Taping wirenuts

When I feel that the interior of the box might get water in it due to unusual circumstances (such as outdoor fixtures), I arrange the wire nuts so that they can "drain" out. Nothing like putting them "up" so that they are like little cups to hold water. I put them "down" at all outdoor and agricultural locations so that it won't matter if a bit of water gets in them. It should run out.

If your meat packing plant has boxes that water can get into during regular washdown, I might question whether they're using the proper boxes and fittings for that type of duty and location.

There is a particular style of wirenut that is very common, and it is the hard plastic ones. When subjected to heating, which is also quite common in older commercial lighting applications wired in the 70's or 80's,(that have had more lights or lamps added to the system than originally setup for), the hard type wirenuts frequently are cracked. Some will fall apart with the slightest movement of the wire in the box. With 277 volt lighting and multiwire applications fed from a 480 volt panel, there is real danger present to anyone opening up a junction box with live conductors inside that are subject to the conditions I described above. I seen lots of that. A wrap of tape around those wirenuts done by the original electricians is a nice thing to see, not hardly a hack job or amature way of doing things at all.

Thats a good point Macmikeman. I have come upon wirenuts that fell apart when disturbed, or had already done it on its own. Of course, I might not have noticed if it were taped, so.....

I think you're not comparing apples for apples. the new wirenuts do not crack. They may burn due to the wires not being twisted properly.
"loose wires cause fires"

I think if you find a damaged or burned wirenut, the connection inside was loose to begin with.

Deep one...
Our normal method is to use a wire nut only. Some guys twist the wires together before they twist on the wire nut, and some guys just twist on the wire nut.

Push in terminals, called "Wagos" by many, are acceptable to use here. Like you, some consider them unreliable.

Your show that your conductors are twisted and welded. That is really neat. What do you use to weld the conductors? Very curious to know.

In condition of dampness possible use electro-conductive defensive composition. For example, from your (that is to say, from USA) "Huskey".

Thanks for photo. There was interesting for me.
For welding was used welding transformer (36V 250W 50Hz) with graphite electrode. Today already too dark for photography. However use the modern transistor high-frequency device will be more suitable.

DeepOne said:

For welding was used welding transformer (36V 250W 50Hz) with graphite electrode. Today already too dark for photography. However use the modern transistor high-frequency device will be more suitable.

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Is this a handheld device, that you can take from box to box? Very interested to see pictures of this welder when you can take some.

DeepOne said:

Output around 60A (for short time) and weight 18 pound (always - ).

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That's really neat. Thank you for sharing.

I am pleased if this has came in handy.
Better use unbending current for welding, than alternating current. By reason of lower heating of graphite electrode.

Once again I'll say; "I love living in America" hahaha

I love those pictures 'DeepOne', it's funny I've noticed I can get as excited over seeing copper as a woman does when seeing diamonds.

And "unbending current" I love it.(a.k.a. direct current)

Joe Momma said:

it's funny I've noticed I can get as excited over seeing copper as a woman does when seeing diamonds.

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Um, Joe, just a little too much info on that one. :laughing:

solder? really?

wow! the only place I have ever soldered was in knob and tube repairs ...
I don't understand what problem they had with tinning the conductors before you twisted them together. That is crucial to obtaining a predictably good solder joint.

Hey Robert,

Not sure about the "tinning" as we never did anything like that, we simply make our pre-twisted joints as normal and then left them out. We would then simply solder them and tape them....if you ever tried to pull one of those puppies apart they were MORE mechanically connected than a wirenut......it actually costs less to do it this way and to be honest with you we did it to be different and break up the normal grind but it made for a NICE installation.

I made an argument the Pre-Twisting of the wires before soldering was a mechanically and electrically secure connection even before soldering...but he was not having it....

Then I said.....what about a wirenut that is allowed to be twisted on without pre-twisting the conductors...he just stomped off and said as he was leaving...My way or no way......so we just did not screw with it anymore when in that county...but then we stopped all together...

These types

http://www.smarthome.com/7870/DryConn-Waterproof-Direct-Burial-Connectors-Outdoor-Use/p.aspx

Bob,it's a three + year old thread.