In message , Martin McCormick writes >Nigel Goodwin writes: >>House' and 'Bob Vila's Home Again', I'm horrified by the methods used in >>electrical installations in the states!. I can't believe they still use >>'Screwit' connections for mains wiring, these were declared illegal in >>the UK many, many, years ago!. > > Are you referring to the cone-shaped devices that screw down >on two or more wires and hold them together for a while until the hot >lead decides to work out and hit something nearby? Yes, they're the ones :-). > What is the practice in the UK? The cheapest/nastiest items sometimes use 'barrier strip' connectors, I believe in the USA you call them 'chocolate block' connectors?. Simply a piece of brass with a hole drilled through the centre, and two other holes drilled at right angles near the ends and tapped for screws. The whole lot is then encased in plastic (or porcelain - for heat proof ones) - usually supplied in long strips and cut to size. Just insert the wires from either end, and tighten the screws, I'm sure you know what I mean - even if I've not got the terminology correct. The 'better quality' items usually have the terminals moulded as part of the fitting, so for a ceiling rose for a light you would have a part which fastens to the ceiling and has the terminals moulded in Bakelite (or some modern similar looking plastic!), there are usually a couple of extra ones so you can easily wire a switch for the light directly into the rose. The cover then screws directly over the part mounted on the ceiling. > I have used many of those twist-on connectors and it isn't >always easy to know for sure if they have tightened for good. Yes, they seem totally unsafe, I've been a TV service engineer for 28 years, and only ever seen 2 or 3 of those connectors - it was certainly well before I started work in 1971 that they were banned from use on mains equipment in the UK. Obviously it's more dangerous in the UK with 240v mains, but I wouldn't trust them at 110v either!. > When I was a technician with our Audio Visual Department, I >had one of those things come loose while I was putting a tape deck >back in to its well in a foreign language lab. Just as I set it in, >the wire nut on the hot AC power lead to the motor fell off and the >bare junction first hit the palm of my hand and then fell across the >audio board of the deck next to this one causing 120 volts to be >injected randomly in to the amplifier. I felt like the oracle at >Delphi surrounded by magic smoke. There was a young lady from >Thailand there who was the lab monitor and she thought it was funny. >For months afterward, when I would show up to do work, she would ask >"Are we going to have fireworks today?" Fortunately, we never did any >more, but I used to check those connections very carefully after all >that. A bit of smoke always livens the day :-). Isn't life funny, you could save a whole room full of people from a disaster, win a Nobel prize, become president! - and you will still be remembered as the guy who filled the room with smoke :-). -- Nigel. /--------------------------------------------------------------\ | Nigel Goodwin | Internet : nigelg@lpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Lower Pilsley | Web Page : http://www.lpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Chesterfield | Official site for Shin Ki and New Spirit | | England | Ju Jitsu | \--------------------------------------------------------------/