Quote:
Originally Posted by e*clipse
First, I'd like to thank Thingtodo for the excellent description of how to properly connect wires in high-power applications. I'm just not sure of where to get a hydraulic crimper and what the taping procedure is about.  |
The tips are not mine. Our electricians contributed them. I will thank them.
I had asked for their tips for my own education some time ago
On e*bay, search "hydraulic cable crimper" and you should get a range of items .. from Chinese made crimpers that have dies that you change out manually (like the one I have) around 6 tons of pressure .. up through the more automatic crimpers that are name brand and use a rotating wheel to choose dies, in the 8 - 12 tons of pressure .. and finally to the crimpers that look like a cordless drill, choose your crimp size automagically, and power the crimp with a trigger ($$$)
Taping. The higher voltage tape (5000V and higher) is a specialty tape that is supposed to prevent corona (not the beer!) from forming around sharp edges of the lugs and bolts. The corona causes some sort of problem if it is not mitigated with tape.
For 1000V and under, electrical tape is used to prevent the connectors on the motor leads from touching each other and from touching the junction box or anything else. I end up using a bit of tape the first time, then pull it off to check the connections about a week later. After that check, bury the connections in a ball of tape.