Junction Box Habit

[chivers67]

Interesting. I suspect that is far from common practice.

As I said, traditional JBs do not have any provision for 'cable clamping'. However, I personally find J803/804s somewhat of a pain to use (more time-consuming than conventional JBs) because it is (at least for me) very difficult to push the conductors into the connectors with the cable going through the clamp. I therefore nearly always have to completely undo and remove one of the screws on each clamp so that i can 'swing it out of the way' - and then 'put it back' again.

Am I the only person to have that 'problem'?

Kind Regards, John

John,

I cut all the relevant insulation back, cut the length of sleeving and dress the cable with a small service loop on each conductor before I clamp the cable down. I guess I've got a knack for it now.

 

[JohnW2]

John, I cut all the relevant insulation back, cut the length of sleeving and dress the cable with a small service loop on each conductor ....

I do all that - but do you mean with the cable going through/under the clamp (with both screws still present, but loosened)?

before I clamp the cable down. I guess I've got a knack for it now.

I'm sure that some people must have developed such a 'knack', but I personally find it extremely difficult (even with 'a small service loop') to push the conductor into the terminal, certainly with 2.5mm² conductors.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I therefore nearly always have to completely undo and remove one of the screws on each clamp so that i can 'swing it out of the way' - and then 'put it back' again.

Am I the only person to have that 'problem'?

I have never considered that to be a "problem".

It is just what one has to do - like removing the screw to open the box.


Or indeed when wiring a plug.

 

[JohnW2]

I have never considered that to be a "problem".

Well, it's an 'inconvenience' in that, at least for me, it means that it takes me appreciably more time and effort to use a J803.804 than it would to use a 'traditional' JB.

It is just what one has to do -

.... I'm not yet certain that this is what he meant, but it sounds as if chivers may 'have acquired the knack' such that he does not 'have to do it' - but you seem to be implying that you have to do the same as I have described - is that the case?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I am not saying one must do it; just that I do and think nothing of it.

Obviously it would be possible to feed the cable under the cable clamp.


What about my reference to plugs; do they irritate you as well?

 

[securespark]

Interesting. I suspect that is far from common practice.

As I said, traditional JBs do not have any provision for 'cable clamping'. However, I personally find J803/804s somewhat of a pain to use (more time-consuming than conventional JBs) because it is (at least for me) very difficult to push the conductors into the connectors with the cable going through the clamp. I therefore nearly always have to completely undo and remove one of the screws on each clamp so that i can 'swing it out of the way' - and then 'put it back' again.

Am I the only person to have that 'problem'?

Kind Regards, John

Last time I used the 803s, I found them OK, but in the years since, I have started to develop the beginnings of Arthritis, so can imagine it will be a pain now.

 

[securespark]

When I raise this issue, some people usually point out to me that 'sprung' terminals have been used industrially for a long time, but I don't know how true that is, nor how such terminals have fared in the very long term.

Crabtree and Square D traditionally had "sprung" connections between the breakers and the busbar and, though I may have been lucky, I never saw any distress in those boards. And some of the breakers would have been carrying more current.

 

[JohnW2]

I am not saying one must do it; just that I do and think nothing of it.

Fair enough. I'm pleased to hear that it is not only me!

Obviously it would be possible to feed the cable under the cable clamp.

That part is extremely easy, as with any cable clamp (just by loosening the clamp, without having to 'detach' either end). Where I have the difficulty is then pushing the conductor into the terminal, particularly if it's 2.5mm². Life would obviously be easier if they had 'push-in strain relief, like in WagoBoxes etc., rather than actual 'clamps'.

What about my reference to plugs; do they irritate you as well?

Of course not. If there were an acceptable alternative (which is probably not possible) that did not require one to undo a screw, then the ones with screws might 'irritate' me a little - but, as said, that is not the situation.

Kind Regards, John

 

[DIYWell]

Ok, to put a twist on the topic, what if you had lifted a floorboard upstairs to access downstairs lights and found it hidden away somewhere never considered to see the light of day ever again? Would you leave well alone, open and tighten the screws, or replace it with a wago box?

 

[JohnW2]

Ok, to put a twist on the topic, what if you had lifted a floorboard upstairs to access downstairs lights and found it hidden away somewhere never considered to see the light of day ever again? Would you leave well alone, open and tighten the screws, or replace it with a wago box?

Good question, and I suspect that you would get all three of those answers from different people. For what it's worth, I think my personal inclination would be to go with the first of them.

Although well-intentioned, it's a rather strange regulation which requires a JB which is not "accessible for inspection" to be a 'maintenance-free' one, since, essentially by definition, if it's not "accessible for inspection", non-compliance with the 'requirement;' would rarely, if ever, be detected!

Kind Regards, John