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Is side screw mounting acceptable?

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    Is side screw mounting acceptable?

    I've been installing all of my HomeSeer switches using the provided holes on the back. I'd prefer to loop the conductors under the side screws when possible to reduce the depth of the assembled unit and in general I feel that's a more sturdy connection.

    Has anyone done this successfully or is it explicitly stated not to somewhere?

    #2
    I use the holes because it's a royal pain to squeeze the 12 gauge around those screws. I can't imagine anyone having the patience to suffer through that. I've found that 14 gauge will not secure in the holes, and you have to wrap around the screws, but it's a degree of magnitude easier with 14 gauge.

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      #3
      Originally posted by tome10 View Post
      I use the holes because it's a royal pain to squeeze the 12 gauge around those screws. I can't imagine anyone having the patience to suffer through that. I've found that 14 gauge will not secure in the holes, and you have to wrap around the screws, but it's a degree of magnitude easier with 14 gauge.


      This home is nearly all 14ga except a couple dedicated 20A or appliance circuits. To date I've had no trouble with 14 securing in the rear holes, I just don't like that method and never thought to use the sides as it looked tight and wasn't clear if they were qualified for it.


      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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        #4
        Installation via rear holes or side screws is up to you. Typical switches in North America are all installed using screw terminals, and the clamp-on terminal "holes" are usually only provided on higher end switches as a convenience. Use whatever works best for you.
        HS Pro 3.0 | Linux Ubuntu 16.04 x64 virtualized under Proxmox (KVM)
        Hardware: Z-NET - W800 Serial - Digi PortServer TS/8 and TS/16 serial to Ethernet - Insteon PLM - RFXCOM - X10 Wireless
        Plugins: HSTouch iOS and Android, RFXCOM, BlueIris, BLLock, BLDSC, BLRF, Insteon PLM (MNSandler), Device History, Ecobee, BLRing, Kodi, UltraWeatherWU3
        Second home: Zee S2 with Z-Wave, CT101 Z-Wave Thermostat, Aeotec Z-Wave microswitches, HSM200 occupancy sensor, Ecolink Z-Wave door sensors, STI Driveway Monitor interfaced to Zee S2 GPIO pins.

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          #5
          Hmm, maybe i should re-phrase my comment: The one time I tried to use 14 gauge in the hole it wouldn't secure, so I assumed the screws were for 14 gauge. The few times I've had to get the 12 gauge around the screw terminal, I was cursing like a sailor within 30 seconds.

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            #6
            Originally posted by reidfo View Post
            Installation via rear holes or side screws is up to you. Typical switches in North America are all installed using screw terminals, and the clamp-on terminal "holes" are usually only provided on higher end switches as a convenience. Use whatever works best for you.

            My entire life I've used the screws. When I received my first HS device I sort of glanced at it and didn't think you could use the sides. A few dozen devices later I'm now realizing I'm wrong and could have doing it my preferred way lol. Sigh... live and learn. Thanks guys.



            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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              #7
              Yeah, the holes are so much more convenient for 12g wire.

              Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk
              HS4Pro on a Raspberry Pi4
              54 Z-Wave Nodes / 21 Zigbee Devices / 108 Events / 767 Devices
              Plugins: Z-Wave / Zigbee Plus / EasyTrigger / AK Weather / OMNI

              HSTouch Clients: 1 Android

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                #8
                The twin holes with the clamps are so much better than both the screws only versions or the dangerous holes with jam clamps, which seem highly dangerous. I use fewer/smaller wire nuts too - especially in multi-gangs
                cheeryfool

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                  #9
                  Whenever I had a wire that was inserted into the hole but did not secure with a tightened screw it was because I did not have the screw fully loosened before inserting the wire. The screw clamped the internal plates with the wire on the wrong side of the plates. Fully loosen the screw and try again. If it fails to clamp again turn the device over with the screw head in the other direction and try again. My experience is that if you tighten the screw and it clamps hard you probably are not clamping the wire. When you clamp the wire the screw will feel slightly "mushy" and will allow you to tighten in small increments a few times as the copper wire compresses. This feels like tightening a water faucet with a rubber washer.

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