Easy terminals.

Was looking to buy some screw terminal strips on ebay when I came across spring terminal pairs simply push button to insert wire or remove and at 20 for $2.95 Au can't go wrong.





http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/161946490275?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

do they export matey.

Yeah mate based in Hong Kong.

Neil,

These are similar and available from the UK.

Barrie

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WAGO-ELECTRICAL-WIRE-BLOCK-CONNECTOR-STRIP-12V-24V-220-240V-2-5-CABLE-TERMINAL/321965696471?_trksid=p2059210.c100148.m2813&_trkparms=aid%3D333008%26algo%3DRIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140728113935%26meid%3De3081ca4758b4336af8df6d34c0d063e%26pid%3D100148%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D282366535402

barriew wrote:

Neil,

These are similar and available from the UK.

Barrie

I have some of these Barrie and they seem to be quite a strong spring, but not used of yet on a job, corrosion may be a problem over time. I do prefer soldered joints, especially where water is involved.

A good suggesting Damien, although I still prefer the chock block versions with a screw, less risk of loose wiring. Although no matter what fixing is used wiring is always a pain in the Whoopsie Daisies when something's loose!

The wires would need soldering first as the spring tension wound cut bare wires.

Like the screw-type choc blocks these are designed to be used with single strand (solid) copper cable, not multi-strand wire of the sort we use in models. The problems with a screw on multi-strand is that you may only get contact of a few strands due to the small area of the tip of the screw; or that over-tightening will cut through many of the strands, or that a stray strand (or hair) will stick out of the block and short against something else. My own take is to run a single unbroken wire from one contact point to to the next, thus avoiding the need for in-line connector blocks. I also twist and tin multi-strand cable if it's to go into a screw connector. Note that the "rising clamp" type of PCB-mounted connector uses the screw to clamp a flat metal plate against the cable, so the potential for damage is much less.
DM