# Splicing #6(THHN/THWN-2) Stranded?



## Skooby (May 3, 2012)

Ran 4 runs #6 through existing conduit left for future sub feed in a restaurant remodel, f'd up and am 3feet short in the service panel to get to breaker. Pulled 150' through 2 pull boxes and several 90°'s, don't want to re-pull new wires. I used to use Ideal Blue wire nuts to splice (2)#6's, have heard through the grapevine this is not acceptable... Looked in section 310, cannot find reference to acceptable splicing #6(THHN/THWN-2). Anyone have a code reference? Or other help/sources?


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

If it is an ideal blue number 454 it is listed for two number sixes. 

There is no code rule saying you can't splice a feeder with wirenuts. 


Ask the grapevine for a reason.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

If the wire nut is rated for 2 #6's (and the WT54 is, if that's what you are using) then I don't see the violation.

Now, if it is a spec job, then it might be unacceptable to the specs, but not the NEC.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

:laughing: BBQ beats me by seconds, .... again. :thumbup:


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

Skooby said:


> I used to use Ideal Blue wire nuts to splice (2)#6's, have heard through the grapevine this is not acceptable...


 
You are listening to the wrong grapevine.


http://www.idealindustries.com/products/wire_termination/twist-on/wingtwist.jsp


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## bthesparky (Jan 23, 2009)

Barrel lug and black tape. Not that I've ever done it.


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## Skooby (May 3, 2012)

Thanks for the help, down loaded the pdf from Ideal, but my smrt fone is not letting me pull it up on the screen.... My Dad is the one who warned me about wire nuts on #6, he does a lot of work with motors and says they (the wire nuts) sometimes fail from the excess heat.


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

hardworkingstiff said:


> BBQ beats me by seconds, .... again.


 Im beginning to think you guys have automated responses to some of these questions.:laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Skooby said:


> Thanks for the help, down loaded the pdf from Ideal, but my smrt fone is not letting me pull it up on the screen.... My Dad is the one who warned me about wire nuts on #6, he does a lot of work with motors and says they (the wire nuts) sometimes fail from the excess heat.


In general wirenuts are not suited for motors due to heat and vibration of the motor. 

They will be fine with a feeder, just make them up tight and move on.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Awg-Dawg said:


> Im beginning to think you guys have automated responses to some of these questions.:laughing:


Until we get to 208 vs 240 for heating appliances. :laughing:


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

BBQ said:


> Until we get to 208 vs 240 for heating appliances. :laughing:


I'm glad you mentioned that, cause I wanted to see if the electric stove top is thermostatically controlled. You have mentioned that as a condition of 208 being no big deal. I know the oven is t-stat controlled, but the top burner?

If I get around to it, I'll post my findings.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

Awg-Dawg said:


> Im beginning to think you guys have automated responses to some of these questions.:laughing:


Heck, Bob has educated me on a lot of things, so I guess it would be natural that I have similar responses.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

hardworkingstiff said:


> I'm glad you mentioned that, cause I wanted to see if the electric stove top is thermostatically controlled. You have mentioned that as a condition of 208 being no big deal. I know the oven is t-stat controlled, but the top burner?
> 
> If I get around to it, I'll post my findings.


Don't bother I can tell you. At 208 it takes longer to boil water and you can't get a pan as hot for searing a steak if you want to.

It is the one application where I will concede it makes a noticeable difference. Enough so that I considered rigging a plug in buck boost at my old apartment. 

The oven works fine, the preheat just takes a little longer.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

BBQ said:


> In general wirenuts are not suited for motors due to heat and vibration of the motor.
> 
> They will be fine with a feeder, just make them up tight and move on.


We use wirenuts on motors all the time. You just have to you know install them right. If your motor is vibrating enough to shake nuts loose I'd look into why your motor is vibrating like the prop room on a pron set. :laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> We use wirenuts on motors all the time. You just have to you know install them right. If your motor is vibrating enough to shake nuts loose I'd look into why your motor is vibrating like the prop room on a pron set. :laughing:


I don't hesitate to use wirenuts either but you know as well as I do they are not liked by many for that application.

Most in house guys have elaborate voodoo methods for terminating motors. 17 kinds of tape, nuts, bolts, washers ...... :jester:


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

BBQ said:


> I don't hesitate to use wirenuts either but you know as well as I do they are not liked by many for that application.
> 
> Most in house guys have elaborate voodoo methods for terminating motors. 17 kinds of tape, nuts, bolts, washers ...... :jester:


With the fine stranded cable coming off of the motor I kind of like the nut/bolt method. Does a manufacturer make a cover for this type of connection?

I guess you could use a pin connector on the motor and a polaris lug.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

BBQ said:


> Most in house guys have elaborate voodoo methods for terminating motors. 17 kinds of tape, nuts, bolts, washers ...... :jester:


:laughing:

That's right up there with the triangle ground rod arrangement voodoo


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

hardworkingstiff said:


> I guess you could use a pin connector on the motor and a polaris lug.


Or just use Polaris Greys.


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## 220/221 (Sep 25, 2007)

I would opt for a polaris style in line lug thingy so it wasn't so obvious that I ****ed up :thumbup:


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Or just use Polaris Greys.


Does that mean they are rated for fine strand wire?


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Yep.

http://www.nsi-sales.com/polaris_grey_series.htm


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

BBQ said:


> I don't hesitate to use wirenuts either but you know as well as I do they are not liked by many for that application.
> 
> Most in house guys have elaborate voodoo methods for terminating motors. 17 kinds of tape, nuts, bolts, washers ...... :jester:


 
Yep, I was just given this lecture ! Can't use wirenuts at all.


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## Steve W (Dec 18, 2008)

I would use a butt splice with rubber tape.


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## thegoldenboy (Aug 15, 2010)

Split bolts, varnished cambric, liner less rubber and 33+ here. 

Wirenuts where appropriate.


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## HawkShock (Nov 27, 2012)

Monkey fist, appropriately sized.


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## Ewcelectric (Nov 3, 2012)

thegoldenboy said:


> Split bolts, varnished cambric, liner less rubber and 33 +


Basically how I used to do fans in mines until I moved to the devices in the post below yours. I just use super 88 instead of 33+.

The ones I always seem to get are clear though. Believe they are called uni-tap or clear-tap


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## sparky970 (Mar 19, 2008)

BBQ said:


> I don't hesitate to use wirenuts either but you know as well as I do they are not liked by many for that application.
> 
> Most in house guys have elaborate voodoo methods for terminating motors. 17 kinds of tape, nuts, bolts, washers ...... :jester:


Polaris connectors


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## thegoldenboy (Aug 15, 2010)

Ewcelectric said:


> Basically how I used to do fans in mines until I moved to the devices in the post below yours. I just use super 88 instead of 33+.
> 
> The ones I always seem to get are clear though. Believe they are called uni-tap or clear-tap


I'm not involved in purchasing, and I don't know which is more cost effective, but that's how we do it. Motors are an essential part to our niche. :laughing:


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## Speedlimit190 (Apr 29, 2012)

I like Buchanan crimp connectors with insulating caps.


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