"Vir Campestris" wrote in message
news
On 28/07/2018 12:29, wrote:
On Saturday, 28 July 2018 09:20:44 UTC+1, Scott wrote:
On Fri, 27 Jul 2018 21:27:45 +0100, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:
After serious thinking Scott wrote :

Would there be an argument for putting both leads into the same side,
so each terminal has two wires going into it, then the wires are in
physical contact and the space is better filled?

Always aim to as near as possible fill the space in a connector, to
minimise resistance. Sometimes you can put two wires in from opposite
ends and long enough to be caught by both screws. Sometimes you can
feed both in from one end. The idea is to minimise the current flowing
through the connectors metalwork, by having the copper side by side.
Fold them over too, if you possibly can.

Does this mean you can use a smaller connector block to ensure a good
fit, on the basis that if the wires are in contact there is no current
flowing through the connector block?

With domestic mains wiring no, the connector must be rated as required.
If you were designing an appliance and the connections were always done
this way, a downrated connector could be justified. Though if you think
no current would flow through then you're not skilled enough to do that.

So I have two wires side by side inside the connector. The screws are
clamping the wires together. That's the low resistance path. There is a
higher resistance one, where the current leaves one wire, flows into the
connector, then back into the other wire - but surely it'll not be
carrying much current? At a guess a third?

Thats very arguable indeed given that the two wires have
much more contact area between the wire and the inside
of the hole in the connector than between the wires.

Which might be OK for a
smaller connector designed to take a current where the wires aren't
touching?