What's the best way to connect a receptacle to 8 gauge wire?

[aNYCdb]

I'm wiring up an external outlet and light on my property about 100 feet from the house. Because of voltage drop over that distance I've run #8 copper wire. What's the best practice for actually connecting to the first (GFCI) outlet? Try to make the heavy wire fit? put in a small junction in the conduit to step down to 12/2? Somthing else?

 

[JoeD]

Pig tail a short piece of #14 or #12 to match the breaker.

 

[hornetd]

I'm wiring up an external outlet and light on my property about 100 feet from the house. Because of voltage drop over that distance I've run #8 copper wire. What's the best practice for actually connecting to the first (GFCI) outlet? Try to make the heavy wire fit? put in a small junction in the conduit to step down to 12/2? Something else?

What JoeD said is correct as far as making the connection goes. What may be more important is how you are mounting your light and receptacle. I would advise against making the splice underground because the splicing devices that will actually work for an extended period of time underground are tedious to apply. Make the box that will hold the GFCI Receptacle large enough to also make that splice in. The number of cubic inches required for each conductor which enters the box is called out in a table in Table 314.16(B) of the National Electric Code (NEC).

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Tom Horne

 

[aNYCdb]

What JoeD said is correct as far as making the connection goes. What may be more important is how you are mounting your light and receptacle. I would advise against making the splice underground because the splicing devices that will actually work for an extended period of time underground are tedious to apply. Make the box that will hold the GFCI Receptacle large enough to also make that splice in. The number of cubic inches required for each conductor which enters the box is called out in a table in Table 314.16(B) of the National Electric Code (NEC).

Everything is in PVC conduit with outdoor gang boxes all of which will be strapped/attached to a telephone pole (not an actual telephone pole, but a used pole I got the power company to put in when they were putting in bigger poles at the street). Any splicing will be done above ground and the outdoor gang should have enough space. Is it acceptable do the splice with a simple 12-10/8 step down butt connector?

 

[hornetd]

... Is it acceptable do the splice with a simple 12-10/8 step down butt connector?

aNYCdb

If the connector that you are referring to is listed for that range of wires you should be all right. Check the wire range that is on the same label that bears the laboratory listing label. That laboratory label will be on the smallest package which contains the individual item if there is insufficient space to place it on the item itself.

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Tom Horne

 

[bud16415]

If it were mine I would put in a terminal strip/strips (Screw Terminal Block) and make the connections inside the box. Would allow for adding on down the road. Not sure what code says about that Tom would know.

 

[hornetd]

If it were mine I would put in a terminal strip/strips (Screw Terminal Block) and make the connections inside the box. Would allow for adding on down the road. Not sure what code says about that Tom would know.

If the terminal strip were listed for the current, voltage, and size of wire to be connected it would be fine.

Since this is likely to end up being in a damp location I would want to use an insulated terminal such as the smallest version of the Polaris IT pre-insulated wire terminal line. [This happens to be the one I am familiar with I have no interest in the manufacturer other than as a supplier for products I have used successfully for similar situations.] The Polaris IT4 is a 2 port insulated terminal which will terminate sizes 4 to 14 American Wire Gauge. I believe that the Polaris insulated terminals come with anti corrosion paste already in the ports. If that turns out not to be true then buy a small quantity of Copper Based Anti-Oxidant Joint Compound. Make certain that you use a paste which is listed for the wire type you use. Do not make the mistake of using say Noalox on copper conductors. I would think that the Polaris terminals, or some other manufacturers offering of a similar device, would serve better than a terminal strip mounted in a outdoor box. The pre-insulated terminals are easier to use when connecting different sized conductors in a damp environment because of their inherent corrosion resistance.

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Tom Horne