Torque in electrical box

[Rob]

Hello, I was hoping to get some help from the electrical guys. I have been doing a little rewiring and I have read about making sure the proper torque is use in the connections but I have never seen any electrician use any kind of torque device.

I am willing to buy and use the proper tools. The Big box stores only have torque wrenches. I assume I am looking for a torque screwdriver? Anyone actually use one of these? any recommendations?

The other confusing thing is the electrical boxes indicate lbs-in is this actually inch pounds?

Thanks for the help Rob

[Stormin Mormon]

Harbor Freight has chinese made ones for a lot cheaper. You can get a

20% off coupon, from Ebay, save you a pile of money. They try to only sell them to electricians. If the clerks say they don't have em. Don't take no for answer. In the electrical section. sometimes in screw drivers.

This advice worth what you paid for it.

[Doug Miller]

You can use a torque screwdriver, or a torque wrench. Either one will work just fine.

Yes. Pound-inches and inch-pounds are the same thing.

FWIW, the best place that I've found to get a good inch-pound torque wrench is Sears. Many auto parts stores sell what they *claim* is an inch-pound torque wrench, but the typical range is 120 to 960 inch pounds -- which means it's really a 10 to 80 *foot*pound wrench that's been marked in inch-pounds. You'll quickly realize that it's of no use at all for electrical work, or, for what I wanted it for, rebuilding a transmission, where the typical torques are 40-50 inch-pounds or so. The one I got at Sears was something like 20 to 200 inch-pounds, which did the job just fine.

If you happen to live in Indianapolis, email me at MillerDL at uindy dot edu, we can probably work something out.

[jw]

I think he needs a wirenut adaptor that goes on the end of a torque wrench. Those wirenuts need to be tightened precisely to the specified torque listed inside the wirenut cavity.

[Doug Miller]

Not for electrical panels. A "regular automotive torque wrench" has a

*minimum* reading of 10 foot-pounds = 120 inch-pounds, which is much too high for most electrical applications IME.

If you want to do it right, you need an inch-pound torque wrench.

[Rob]

Thanks I don't have a local Harbor Freight but I do see a cheap one on line. I was going to look at our Sears store but might go with Harbor Freight since this will see very light duty.

Rob

[Rob]

Doug, I appreciate the offer but I am in Pennsylvania. I'll ask some friends who do some automotive work to see if they have an inch-pound one, but it seems to me everyone skimps on the torque wrenches. Otherwise I will look at Sears or maybe go with Harbor Freight.

Thanks again Rob

[Rob]

Thanks Bill I plan on doing those things

[Steve Barker]

Anyone who even pretends to do transmission work properly should have an inch-pound wrench.

[Red Green]

"Rob" wrote in news:i7buvp$hej$ [e-mail]:

Yes, Sears has cheap shit...but it's rather expensive.