Anyone have experience with connecting Plugmold hard-wired strips? I've connected them before, but I've never been really happy about how they've turned out. The end feed fittings don't really have much room for wire nuts and neither do the raceways or the strips when you pop them open. I never seen any good pictures of their installations and the instructions provided are vague at best.
Connecting Plugmold hard-wired strips
- Thread starter DenisG
- Start date
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
The 1st pic you show is the entrance fitting.
It's tight but standard yellow nuts for hot, neutra and G can be done.
I've never used their ~coupler~ but have ran it off a 90 angle .
Yes, it's a tight fit...
Either use a Orange Nut (which my 3M's are rated for 2/12) and OR (I hestitate to say) - a pushlock fitting. You need to stagger the hot, neutral when you splice between the 2 tracks so they fit inside.
It's doable - just takes some planning on how to lay out the splice.
It's tight but standard yellow nuts for hot, neutra and G can be done.
I've never used their ~coupler~ but have ran it off a 90 angle .
Yes, it's a tight fit...
Either use a Orange Nut (which my 3M's are rated for 2/12) and OR (I hestitate to say) - a pushlock fitting. You need to stagger the hot, neutral when you splice between the 2 tracks so they fit inside.
It's doable - just takes some planning on how to lay out the splice.
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
One more thing. Somethings it can be a tight fit to snap it back on...
I've gone as far as taking a rubber mallet to wack away till it snaps on.
I've gone as far as taking a rubber mallet to wack away till it snaps on.
Or put the rubber-cushion grip of the screwdriver (hold it by the screwdriver shank) on the plugmold/wiremold and hit it, it will snap it back in and not leave any marks on it.
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
Negative. Sometime it's tight due to the wire splices just sitting snug in the cavity
Sometimes they just snap in with a light tap.
Sometimes....a rubber mallet and 10-15 heavy hard Love Taps to get it in.
Sometimes they just snap in with a light tap.
Sometimes....a rubber mallet and 10-15 heavy hard Love Taps to get it in.
OK, thanks. I'll stick to the orange wire nuts.
I wasn't sure what you meant by "pushlock fittings." I found these (also available at Home Depot - Ideal Spliceline **** connectors):
Is that what you meant and why the hesitation (are they unreliable)?
Attachments
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
Check the techsheet on your O wirenuts...I believe some brands is not ~rated for 12/2~.
Yes on the fitting above plus other brands. Are they unreliable. I'd say 50/50. I won't use them if I have room for a wirenut, which is 90% of the time. But for other areas like the one we are discussing, they work for the application as needed.
They KEY is 2 things. Think about how you plan to wire and stagger the splice/nuts so they end up not adjacent to each other..
When you cut the plugmold, cut it right after before the next end of the outlet, so you have as much wire/room to work with in that free cavity space.
Yes on the fitting above plus other brands. Are they unreliable. I'd say 50/50. I won't use them if I have room for a wirenut, which is 90% of the time. But for other areas like the one we are discussing, they work for the application as needed.
They KEY is 2 things. Think about how you plan to wire and stagger the splice/nuts so they end up not adjacent to each other..
When you cut the plugmold, cut it right after before the next end of the outlet, so you have as much wire/room to work with in that free cavity space.
Thanks for the advice on the spacing.
I don't normally like using **** splices, mostly because I find the crimp-type unreliable and also because I've seen them used so often on hack wiring jobs. I hadn't seen the push-on type before.
these work well and are designed for the task. the 3 connectors will fit side by side in the plugmold
2000 Pressure-Type Wire Connectors Fitting
W30
http://www.legrand.us/wiremold/race...aceway/w30-pressure-type-wire-connectors.aspx
http://www.legrand.us/~/media/produ...hotos/LOC-W30.ashx?w=370&h=400&bc=ffffff&as=1
2000 Pressure-Type Wire Connectors Fitting
W30
http://www.legrand.us/wiremold/race...aceway/w30-pressure-type-wire-connectors.aspx
http://www.legrand.us/~/media/produ...hotos/LOC-W30.ashx?w=370&h=400&bc=ffffff&as=1
Last edited:
rockwithjason
Well-known member
wiremold makes special wire nuts just for this
Thanks, I'll look for some. From the link that you gave me, the datasheet for the W30 connector shows some good illustrations. It seems odd that they only want you to use the W30 on the hot and neutral connections and they want you to wire-nut the ground. Maybe wire nuts are the more reliable connector, but they certainly take up room in that space.
mobiledynamics
Well-known member
Denis -
It's all *metallic* so in theory the ground at the entrance should serve the raceway. Which the 1st pic shows.
I believe they DO include 1 W30 connector in each plugmold track so don't go crazy chasing done connectors. Open a pack and try with what you have.
You can only use a splice-type connector in the cavity of that plugmould. Between the H,N and G that is already running inside the track, you are laying in your ~spliced tied ins~ between any of these 3 wires......no nut connection can work there.
It's all *metallic* so in theory the ground at the entrance should serve the raceway. Which the 1st pic shows.
I believe they DO include 1 W30 connector in each plugmold track so don't go crazy chasing done connectors. Open a pack and try with what you have.
You can only use a splice-type connector in the cavity of that plugmould. Between the H,N and G that is already running inside the track, you are laying in your ~spliced tied ins~ between any of these 3 wires......no nut connection can work there.
Understood. Presently I have older strips that were removed from an industrial setting and I am re-using them for my home shop, so I have no spare splice connectors. As I said, I've wired them before (without smoke or fireworks), but I just wanted to learn how to do it properly.