# Polaris type connectors..



## NC Plc (Mar 24, 2014)

Do you use them?
Where do you use them?
Where do you refuse to use them?

Tell me more about them, for science.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

NC EET said:


> Do you use them?
> Where do you use them?
> Where do you refuse to use them?
> 
> Tell me more about them, for science.


We use them all the time especially in gutters. Easy connections.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Splicing anything too big for a blue wirenut.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

Anything I can't get a crimp on. Or anything that may need to be reversed.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

They work great for gutters/taps, making up motors, wires oversized for voltage drop that need to be pigtailed to smaller conductors, etc.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Years ago , before these jems, we did bad things with larger split bolts ....











These multi ports are a godsend in a gutter !


~CS~


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

chicken steve said:


> Years ago , before these jems, we did bad things with larger split bolts ....


I assume you are referring to more than the listed number of conductors under the S-bolt? I wonder how many of those connections failed? I bet not many.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

_yes_ & probably _yes _Lou.

butcha know, we all gotta bow down to new technology _sometime_

_even me!_ :whistling2:


~CS~


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

The shops in my company are run by old timers. They don't trust mechanical lug connections so we still do everything by crimps and nut-and-bolt.

There is a grain of truth to that, because you can work a conductor out from under a properly tightened mechanical lug easier than you can separate a nut-and-bolt, but my argument is you should never be applying that much force to any finished termination, regardless.

The only style of mechanical blocks I dislike I are these things because they have a soft insulating cover that doesn't work worth a damn and you end up covering the whole thing in electrical tape like an idiot:


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> Years ago , before these jems, we did bad things with larger split bolts ....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Totally agree! Especially where you have to run parallel conductors because of the distance and then drop down to a single conductor to connect to the main breaker.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

NC EET said:


> Do you use them?
> Where do you use them?
> Where do you refuse to use them?
> 
> Tell me more about them, for science.


Do you use them? - All the time

Where do you use them? - On ANY aluminum termination (other than service taps) and anything copper too big for a big blue.

Where do you refuse to use them? - Same as the last.


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

I will never use these on a motor. I have replaced almost everyone I have come across because they have failed. They never stay tight on a motor. Between the heat and vibration they come loose and then go boom.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

Jhellwig said:


> I will never use these on a motor. I have replaced almost everyone I have come across because they have failed. They never stay tight on a motor. Between the heat and vibration they come loose and then go boom.


 Maybe you already mentioned it, but what do you use that stays tight?


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

wendon said:


> Maybe you already mentioned it, but what do you use that stays tight?


Crimped on lugs. As long as the bolts get slightly more than snug they don't fail.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Jhellwig said:


> I will never use these on a motor. I have replaced almost everyone I have come across because they have failed. They never stay tight on a motor. Between the heat and vibration they come loose and then go boom.


 Alright, fair point. Here's the question: Since motor leads are fine-strand were the connectors you're seeing rated for the application or were they normal class A/B? 

Because that's the argument our motor shop has against using them as well. I haven't had enough experience personally seeing them in motors to actually say how they hold up to vibration.


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

Big John said:


> Alright, fair point. Here's the question: Since motor leads are fine-strand were the connectors you're seeing rated for the application or were they normal class A/B?
> 
> Because that's the argument our motor shop has against using them as well. I haven't had enough experience personally seeing them in motors to actually say how they hold up to vibration.


I have no idea if they were ment for fine stranded or not. The had just quit putting them in when I started there. It always seamed like the feed side was loose or burnt up more than the motor side. It wouldn't surprise me if they were using the wrong ones though.

I did have to install one once on a motor where one had burnt up and made the feed to short to put in the same side of the block. I had to modify it but I made it work till wire could get repulled. The motors had been changed so much that the wires were all torn up and you had to stand on your head to get to the pecker head.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

If you don't use the greys on fine stranded motor leads they often melt. But if a properly applied and torqued Polaris fails you have bigger problems.


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## DriveGuru (Jul 29, 2012)

As with any stranded wire connection, you should make sure it is re-tightened in 30 days because the copper settles and it may become loose. I use these everywhere, and if tightened and rechecked are a dependable connection. One word of advise though, don't let any wires put pressured on the lug, pushing against a pecker head or raceway could cause a ground. If you cut one open, not all the corners are rounded, two sides are sharp edges, pressure can cause it to be cut from the inside out, then boom. The man who invented these is a genius though, saves so much time and effort on large motors compared to lugs/split bolts and tape.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

DriveGuru said:


> As with any stranded wire connection, you should make sure it is re-tightened in 30 days because the copper settles and it may become loose....


 While we have no problem re-torquing bolted connections, our MO is to never re-torque mechanical wire-binding terminations. 

I've seen a couple of publications from wire manufacturers specifically warning against retorquing their modern aluminum conductors. I think re-torquing is a holdover from the days of the more brittle aluminum alloy conductors.


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## DriveGuru (Jul 29, 2012)

Big John said:


> While we have no problem re-torquing bolted connections, our MO is to never re-torque mechanical wire-binding terminations.
> 
> I've seen a couple of publications from wire manufacturers specifically warning against retorquing their modern aluminum conductors. I think re-torquing is a holdover from the days of the more brittle aluminum alloy conductors.



Hmmm...did you just call me old...lmao
I was referring to copper wire, I never use aluminum as cost is usually not one of my concerns, so I have zero experience with aluminum. And I also am probably guilty of over torquing my connections, I might break a few here and there, but you won't gig me on a loose one


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

It's also important to wiggle each wire as it is being tightened. More often than not, you can get a half-turn or more during the wiggle. Especially copper. 

If torqued to factory specs, I bet I can get the wire out in less than 10 minutes just by constantly wiggling and pulling on it. And not all that hard.........


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

DriveGuru said:


> As with any stranded wire connection, you should make sure it is re-tightened in 30 days because the copper settles and it may become loose. I use these everywhere, and if tightened and rechecked are a dependable connection. One word of advise though, don't let any wires put pressured on the lug, pushing against a pecker head or raceway could cause a ground. If you cut one open, not all the corners are rounded, two sides are sharp edges, pressure can cause it to be cut from the inside out, then boom. The man who invented these is a genius though, saves so much time and effort on large motors compared to lugs/split bolts and tape.


Most large industrial processes can not be down every thirty days to re tighten connections. When equipment is down they want it back now and wont shut it back off for months or years. If the motor is in a good location I can bolt it and tape it faster than I can mess around with those blocks.

I am not saying that there isn't a place for these connectors but motors in harsh environments is not one of them.

In my opinion nothing is better than a crimped and bolted connection for applications with heat and vibration issues that need to be unhooked and rehooked in a timely manor.

And I do realize that even crimped and bolted connections can be installed wrong and fail but they are way more tolerant to installation errors than anything else.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Did some one say Polaris?


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## DriveGuru (Jul 29, 2012)

Jhellwig said:


> Most large industrial processes can not be down every thirty days to re tighten connections. When equipment is down they want it back now and wont shut it back off for months or years. If the motor is in a good location I can bolt it and tape it faster than I can mess around with those blocks.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I completely agree, there is no better than a properly crimped and bolted lug, depending on the application I've also been know to solder the lugs as well. I also realize that probably 99% of my customers don't go back and re tighten the Polaris connectors after installed. But I have had very little issue with them coming loose, wiggling the wire, and torquing the **** out of them has always worked for me. The time savings come into play with larger motors, these connectors can take a 1-2 hour taping job and knock it down to 15 minutes, with allot less pain. With smaller motors, ok, I use them cause they're easier,lol.


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## NJWVUGrad (May 12, 2011)

I believe the new version of Masterspec has a line item that forbids the use of split-bolts. If its in there, it will eventually be in most of your job specs.


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## SdCountySparky (Aug 6, 2014)

Generator load bank tests.


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

Jhellwig said:


> I will never use these on a motor. I have replaced almost everyone I have come across because they have failed. They never stay tight on a motor. Between the heat and vibration they come loose and then go boom.


 Never have seen that happen.


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