Sta-Kon RB486 INSNYL RECT RNG TERM 16-14 No4 BLUE

The RB486 is sized for 16-14 AWG stranded copper conductor. That is the standard blue color code range, and the barrel insulation on this terminal is blue to match, so an electrician can identify the gauge range at a glance in a panel or on a reel of pre-crimped leads. Wire outside 16-14 AWG will either not retain in the crimp or will not seat in the barrel, so step to the red (22-16) or yellow (12-10) terminal for those conductors.

The RB486 ring tongue is a No. 4 size, so it lands on a #4 screw or stud. On a terminal block or ground lug with a #6 or #8 screw the ring will not pass over the threads, so match the tongue size to the hardware already in the enclosure before ordering a box of these.

Yes, the nylon insulated RB486 carries a 600 V rating, which covers typical motor control panels, lighting circuits, and branch wiring in commercial and industrial enclosures. It is also UL recognized under file E9809, which is what a plan reviewer or inspector on an institutional job will want to see for terminations inside listed equipment.

The RB486 uses a rectangular tongue rather than a round one. The flat, squared body gives more bearing surface against adjacent terminals on a crowded block and keeps the terminal from spinning as easily when the screw is torqued. Electrically it does the same job as a round ring: the closed tongue cannot vibrate off the stud the way a spade or fork terminal can, so use it wherever you need a captive connection. Pick a fork or spade instead only when you need to remove the lead without fully backing the screw out.

Nylon insulation, as used on the RB486, holds up better than vinyl to abrasion, cut-through, and elevated temperatures, which matters when leads are pulled through a wireway or bundled tight against a hot contactor. Nylon also flares to support the wire as it exits the barrel, reducing strand breakage where a lead flexes. For general purpose indoor control wiring vinyl is adequate; for machine and panel work the nylon barrel is the usual specification.

The RB486 barrel is copper, which means it is intended for copper conductors only. Crimping copper-bodied terminals onto aluminum wire creates a dissimilar metal joint that corrodes and loosens over time. If the feeder or branch conductor is aluminum, you need a connector specifically marked AL or AL9CU, not this terminal.

These are crimped, not soldered or screwed, so they need a ratcheting crimper with the die for 16-14 AWG insulated terminals, the same nest a blue insulated terminal always uses. A pliers-style squeeze does not produce a repeatable crimp and will fail a pull test. The tool is sold separately from the terminal.

Country of origin on the RB486 is the United States, which is what procurement officers on federally funded or Buy American contracts need documented for electrical consumables.

Order Sta-Kon part number RB486. That designation covers the nylon insulated rectangular ring terminal for 16-14 AWG wire with a No. 4 ring, blue insulation. Distributors standardizing a kit should keep the full color series together so the correct gauge range is always on the truck.