When laying or repairing the power supply, a wire connection is inevitably required . Electrical connectors are used in devices, electronic equipment, computer, engineering, aviation and other equipment. Not only the operation of the equipment itself, but also the safety of people depends on a quality connection.
Circuit
There are several popular ways to connect electrical circuits:
1. Twisting. This is the easiest and most common option. Two veins are cleared (about 5 cm) and twisted. The insulation is PVC tape or special caps for twisting. In no case can twisting be used when connecting conductors made of dissimilar metals.
2. Soldering. It is usually used in appliances. The laborious method is gradually replaced by special connectors. Electrical circuits are assembled using miniature devices.
3. The terminal. It is an insulating plate with contacts. It allows you to connect aluminum wires with copper. Applied in the case of connecting single-core and multicore wires of various sections. They can be detachable and one-piece. The latter require a detailed layout of the power grid.
There are three types of terminals:
- with a tightening screw, the disadvantage is the possibility of damage to the cores;
- spring (with a pressure plate), on the market offer a wide selection of models;
- knife, for their use does not need wire stripping, the contact is through a plate-conductor, cutting through the braid of wires.
4. "Nut" (branch compression). It is a construction of 3 metal plates equipped with screws and built into an insulating box. It is used to connect the wire to the trunk line without breaking it.
5. The bolt. A very effective way to connect the most common washers, bolts and nuts. Simple, cheap and reliable.
6. Crimping with sleeves. More reliable electrical tape, but requires special equipment and work skills.
In many industries, products specially designed for specific tasks are used. In addition to the above options, the industry offers rectangular and cylindrical connectors of the cutting, threaded and bayonet joints. The Russian Ural factory of electrical connectors Iset provides its products with several directions at once:
- railway transport;
- shipbuilding;
- auto building;
- all kinds of aircraft and other aircraft, including space ones;
- Computer Engineering;
- Oil and gas industry.
Special devices greatly facilitate the work of electricians and significantly save installation time.
Advantages and disadvantages
A variety of options allows you to choose connectors for electrical wires for specific parameters. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages:
- twisting is not reliable, stable and durable;
- caps (connecting insulating clamps, or PPE) require careful selection depending on the diameter of the cores, the voltage of the network and other things;
- screw terminals are able to connect no more than three wires, screws have a tendency to loosen and need periodic pulling up;
- all-in-one knife terminals cannot be redone;
- “Nuts” are difficult to install, an amateur can get an electric shock during careless work.
Equipment
Electrical connectors, or connectors for use in electromechanical devices, consist of a plug and socket. It is customary to classify the product according to its purpose: the receiving side with the pins is called “male”, “mother” is a power source that looks like a hole containing contact plates.
Recently, USB connectors, which are identical on both sides, are gaining more and more popularity. Contact pads can have different configurations and differ:
- by the number of contacts;
- voltage limit value;
- contact resistance and pressure;
- electrical strength ;
- dimensions;
- operating frequency range;
- possible mechanical and climatic conditions of use.
The choice
In order for the electrical connectors to reliably and for a long time fulfill the function assigned to them, you need to be careful about their choice. First of all, the following factors are taken into account:
- core material (homogeneous or not);
- environmental conditions (premises, street, water, land, etc.);
- number of connected wires;
- core section (different or identical);
- operating conditions (duration and frequency of inclusion).
Primary requirements:
- ensuring reliable contact;
- mechanical strength;
- safety of people.