a contact is to use screw terminals. In them, reliable contact is ensured by tightening the screw or bolt. In this case, it is recommended to attach no more than two conductors to each screw or bolt. When using stranded wires in such connections, the ends of the wires require preliminary tinning or the use of special lugs. The advantage of such connections is their reliability and collapsibility.

By appointment, terminal blocks can be through and connecting.

Designed to connect wires to each other. They are commonly used for switching wires in junction boxes and switchboards.

Feed-through terminal blocks are used, as a rule, for connecting various devices to the network (chandeliers, lamps, etc.), as well as for splicing wires.

When connecting wires with stranded wires using screw terminals, their ends need to be pre-soldered or crimped with special lugs.

When working with aluminum wires, the use of screw terminals is not recommended, since aluminum conductors, when tightened with screws, are prone to plastic deformation, which leads to a decrease in the reliability of the connection.

Recently, a very popular device for connecting wires and cable cores has become self-clamping terminal blocks type WAGO. They are designed to connect wires with a cross section of up to 2.5 mm2 and are designed for an operating current of up to 24 A, which allows you to connect a load of up to 5 kW to the wires connected by them. Up to eight wires can be connected in such terminal blocks, which greatly speeds up the wiring as a whole. True, compared to twisting, they take up more space in soldered boxes, which is not always convenient.

The screwless terminal block is fundamentally different in that its installation does not require any tools and skills. The wire, stripped to a certain length, is inserted into its place with little effort and is securely pressed by a spring. The design of a screwless terminal connection was developed by the German company WAGO back in 1951. There are other manufacturers of this type of electrical products.

In spring-loaded self-clamping terminal blocks, as a rule, the effective contact surface area is too small. At high currents, this leads to heating and release of the springs, resulting in a loss of their elasticity. Therefore, such devices should be used only on eyeliners that are not subjected to heavy loads.

WAGO manufactures terminal blocks for both DIN rail mounting and for screwing to a flat surface, but building terminal blocks are used for installation as part of home wiring. These terminal blocks are available in three types: for junction boxes, for fixture fittings and universal.

Terminal blocks WAGO for junction boxes, they allow connecting from one to eight conductors with a cross section of 1.0-2.5 mm2 or three conductors with a cross section of 2.5-4.0 mm2. And terminal blocks for fixtures connect 2-3 conductors with a cross section of 0.5-2.5 mm2.

The technology for connecting wires using self-clamping terminal blocks is very simple and does not require special tools and special skills.

There are also terminal blocks in which the conductor is fixed using a lever. Such devices allow you to achieve good pressure, reliable contact and at the same time are easily disassembled.

One of the connecting products popular among electricians is. Such a clamp is a plastic case, inside of which there is an anodized conical spring. To connect the wires, they are stripped to a length of about 10-15 mm and folded into a common bundle. After that, PPE is wound on it, turning clockwise until it stops. In this case, the spring compresses the wires, creating the necessary contact. Of course, all this happens only when the PPE cap is correctly matched to its face value. Using this clamp, it is possible to connect several single wires with a total area of 2.5-20 mm2. Naturally, the caps in these cases are of different sizes.

Depending on the size, PPE have certain numbers and are selected according to the total cross-sectional area of the twisted cores, which is always indicated on the package. When choosing PPE caps, one should be guided not only by their number, but also by the total cross section of the wires for which they are designed. The color of the product has no practical significance, but can be used to mark phase and neutral conductors and ground wires.

PPE clamps greatly speed up installation, and due to the insulated housing, they do not require additional insulation. True, their connection quality is somewhat lower than that of screw terminal blocks. Therefore, ceteris paribus, preference should still be given to the latter.

Twisting. Twisted wire connection.

Twisting bare wires as a connection method in the "Electrical Installation Rules" (PUE) is not included. But despite this, many experienced electricians consider a correctly performed twist as a completely reliable and high-quality connection, arguing that the contact resistance in it practically does not differ from the resistance in the whole conductor. Be that as it may, a good twist can be considered one of the stages of connecting wires by soldering, welding or PPE caps. Therefore, high-quality twisting is the key to the reliability of all electrical wiring.

If the wires are connected according to the “how it happened” principle, a large contact resistance can occur at the point of their contact, with all the negative consequences.

Depending on the type of connection, twisting can be performed in several ways, which, with a small transient resistance, can provide a completely reliable connection.

First, the insulation is carefully removed without damaging the wire core. Sections of veins exposed to a length of at least 3-4 cm are treated with acetone or white spirit, cleaned with sandpaper to a metallic sheen and tightly twisted with pliers.

Crimping method widely used to make reliable connections in junction boxes. In this case, the ends of the wires are stripped, combined into appropriate bundles and pressed in. The connection after crimping is protected with electrical tape or heat shrink tubing. It is non-detachable and does not require maintenance.

Crimping considered one of the most reliable ways to connect wires. Such connections are made using sleeves by continuous compression or local indentation with special tools (press tongs), into which interchangeable dies and punches are inserted. In this case, the indentation (or compression) of the sleeve wall into the cable cores occurs with the formation of a reliable electrical contact. Crimping can be done by local indentation or continuous compression. A solid crimp is usually made in the form of a hexagon.

It is recommended to treat copper wires with a thick lubricant containing technical petroleum jelly before crimping. This lubrication reduces friction and reduces the risk of damage to the core. A non-conductive lubricant does not increase the contact resistance of the connection, since, if the technology is followed, the lubricant is completely displaced from the contact point, remaining only in the voids.

For crimping, manual press tongs are most often used. In the most common case, the working bodies of these tools are dies and punches. In the general case, the punch is a movable element that produces a local indentation on the sleeve, and the matrix is a figured fixed bracket that perceives the pressure of the sleeve. Matrices and punches can be replaceable or adjustable (designed for different sections).

When installing ordinary home wiring, as a rule, small crimping pliers with curly jaws are used.

Of course, any copper tube can be used as a sleeve for crimping, but it is better to use special sleeves made of electrical copper, the length of which corresponds to the conditions for reliable connection.

When crimping, the wires can be inserted into the sleeve both from opposite sides until mutual contact is strictly in the middle, and from one side. But in any case, the total cross section of the wires must correspond to the inner diameter of the sleeve.

We have to do these procedures in the process of repairing apartment wiring or when laying new wiring, as well as when connecting wires in junction boxes. In order to splice, branch or connect electrical cables, we need such a tool: pliers, wire cutters, a construction knife, electrical tape and, of course, the wires themselves. It is advisable to have two skeins of electrical tape of different colors.

We will show you the process of connecting wires simply on scraps. You will have these wires in the wall, either in electrical plastic boxes or laid in some other way.

Connection of electrical cables

Let's start by connecting electrical wires. Suppose that we have three wires entering the electrical box, and they need to be connected to each other. How it's done? First you need to cut off the excess cable and leave the cable of such a length that it does not interfere with the placement of cables in the electrical box, but at the same time it is not very short, because it is impossible to strip a cable that is too short, and it will not work out normally. It should come out of the box by about 5 cm, then we will cut it off anyway.

Now we do the following: we strip each cable to a length of about 2–2.5 cm. Carefully cut it, trying not to damage the inner conductor. Here the technology is the same for all types of conductors - for aluminum, and for copper, and for single-core, and for multi-core.

We remove the insulation without damaging the cable, then we must clean the conductor, because for most cables it is covered with a thin layer of varnish so that the conductive layer does not corrode. We clean it with the end of the knife specially designed for this, so as not to cut our hands and not dull the knife.

We twist the veins. You can twist them in any direction you like.

To do this, you can use pliers or your own hands, if you do not mind them. Naturally, only multi-core cables are twisted. If you have a single-core cable, then we simply clean it. We perform the same procedure with the second cable, then with the third: we remove the insulation, clean it, twist it. Then we take two cables, lean them with insulation against insulation and tightly twist them like this:

What is it for? First, we bite off the excess. We do not need a strongly protruding twist, it is inconvenient to isolate it, and it will not sit well in the box. Secondly, we get something like cold welding.

This is also very important, as it improves the electrical contact and, consequently, the functionality of our wiring. With such a connection, our wiring will work much longer. Then we isolate the twist.

In order not to constantly check with an indicator probe whether this is a phase or “zero”, it is best to designate a phase wire, for example, with red or brown electrical tape. As a rule, it is these colors that indicate the phase wires in electrical networks, and the neutral cable is either black or blue. If there is no blue or black electrical tape, you can use yellow or some other. We take electrical tape, start somewhere 1 cm along the insulation and wind it as tightly as possible.

Then we wind the electrical tape with a second layer to get reliable insulation. Electrical tape will not only insulate the cable, but also hold it together, because with aluminum strands it often happens that over time the strand weakens. Aluminum oxidizes a little, and twisting becomes unreliable. If we tightly insulate everything, then the electrical tape will further strengthen this twist. The twist will last much longer, it will not be necessary to disassemble it after 5–6 years and twist it. Twisted, cut. This can be done with pliers or a construction knife.

One more thing: in electrical boxes it is recommended to make such insulation that there is access to the electrical contact:

What is it for? The cable remains insulated, that is, a short circuit will not happen, but when repairing this wiring, it will be very easy for you to check whether it is a phase or “zero”, whether there is a phase or not. Such a check is easily carried out, but at the same time, the isolation remains reliable and does not affect the performance of the connection in any way. When repairing, this is very convenient, since you do not have to unwind the insulation and, therefore, everything can be checked under voltage - there is no need to turn off the electrical packets and then turn them on again. Just open the box, check it out, and that's it. Thus, we connected three wires. In the same way, more wires can be connected, usually up to six. It will not work anymore, because too much twisting becomes non-functional and inconvenient to use.

Splicing electrical cables

Cable splicing is necessary in the electrical box or outside it. To do this, strip these cables in the same way as in the previous example. We cut, remove the insulation, clean the cable. In order to splice the cables, we impose them crosswise:

We twist them, about 3-4 turns, and we get a fairly strong twist:

For work, you can use pliers. We work with them, we try so that the cable does not diverge.

If you wish, if you have a soldering iron, you can also solder this connection to give it additional strength. If you don't have a soldering iron, you can do this. We begin to isolate the resulting twist. We take electrical tape, start somewhere a centimeter before the connection and isolate.

We also go from the other edge about a centimeter, we return to improve the dielectric properties of our connection with the second layer. We bite off the excess tape.

That's it - we spliced the cable.

Electrical cable branch

Suppose we have wiring in the wall that has already been laid earlier, but we forgot to install some kind of socket or switch. In order to put them, it is necessary to make a cable outlet, that is, to join our central core.

For electrical connections, this is best done in a box, but in any case, you will have to connect with a branch. How to do it?

We take the outlet cable, remove the insulation in the same way as in the cases described earlier, clean it, twist it. Then we prepare the central vein. To do this, we remove the insulation in a certain area, also 1.5–2 centimeters, but the peculiarity here is that we remove the insulation not from the edge, but in the middle of the wire. Since this cable is not wound, the stripped length will be shorter. We cut the insulation in a circle on one side and on the other:

Now, carefully, so as not to cut yourself, we cut the insulation in the center, remove it and cut off the excess:

Here we have the prepared cable:

We clean it, if possible, twist it. But if the cable has already been laid, then it may not be possible to twist it. We prepared the cable, take a branch, apply it to the left edge, insulation to insulation, and wind it tightly.

We try to make sure nothing sticks out. It turned out to be a fairly reliable branch:

We take electrical tape, we start a centimeter before twisting, we go through one layer, we move smoothly to our connection, we also go in about a centimeter along the insulation.

Returning back, we wrap not on the central cable, but on the branch:

Cut off excess tape:

We got this branch:

The central cable remained in its place, and the branch went to the outlet or to the switch. It should be remembered that all these procedures must be done with the power turned off! Take care of your health, and maybe your life. Such work with electrical wiring does not forgive mistakes!

All rights to the video belong to: Popular electronics / Home electrician

Knowledge of modern technologies and methods of working with electrical fittings, is it really necessary? Yes, you need to know how to properly connect electrical wires.

This can be useful during installation, laying of any power supply systems. Whether the wiring burned out, a lighting fixture needs to be replaced or a complete set of new equipment. Such knowledge may not be needed, but it would be better to know all the common ways to connect electrical wires.

Application in terminal block circuits

Terminal blocks are electrical products made of a material that does not conduct electricity, inside which a conductive sleeve is inserted, which has a pair of screws at opposite ends. They serve to fix the wire. An excellent choice for the embodiment of a modern way of connecting wires.

When choosing a reliable wire connection, it is important to remember: terminal blocks are produced with different holes, for many sections.

This method is almost always used for connection in junction boxes of any type, during installation, installation of wall and other fixtures. It's suitable for. It is easy to mount the network using such fittings, you just need to insert the bare ends into the holes and, using moderate force, securely tighten the screws. The wire itself must not be transferred. Having figured out how to properly connect electrical wires using terminals, it is worth exploring other equally reliable methods.

Terminal method evaluation: Excellent mounting quality. Their price is acceptable. Pretty neat and easy to install. A good opportunity to connect different conductors, for example, aluminum and copper.

Blocks are not recommended to connect aluminum and stranded chains. This is due to the high fragility of aluminum wires and the great flexibility of the stranded wire conductors themselves. But overall a decent method.

Spring terminals

Fast installation of electrical networks is sometimes simply necessary. For example, to conduct temporary lighting on a balcony, terrace, gazebo. wago spring terminals are an excellent product for this kind of work. A modern and of course reliable way to connect wires. Although they are new on the market for electrical fittings, installation using spring terminals is quick and, importantly, convenient.

The main difference between the use of the vago terminal blocks themselves: it is more convenient to connect any wires in electrical boxes with them than with twisting. Here, for high-quality installation, a unique clamping mechanism is used, and not a simple screw. Manufacturers produce both disposable and reusable vago systems.

In the usual version, this product is used for one-time use; it cannot be restored during repair work in the future. It is removed and replaced with a new one.
Reusable wago terminals are a little more expensive, but with the help of them you can disconnect the assembled contacts several times, rewiring the circuit to suit your needs. This speeds up the process of repairing or mounting permanent and temporary networks. A simple lever-type mechanism has the advantage that it is possible to carefully but accurately fix any wire without damaging or transferring it.

With the help of vago, fastening yourself is simple, you need to strip the insulation and insert the necessary cores into the mounting hole. Clamp with a lever. It's important to do it right.

wago clamp system rating: A unique possibility of combining any, aluminum, copper and other conductors. There is an option for connecting multi-core cables at the same time (two or more).

wago universal clamps allow you to fix any thin stranded conductor without damaging it. Another plus is the compact size of the pads.

wago self-clamping terminals

Excellent quality and durability. The Vago block has a technological hole that gives access to a screwdriver with a voltage indicator. The operation of any power line can be checked at any time. Perhaps one drawback is the considerable cost of the terminals themselves. But this type of wire connection is the most modern and fastest.

Insulation with PPE caps

Deciphering the product is not difficult, connecting insulating clips (PPE). They are ordinary nylon or plastic caps with an internal lock.

The simplest type of wire connection, it is carried out after twisting the conductors themselves, lived. Caps are often used to connect wires in junction boxes, to mark connections with the desired color.

Evaluation of the use of such products: Relatively low cost of PPE. The use of safe material eliminates the ignition of electrical wiring. Easy installation, put on a twist of wires and you're done. Such caps have a large range of colors, which is convenient. Of course, if the wires are not marked with color, colored PPEs have the ability to determine, or simply mark, zero, phase and other necessary power lines.

There are also disadvantages: Insufficient level of fixation. Stranded type of wires can be mounted only after soldering.

Installation of networks using sleeves

This option claims to be the most reliable connection method. Any on loads and quality of wires.

Crimping wires with sleeves

Conductive wires are inserted into a special tube - a sleeve, and crimped with a certain force. There is one, but. The cross section of the wires must not exceed the cross section of the sleeves to be mounted. After inserting and crimping the clip, the sleeve is carefully insulated with a heat shrink tube, or with the help of other insulating materials.

Overall score. A great way to securely connect wires. The direction of the conductors can be from different sides of the tube or from one side. Sleeves are quite inexpensive. A good way to securely connect the wires to each other.

There are also disadvantages. Single use sleeves, they are not collapsible. For the production of such work, you will need a tool: pressing tongs, which are also used as a special tool. They remove the insulation. They have a crimping device in their arsenal, and electrical work takes a little more time.

Soldering or welding wires

This method is reliable. Typically, this method of connection in a junction box first involves stripping and twisting the ends, after which they are dipped into heated solder. The connection of aluminum wires to aluminum is preferably carried out by soldering. Then they are isolated with a heat pipe or insulating tape.

Evaluation of the soldering method. It gives strong circuit contacts and excellent quality, not expensive, it is the most reliable with the way of connecting electrical wires in a soldered box.

Technological disadvantage. You can't do without a soldering iron. The speed of work is not high. The connection is naturally not detachable. It follows from this that soldering is done in extreme cases, using more modern methods of connection. Among the masters, he has not been popular for a long time, because it takes more time.

There is also a rare method of connecting electrical wires, by welding. The process is similar, but requires the use of a special welding machine, of course, and certain skills.

Contact twisting method

Not a new, one might say "grandfather" method, it consists of a spiral twisting of the cores among themselves. The essence of all work is to twist the stripped conductors with the help of pliers, and cover the place of twisting with insulation. Here, perhaps, are all the ways of twisting wires.

Evaluation of this connection method. High speed of all installation works. The cost is minimal.

Flaw. It is forbidden to connect together twists of different composition, copper and aluminum wires., oxidation is inevitable. According to the regulatory framework, twisting wires in a junction box is not recommended for use in rooms with combustible materials, high humidity, basements, as well as in any house built of wood. More details about the twisting method. I definitely recommend watching a video about what is better twisting or Vago terminal blocks.

Clamping device for wires "walnut"

Such a device is simply a cable clamp with two plates inside and several tightening screws, usually in the corners. It is enough to fasten the wire to the plate itself. After that, put on a shell of carbolite on top.

Grade. A great way to connect any electrical wires in a junction box, large and medium size. Definitely, these types of products are quite comfortable and have a high degree of protection. It makes it possible to quickly connect a wire to a track with a thick section without breaking it.

Flaws. Dimensions allow installation only in spacious junction boxes, shields. Over time, the screws loosen.

Tip: When choosing fittings and method, remember the following:

It is necessary to work only with an insulated tool, use protective equipment.
Be sure to post a warning sign on the shutdown panel or meter, “do not turn on”.
Connect electrical appliances in accordance with the attached instructions.

Having considered the main types of wire connections, you can easily choose the right option. And having a simple tool and a diagram at hand, you can mount it yourself. In details

When repairing household appliances or maintaining electrical wiring with their own hands, any master is faced with the question of safely creating electrical circuits by connecting the wires to each other or connecting them to the output terminal blocks.

At the same time, even experienced electricians can make mistakes in ensuring the reliable formation of electrical contacts, which will not appear at the initial moment of operation, but will create a malfunction over time.

The metal of the wire is made for the ideal flow of electric current through it. For this purpose, it is cast from a homogeneous composition of a copper or aluminum alloy with a standard cross section along the entire length.

To create a contact, a simple contact of the surfaces without any effort is enough. The photo below shows that if an open strand of the second wire is placed on one bare area, then an electrical connection is formed between them. Through it, a 4-volt battery can make a light bulb from a flashlight glow.

In home wiring much more - 220 volts. An erroneous conclusion is drawn from this fact: it is easy to create a contact of electrical wires.

Beginning electricians simply forget the issue of providing reliable transient resistance for long-term operation of such a connection.

When mounting the wires, the home master is faced with the need to process:

conductive core;
layer of insulation.

These are two interrelated processes that provide the final result - the optimal flow of electric current through the created circuit.

How to work with wire insulation layer

The dielectric coating protects the metal core from the occurrence of unforeseen chains. When it is violated, leakage currents immediately appear, leading to malfunctions.

The insulation layer of the wire may be broken:

under mechanical influence;
overheating;
from solar radiation.

Protection from all these destructive factors is required. Moreover, removing, if necessary, a layer of insulation to connect the wire, it is impossible to damage the surface of the metal core.

To safely perform this job, many tools with cutting edges have been created. Consider their use for home conditions.

electrician's knife

Trade provides a wide range of their designs. Some workers prefer to use knives made with their own hands from materials selected according to their individual characteristics.

When choosing the right model for your needs, pay attention to them, eliminating the possibility of accidental cuts.

The main condition for proper operation is the orientation of the blade relative to the axis of the wire. The formed angle must be sharp. Then the knife will cut off the dielectric layer and at the same time slide over the metal without touching it.

Setting the knife perpendicular to the wire will cut through not only the insulation, but also the surface of the metal core. This means that it will reduce its cross section, break the connection, increase the electrical resistance to the passing current, which will cause excessive heating and aging of the dielectric layer.

Deep penetration of a sharp blade into the metal leads to rapid breakage when the wire is bent. Such scratches can be identified by careful visual inspection. But who does it?

A fitter's knife is a common tool for every electrician, but not all home craftsmen have good practical skills in stripping insulation. Yes, and experienced professionals can inadvertently cut the metal and not notice the error.

Therefore, the industry has long been producing tools adapted for these purposes.

Stripping pliers

Their industrial designs have been produced for quite a long time, and the design is constantly being improved. Let's look at them with examples.

rare sample

For the set of tools of the Soviet electrician, combined pliers were produced, allowing:

safely cut and remove insulation from wires of standard sections 1.5 and 2.5 mm square;
bite copper veins;
bend neat rings;
perform other operations.

They cope with their tasks normally even now, despite their unsightly appearance, slight wear, and heavy weight. To remove the insulation from the ends of the wire, it is enough:

insert it into the appropriate slot;
squeeze the handles to cut the insulation;
ensure axial movement of the jaws towards the end of the wire.

The surface of the metal core is not damaged, it remains in its original state.

The increased gripping force of the handles is compensated by the design of the tongs, it does not create malfunctions.

Modern models

They have much greater technical capabilities, allowing you to work with wires of small and enlarged cross-sections, both with monolithic and stranded conductors.

Made of high-strength plastic, the housing has dielectric properties and is lighter in weight. It is equipped with various controls and accessories.

Such a tool must not only be studied before work, but correctly adjusted for each cross section. Otherwise it will create problems.

Pliers and side cutters

Among electricians there is a category of workers who remove insulation in a similar way. The error of this method is the uncontrolled compressive force of the handles, which leads to squeezing of the metal of the wire, deformation and destruction of its surface.

This error may occur intermittently with a random sequence. It depends on the experience of the employee, his condition, attentiveness and other factors.

It is dangerous to remove insulation in this way, and the places of its removal must be carefully checked. Particular attention should be paid to stranded stranded conductors.

How to work with metal core wire

Methods for creating electrical contacts through wire are based on the use of:

screw terminals;
twists;
soldering or welding;
spring compression.

Screw connections

The connection can be made:

pressing the ring;
pressing the core with a screw directly or through washers.

Making rings

When screwing in the screw, the wire ring should work in compression, and not in spinning. They must be separated by wide washers on each side of the surface. Incorrectly clamped in the form of a ring, the wire may come out of the mount during operation.

This method is considered the most reliable and is widely used in energy enterprises.

Use of terminal blocks

The metal core is inserted into a special socket, held in it by the tightening force of the screw through the surface of the spring steel washer or its threaded end.

With this method, it is important to observe the nominal value of the screwing force. Weak twisting leads to pulling the wire out of the terminal (you need to check it by hand), and excessive twisting crushes the core.

Wire twisting

The contact surface created between the cores must cover the cross-sectional area with a margin.

For this, the twisted ends with the insulation removed are made of a large length of the order of 10 cm, and their twisting is performed with pliers quite tightly with a uniform distribution of turns.

When twisting, the wires should be well crimped and stretched for reliable contact of the surfaces.

Ways to create an improved twist

The contact resistance of the surface layer contact can be reduced by:

welding of the terminal section of the connection;
soldering twisted surface.

Not every home master can apply this technology. It requires special equipment - a welding transformer for copper or aluminum, or. Therefore, in home wiring, twists are immediately covered with electrical tape or insulated with heat shrink tubes.

Typical twist errors

Often, electricians make short ends of the wire, which, under heavy loads, cause increased heating of the contact connection being created.

Insulating caps for connecting wires

Contact is created by compressing the surfaces of each wire by the force of a spiral spring built into the housing.

The metal conductors of the appropriate diameter, cleaned of insulation, are screwed into a spiral, creating a twist. The steel spring expands slightly when the wire ends are inserted and compresses them in the socket.

Errors in wiring with PPE caps

The poor quality of the connection contact arises from:

inept work of electricians;
the use of low-quality fakes of branded products;
erroneous calculation or installation of electrical wiring;
incorrect and protective shutdown devices.

To prevent possible malfunctions, individual masters increase the surface of the twist, having previously removed a larger layer of insulation than required and make a twist on it. After screwing in the PPE cap, the exposed area is wrapped with electrical tape or covered with heat shrink tubing, which creates additional compression.

However, this technology is not provided by manufacturers and requires additional actions and time.

Wago terminal blocks

When using them, the electrical contact of the circuit is created by a spring clip controlled by a special lever.

The wire is inserted with a metal core into the socket of the terminal block until it stops with the lever retracted, and then fixed in it with a simple action. The created contact connection has an acceptable transient resistance, works well at rated loads. It is not worth counting on its reliable operation during prolonged overloads of more than 16 amperes.

The advantage of Vago terminal blocks is the ability to quickly rewire the circuit for its reconstruction. The wires from them in most designs are quickly and easily removed. However, there are disposable models on sale that do not provide the function of re-breaking the created chain.

This connection method is common among our western neighbors. It is well suited for a home craftsman who does everything with his own hands, but does not have sufficient practice to securely connect the wires in other ways.

Features of connecting a flexible wire

Stranded stranded conductors are designed for use in mobile electrical appliances. They withstand bending, twisting well, but do not work well when installed in terminal blocks to create screw or spring contact.

Under the generated compression force, the individual wires are deformed, and their total twist spreads so that the total cross-sectional area of the wire can decrease.

To prevent this process, metal tips with a dielectric insert of the appropriate diameters are used. After installing a bare core in them, a small crimp is made, creating an electrical contact.

When a stranded wire with such a ferrule is inserted into the terminal block, it is additionally compressed by screw fastening or spring force. As a result, a normal electrical contact is created from all the wires.

Only properly configured protections can prevent the consequences of unnoticed installation errors when switching on under load:

circuit breakers,

To supplement the material on a reliable connection of wires, in relation to the conditions of home wiring, provides the owner's video "Electrician's Tips" "Pros and Cons". Recommended for viewing.