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Old 03-19-2017, 12:54 PM   #1
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Electrical Question

Working on installing an inverter, putting 1 existing circuit on it via an auto transfer relay/switch. Pulling back the leads from the existing circuit, will connect to the relays output. Will connect the switches shore power input to the existing circuit breaker.

Inline Transfer Relay

Question: The relay has stranded wire pigtails on it, need the best way to connect these to the breaker and ground bar in the breaker panel. My 2 thoughts are 1, solder the stranded ends and land those, 2, run the stranded pigtail to a small junction box and add my own solid 14/2 pigtail.

I'm thinking the latter.

It's a 15A circuit.

Pulled apart the relay's cover, the pig tails are soldered, no clean way to replace them with Romex.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:40 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin View Post
Working on installing an inverter, putting 1 existing circuit on it via an auto transfer relay/switch. Pulling back the leads from the existing circuit, will connect to the relays output. Will connect the switches shore power input to the existing circuit breaker.

Inline Transfer Relay

Question: The relay has stranded wire pigtails on it, need the best way to connect these to the breaker and ground bar in the breaker panel. My 2 thoughts are 1, solder the stranded ends and land those, 2, run the stranded pigtail to a small junction box and add my own solid 14/2 pigtail.

I'm thinking the latter.

It's a 15A circuit.

Pulled apart the relay's cover, the pig tails are soldered, no clean way to replace them with Romex.
Most circuit breakers are UL approved for use with solid & stranded wire.
That being said , if the breaker uses a terminal screw than just crimp a spade terminal ( stakon) on the stranded wire and attach the crimp terminal under the breaker screw . ( Not a code requirement just best practice ) If the breaker has a lug or plate style terminal then just terminate the stranded wire on the breaker.
The neutral & ground bar are also approved for solid or stranded wire.
When I worked as an electrician on commercial and industrial work , I always pulled stranded wire because unlike solid it was easier to pull and didn't require a second man to feed the wire.
I never soldered a stranded wire for terminating in a breaker panel.

Splices are not supposed to be made in a breaker panel, they are supposed to be made in junction or pull boxes and wireways .

If the relay is going to be used to switch under load , especially inductive loads , we would use a relay rated for 200% of the full load current or buy a 2 pole relay and parallel the contacts.


If you look at the main 30 amp breaker in your trailer you will find the #10 stranded wire from the service cord is directly terminated at the main breaker.
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:08 PM   #3
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Thanks Steve, appreciate the help.
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Old 03-19-2017, 02:36 PM   #4
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One other thing to consider is to make sure that if the relay fails or the relay contacts weld themselves in the closed state that the system is failsafe .Failing in the off position is usually not a big issue but failing in the on position can create a hazard especially with moving equipment.
Small relays often suffer contact failure ( Especially NC contacts) or coil failure . I often used 8 or 11 pin plug in relays on the job for control circuits . The plug in relays did not have exposed contact and you could replace them without having to disconnect wires or shut the system down plus they were inexpensive
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