On Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:09:59 +0000 (UTC), Wayne Whitney
wrote:

On 2009-08-26, lid wrote:

On Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:24:58 +0000 (UTC), Wayne Whitney wrote:

It would appear that cutting back the wires after soldering would
violate NEC 110.14(B): "Soldered splices shall first be spliced or
joined so as to be mechanically and electrically secure without solder
and then be soldered."

Twist to sufficient length, trim, then solder and tape.

Bundle, serve with #12 or #14 then solder and tape.

Sounds fine, as long as the conductors are still mechanically secure
after trimming.

Also, NEC 250.148(E) prohibits relying on solder for the grounding
conductor (EGC): "Connections depending solely on solder shall not be
used."

Key word here is "solely" as making mechanically and electrically
secure followed by solder is not "solely".

This was done to prevent just placing the conductors in contact and
soldering.

I have a couple issues with this interpretation. First, it makes
250.148(E) purely redundant to 110.14(B). Second, under your
interpretation, why add the solder at all? Just twist to be
mechanically and electrically secure. So instead, I take "depending
solely on solder" to mean "consists only of the conductors plus the
solder".

Here's a clearer citation on the prohibition of soldering for the
grounding conductor that is new to the 2008 NEC: 250.8(A) says
"Permitted Methods. Grounding conductors and bonding jumpers shall be
connected by one of the following means:" and then does not include
soldering in the list of acceptable methods.

Cheers, Wayne
Twisted (mechanical) plus solder meets code. soldered and taped
without twisting does not. Soldered without twisting does not.

Soldering is NOT a mechanical connection under the code.