"Sjouke Burry" wrote in message
. ..
Zak wrote:
Back to basics here guys.

I am referring to a terminal strip like this.
http://www.ledlight.dk/images/samlemuffe400x320.jpg
It may be 3 amp or 5 amp or something similar to that sort of low
capacity.

snip

The way I would love to do it is to get some sort of crimping tool and
put a small brass collar over the wire and squeeze the collar on
securely. The brass would be tough enough to resist the screw doing any
real damage.

What do you find is the best?

I bought an assortemnt of sleeves and a crimping tool,
to instrument cars,etc.
Not only it solves the fraying/breaking wire problem,
those sleeves also retain a little bit of the isolation ,
so that even if you have to move about the strip/circuit
quite a lot ,wires do not tend to disconnect,and things
look a lot more professional.
You have 2 type of sleeves, metal only, or a small piece
of coloured plastic extra.
The last ones give most protection.
(And you get coulour coding thrown it for free).

That would be my favoured way of terminating the wires, as well. I seem to
think that I've seen these things referred to in a catalogue, as " bootlace
ferrules ". I'm never in favour of tinning wires prior to securing in a
screwed terminal, for two reasons. First is the oxide layer that readily
forms on the surface of solder, which may lead to a resistive joint in time.
Second is creep of the soft solder, which over time leads to a loose screw.
How many mains plugs have you opened, and found that the manufacturer
pre-tinned leads, are virtually falling out of the plug pins, with the
screws so loose, you could undo them with your fingers ?

Arfa