Butt connectors for #10 stranded wire

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by Jammer

Just use crimped splices and cut them out and replace them if you need to. Leave enough extra wire to allow this.

Yes, really how often would you change your wiring anyway? And if you want to do it right, put all these connections, whichever type you use, inside a plastic junction box, and the box to be secured so it cannot move. This is 120V - you don't want a hot conductor coming in contact with that fuel tank.

[oleman]

Stud style terminal blocks with #10 tin plated brass studs and hardware and commercially crimped ring connectors. You will never regret uses in the best connections available. Butt connectors are very low on the connections ladder.

[P3sailor]

You may want to try an aviation maintenance facility in your area. Any FBO should have or have access to the type of connectors you're looking for. Aircraft, to my knowledge, only use stranded wire.

[seabreez]

Originally Posted by dadster3

After 4 months of waiting on repairs, I finally got my in inverter/charger back. Wiring it back up uses #10 marine tinned stranded wire. Does anyone know where to find suitable butt connectors? I bought some like were on it originally, only to discover that those connectors were for solid wire and unsuitable. It seems stranded wire of the same gauge is slightly larger than solid wire in the same gauge. Does anyone know where to find suitable connectors for #10 stranded wire? I found some that looked like they would be perfect, but they don't seem to come larger than #12 wire. I think I could probably make permanent crimped splices, but I like being able to take them apart if I should need to in the future. The ones in the attached pic look like they would be perfect.

The block you show is a terminal block usually in a computer or similar unit. Somewhat protected but vulnerable to moisture and corrosion. If you are looking for heat shrink butt connectors and with wax to seal and copper thinned, I order them through Maritime Marine in Nova Scotia. I am from Ontario and usually have my order in two days. No connection, just a very satisfied customer

[edlepera]

Boat electrical work. Crimping I crimp then fill solder into the crimp. Then slide heat shrink over the crimp.

[Sailing Ohm]

Seriously?? Any marine hardware store sells heat shrink butt connectors. There are hundreds of listings on Amazon. Hell even Walmart sells heat shrinks…
I would never use those wago type connectors (vibration, pull test, and open design) Even many automotive connectors are unsatisfactory long term. It’s not necessarily that the connection will get directly splashed but being in a boat with high humidity those wago connectors will guarantee collect condensate inside and begin corrosion/increase resistance. Seen it happen.

Why risk it when heat shrinks connectors are everywhere, safe, easy to use and reliable? Install them correctly and be done with it

[Rumrace]

I was going to post a unit like the Wago previously posted. They have them with silicone 2 and 3 wire. I hate T splices love these 3 wire.

[Dieseldude]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Electrical codes for AC specify that connections must be mechanically secure. So I don't believe that the lever-type splices would get approval for AC connections, since they can be opened with a flick of the finger. The plastic housings could melt in heat, or be cracked by impact. Can they meet the same pull-test specs as crimps or other terminations?

For similar reasons, I want DC connections to be secure as well, so I don't think I'd use the lever connectors for anything other than low-current applications (eg LED cabin lighting) where additions or changes are more likely.

Good point on security and standards. The lever style Wago may not meet standards. I would use conventional crimp type butt connectors and leave some slack for future re termination. Or go with a terminal block and ring terminals. You may need to put the terminal block in an enclosure. The most important thing about crimp terminals is to use a good ratcheting crimper. These compress the entire barrel of the connector and produce a good quality crimp. The cheap thin jaw crimpers only crimp a very small portion. They tend to damage the insulation sleeve. The wire can work loose and you can get a dangerous hot spot due to high resistance.


If the area is subject to water, butt connectors covered with double wall heat shrink might be the only practical option. They can be purchased with the heat shrink as part of the terminal, or you can put dual wall heat shrink over conventional terminals.

[capnorv]

If I may, I would suggest using what are commonly called bug nuts or split bolts with a little copper coat and then wrapped with rubber and PVC tape. It makes the most secure connection and is easily removable for service. Two number ten wires will fit nicely in a small bug.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by capnorv

If I may, I would suggest using what are commonly called bug nuts or split bolts with a little copper coat and then wrapped with rubber and PVC tape ...

Split bolt connectors are ideal for tapping a wire/cable off of an unbroken conductor, such as in grounding grids, etc.
Also used for connecting feeders to larger motor leads.
I'd not, normally, use them for [butt] connecting two #10 AWG wires.

[mstr_cmdr]

Originally Posted by P3sailor

You may want to try an aviation maintenance facility in your area. Any FBO should have or have access to the type of connectors you're looking for. Aircraft, to my knowledge, only use stranded wire.

Correct.
I use M22759/n-nn-N wire. It is tinned copper with Zeftel insulation.
The codes after M22759 are:
n= Wire grade/strands
nn= Wire thickness (measured as AWG)
N= colour of insulation coat
Eg: M22759/34-10-9 = grade 34 wire strands; 10 AWG; white insulation.


Available at FBO/aircraft avionics repair centre.

[dadster3]

I was surprised at how much interest this post generated. The unit has been reinstalled and is working. Here's what happened:

I had originally wanted to use a lever action butt splicer, but decided, after reading all the comments up to that time, that there was no reason for me to expect that I might have to remove the unit unless it needed repair. I decided to use permanent crimped butt connectors with heat shrink, and I bought the yellow ones from Amazon some kind poster recommended. They were a disaster. I spent hours trying to make splices that would hold and used up a fist full of connectors in the process. I have a good ratchet crimping tool but I could not for the life of me make a crimp that would hold. It could have been the space. There was no position that I could get into that was sustainable and from which I could exert the necessary leverage. A third hand might have helped too. Yes, I used the right jaws in the tool but the the yellow color-coded crimp was too loose and the next smaller blue one was too tight and mangled the splice. After several hours trying to make this work and inventing several new curse words in the process I threw up my hands and gave up.

Since I had bought a small bag of Wago nuts at the same time, I thought why not. What a breeze by comparison. They were easy to use, tight and fast, nor did I waste a single one. The ban on wire nuts pertains to the screw on type used in residential wiring which can can come unscrewed with vibration. These look good.

I suppose the levers on the Wago nuts could pop loose, but some tape or preferably shrink tubing should prevent that possibility. Everything is working. I want to clean up the installation and secure the wires next trip, but I was happy with how it turned out except for the aesthetics.

So that's the story. Further comments are welcome so do your worst.

I have some other smaller wiring tasks to do and I will use crimp connectors for them as I have had no problem with smaller connectors in the past.

Thanks to all who took the time and energy to reply to the original post.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by mstr_cmdr

Correct.
I use M22759/n-nn-N wire. It is tinned copper with Zeftel insulation...

I supposed you meant to say “Tefzel” insulation.
Tefzel is an ethylene-tetrafluormthylene copolymer [ETFE] thermoplastic material, a close relative of “Teflon”.

[bkibler]

I love wago nuts in my humidity and temp-controlled house that's built on solid ground. But I can't imagine using an open wire connection in a humid vibrating sailboat (maybe if you wrap them in tape or heat shrink?).

An excellent source for high quality DC wiring and crimp connectors is DelCity. They're an OEM for trailer builders, so their stuff works in very harsh climates (think liquid salt brine on the roads in New England winters). I've never had a failure with their adhesive heat-shrink, solder-filled, crimp connectors.

Someone else mentioned bug connectors - I've also heard them called Polaris or multi-tap connectors. They're perfect large stranded wire assemblies that may need rewiring in the future. They're usually grease-filled, and can be tape wrapped for humidity protection (I think they're even rated for direct burial?). I've had the Morris version from Amazon on the AC side of my solar battery bank for a few years, holding up well.

[captainwd40]

If I understand the question correctly......."Where do you get 10 AWG butt splices?" I typically get them from Lowe's, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, or Harbor Freight. But usually most auto parts stores will have them or can get them.

Cheers!