In any case, electrical work is carried out with the connection of wires and cables. At the same time, variants of flexible conductors of the same type do not always come across. Any master can cope with such work; there would be a desire, time and necessity. At the same time, not everyone knows how to connect a stranded wire with a single-core wire.
Methods for connecting dissimilar wires
In order to ensure the correct connection of wires, and heterogeneous (with one, two cores), there are dozens of techniques.
These methods can be divided into two main categories:
- The first includes those techniques whose implementation requires specific equipment or skills.
- In the second - those where almost any home master can prove himself, since special skills are not needed here.
Each of the methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the ways how to connect stranded and single-core copper wire (or aluminum), where additional elements in the form of terminals are not needed, which significantly reduces the cost of the process.
Twisting
Although this method is highly discouraged by the requirements of the PUE, many home masters continue to use it. And if everything is done correctly and with a responsible approach to work, the result will be reliable and durable for electric networks with an average current load.
Using parallel twisting, a single-core wire can be easily connected to a multi-core cable. In this case, the monolithic core is additionally bent, which gives more rigidity than the twisting of two identical wires with several wires. Moreover, this method is relevant for wiring not only from copper, but also from aluminum.
Those craftsmen who want to know how to properly connect a multicore wire with a single-core wire should understand that this method is not suitable for dissimilar metals! This is due to the fact that only a short time can serve the connection, because metals of a different nature are a galvanic pair. And it begins to collapse under the influence of current, and quite quickly.
Solder wire connection
This type of connection is an improved version of the twist of wires. And while the quality is much higher than in the absence of solder. In addition, coating a copper wire (it is currently used much more often than aluminum) with a molten lead-tin mass (tinning procedure), it is possible to provide reliable protection against oxidation due to high humidity.
The solder itself, based on its composition and melting point, can be of several types:
- PIC 15 (280 o );
- PIC 25 (206 about );
- PIC 33 (247 about );
- PIC 40 (235 o );
- PIC 60 (191 o );
- PIC 61 (183 o );
- PIC 90 (220 about ).
With this method of mounting a stranded wire with a single-core wire for high-quality connection, all cores must be tinned with rosin (flux) and the solder itself.
Tinning and Soldering Technique
The procedure is as follows:
- Conductors must be cleaned from insulation (small area) and from traces of oxidation (if present).
- After the soldering iron has warmed up to operating temperature, they should heat the rosin. And after its melting, dip the wire.
- Next, at the end of the soldering iron tip, you should dial a little solder.
- Now making smooth movements along the line of the vein, the solder is transferred to it.
After the tinning procedure, the wires can be connected by twisting, which was described above. Just before pulling them off, it is necessary to remove evaporated flux residues from the surface. And since now the wires are more rigid, then pliers should be used for reliable twisting.
What is the best way to connect solid and stranded wires? Now it remains to heat the joint until the solder melts. If necessary, you can add it a little more. Copper is a good heat conductor, therefore, due to the strong heating of the conductive conductors, the insulation can melt. For this reason, it is worth choosing a solder with an optimal melting point. It is also worth reducing the exposure time of the soldering iron.
Crimping method
With this method of connecting the wires, additional equipment will be required, since it is carried out by crimping with sleeves. They can be made of copper or aluminum, depending on the material of the conductors themselves. The main thing with this installation of a stranded wire with a single-core wire is to choose the correct size. In each case, this is done taking into account the diameter and number of cores.
The conductive ends should fill almost the entire space of the sleeve, but at the same time there should be some free space. For this reason, it is necessary to choose the correct dimensions of the sleeve, since the quality of the crimp depends on this factor.
Actually, this is the main difficulty of this method of connecting wires - the sleeve should not be too large or small. The procedure itself is as follows:
- To begin with, you should strip the ends of the wires from insulation (the length of the section should slightly exceed the dimensions of the sleeve).
- Each core should be cleaned to pure metal. Oxides can be removed with fine sandpaper.
- Further, the wires are twisted in a manner familiar to us.
- At the end of the process, compression of the sleeve with special pliers follows.
It is not difficult to connect a stranded wire with a single-core one. Difficulties arise only at the stage of selection of sleeves and the presence of ticks. Of course, for this purpose, you can use pliers or pliers. However, no one can give any guarantees regarding the reliability of such a connection.
Using terminal blocks
The wire connections listed above in any case have one or another disadvantage. And twisting is generally prohibited by the rules of the device of electrical installations (PUE), although this method is still in use to this day. They are unreliable, short-lived and, in addition, some methods require a special wiring tool or relevant professional skills.
Not every home master has soldering skills to connect stranded wires to single-core wires. Although the procedure does not seem so complicated. Moreover, how to execute it when the object is de-energized? Even greater problems arise if it is necessary to deal with wires of different metals. You can not connect them with twisting.
Nevertheless, despite these difficulties, there is a sure way out, which consists in using various terminal blocks. There are a great many of them today, and they are designed for almost any situation. What can shops offer?
Types of Pads
By and large, it is the terminal elements that provide high quality wire connections. Moreover, this is not only a guarantee of their reliable fixation, the electrical contact itself is quite durable. The conductive surface of the terminal blocks, as a rule, is made using brass or any other material that is not capable of interacting with either copper or aluminum.
It is possible to connect a stranded wire with a single-core wire without difficulty using such elements. Moreover, they can even be heterogeneous in nature.
From the whole variety of terminal blocks, two main groups can be distinguished:
- Clamping elements. The core is fixed by a built-in spring.
- Screw constructions. The wire is clamped directly with a screw.
Regarding the use of screw terminal blocks, it should be borne in mind that both aluminum and copper are rather soft materials.
Therefore, excessive tightening can result not only in thread breakdown, but also in the pressing of conductive conductors. The likelihood of their breakage cannot also be ruled out.
Knife and pin connection
In fact, this is a plug-in type of connection, which is very simple to implement. A kind of socket or socket (crimped or soldered) is attached to the end of one of the wires, and a pin or plug to the other. The connection is as simple as possible: the plug is inserted into the outlet.
At the same time, this method of connecting a stranded wire with a single-core wire has more disadvantages than advantages:
- neither the pins nor the sockets are designed for a large current value;
- the design is often bare;
- in time the process takes not so little (crimping or soldering), and also quite laborious.
As for the advantages, it is, perhaps, only one thing - the ease of connecting and disconnecting the circuit. In this regard, this technique is relevant only in cases of installation of equipment, rather than for wiring.
Features of insulation of electrical connections
It is important not only to ensure a strong and reliable connection of the wires, it is necessary to take care of the high-quality insulation of their exposed parts. This will eliminate the accidental contact of conductive elements with the human body or with each other. Neither one ends with anything good.
Thinking about how to connect a stranded wire with a single-core wire, it is worth taking time to choose the insulation material. In many ways, it will depend on the operating conditions of the electrical contact. In most cases, it is enough to stop on a heat-shrinkable or vinyl tube, including the use of special insulation tape.
When exposed to high temperatures, a varnish and insulating cloth should be used to close the joint. Such insulation can withstand up to 100 ° C for a long period of time.