Electrical Connection Boxes
 

The upstairs lights in our house are wired such that the cables from the
light fittings and the switches all go back to a central point. This in
itself is OK but at this central point all of the neutrals are joined in
a single (32A) choc block connector and all of the lives to the switches
are the same. The switched live to the lights are individualy connected
again with choc blocks. These are all enclosed in a plastic box.

I want to change the choc block/plastic box connectors for something
more suitable but can't find anything when looking through TLC, CPC etc.
I guess there must be some form of box available that has a live and
neutral bus (like a consumer unit but without any circuit breakers) so
that the individual wires can each have their own connection, and
multiple individual connectors. Any pointers would be greatfully received.

Andy

In article , Andy wrote:
I want to change the choc block/plastic box connectors for something
more suitable but can't find anything when looking through TLC, CPC
etc.
I guess there must be some form of box available that has a live and
neutral bus (like a consumer unit but without any circuit breakers)
so that the individual wires can each have their own connection, and
multiple individual connectors. Any pointers would be greatfully
received.

When I redid our church CH wiring box this summer I used
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...KU=CN02608&N=0

The picture seems to have disappeared but these are little units that
clip on mini-DIN rail which have 6 x 1/4" male spade connectors all
connected together. You'd probably have to put linking wires between
several adjacent ones to get enough connection points.

Doing it this way certainly made sorting out a load of wires much
easier for me: diagram of what was what, then take it wire in turn,
crimp on a female spade and connect.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm

Andy wrote:
The upstairs lights in our house are wired such that the cables from the
light fittings and the switches all go back to a central point. This in
itself is OK but at this central point all of the neutrals are joined in
a single (32A) choc block connector and all of the lives to the switches
are the same. The switched live to the lights are individualy connected
again with choc blocks. These are all enclosed in a plastic box.

I want to change the choc block/plastic box connectors for something
more suitable but can't find anything when looking through TLC, CPC etc.
I guess there must be some form of box available that has a live and
neutral bus (like a consumer unit but without any circuit breakers) so
that the individual wires can each have their own connection, and
multiple individual connectors. Any pointers would be greatfully received.

Andy

If you've room for a DIN-rail box, and want things to look (and be ;-)
neat, then an arrangement with Zeta commoning blocks for your N, E, and
permement-L-feeds, while using "ordinary" DINrail terminals for your
individual switch-returns, would give you a neat arrangement.

If you're not sure what I'm whiffling on about, pop over to rswww.com
and incant "388-2811" into the Search box for an instance of
DIN-rail-mounting commoning blocks, and "220-4131" for ornery DIN-rail
terminals.

HTH - Stefek

In article ,
Stefek Zaba writes:

If you're not sure what I'm whiffling on about, pop over to rswww.com
and incant "388-2811" into the Search box for an instance of
DIN-rail-mounting commoning blocks, and "220-4131" for ornery DIN-rail
terminals.

I use DIN rail terminals sometimes. One word of advice -- always buy at
least one size up from what you think you might need. Incidently, you
can buy DIN rail boxes, terminal kits (end clamps, earthing terminal,
small assortment of terminals), and sets of 5 or 10 terminals in specific
sizes from many electrical wholesalers, often hanging on display at the
the counter, and this seems to be cheaper than most other places.
ISTR CPC was cheap for the terminals too, but not looked for a while.

--
Andrew Gabriel