What is this low power connector on my intercom wires?
My apartment has an intercom to answer and open the building door. It is quite simple: there is a single circuit for both the voice and the trigger to open the door. The door is opened by short-circuiting the circuit (during this time you obviously cannot talk).
The original place of the intercom was right next to the door (this is what I saw at my neighbor's), it has been moved elsewhere by a previous owner. At the place where the old intercom was there is a junction box with a bunch of open-ended cables and two wires that have been patched to move the intercom.
What I do not understand is how they have been patched, specifically the something that connects them.
The wires do not come out of the connectors when pulling (but I did not try to pull too hard).
There is a 10V tension between the blue and white wires, in line with the expected voltage for the intercom.
My question: what are these connectors? Can I swap them for a WAGO splicing connector?
Question from user WoJ at stackexchange
Answer:
These look like an insulation displacement connector. 3M makes a comparable item they call Scotchlok; several other connector makers also offer something comparable. The Scotchlok name is semi-genericized in that some trades people call all connectors of this style by that name. These are permanent connectors. The conductors are inserted into holes in the housing, then the housing is squeezed with pliers so that a movable portion is forced in to engage and connect the conductors.
Yes it looks as if WAGO 221 should do the job equally well.
You can confirm whether these are connectors by cutting one off and measuring resistance between the cut leads. On the outside change we both were wrong and these aren't a connector -- splice the cut wires back together with two of your WAGO 221.
Answer from user Greg Hill at stackexchange
My apartment has an intercom to answer and open the building door. It is quite simple: there is a single circuit for both the voice and the trigger to open the door. The door is opened by short-circuiting the circuit (during this time you obviously cannot talk).
The original place of the intercom was right next to the door (this is what I saw at my neighbor's), it has been moved elsewhere by a previous owner. At the place where the old intercom was there is a junction box with a bunch of open-ended cables and two wires that have been patched to move the intercom.
What I do not understand is how they have been patched, specifically the something that connects them.
The wires do not come out of the connectors when pulling (but I did not try to pull too hard).
There is a 10V tension between the blue and white wires, in line with the expected voltage for the intercom.
My question: what are these connectors? Can I swap them for a WAGO splicing connector?
Question from user WoJ at stackexchange
Answer:
These look like an insulation displacement connector. 3M makes a comparable item they call Scotchlok; several other connector makers also offer something comparable. The Scotchlok name is semi-genericized in that some trades people call all connectors of this style by that name. These are permanent connectors. The conductors are inserted into holes in the housing, then the housing is squeezed with pliers so that a movable portion is forced in to engage and connect the conductors.
Yes it looks as if WAGO 221 should do the job equally well.
You can confirm whether these are connectors by cutting one off and measuring resistance between the cut leads. On the outside change we both were wrong and these aren't a connector -- splice the cut wires back together with two of your WAGO 221.
Answer from user Greg Hill at stackexchange