How to use adhesive tape to wire
What it is
Scotchlok are terminal blocks for connecting conductive wires. The core is fixed by compression in a knife-type contact. The housing of the adhesive tape is dielectric and allows you to make an insulated connection.
Usually made of polypropylene or fire-resistant nylon (different sources have different information), a U-shaped contact is located inside it, which cuts through the insulation and ensures the connection of wires. The hydrophobic gel filled with Scotchlock protects the compounds from moisture, which greatly increases the reliability and durability of the contacts.
The development belongs to 3M, which is also known for adhesive solutions that are used in LED strips, insulation and other products. But adhesive tapes are made by other brands, however, 3M is more common than others.
In principle, they are similar to piercing clamps for brand wire SIP. Certain types of adhesive tape can also create a branch connection from the line without removing the voltage and without breaking it, this connection is often called "parallelization".
Installation is carried out in two steps - the introduction of a conductor and crimping. Depending on the size of the adhesive tape, it is possible to connect conductors with a cross section of 0.4 to 4 square meters. mm depending on the specific model.
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The 3M Scotchlock product line is fairly wide to meet the needs of electricians in most situations. According to the type of connectors, they distinguish:
- Walk-through;
- Dead ends;
- T-shaped.
By the number of wires, most often it is:
- On 2;
- 3 wires;
There are terminal blocks with protective gel filling and without it. Usually, each of the species that we consider below can be found in these two designs. For example, UB2A connectors are gel filled, and UB2A-D is their complete analogue without gel. We made a selection of commonly used types of adhesive tape.
For small sections:
- Scotchlock UY-2 gel-filled connector for two conductors with a cross section from 0.4 to 0.9 mm. The inlet allows the use of a wire with an outer diameter of insulation of 2.08 mm.
- Triple terminal block UR2 is used for branching the line. Using it, you can connect three conductors with a cross section from 0.4 to 0.9 mm with an insulation diameter of up to 2.08 mm. Filled with gel.
- Scotchlock UB2A is designed for parallelizing wires to the main line with a cross-section of conductive wires from 0.4 to 0.9 mm, as well as in the previous ones - the maximum insulation diameter is 2.08 mm.
- Type U1b is a straight through connector for conductors 0.9-1.3 mm with an insulation diameter of up to 3.18 mm.
For large sections:
- Scotchlok 316 IR for wires with a cross section of 0.5-1.5 sq. mm
- MGC model, 2.5 kV thick conductor connector mm
- Scotchlok 558 - dead-end connectors are designed to connect and bends from wires with a cross section of 0.5-1.5 mm.
- Scotchlok 560 for branching without breaking the cable. Suitable for cores with a cross section of 0.75-1.5 mm. without gel due to design features. The terminal block opens like a suitcase and clamps the wires when closing or the knife is pre-recessed with pliers.
- The model 534 terminal block is similar in design to the previous one, but differs in the admissible cross-section of TPG, this time 1.5-2.5 square meters are allowed. mm
- ScotchLok 952 is a T-shaped connector, also designed for insertion perpendicular to the main line. Insertion at right angles takes place with the help of a male connector in a cut on the side of the connector when it is closed.
The listed types of scotch-locks should be enough for you in most practical situations, and now let's move on to talking about how to use this type of terminal block.
Features of use
As you can see, there are two types of adhesive tape. The first are those that open like a suitcase. Rarely, the name “suitcase-type terminal blocks” is found on forums, and the other option is non-breaking, to use them you need to click on the surface of the terminal block to cut into wires. Both those and other tape locks use the same U-shaped contacts. There are no special differences in how to use it.
For non-expandable terminal blocks such as UY-2, UR2 and the like, there are special crimping pliers with flat parallel jaws.
But they can be successfully replaced with pliers, and in some cases, squeezed with your fingers. The opening terminal blocks are compressed by the metal contact bracket in the open state.
Gel tape does not require additional insulation. They are put on an insulated non-stripped wire. To connect, it is enough to evenly trim the ends and insert them into the hole or insert them into the open terminal block. In turn, gel-free adhesive tapes are better insulated with an insulating tape or heat-shrink tube.
Do not exceed recommended cross-sections or conductors thinner than laid. In the first case, you will damage the conductive wires, and in the second you will not ensure proper fixation in the knife. It is possible to connect cable products with single-wire and multi-wire conductors, but do not use tape-locks for aluminum wire. Due to the fluidity of aluminum, the contact will quickly weaken.
Scope of application
More than any other electrician, adhesive tapes are a favorite way to connect installers of computer and telephone networks. They are perfect for low-current circuits, for example, for twisted pair, you can use the models UY-2, UR2, UB2A. Thus, it is possible to organize branches, extensions and a number of other connections for a network cable.
They are also often used for low voltage circuits, for example, for automotive wiring. With their help, it is better to connect again for low-current circuits, for example, for tapping into the main wiring of the alarm system, central locking systems, low-power speakers and other things. An example of the use of adhesive tapes for automotive wiring you see below, so a radio with a non-standard plug is connected.
For power wires, it is better not to use this type of connector, here clamps like Wago, sleeves and other connection options, for example, soldering.
The video clearly shows how to use the adhesive tape:
So we looked at what are the adhesive tapes for connecting wires and what types of data connectors are. Write in the comments your opinion about which tool to use or are you using for such work.
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