Terminators and Twofers

[derekleffew]

... Bates Connectors (Marinco group) specifically makes a 20 amp, 2P&G male plug, UL listed for twofer use,

The Bates product is less than desirable. See http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/5931-trixfer.html and http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/10519-bates-trixfers.html. However, the TMB product might be viable. From ProPin™.pdf:

Now, has anyone actually seen or used either of these connectors with special holes by Bates or ProPin?

... but quite possibly, other plugs of 2P&G, Edison and locking types might well not be appropriate for twofer use. Thus I suspect that the UL issue might be with the type of strain relief to the cable, not the terminal design per say.

Come to think of it, I never received a satisfactory answer to my question as to whether L6-20 V-style two-fers using SJO cable were acceptable:

How about L6-20 V-style two-fers? Legal/not legal? Anyone make a L6-20 male plug modified to accept two 12/3 SJOW cables? I, too, dislike Y-style twofers in almost every application.

SteveB , are you just trying to be correct, or do you have an unnatural urge to force everyone to use Y-style two-fers, which no one prefers over V-style?

 

[SteveB]

"Come to think of it, I never received a satisfactory answer to my question as to whether L6-20 V-style two-fers using SJO cable were acceptable:"

From what ST has stated, the use of SJOOW is as per NEC code (local codes may vary), but as other sources have indicated, the use of the connector as a two-fer is not UL Listed.

" are you just trying to be correct, or do you have an unnatural urge to force everyone to use Y-style two-fers, which no one prefers over V-style?"

I do admit to having a knack for finding these type of conflicts, but in truth this may never yield it's potentially ugly head as it's not a code issue as much an insurance issue, in that simply having a UL rating is not by itself a legal requiremt . If I understand the process, having a device UL listed means it's been tested by the independent laboratory to be rated and acceptable for the manufactures use and as an electrical device, having that rating means it shouldn't catch fire or fail under normal usage. If it catches fire/fails and it becomes the cause of injury and/or major damage, that then becomes (among other problems) an insurance issue, as an insurance coverage can deny a claim for mis-use of a UL device Thus the concern for a manufacturer or dealer selling non-listed items.

I'm likely to continue to use my 50 some odd, 2P&G V style two-fers, as I don't have the same insurance concerns (as a City of NY agency), but to each his own.

SB