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HOME > CEE NEWS ARCHIVE > DO BOLTED JOINTS AND CONNECTIONS GET YOU UPTIGHT?

Doboltedjointsandconnectionsgetyouuptight?
JohnDeDad|CEENews Nov1,2000
ConfidenceorHubris?

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TipoftheWeek:Whatcanyoulearnfromthe
EMAIL
NECsAnnexH?Part5
Most mechanical bolted joints and connectors come with the appropriate hardware, but what happens
when you have to provide your own?What's in a bolted joint? This seems like a simple question. You DealingwithDifficultCustomers
obviously need a bolt, a nut and some washers. But, there's more to it when it comes to joining different
conducting materials. Depending on the kinds of materials you're joining, you may need some special
TipoftheWeek:AreYourPeopleGripers?

Mostmechanicalboltedjointsandconnectorscomewiththeappropriatehardware,but AvoidEnergyWastebyUsingtheCorrectGear
Oil
whathappenswhenyouhavetoprovideyourown?

What'sinaboltedjoint?Thisseemslikeasimplequestion.Youobviouslyneedabolt,a
Photo Galleries
nutandsomewashers.But,there'smoretoitwhenitcomestojoiningdifferent
Top25Changesinthe
conductingmaterials.Dependingonthekindsofmaterialsyou'rejoining,youmayneed 2017NEC
somespecialhardware.Let'swalkthroughasetofstepsthatwillhelpyouchoosethe Thisgroupof25key
revisionsfromthe2017EditionoftheNationalElectrical
righthardwareforyourjointorconnection. Code(NEC)focusesonavarietyofsituationsand
equipmenttypes.

Step1:Verifybusbarconductingmetals.Typically,you'llfindtheseconductingmetals CodeQuizofthe
usedforbusbars: Week:No.62
Takethisweeklyquizto
testyourknowledgeofthe2014NationalElectricalCode
Tinplatedaluminum (NEC)requirements.

Silverplatedcopperand Join the Discussion on EC&M Talk

Barecopper. HotTopics Comments NewTopics

4
Inswitchyards,youmayalsofindsteelusedatcertainconnectionpoints. 112kVATransformertoTwo200APanels
lastreplybyTDittmarinPowerDistribution
Step2:Verifyconnectioncomposite.Basedonthetypesofconductingmetalsyou're
connecting,you'llneedspecifichardware.Therefore,youmustverifytheconnection ElectricityGeneration
lastreplybyallyson1inGeneralElectricalTalk
composite.Typicalscenariosincludecoppertocoppercoppertoaluminumand Discussion
aluminumtoaluminum.Asageneralrule,you'relesslikelytohaveacoppertosteelor 2
MycontractornotqualifiedregardingGFCI?
aluminumtosteelconnection,butit'spossible.
lastreplybyGregSinQuestions&HelpforRookies

Step3:Choosehardwarematerials.Usingtheproperhardwarematerialforthespecific ConduitforCoaxialCable
connectioncompositehelpsensuretheconnection'sintegritywilllast.Yourchoices lastreplybydpowell123inQuestions&Helpfor
includesiliconbronze,aluminum,stainlesssteelandgalvanizedsteel. Rookies

SizingOCPDandFeederWiresfor125ARated
Forcoppertocopperjoints,youshouldusesiliconbronzeorstainlesssteelhardware. Subpanel
6

lastreplybySpence2014inPowerDistribution
Forcoppertoaluminumjoints,usetinplatedsiliconbronzehardwareorstainlesssteel
hardware.

Foraluminumtoaluminumjoints,youshouldusealuminumorstainlesssteel EC&M White Papers

hardware. PowerFailureRiskAssessment
Poweroutagetwowordsthatkeeporwakeyouupat
night.Ratherthantossingandturningorimagining
Forcoppertosteeljoints,youcanusesiliconbronze,stainlesssteelorgalvanizedsteel disasterscenarios,prepareforpoweroutagesby
assessingtheriskinyourpowerarchitectureand
hardware. protectingcriticalsystemstolessentheimpactofshort
durationevents.Toensureyouarepreparedtotake
actionintheeventofanoutage,itsbesttounderstand
Foraluminumtosteeljoints,youcanusetinplatedsiliconbronzehardware,aswellas whichsystemsareatmostrisk.Forreference,weve
createdanexampleofariskassessmentgridusingan
stainlessandgalvanizedsteelhardware. averagehospitalenvironment....
More
SeeTable1onpage28Fforalistofrecommendedhardwarematerialsforconnection ExecutiveSummary:TechnologyEnabledData

composites. VIEWMOREWHITEPAPERS

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2/17/2017 Doboltedjointsandconnectionsgetyouuptight?
Step4:Chooseboltedjointconfiguration.AccordingtoFramatoneConnectors
EC&MWebinars
International(FCI),Manchester,N.H.,youhavetwochoicesofboltedjoint
configurations,asshowninFig.1.Yourchoicedependsontheconnectioncomposite,as
mentionedabove.Notethatbothconfigurations(Fig.1AandFig.1B)includeabolt,nut WEBINAR NOV9,2016
TechnologyEnabled
andflatwasher.However,Fig.1BalsoincludesaBellevillewasher. DataCenterLife
CycleServices
UsetheFig.1Aconfigurationforcoppertocopperjoints.Dependingonthetypeofmetal
WEBINAR NOV2,2016
inthehardware,youcanalsousethisconfigurationforaluminumtoaluminumand ThereisMoretoa
coppertosteeljoints. DataCenterthan
WhiteSpaceAHolisticApproachtoFacility
MonitoringandControl
UsetheFig.1Bconfigurationforcoppertoaluminumandaluminumtosteeljoints.
Dependingonthetypeofmetalinthehardwareyou'reusing,youcanalsousethis VIEWMOREWEBINARS
configurationforaluminumtoaluminumandcoppertosteel.

SeeTable1onpage28Fforjointconfigurations,perconnectioncomposites. EC&M TV
Throughouttheindustry,opinionsvaryastowhatthe"correct"methodistoinstall IDEALPowerBlade
CableCutters 1
Bellevillewashers.AccordingtoFCI,thefollowingisasuccessful,timetestedprocedure Bigenoughforanyjob...
(refertoFig.1B):
IDEALTKOCarbide
TippedHoleCutters
First,placeaflatwasherbetweentheconcavesideoftheBellevillewasherandthe Theefficientandprecise
alternativetoknockoutsandholesawsforstainlesssteel
surfaceofthememberyou'rejoining.Bydoingso,youcapturetheBellevillebetweenthe andsheetmetal....
boltheadandlargeflatwasher.(Makesureyouuseaflatwasherhavinganoutside
IDEALSureTraceMore
diametergreaterthanthatoftheflattenedBellevillesothereisnooverhang.Also,choose Open/ClosedCircuit
aflatwasherthat'stwicethethicknessoftheBelleville.) BROWSEALLVIDEOS

Second,fittheassembly(bolt,Bellevilleandflatwasher)intoitshole.(Makesurethere's
nointerferencewithwashersofadjacentboltsandnooverhangoversurfaceedges.)
EC&MLearningCenter
Third,tightenthenut(withawasherofitsown)ontotheboltuntilyoufeelasudden
andnoticeableincreaseintorque.TheBellevilleisnowflatit'snotnecessaryto"backoff" Understandingthe2014NEC,
thenutafteryou'vetightenedtothispoint. Volume1(Articles90to480)
Thisresourcehasprovenitselfinthefield
andintheexamroom.Thislatesteditionwill
Step5:Applycorrecttorque.Probablythemostimportanttaskinmakingaboltedjointis provideyouwitharocksolidfoundation...

applyingthecorrecttorquetotightenthecomponents.Remember,everyfieldtermination
UnderstandingNECRequirements
(fromthesmallestlowvoltagescrewterminaltothelargestlug)hasanoptimumtorque forGroundingvsBonding
valuethatproducesthemostreliable,lowresistantjoint.Seeoptimumtorquevaluesfor Oneofthemostconfusingareasofthe
tradecontinuestobegroundingand
themostcommonmaterialsandsizesofhardwareusedinmakingelectricalconnections bonding,whichiswhythisbookneedsto
beinthehands...
inTable2onpage28F.
ChangestoTheNEC2014
Onecommonquestionis:"Doestorquingaboltbeyonditsoptimumtorquevaluemake Don'tletthescaleofthecodechanges
intimidateyou,thisbookwillgetyouupto
forabetterconnection?"Theanswerisanemphatic"NO!"Theonlyeffectispossible speedonthemostessential...
damagetotheboltandconnectionitself.Thebetterpracticeistoinitiallyinstallhardware
totherecommendedtorquevalues,andthenperiodicallycheckforsignsoflooseningor
BROWSEALLTITLES
overheatingbeforemakinganyadjustments.

So,howdoesthetighteningofaconnectionaffectcontactresistanceanyway?Let'ssay
youtorqueabolttoproduceacontactforceofF1.Bydoingso,youreducethecontact
resistancetoalowervalue,R1.But,throughcreepandtemperaturecycling,the
connectionmaterialsmayrelaxandresultinadifferentcontactforce(F2).

LookingatFig.2,onpage28D,youcanseethattherelaxationcurvediffersfromthe
tighteningcurve.AlthoughthematerialsrelaxtoacontactforceofF2,thecontact
resistanceremainsrelativelyconstant.Thisindicatesastableconnectionthroughoutthe
F1toF2contactforcerange.

Ifyoumakesureyouhavetherighthardwareforyourparticularjointorconnection,you
cankeepboltedjointsandconnectionsfromgettingyouuptight.

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jbezz55 onAug12,2013

ThearticlethatIamreviewingrefersto"Fig2,page28D"wherecanIlocatethat.

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2/17/2017 Doboltedjointsandconnectionsgetyouuptight?

meby(staff) onAug13,2013

Thereferenceistotheoriginalprintarticle.Manyofourolderprintarticles(suchasthisone)
appearonourwebsitewithouttheiroriginalgraphics.

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