Terminal Strip Block Buying Guide

Terminal Strips:  A Very Useful Electrical Connector

Hundreds of electrical tools and devices are used to increase efficiency and support the demands of the ever-changing industry.

Along with these, all devices also require efficiency in terms of its connection from one output to another especially its electrical components which is one of the major aspects of today’s devices.

One of the most commonly used electro-mechanical device that is used to join electrical terminations and the electrical circuit is the Electrical Connector.

Today we’re going to talk about the terminal blocks from these parts:

Terminal Block is used as a temporary connector for portable devices with easy assembly and removal functions or as a permanent connector of an electrical joint between two or more wires or devices.

One of its types is the Terminal Strips, also known as terminal boards or terminal blocks.

What is a Terminal Strip?

A Terminal Strip (also called as terminal boards/ block) is a simple type of an electrical connector which provides a convenient and safer means of connecting various electrical wires without cutting through the insulation to physical join both ends using insulation tapes (electrical tapes) or the like.

It is modular and insulated in feature to easily connect two or more wires together which is mostly arranged in a long strip easily connecting electrical outlets to the mains.

These terminal strips consist of a clamping component and a conducting strip which is flexible to the needs and variation of wires used.

Other than its flexibility they are also designed with bases that can be easily mounted or unmounted from a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or a mounting rail, which are all readily available in various Terminal Blocks Manufacturers.

Since most of it is in strips in appearance, it is easier to increase its numbers according to your needs and keeps connection secure, safer and organized.

Types of Terminal Strips

Since terminal strips are convenient devices for connecting wires of various devices, they are categorized according to their structure and device types, may it be for appliances, automotive, and/ or industrial and commercial use.

Sub-categories

These Terminal Blocks are also offered in three basic sizes:

1.) The 20amp model which is the smallest is normally used electronics and data connections. 2.) The 30amp model is the intermediate sizes that are commonly almost to anywhere, making connection of wires conveniently.

3.) Lastly, the 65amp model is used in heavy duty pumps and motors and can accommodate up to 6 awg thick wires. In addition to this, various Terminal Block Manufacturers provides from 2- 18 (or more) circuit terminal, which can also be easily added with another terminal block or a terminal jumper.

Structure Types

       Terminal Blocks are also classified into three structure types:

1. Single Feed Through

This is one of the most basic types of terminal block because it only has one input and output contacts.

It is used for a wire-to-wire connection wherein two distinct wires are inserted in either side of the terminal.

This is one of the most basic types of terminal block because it only has one input and output contacts.

It is used for a wire-to-wire connection wherein two distinct wires are inserted in either side of the terminal.

2.Dual Level Terminal Blocks

The Dual Level Terminal Blocks has two levels of input and output contacts.

This is created to efficiently saves spaces for devices and equipment that requires multiple wirings, which is at the same helps to avoid tangling of wires and promotes organization.

1. Three- Level Terminal Blocks

The same with the Dual Level Terminal Block, these terminal blocks has another level added also used for space efficiency and organization of wirings throughout various devices and equipment.

Device Types

Terminal Strips are also categorized according to its application and the device they connect in. It is divided into 6 types:

1. Ground Circuit Terminals

These are the terminals which are single feed types in input and output contacts which are grounded to the panel or the DIN rail.

2. Thermocouple Terminal Blocks

This is some terminal blocks used in connecting thermocouple lead connectors for metal connections used to measure temperature.

Some thermocouple connectors are clamp in form to easily connect both thermocouple leads on both sides of the block.

3. Fused Connection Terminal

This is a type of terminal strip wherein the wires is connected using not just a connection strip but with a fuse wherein it serves as an added protective layer for when a short circuit occurs the wires connected to the fuse will be the only one affected.

4. I/O Blocks and Sensor Blocks

These two types of terminal are used to make a connection between a device and a controller. Sensor blocks may also connect three or four wire devices like proximity sensors.

5. Power Distribution Blocks

The Power distribution block is used for a convenient and safer way of distributing an electrical power from a single input to multiple electrical outputs, giving an organized and economical connection of wires.

6. Disconnect Blocks

These blocks are commonly known as switch blocks used to easily disconnect a certain device to main output just by lifting a lever or a knife switch. It is a convenient way of connecting and disconnecting without removing the wires.

The following data will show a brief description and sample look of various Terminal Strips according to your needs (the following examples are also available in different sizes, current capacities depending on Terminal Block Manufacturers):

Product	Product Name	Description
	Terminal Block	This is a very small screw-able terminal block with 2 individual terminals and have a 20amps rating that have an AC voltage rating of 300 Volts. Its small size is suitable electronic interface and other data connections wherein their compact sizes requires a large number of connections and small spaces. (available in three basic sizes and multiple circuit terminals)
	Euro Style Terminal Block	This Euro style Terminal Blocks is a fixed-mount and pluggable terminal blocks that is also customizable with current ratings up to 115.0A
	12 Position Barrier Terminal Block	This is a double row 12 Position Barrier Terminal Block used to connect multiple lights and accessories in the same circuit. It’s also has a 30 amp capacity and 300 voltage capacity that accepts from 14-22 awg wires which can be easily mounted using a #6 screws.
	12 Way Connector Choc Block Terminal Connection Wire	This terminal block is for electrical wire connection. It is made of polyethylene insulation with a 24-connection screw and is manufactures with electro-tinned conductive brass connector screws. It also has a 3 amp current capacity
	Wire Connector Terminal Block	This is a Push-in wire connector block which is used to easily connect and disconnect electrical cable which is secured with a plastic frame keeping the wires straight and its stainless steel retainer will help in maintaining the connections intact. This wire connector is also universal in use so various devices ranging LAN networks LED lamps and more may use this. It has a current capacity of 10A and 250 voltage capacity, that can accommodate a 0.5- 2.5m wires.
	Choc Block Electrical Connector	The Choc Block Electrical Connector is a 3 way terminal block for cables that guarantees security from loose wires and safety. It is also quick to install and reliable. It also has a 400A voltage capacity with a 32 A current capacity, it also accommodates from 9-10mm wire.
	Chocolate Block Connector Strip	This Chocolate Block Connector Strip is a 12 way screw terminal connector that has 30A current capacity with steel screws and brass inserts that can accommodate up to 16mm2 wires.

Uses of Terminal Strips & How It Works

Terminal strips are essential in any electrical system, particularly when connecting a series of electrical wires. Read on to know its uses:

1. For quicker troubleshooting– The terminals in a terminal block are very accessible and easy to troubleshoot. In cases where you have to check for a broken connection in butt connectors, you don’t have to cut the wires several times and end up with shorter wires.
2. Organize connections – Many wired connections can look messy and confusing. With terminal blocks, you can conveniently arrange everything and get a clean set-up for all your equipment.
3. For installing ceiling lights– Terminal blocks are helpful when you have multiple wires to your ceiling light. You can use terminal jumpers to assemble branch wires to each light.
4. Running new wires when replacing a new electrical panel – A terminal block is needed to make an organized arrangement when you replace your circuit breaker panel since the existing wires may be too short to reach for the new wires. You can set up the wires on the terminal block following the panel sequence.

How Do You Install a Terminal Strip?

Whatever type of connection you are trying to put up, a terminal block comes in a range of sizes and shapes so you can find one that is fit and suitable for your desired connection.

Here are the steps on how you can install and set up a terminal strip:

• Identify the terminal strip or block type that you need.

Firstly, you have to check on your electrical equipment and find out what type of connection is needed. Should it be a screw-in connection or a plug-in connection?

If your equipment set up do not require a high voltage protection, then a screw-in connection is what you need. It is easy and doesn’t require much time to install because you just need to place the wires and screw it into the terminal block.

If you are going to use a plug-in connection, you connect the male terminal into the female port on the terminal strip or block.

• Get the right terminal block.

Once you have chosen the type of connection you would set up, the next step is to look for the terminal block that is appropriate and matching to your equipment’s requirements.

Choose the right size and shape for the number of wires you’re going to connect and pick the one with the highest current level for proper functioning.

• Secure the connection.

Whether you’re setting up the Screw-In or Plug-in make sure that you fasten and lock the connection.

Check for loose wires and tighten the screw in place to avoid dangers like fire or melt the insulation for your screw-in connection.

For the plug-in, run the electrical wires correctly and securely in the terminal block.

• Test and Correct.

After the installation of the terminal strip/block, check if the equipment will work. If it doesn’t work, you have to correct and check the wires and ports or use another terminal strip just to rule out if it is a broken one.

Where do you use Terminal Strips?

Due to the increasing demand of terminal strips throughout the industry, nowadays, various manufacturers keep on innovating possibilities of where it could be used.

As have been mentioned earlier, terminal strips were created to promoted efficiency, easy installation, increases safety, organization of wirings and providing more wide arrays of possibilities in making wiring connections, that it seems it can be used in almost all electrical devices and equipment.

1. Lightings

Since terminal strips may be small, medium or large in size depending on the needs of the devices.

Every terminal strips varies in suitable purposes but commonly Euro style Terminal Blocks are used for different lighting system from simple house needs up to large lighting equipment or devices including ballasts and control devices or even for the used LED lightings, specifically ceiling lights that might need branch wirings in lighting up a wide facility.

2. Housewares

These are the appliance we use at home from the common counter-top appliances like blenders, ovens and the like and even portable appliances such as vacuum and other cleaning device.

Even our electric garage door openers may not look like it but may also use these terminal strips to ease the wiring needs of these devices and equipment.

3. Automotive

Various automotive have great impacts of everyone’s daily lives. May it be personal cars, motors, trucks, buses or various automotive may and/or uses specific types of terminal types that ease wiring connections in the cars electrical components and motor wirings and connectors.

4. HVAC

HVAC also known as Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning systems including furnaces, condensers and other related controllers may also use these specific types of terminal strips that increases connection efficiency of these various devices.

5. Industrial Machinery

These are the industrial machineries including production equipment, robotics, equipment controls, generators, welding equipment and such also uses specific types of terminal strips that accommodates heavy duty electrical currents and supports electrical connections with ease and efficiency.

Barrier Strips vs. Terminal Strips

Barrier strips are used to prevent electrical shorts in a connection because of its stray or frayed wire ends. It is intended for power applications with combined open safety cover.

Terminal strips have insulating body and a clamping system that is used to fasten two or more wires in an insulated connection.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Terminal Block

In today’s Electrical Industry, the term, wire-screw-solder connection, multiple accidents from electric currents, time consuming connections, multiple short circuits, stressful wiring connections are now all a thing of the past. Nowadays, Terminal strips and its other co-products, is now changing the Electrical Industry, promoting innovation, and is being used in almost all electrical devices, from the smallest like housewares up to heavy duty pumps like motor, vehicles, and various factory automation equipment.

Due to the increasing demand, terminal strips and so the like can now almost be to almost every electrical device. For such a tiny piece that people might often overlook how terminal strips offered so much possibility and efficiency to all electrical equipment that the list of why a lot of electricians uses and promotes its use is due to the following.

Let’s talk about the advantages:

1. Safety Features

One of the most important parts of any equipment is its safety features to its user. Before, wiring connections, may not be the most common cause of fatality but a common cause of electrical accidents.

Wiring connections is so exposed that your only protection while you connect electrical wirings is your screwdriver, or probably a glove that prohibits you from accidently touching the crucial parts. But now, because of the creation of Terminal Strips, electrical accidents have been greatly decreased because of its features.

Terminal strips are designed into two types: Touchproof and Non-Touchproof. Its goal is to prevent any accidental shock and it really does that. The Touchproof terminal block is designed wherein the screws are recessed and covered by an insulating cover making it impossible for any finger to accidentally touch it because the only thing that could reach inside the cover is the screwdriver itself.

While the Non-touch proof is almost the with touch proof but more slightly exposed, but its design still prohibits you from touching the screws itself because of the slightly recessed position of the screws and its wall-like insulating divider for every block helps not just protecting your connections but also protecting you.

Touchproof	Non-Touchproof

2. Space Efficiency and Promotes Organization of wirings

The terminal strips are small in nature. Making connection easier and organized. The terminal strips are offered in various sizes catering any wiring connection needs.

They are mostly block in features so that corners and crevasses won’t be an exemption when it is installed.

They are also strips in nature so that it lessens tangling of wires especially when a device has multiple wirings connecting from one place to another. It helps so much in making any wiring professionally aligned and organized.

3. Cost-Saving

At first glance, upon looking the various types of terminal strips, one may not help it but think how expensive any electrical projects may turn out to be if other than the materials your using you have buy this little piece of terminal that you need to add in what you are already working on.

But to any electrical experts or even electrical newbies, no one would ever say that every penny is not worth it. Not only these terminal strips vary in sizes and needs of any electrical devices, space efficient and safe to use but it’s also quite cheap. Simply created to help make any electrical project and/or devices from the smallest to the largest cost-saving.

And it may also easily replace any broken wiring parts without potentially affecting the other parts or tearing up the whole system to fix a single part.

4. Easy Installation

One of the advantages of using terminal strips not just its other features but its purpose and that is making installation of various wirings in any devices EASY.

One of the major problem of any electrician is that the process of connecting wires from one wire to another or to the main circuit and/ or output contact to make any device makes things more complicated is when various wires end up tangling each other and the like.

That’s why these terminal strips were created not just to make everything efficient but easy and safe. So, they catered wide ranges of terminal strips with different installation process, from screwing one wire to another through the terminal.

They even have a clamping feature wherein you just insert a wire and clamp it making connections much easier without even worrying any of short circuit issues or electrical shock from misconnecting the wires.

5. Time-Saving

The Terminal Strips efficiency features helps throughout the process of connecting. Because not only that is it easy to install one wire input to an output it’s because it saves you so much time fixing any possible problems.

It’s easy to find what wire is connected to another, replacing a wire without damaging or removing a lot of part, and everything is arranged and organized.

6. Advantages for Innovation

Since the beginning of the launch of the product, even up to these days various terminal manufactures keep on making improvement and creating various possibilities, increasing efficiency not just in the electrical and wiring process but also throughout the convenience of producing and fixing electrical and industrial products.

We can see numerous advantages for the use of terminal strips. Now let’s talk about its disadvantages.

1. Vibration/ Corrosion

One of the most common problems faced by various electricians who used the screw-able terminal strip is the possible corrosion as time pass and its possibility that it might loosen its grip due through vibration.

2. Wide Variations offered

Despite the product’s positive review and its efficiency, it’s still quite a challenge for various electricians to know what terminal strip to use and how to properly use it.

Recommendations

Product	Product Name	Description
	12 Positions Insulated Terminal Block Jumper	This is a 12 Positions Insulated Terminal Block with a 400 Voltage capacity and a 10A current that may be cut to desired length. It is also insulated with a rubber covering for extra protection against accidental connections.
	6 Position Double Row Wire Barrier Block  Screw Terminal Strip	The Double Barrier Block Terminal Strip with positions for connection that has a plastic insulating cover (may be different from other products offered) and a screw-able barrier.  It is also has a 15 A capacity and 600 Voltage capacity.
	Power Distribution Block	This is a Power Distribution Block that has 1- 4 awg inputs and 4-8 awg outputs with a protective transparent cover and easy installation.