safe? Using r-shack "tap-in squeeze connectors" for 110-AC?

[Roger Taylor]

(snipped extensive rambling which amounts to: how to repair fan wire?) Not safe, is the answer. Butt connectors I use for telephone wires but not high current appliances. Further, crimpable connectors are best used with solid wire not multistrand such as on fans. The only safe way to fix, is to take base off fan, remove all of line cord at terminal block, and replace cord with comparable or heavier guage stranded appliance wire, with moulded (already attached plug).

[David Combs]

AC line-cord for my table-fan (Vornado) finally frayed (just outside the fan), and so I need to toss that bad spot on the line-cord, and then reconnect the slightly-shortened power cord to the same wires inside the fan it was hooked to before.

Having lost my soldering-gun some time ago, and not wanting to buy a new one, just in case my lost one turns up, I was looking through those wide-drawers r-shack keeps connectors, motors, buzzers, etc in.

Noticed these things called "tap-in squeeze connectors", and bought several envelopes-full:

some red ones (64-3053), for 12 to 10 gauge.

some yellow ones, and blue ones.

To use these things, you of course strip the wire-end, then insert one wire into one end, and the other into the other, and then with levered-type pliers you squeeze it like hell, and a little guillotine-like piece gets shoved against the two wires, and that makes the connection.

QUESTION: is it ok to use these things for making the connection?

ALSO: they also have little yellow tubes, maybe 1.5 inches long, called "Butt Connectors:".

No instructions, though, for these, not even a hint of how to use it.

What, you're supposed to *crush* it somehow, once you have the two (insulated) wire's stuck into the two ends of the tube?

Anyone know what to do?>

(FYI: The yellow ones have part-num 64-3110.)

And safety with this one (for use for putting a power cord onto an appliance)?

Thanks!

David

[JohnH]

A table fan is a high current device?

[Bob Vaughan]

I would not use these for 120v connections.. they sort of work for

12v in the car, but I don't consider them to be reliable, and avoid using them. The online catalog lists the as "Low Voltage Tap-Ins", which tells me that they are not intended for 120v use.

You strip the wires about 1/4", and insert the ends into the metal portion of the tube, and crimp with the proper crimp tool. I have used vice grips in a pinch, but the tool is the right way. If you have a pair of wire wire strippers, check them, many have the crimp function as well. The radio shack tool is 64-2984 $6.99

If properly crimped, they work fine, if not, the wire can pull out. The trick is to pull on the wire after crimping, and if it pulls apart, cut it off, and start over with a new but splice.

They are color coded, and you really need to use the correct size for the wire you are using. red for 22-18 gauge 64-3108, blue for 16-14 gauge 64-3109, and yellow for 12-10 gauge 64-3110. Using the wrong size means that you will either not get the wire into the splice, or you will not get a secure crimp. You also need to use the correct die on the crimp tool in order to get a good crimp.

(I use a lot of crimp connectors, and have a very high quality ratcheting crimp tool dedicated to the task.)

Like any connector, they can be installed improperly, and create a hazard, but if properly installed, they are fine.

If you can, open up the fan, and put the splice inside the unit, and reuse the strain relief on the cord.

[Bob Vaughan]

This depends on the connector. For the butt splices that the OP was asking about, they actually work best on stranded wire, and are perfectly safe if properly installed.

The 3M telephone jellybeans are a different design, and do work best on solid wire, although I have used them with tinned stranded wire with good success.

In this case, the OP stated that the cord was damaged just outside the fan, so the only thing that he would need to do is to shorten the existing cord, and re-terminate. If there is a terminal block, then no problem, if it's just pigtails spliced inside the fan, then he would need s butt-splice or similar.

[G Henslee]

compared to your 12v vibrator, yes. compared to the stadium lighting at Pac Bell Stadium, no.

[Bud]

There are some "insulation displacement" splices and taps that are rated for 120V

I agree the best solution is to splice inside the fan.

I doubt the other splices indicated above are intended to be installed exposed and to take strain in the cord.

How about installing a plug on the end of the cord and plugging it into an extension cord.

Bud--

[FDR]

I think you are better off going to a hardware or electrical store. I know that many years ago there used to be plugs with screw on connections for bare wire.

[Bud]

Sorry about that.

Looking at the Radio Shack website:

64-3053 (red) connectors are for low voltage

64-3052 (blue) connectors #18-14 - not specified but presumably line voltage

These are "insulation displacement connectors" - you don't strip the wire; the "guilotine" cuts through the insulation and makes contact with the wire. Because of the guilotine it is important that the wire sizes be in the range the connector is rated for. (Also important for crimp.)

The blue ones should work (would be nice to know the temperature rating though)

3M makes similar connectors rated for 600V, 90°C, UL listed, solid or stranded wire (#557, 558, 560)

Butt connectors come rated for line voltage or low voltage. (Radio Shack does not specify on 3110). Also available are connectors that look like a wire nut. Both the 2 above are crimped to make the connection as described well a couple posts back

Another posibility is a small wire nut. It is not ideal because of vibration.

Ideally the connector should be UL listed, rated for line voltage and rated for the temperature it will encounter in the fan.

If you have a torch you could solder - very carefully.

Bud--

[Bob Vaughan]

Please re-read the original question.. The cord is described as damaged at the fan, not at the plug, implying that the existing cordset is fine, and that it just needs to be reconnected at the fan.

[Bob Vaughan]

Re-read for context.. where on the cord is the damage? where does the repair need to be made?

[FDR]

Yep, you're right.

[Tekkie®]

G Henslee posted for all of us... I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.

giggle liked that