Hey there! I'm Joey and I'm the maintenance manager here at Gregg's.
And welcome back to another episode of Gear up with Gregg's.
Today were going to be talking about Marrette twist-on wire connectors
and how they keep you from getting a nasty shock.
Bill P. Marr immigrated from Scotland to Canada in 1914, where he found work as an electrician.
Part of the job was a process called solder and tape.
Typically, an electrician would twist exposed wire ends together
and then dip them in a pot of molten solder to join them.
Not only was this process time-consuming, it was also dangerous!
So Marr invented a better way, twist-on connectors!
These connectors are called marrettes, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes,
from the standard XTP Connector to the Set-Screw Connectors.
But how exactly do these little caps keep your wires together and your electrical system safe?
Well, the exterior covering is made from a tough, durable polypropylene
or a rugged, thermoplastic polymer material.
These materials are made to insulate your wires, but that's not all!
They're also able to withstand high temperatures.
The polypropylene can withstand up to 105 degrees Celsius
and the thermoplastic polymer can withstand up to 150 degrees Celsius.
That's a lot of heat for one tiny connector!
All of these connectors use a spring or insert to help keep your wires together,
while maintaining as much contact as possible, but they all work a little differently.
So, let me help you find the best twist-on connector for your application.
First we've got the XTP Connector.
The XTP series is color-coded, to help you find the right size, fast.
The size of these connectors are determined by the amount and gauge of wire
that can be used at once with a single connector.
Just to clarify, wire gauge is the thickness, or diameter of the wire.
Generally speaking, the smaller the number, the larger the diameter of the wire.
For instance, a 14-gauge wire would have a diameter of around 1.5 mm
whereas a 6-gauge wire would have a diameter of just over 4 mm.
The surface of the XTP connector combines a matte finish with closely-spaced, deep grooves
for superior twisting power, even if your hands are greasy or damp!
The spring expands or contracts to accommodate more wires with less twisting effort, compared to other connectors
with a fixed spring design.
The Winged Connectors work a lot like the XTP connectors, but with one big change;
the long-wing design provides a smooth hand application.
What does this mean?
Well, the long, off-set wings with raised edges offer a full-length, finger-friendly gripping surface.
So, you're able to apply torque on the connector where you want it: at the top for tight locations
and at the bottom for larger wire bundles.
On the other hand, if you're working in an environment where high temperatures are a concern,
you'll want a connector that's up for the task.
The high temperature connectors are designed to handle heat, up to 150 degrees Celsius!
The large, finely-ribbed cap makes gripping an easy task,
and the threaded entry helps guide larger wire bundles right into the spring.
Installing the XTP, Winged, and High Temperature connectors is easy: just follow a few quick steps.
1) Strip all insulated wires to expose 1 inch of copper.
Be very careful not to nick or scratch the conductors during this process.
2) Position the wires so that the insulation is even
and then twist the wires together in a clockwise direction with a pair of pliers.
3) Once your wires are twisted together, trim the very end, where the pliers were gripping.
This keeps your connection as clean as possible.
4) Now, you can twist on the wire connector.
This too gets twisted on in a clockwise direction.
Turning both the wires and the connector in a clockwise direction ensures that the spring functions properly
and that the action of twisting on the connector doesn't unscrew the wires.
Keep twisting until the connector tightens.
5) When complete, no copper conductor should be exposed past the wire connector.
If there is, remove the connector, trim the wires, and re-attach the connector.
And its that easy!
Depending on the type of connector you have, you can connect two, three, or even more wires together!
Also, if you're re-using the XTP, Winged, and High Temperature connectors, you need to cut
and re-strip the wires before twisting them in again to ensure the best possible connection points.
That's because the internal spring could leave little nicks or scratches in the wire,
leading to a less-efficient connection if you just reuse the wires without trimming.
The last type of marrette were going to discuss is the set-screw or vibration-proof connector.
This connector features a solid brass insert with a screw-on insulating cap.
The cap is made from the same thermoplastic polymer as the high temperature connectors,
but what makes this style unique is the brass insert.
While the other connectors rely on the compression power of the spring to keep your wires together,
the brass insert has a set screw in place to make sure that once you've tightened your connector,
those wires aren't going anywhere.
There's also no need to cut and re-strip the wires when you're re-wiring;
just loosen the set screw to remove the wires.
But Marr doesn't just produce these handy connectors;
they also have three different lengths of the TapeMaster fish tape: 50, 100, and 200 feet.
Though it has a bit of an odd name, fish tape is actually a simple tool
that electricians use to pull wire through electrical conduit piping.
You can also use it to route wires through pre-existing structures!
Start by feeding the fish tape down to the electrical box where you'll be meeting up with your wires.
Once you've reached the electrical box, you'll want to attach your wires.
Strip the outer insulation from the wires and have the wires at varied lengths.
This keeps the line from getting stuck as you feed it through the wall.
Twist the wires closely together,
starting with the closest to the insulation then working toward your longest wire.
Now, bend a hook in your longest wire,
feed it through your fish tape,
then wrap the bundle in electrical tape.
In fact, use lots of electrical tape.
Nothing is worse than losing the wire half way through and having to start over.
When you start feeding the wire, or wires, through the pipe you'll want to keep the wires untangled as they go;
a wire pulling lubricant may help in this process.
Wire connectors are an integral part of many electrical circuits,
and you're more than likely to find a few of these in any electrical box.
They also help to keep our circuits, and homes, safe!
Now, if you have any questions, or just want to extend a friendly hello, be sure to drop us a comment down below.
Or, you can give us a call or visit our website at greggdistributors.ca.
Again, I'm Joey, and thank you for watching another episode
of Gear up with Gregg's.