Irreversible splice+Junction Box

[MGE]

Same crimper I bought years ago at HF.
Only problem with them is having the die fall out if you hold the crimper wrong.

[wrlsguy]

What was the exact tool you bought? I see hexagon dies at Harbor Freight.

https://www.harborfreight.com/hydrau...=crimping+tool looks like what I bought. Nice to see some knowledge resurrected over 8 years later.

[peakbagger]

I bought a Harbor Freight Tool and then had to grind one of the dies to match a "Burndy" It is definitely not as neat as the proper compression device but it does make an irreversible splice.

[solarix]

Learn to say "Yes Boss, I does what you sez"

[stevebor1]

I also had to use an irreversible splice in my rooftop junction box between my #6 solid GEC and the THHN run down to the ground. I ended up using a Thomas and Betts 3ML30 c-tap, which I bought from Grainger. For the tool, I got myself a Harbor Freight hydraulic compression tool. It was able to make a nice and clean compression joint that the inspector approved. It has different size inserts for different size connections. The inspector had warned me not to use pliers and leave teeth marks as he would reject that.

Shocknoka, if you are in Southern California, I can let you use the hydraulic compression tool.

What was the exact tool you bought? I see hexagon dies at Harbor Freight.

[wrlsguy]

Some inspectors will actually want to see the stamped marking left by the compression die that indicates that it was the right die for that particular brand and size compression connector.The Harbor Fright tool will not do that.
Luckily your inspector was not that obsessive.

I had located an official compression tool and die, but it was going to cost me more to rent for a day than buy the Harbor Freight tool. I was lucky, but the inspector was otherwise quite thorough, and I had more than my fair share of bad luck with the project prior to that point.

[wrlsguy]

I've got that same tool from Harbor Freight. All the dies are mislabeled, and one needs to use the die for the next larger size wire, if it is ever going to crimp. For #10 wire, I had to use the dies marked "#7". I've never heard of 7 gauge wire. A good way to use that scrap USE-2 wire, that keeps landing in the workshop.

It sure beats ratchet crimpers, when you've got two hundred rail splice grounding jumpers to make. Saves a lot of wrist pain, and it is much easier to undo any false starts.

I'm surprised that inspectors would have that much attention to detail, that they'd look for crimper die markings.

I also had to use a bigger die than marked. But I was able to pick one that fit the c-tap well and it made a great irreversible crimp. The inspector took my practice crimp as an example sample, so I know he liked it. He was very particular about having UL markings on the WEEBs and using a single brand of racking hardware..

[carultch]

Some inspectors will actually want to see the stamped marking left by the compression die that indicates that it was the right die for that particular brand and size compression connector.The Harbor Fright tool will not do that.
Luckily your inspector was not that obsessive.

I've got that same tool from Harbor Freight. All the dies are mislabeled, and one needs to use the die for the next larger size wire, if it is ever going to crimp. For #10 wire, I had to use the dies marked "#7". I've never heard of 7 gauge wire. A good way to use that scrap USE-2 wire, that keeps landing in the workshop.

It sure beats ratchet crimpers, when you've got two hundred rail splice grounding jumpers to make. Saves a lot of wrist pain, and it is much easier to undo any false starts.

I'm surprised that inspectors would have that much attention to detail, that they'd look for crimper die markings.

[inetdog]

For the tool, I got myself a Harbor Freight hydraulic compression tool. It was able to make a nice and clean compression joint that the inspector approved.

Some inspectors will actually want to see the stamped marking left by the compression die that indicates that it was the right die for that particular brand and size compression connector.The Harbor Fright tool will not do that.
Luckily your inspector was not that obsessive.

[wrlsguy]

I also had to use an irreversible splice in my rooftop junction box between my #6 solid GEC and the THHN run down to the ground. I ended up using a Thomas and Betts 3ML30 c-tap, which I bought from Grainger. For the tool, I got myself a Harbor Freight hydraulic compression tool. It was able to make a nice and clean compression joint that the inspector approved. It has different size inserts for different size connections. The inspector had warned me not to use pliers and leave teeth marks as he would reject that.

Shocknoka, if you are in Southern California, I can let you use the hydraulic compression tool.

[SunEagle]

rule #3, if the inspector is still wrong, see rule #1.

Actually I say yours is rule #2 and the contiguous ground wire is rule #3.

[J.P.M.]

rule #1 The inspector is ALWAYS right. He may not be correct, but always right.

rule #2 Ground wires need to be either contiguous, or spliced with irreversible crimp or thermal fusion.

rule #3, if the inspector is still wrong, see rule #1.

[inetdog]

Do the two ground rods at the array in any way merit slack on the rule for the ground to be continous?

The only slack you will get is that if you have two ground rods most inspectors and the majority of the code gurus will say that you only have to run continuous or irreversible to one of the two. The wiring joining the two is a bonding jumper which is not required to be continuous.

Also note that for PV installations there may be rules which require an EGC connecting two points and other rules which require a GEC following the same path. In those cases the same wire can serve both purposes, in which case it has to meet the minimum requirements for both.

[carultch]

Hi guys,
I am new here so bare with me. I had an inspection today for a ground mount PV system. We failed because we did not use An irreversible splice inside the junction box. We have a continuous Bare copper run connecting the modules, rails, the structure and two ground rods located at the array that eventually runs into a junction box. The Bare copper was spliced with a split bolt to THHN and ran into the DC ground port in the inverter. Another ground was run from the AC port in the inverter into the Main service Panel. The MSP has its own ground rod and a uffer. My questions are:
What code reference mandates an irreversible Splice inside of the junction box if any?
Does a split bolt meet code requirement for the connection?
If not, what type, make and model, of splice will work and where can i find them?

Do the two ground rods at the array in any way merit slack on the rule for the ground to be continous?

Thank you?

Extra info-i believe we are covered under 690.47(C) for grounding type. Combined GEC to EGC by UL approved bonding jumper inside inverter.

The irreversible splice rule is specific to the GEC. The reason they require it to be irreversibly bonded throughout all connections, is to guarantee that the inverter has a reference to derive its grounded DC conductor, no matter what anyone might do with ground bars on intermediate equipment. Irreversible splices are also a lot more resistant to thermal expansion cycles, than anything you assemble with a threaded fastener.

A split bolt is reversible, a set screw is reversible, an insulation piercing connector is reversible. To make it irreversible, you need connectors that no one can undo with any tool (with the exception of outright breaking it).

On simple residential systems, the combined EGC/GEC certainly makes sense to do. Gotta run the GEC, which well exceeds the size you need for an EGC.

On larger systems exceeding 200A, combining them is just asking for trouble, to try and irreversbly crimp hundreds of kcmil. Run a #6 copper GEC irreversibly, and run your appropriately sized EGC in the manner that you would ordinarily route an EGC.i

[shocknocka]

Thank you very much.