A rat-tail splice, also known as a twist splice or a pig-tail splice, is a very basic electrical splice that can be done with both solid and

stranded wire Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm A wire is a flexible strand of metal. Wire is co ...

. It is made by taking two or more bare wires and wrapping them together symmetrically around the common axis of both wires. The bare splice can be insulated with electrical tape or other means. This common and simple splice is not very strong mechanically. It can be made stronger by coating it with solder, or it can be twisted and then held in place by the internal metal spring or threads of a

twist-on wire connector Twist-on wire connectors are a type of electrical connector used to fasten two or more low-voltage (or extra-low-voltage) electrical conductors. They are widely used in North America and several European countries in residential, commercial ...

, also called a wire nut. Because it is not very strong, the splice is not meant to connect wires that will be pulled or stressed. Rather, it is intended for wires that are protected inside an enclosure or junction box.

References

*https://web.archive.org/web/20080921113045/http://workmanship.nasa.gov/guidadv_recmeth.jsp {{Splices Telecommunications equipment Electrical wiring Splices

See also

References