What wire clamp for 18 gauge wire?

[dogwood]

If you are running 18 gauge thermostat wire (not the armored type) into an aquastat (or any metal electrical box), what kind of wire clamp do you use in the knockout? The standard screw down wire clamps I have always used with larger 12 or 14 gauge Romex won't grab on to the thinner eighteen gauge wire.

They didn't seem to have anything at Lowes that was suitable, and the salesperson didn't know.


Mike

 

[Ashful]

18 gauge is usually run without a box, as anything residential 115v must be awg 14 or larger. I've seen electricians just tie a loose knot in the wire inside the box, to keep it from pulling/ falling out, when using a box, though.

 

[Don2222]

Hello

You can still use the romex wire clamp and just wrap some electrical tape around the wires to make them thick enough to grap.

 

[__dan]

Strip a short piece of Romex jacket, 1" to 2", and sleeve the thermostat wire with this as it passes through the RX clamp.

 

[nate379]

Lowe's has bushings that work for this. They are buried in the sea of other electric bushings, fittings, etc. Just need to find a worker that has been there more than 2 days or knows the different between a hammer and left handed metric adjustable wrench.

If you are running 18 gauge thermostat wire (not the armored type) into an aquastat (or any metal electrical box), what kind of wire clamp do you use in the knockout? The standard screw down wire clamps I have always used with larger 12 or 14 gauge Romex won't grab on to the thinner eighteen gauge wire.

They didn't seem to have anything at Lowes that was suitable, and the salesperson didn't know.


Mike

 

[dogwood]

Thanks all. Nate, I'll try another Lowes and maybe the Home Depot close by. If no luck I'll wrap something around the wires as suggested.

Miike

 

[BoilerMan]

I always use rubber plugs that are made for this purpose. They fit into the 1/2" knockout and have a small hole in them you can put all kinds of thermostat wires through them and it looks professional and keeps the dust out.

TS

 

[dogwood]

BoilerMan, thats exactly what I was looking for. Where are you getting them?

Mike

 

[Ashful]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#push-in-grommets/=n18x5h

 

[Beverly Dyer]

Agreed, the proper and listed fittings should be used per NEC 110 to clamp cables such as ROMEX® BRAND NM CABLE.

This answer is intended to apply to Romex® Brand NM Cable. For other NM cables, please check with those respective brand suppliers or cable manufacturers. Romex® is a Registered Trademark of Southwire Company.
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