Those crimp connectors....

[NightShade]

For heavy loads are dangerous.

Helped a friend out with an issue on a steam table at a restaurant. An electrician came in and wired everything up a couple years ago and what I found was, disturbing.



The black line had come completely detached from the crimp connector and burned. When I touched the insulation on the black line it just broke apart and was falling off even farther down. The white line was already at a point where it was visibly getting hot as well. Where it was installed needed something stiff to mount to so I ended up making a hard connector somewhat like a crimp on using a piece of .25 inch copper soft tubing. Insert the line and squeeze it down tight and then drill a hole in the copper for the attachment screw to go through so it could hook up to the temp controller. Helps to minimize the resistance since you are not going from copper to steel and then making a connection.

I mention this as I know a lot of the people here end up having access to some big machinery that may need a flexible cable to plug in, like say a 220 welder where you want a 50 foot cord or longer. Just do what I did and use a piece of copper and make your own crimp connector and stay away from those steel ones. And this method works well when making battery cables and such. No need to buy and expensive premade connector that you have to crimp on. Just find a piece of soft copper and squeeze it down on the exposed wire and drill a hole in the end.

 

[Chief Sapulpa]

If you're going to use crimp type terminals you need this tool for the job...http://www.ancorproducts.com/en/701030

 

[MacFromOK]

Found a similar overheated connection several years ago on our 240VAC clothes dryer where the cord attaches.

IMO, any/all stranded wire should have the connections crimped AND soldered. You wouldn't believe how many crimped connections on stock-trailers I've re-done for customers.

For solid wiring splices (where there's no movement or vibration), the twist on connectors work better than crimped ones in my experience.

YMMV.

 

[BReeves]

Never use a crimp connector on solid wire without soldering it on.

 

[MacFromOK]

Never use a crimp connector on solid wire without soldering it on.

I don't use them at all on solid wire. But I've seen/replaced 'em occasionally.

 

[Cowcatcher]

Soooo.....I gotta quit doing the "twist the wire around whatever I'm hookin it too" thing? Shoot, I usually put a wrap or two of black tape on it...if I can find a roll.

 

[dennishoddy]

I got up at 1am last January to leave for an elk hunt in NM. Smelled burning wiring, and traced it to a crimp connection in our bathroom light/vent/heater in the ceiling. Cut the wiring and capped with a wire nut before leaving. The crimp was definitely the issue.
After 40 some years in the electronic/electrical field, Solder and shrink tubing with internal glue to waterproof is the only way I do things now. Car hauler, boat trailer, whatever, its solder and shrink.