screw-in terminals ok with stranded wire?

[Sun and Moon]

I am looking at a Novino plug for my small electric trolling motor. The Novino plug has "set-screws" to secure the wire into the plug. Are these ok to use with marine stranded wire? I am using 8 ga wire which will almost fill the hole. I think the hole will allow 6 ga.

I intend to coat the end of the marine wire with dielectric grease and use blue lock-tite on the set screws. Are these good practices?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Sun and Moon

I am looking at a Novino plug for my small electric trolling motor. The Novino plug has "set-screws" to secure the wire into the plug. Are these ok to use with marine stranded wire? I am using 8 ga wire which will almost fill the hole. I think the hole will allow 6 ga.

I intend to coat the end of the marine wire with dielectric grease and use blue lock-tite on the set screws. Are these good practices?

Someone is going to recommend bootlace ferrules, but what you described should be fine. Damage is really only a problem with multiple removal cycles. If you do replace the plug, trim the wire each time (leave a few inches spare!).



Many of us would like to hear about your trolling motor experience.

[GordMay]

Those appear to be non-compliant, without the use of bootlace ferrules, as thinwater noted.

ABYC E-11 says:
“Connections may be made, using a set-screw pressure-type conductor connector, providing a means is used, to prevent the set-screw from bearing directly on the conductor strands.”

Stainless Steel pressure plates, between set screw and wire, meets this ABYC requirement, for stranded wire connections without the use of crimp-on terminals.
Alternatively, it’s acceptable, if the installer uses ferrules, or crimp-on pin-type connectors.

Most liquid threadlockers, including Loctite ‘red’ and ‘blue’ are electrically non-conductive [insulators], and should not be used on electrical connections.
Loctite [Henkel], and others, do make electrically conductive adhesives.

[Sun and Moon]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Many of us would like to hear about your trolling motor experience.

Thanks for the replies.

I have a 2 hp Honda on my portabote dinghy now and someone just gave me a 35 watt trolling motor, on the small end of trolling motors. The Honda is certainly more powerful but also noisier, smellier, needs more maintenance and needs ethanol free gas. I'm hoping that for much of my use the trolling motor will be better. Will post after I get the battery connected!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Someone is going to recommend bootlace ferrules, but what you described should be fine. Damage is really only a problem with multiple removal cycles. If you do replace the plug, trim the wire each time (leave a few inches spare!)....

Yep, it is perfectly acceptable in OP's application to forgo the bootlace ferrules. The trolling motor on a portabote dinghy is hardly a mission critical item.

While best practice might dictate the use of a ferrule or a pin type connector, in the real world, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Originally Posted by GordMay

......
Most liquid threadlockers, including Loctite ‘red’ and ‘blue’ are electrically non-conductive [insulators], and should not be used on electrical connections.
Loctite [Henkel], and others, do make electrically conductive adhesives.

This is partial theoretical consideration at the best. First, the majority current carrying portion of the connection is not the threads. Secondly, even the threads will be making enough metal to metal contact when tightened. The thread locker then sets in the air cavities between the threads. Note, air is also an insulator.

[Madehn]

Why not pick up a trolling motor connector from Walmart ? They are a heavy duty Anderson style connector specifically made for that application and are well made easy to splice in and dirt cheap.

[tanglewood]

Short answer is No, that screw terminal is not compatible with marine fine strand wire. You need a ferrule on the wire. The fine strands will just splay out, make poor contact, and loosen over time.

A screw terminal that IS compatible with mare fine strand wire would be a caged terminal where the screw causes the cage to close around the wire strands without allowing them to escape or settle and loosen over time.

Don't confuse "not perfect" with something that is a bad practice and will fail, overheat, and potentially create a danger.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by tanglewood

Short answer is No, that screw terminal is not compatible with marine fine strand wire. You need a ferrule on the wire. The fine strands will just splay out, make poor contact, and loosen over time.

A screw terminal that IS compatible with mare fine strand wire would be a caged terminal where the screw causes the cage to close around the wire strands without allowing them to escape or settle and loosen over time.

Don't confuse "not perfect" with something that is a bad practice and will fail, overheat, and potentially create a danger.

Or you could just solder the twisted wire so as the screws compress the soldered section without separating the strands, it will even slightly distort improving secure retention.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Or you could just solder the twisted wire so as the screws compress the soldered section without separating the strands, it will even slightly distort improving secure retention.

No. This is against every code. Under high load the solder softens and creeps, resulting in a loose connection. You occasionally see this with very small wires on electronics, for ease of handling, but never on larger wires.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by tanglewood

Short answer is No, that screw terminal is not compatible with marine fine strand wire. You need a ferrule on the wire. The fine strands will just splay out, make poor contact, and loosen over time.

A screw terminal that IS compatible with mare fine strand wire would be a caged terminal where the screw causes the cage to close around the wire strands without allowing them to escape or settle and loosen over time.

Don't confuse "not perfect" with something that is a bad practice and will fail, overheat, and potentially create a danger.

Originally Posted by thinwater

No. This is against every code. Under high load the solder softens and creeps, resulting in a loose connection. You occasionally see this with very small wires on electronics, for ease of handling, but never on larger wires.

Better listen to these folks because they are right. It is so cheap to buy a couple ferrules and the crimper that there is no excuse to botch this job. The set screw will chew up the fine strands when tightening it enough for a solid electrical connection.