atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Security, Alarms and Paging B connectors for faster installs?

You beanie boys have got to learn the lingo. Scotchloks are not butt connectors. And no, they are not designed for stranded wire, matter of fact beanies are not either.

-Hal

Yup. I guess I should have specified that I use solid conductor, not stranded.

And I was talking about these kind of butt connectors:
Butt Connectors (Just as an example, no endorsement of the seller implied)

I hadn't really thought about using UG or UY connectors. I might have to grab a few to play around with.

For crimping beanies, I just use the flat part below the hinge on my dikes.

I've been thinking hard on this and I don't see how it would make anything weaker, introduce a SPOF, etc. There are plenty of types of connections between the CP and the RCVR at the CS, anyway. Also keep in mind that this is mainly for burglary only installs. Fire stuff gets into all sorts of code requirements and I'd tend to want to do everything "as typical" just out of an overabundance of caution.

I think I'm going to have to give this a try and see how it works. On the one hand, I want to do everything "old school tech", you know? Taking the time to do every little thing "perfect-perfect". However, this is a *business* and I need to address customer needs and wants. Since I don't get paid by the hour, I need to work efficiently. If I can get work done away from the customer and reduce the amount of time they are inconvenienced while also allowing me to accomplish more work, then that sounds like a "win-win" as long as my work is up to standard.

I'll have to try it out and see what happens.

well old school tech means soldering and heat shrinking EVERY connection, now that takes some time. I stick with the beanies on my contacts and scotch locks when needed on the phone line. Now I will admit I do not use the beanies as they are designed (ED and HAL please forgive me) I run a lot of stranded wire so I strip the ends and twist the wires together to make a good physical connection,I then use the beanies, it makes a solid connection and very rarely have any failures. Let me know how the butt connectors work out for you.

I don't think you want to use that unless you are a sparkie.

-Hal

Anthony, you are forgiven. I do the same thing when I have to splice stranded wiring, usually installed by a beanie boy who provided a phone system.

-Hal

At the bottom of every proposal, contract and invoice that I send out, there is the statement:

"Many others know the tricks of the trade...I know the trade."

Scotchloks and B-wire connectors (God, how we real telephone men hate the slang "beanies") are intended to be used as IDC (insulation displacement connectors) on AWG 19 thru AWG 26 copper wire. Both come either filled or dry.

Automotive butt connectors are intended for stranded copper wire.

How much time could you possibly save, on a typical installation that has...oh I don't know...50 devices?

As a good friend of mine use to say "I gotta get out of this business."

One thing to look at is Phoenix connectors, also called euro block. A lot of sound equipment uses these connectors now instead of screw terminals or XLRs.

You're a genious. That's the best idea I've heard in weeks. Months, even.

Oh man, you're right. Auto butt connectors *are* for stranded. (if that had been a snake, it woulda bit me)

What would be perfect would be gel filled IDC connectors with two open ends just like the butt connectors.

I've got a system I'm going to install in the next few days and I think I'm going to give the B connectors a try. I'll make sure to report back here and let everyone know how it goes.

Report back:

I'd say it worked very well. I was able to go in working by myself, pull my labeled pre-wire down and mount everything pretty fast.

Everything worked well except for the keypad. Knowing my b-connectors were the most likely weak link, I re-crimped those before I started chasing things down with my continuity tester. With an additional crimp, it worked like a charm.

If I begin using B connectors for installs, I think it would definitely be wise to get a B connector crimper instead of using the inside of my dikes. I'll have to add one to my shopping list.

Overall, it saved me time on site and time on the ladder doing funky contortions. However, I think my favorite things about the process was that I was able to connect everything and do the programming before I got there. I knew all of my stuff worked out of the box. I also enjoyed the fact that my EOLRs were soldered, instead of just pigtailed.

I've got to go back and connect/troubleshoot the cursed 66 block, though. (ARG!)

Also... as TYPICAL... the pre-wire I pulled through conduit for the hold-up at the POS got buried by the guys who installed the counter and/or POS system. - I *TOLD* the customer to make sure to instruct them to pull up my labeled low-voltage or else we'd run into problems, and SHO 'NUFF - problems.

Anyway... just an update while I'm at the 'puter refreshing my memory on 66 blocks.