There are many available lugs that are listed for use with finely stranded
conductors - this is not an excuse to not use the proper lugs and required
equipment to ensure a safe and reliable installation (per the NEC).
Thomas & Betts is the manufacturer I use.
Indeed the tool is pricey, however it is necessary to produce a compliant
installation (per 110.3(B)).
-Glenn
-----Original Message-----
From:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of jay peltz
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 10:09 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Flexible stranded Connectors
Hi ray
As an FYI. Most of the lugs we all use are not "rated" for fine stranded
wire.
Quick cable is the only one I'm aware of that if you use their tool and
ends says its UL for fine stranded.
I prefer ferrules for those applications vs pin adapters.
(Schneider XW inverter BOS box comes with arctic ultra flex wire with
ferrules)
Jay
Peltz power
On Apr 29, 2014, at 10:48 PM, Ray Walters<r...@solarray.com> wrote:
Hi All;
In order to avoid any of my work showing up in someone's slideshow of
horrors, I'm trying to find the correct way to wire 3 Sunny Islands with
Cobra X flex cable.
While it doesn't actually mention it in the SMA manual, a call to SMA tech
support confirmed my suspicions: the DC lugs in the inverter are NOT rated
for flex or fine stranded cable.
Both SMA and CED recommended I try Grainger's for crimp on adapters.
Grainger had no clue, and nothing came up in searches there.
From a trade show, I have an ILSCO lug book, that shows a crimp on
pigtail adapter. It does not mention whether its flex rated though on the
crimp side of the adapter, as the adapter is used primarily to land over
sized cables into smaller lugs. (2/0 to #1, for instance) The best I've
found so far, is NSI, which makes sleeves, that are installed around the
wire, right in the connection:
http://www.nsiindustries.com/products/electrical/connectors/compressio
n-connectors/copper-compression/fsflex-cable-sleeve.aspx
I also found a Schneider white paper recommending sleeves with their lugs:
http://static.schneider-electric.us/docs/Circuit%20Protection/0515DB03
01.pdf
So who has used these sleeves, and where do I get them?
The sleeves seem like a decent compromise, whilst the ILSCO pigtail
adapters are coming in at $40/ ea...... (ouch)
On the internet, I'm seeing several examples of X flex used directly (no
adapters) with the Sunny Islands, so are folks just blowing off articles
690.31(F) and 110.14, that specify the connector be rated for flex cable?
And finally, couldn't SMA use a lug that was flex rated?
For example, Marathon makes Class K rated mechanical Lugs:
http://www.marathonsp.com/NewRatings.html
I'd use THHN, but I really don't feel good about wiring the Heineman
breakers with that stiff a wire. I've cracked breaker cases
before......that's why the X flex is industry standard for off grid DC.
Thanks for your help,
--
R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760
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