DIYbanter - View Single Post

wrote:
solder will crack under stress - such as when the wires are moved as
they are pushed back into a box. solder will also weaken and detach
under thermal loads - such as if the wires are undersized and get warm.
the wirenuts also provide physical protection to the connection and
the sharp points/edges (wire ends).

Solder was used for a long time before wire nuts came on the scene. I've
run across 2 failed ocnnections, both because of a "cold joint" -
soltder never bonded to one wire. Joints in boxes are always twisted
before soldering. I have read they were pointed down, fluxed and then
soldered by bringing around a solder pot and immersing the connecttion.

Solder is still permitted - the connection has to be electrically and
mechanically secure before soldering (twist the wires). (NEC 110.14B)

Tom's post on grounds sounded vaguely familiar. Connections that depend
on solder may not be used to connect grounding electrode conductors to
grounding electrodes. (NEC 230.70) Who knows - there may be other
references.

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The Radio Shack set screw terminal strips are not shown as UL listed - I
would be real leary of using them. "Use up to 16 ga at 30A" is kind of a
bizare spec. Posts from England say wire nuts aren't used there and
describe something like these. They look like they take up more space.

bud--