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Doug Miller Doug Miller is offline
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Default Crimp-and-tape vs. wirenuts -- for hots?

In article .com, billder99 wrote:
Guys,

Brand new to this forum... great stuff here. Searching for info on
"wire nuts vs tape" is how I found this forum and thread.

My electrical sub-contractor has been splicing wires with electrical
tape. He insists that "3M-33 tape is acceptable for splicing #12 and
smaller conductors". I showed both him and my inspector NEC 110-14,
which includes the phrase: "... All splices, including ground wires,
shall be made with an approved splice cap or wire nut...".


No, it doesn't. Not in the latest (2005) Code, anyway.

The entire 2005 NEC is available online he
http://nfpa-acs-01.gvpi.net:8080/rrs...NFPASTD/7005SB

Neither that sentence, nor anything remotely similar to it, appears anywhere
in Article 110.14.

They still
say electric tape is acceptable, but can provide no evidence for this
assertion.


The evidence is Article 110.14, which states clearly, "All splices and joints
and the free ends of conductors shall be covered with an insulation equivalent
to that of the conductors or with an insulating device identified for the
purpose." [2005 NEC, Article 110.14(B), third sentence]

If the tape is listed as providing sufficient insulation, then it's ok.

My question: Is there any code that specifically accepts, or denies,
the use of electrical tape for splices in residential electrical
installations, specifically for wire sizes #12 and smaller.


See above.

Thanks very much for your help in this.

Bill Doyle
The Construction Coach


--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.