Sleeves or nuts?


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Old 10-01-10, 07:55 PM
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Sleeves or nuts?

I'm doing some DIY wiring and most of my experience has been working on my own house. When collecting the bare grounds in an outlet/fixture box, I add a pigtail to attach to the grounding screw, twist them tightly with lineman's pliars, clip them cleanly at the end and twist on a wire nut nice and tight.

My current job needs to be permitted, and I hear from local pro electricians that the inspectors in the area are expecting to see these bare grounds twisted and crimped with sleeves.

Will a good pair of ordinary strippin/crimping pliers do an adequate job of crimping? I've heard of crimping pliers that make an even crimp all around the sleeve, but understand these crimpers may cost $50.

I did not see any special crimping pliers at HD or Lowe's. do I need special crimping pliers or will my present pliers work satisfactorily?
 
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Old 10-01-10, 08:10 PM
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You must have a local code requirement for the crimp connections because it isn't a NEC requirement. NEC does require a mechanical compression type connector on ground connections, but a wire nut satisfies this requirement. There are several good crimping tools on the market, even 3M makes one, but you'd have to try them and see what works. Here is a tool designed specifically for Buchanan splice caps. You were right, cost will be over $50 with shipping.
Amazon.com: Splice Cap Crimping Tool: Home Improvement
 
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Old 10-02-10, 04:30 AM
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The crimp sleeve will have the proper tool listed on the package to use with the sleeve.

I find your method to be easier. I also like the green grounding wire nuts with the hole in the end for a long lead to connect to the switch or receptacle.
 
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Old 10-02-10, 09:55 AM
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My daughter lives in a small town in RI. I helped her with some wiring and at rough in the inspector told me he wanted crimped sleeves on the grounds. A PITA but what are you going to do.

Years ago when I was renovating my house my inspector insisted on green insulation on all ground wires in a box. When I mentioned that it was not required by code he said if I wanted him to sing off on the work I would do what he said.
 
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Old 10-02-10, 02:08 PM
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unless you were running bare grounds in conduit there or its a local requirement to have insulated grounds or it was for a swimming pool....there is nothing that I know of that requires green grounds in general receptacles
 
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Old 10-03-10, 08:55 AM
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Must have been a pipe/wire or MC job. I have never seen, nor have I heard of, 12-2 or 14-2 romex with a green grounding conductor.
 
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Old 10-03-10, 10:55 AM
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I do not like the crimp sleeves in any way. I'd go with wire nuts or Greenies (green nuts with the hole)
 
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Old 10-03-10, 10:58 AM
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Ask the inspector. If he says sleeves politely ask for reference to the written code that requires it. Tell him you want to read it so you are sure you are doing it right.
 
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Old 10-04-10, 12:57 AM
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Jon.,

Sound like it is local admendment so very ploitely ask the insepctor for the local listing if have in " Black and White " which it mean in the prints.

Unforeally yes the crimper do cost about 50 Euros and I have few crimpers with me { couple diffrent sizes } but for myself I go eitherway in resdential but commercal i rather run in crimp mode.

And Oui., some crimp sleeve will work with lineman pliers with indenter only if they listed the model of lineman pliers otherwise use the crimper per listed { this part you have to becarefull some inspector will not approved it so make sure you save that box in case they ask ya a question or try to overrun ya }

And if you have any steel box make sure you bond it properly.

Merci.
Marc
 
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Old 10-04-10, 06:04 AM
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Originally Posted by CasualJoe
Must have been a pipe/wire or MC job. I have never seen, nor have I heard of, 12-2 or 14-2 romex with a green grounding conductor.
It was regular romex run in a stick framed wall. No pipe no conduit. The romex did not have any insulation. The inspector wanted (and got) green spaghetti over the bare ground wire inside the box.
 
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Old 10-05-10, 12:44 AM
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I saw a pair of cutter/crimper pliers at the blue big box store today that would work for the Buchanan crimp caps. It was a Greenlee and the price was about $18. It isn't anywhere near as good as the C-24 PRESSure tool which gives a four-way crimp but it would probably work.

I bought my C-24 something close to forty years ago and I still love it. Remember that when you use the crimp caps that copper caps require the wires be twisted BEFORE crimping but the steel caps do not require pre-twisting.
 
 

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