Torque settings - hmm

[Madocks]

Bought a torque driver today, any clue on recomended values for connector blocks, henleys, MCB ?

I imagine its cable size dependant? Anyone have a quick table i can print and laminate?

Please dont say manufacturer instructions! would be poop!

 

[SJD]

Ahh, but in the event of some misfortune, you'd need to say you tightened to the relevant manufacturer's instructions, not some other value you decided for yourself!

 

[Richard Burns]

Unfortunately MIs are very variable (a bit like the torque settings).
Different items need different settings even if the items are from the same manufacturer.
Some items will break if you tighten them to the recommended torque!

This pdf that was available from the neweys website gives a (not quick) table of torque settings for a variety of manufacturers and parts but it could be out of date by now so do check. All parts that require torque settings should have the setting in the instructions (you know the annoying bit of paper that gets in the way of installing things!)

 

[buzzlightyear]

Bought a torque driver today, any clue on recomended values for connector blocks, henleys, MCB ?

never had one ,never used one .I have a torque arm instead .

 

[Madocks]

not some other value you decided for yourself!

True, but last week I didnt own a torque driver, and used the t w a t method

 

[buzzlightyear]

True, but last week I didnt own a torque driver, and used the t w a t method

was that a tug and pull method!

 

[Madocks]

was that a tug and pull method!

Tighten, wiggle, and tighten

 

[SJD]

How much you use it is up to you, but I always recall a tale some years ago from my electrical course tutor about a court case after a fire, asking to check the electricians tools, and finding no torque driver amongst them, so they could not have installed the equipment to MIs.

 

[Richard Burns]

How much you use it is up to you, but I always recall a tale some years ago from my electrical course tutor about a court case after a fire, asking to check the electricians tools, and finding no torque driver amongst them, so they could not have installed the equipment to MIs.

He hasn't got that problem now! They will find a torque screwdriver!
Possibly very cleanly kept and looked after and not scratched at all!

 

[Madocks]

Possibly very cleanly kept and looked after and not scratched at all!

Only comes out of its case on annual inspection date ?

 

[telectrix]

igot mine from Britool:

 

[Strima]

One of our customers specified 10Nm on their connections, after a few fires they dropped this to 4.8Nm.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Only comes out of its case on annual inspection date

never been asked about one of them.

 

[Des 56]

Having to possess a torque screwdriver in our feeble occupation

I suppose these metal consumer units are going to end up becoming flameproof equipment,at least the tool would then have a useful purpose

It seems to me health and safety is not the only place where the inmates have run riot

 

[sparkdog]

Every year the assessor goes over all the sample cu terminals and checks them for tightness by the arm & wrist method.

 

[telectrix]

Every year the assessor goes over all the sample cu terminals and checks them for tightness by the arm & wrist method.

i'd torque to him about that.

 

[1Justin]

[QUOTE="
I imagine its cable size dependant? Anyone have a quick table i can print and laminate?
[/QUOTE]
It's very cable size depentent. CU manufacturers are (IMO) remiss not to always point that out clearly (some do). OK for bus bars and fat cables, but applying the "recommended" torque into a screw-down N or E terminal on domestic lighting can easily do this (pic). I've been called out and have come across CU with cables snapped right off. I often take the time to trim and re-dress the ends where I see this (which is quite often nowadays with the promotion of torque drivers).

 

[Pete E]

Just curious, but what Nm range should an electricians torque driver be rated?

 

[Squid]

I don't know why but the line "all the gear no idea" just jumped in to my head...... ;o))))

 

[ipf]

i'd torque to him about that.

Yep, seems to me like someone should get a tighter grip of all this crap..

 

[benji]

Bit off subject but Toyota operatives working on new hydrogen cell engines use bluetooth torque wrenches that report back to a central computer

 

[ipf]

Bit off subject but Toyota operatives working on new hydrogen cell engines use bluetooth torque wrenches that report back to a central computer

I have one in my right hand that reports back to the central computer in my yed.

 

[Andy78]

All this torque driver nonsense winds me up tight.

They are of no benefit whatsoever if termination techniques are not properly practised. You can easily make a defective connection with a torque driver if incompetent enough.

 

[pirate]

Couldn't agree more Andy78! Many on here talk about "knowing the torque" and I truly believe they do, from years of experience. I fondly believe one instinctively knows when something is right...

We know some cables "creep", some soldered connections do particularly, some fine-stranded are susceptible to being over-tightened etc etc...
I am no expert, I just do 'em up...pause a while, then just check 'em again...that's what my dad taught me 50 years ago, and it has been good advice, from home, to caravan, to extreme marine use on 12v DC...
Amateur, maybe...never known a failure yet, but seen loads...
usually on 2.5 rings where the sockets are not tightened properly. Frankly, they need to design those terminals better, but that's another story.

Get a torque driver, keep it in your toolbag and produce it if asked...but I believe you should trust your hand and wrist first of all.

 

[Squid]

Its like being in the North again on a night out with the Northerners, all torque and no action and us smooooooth Southerners move in and cop of with the Northern lasses..........

 

[sparkdog]

What, lasses with torque drivers?

 

[Squid]

What, lasses with torque drivers?

Feels like it when they get hold of your 'tool"

 

[ipf]

Its like being in the North again on a night out with the Northerners, all torque and no action and us smooooooth Southerners move in and cop of with the Northern lasses..........

Hey......not as easy as us up here copping OFF wiv an Essix biooty.

 

[telectrix]

Hey......not as easy as us up here copping OFF wiv an Essix biooty.

problem there is scraping off the make-up to see what you've got. like lancashire hotpot. you need to scrape off the grease to see what the meat's like.

 

[ipf]

problem there is scraping off the make-up to see what you've got. like lancashire hotpot. you need to scrape off the grease to see what the meat's like.

Suppose so....typical scouse, mind you....eating a hotpot cold.

 

[telectrix]

fair comment from the walmington on sea home guard.

 

[ipf]

fair comment from the walmington on sea home guard.
View attachment 40353

..about as useful as a chocolate fireguard them....or a team of Electrical Trainee's
or a torque driver.

 

[sparkdog]

Sounds like a job for corporal Jones.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Last few NIC inspections I've had, I've popped to the wholesalers beforehand, picked up a torque screwdriver, had my inspection, repacked it and returned it to the wholesalers for a refund/credit note

 

[ipf]

Last few NIC inspections I've had, I've popped to the wholesalers beforehand, picked up a torque screwdriver, had my inspection, repacked it and returned it to the wholesalers for a refund/credit note

Coming up soon......what do you think about trying the same with a thermal camera?

 

[telectrix]

what's the torque range settings of a thermal camera?

 

[ipf]

what's the torque range settings of a thermal camera?

Use a sound level meter for that...

 

[telectrix]

so... if it squeals, it's tight? like a virgin?

 

[elsparko]

quickly learn not to shear the heads off of terminal screws early in the career

feeling the thread get tight by hand is the best way