IDEAL Industries 30-322 Set-Screw Connector, Model 22, 20-10 AWG, Box of 1,000

The IDEAL 30-322 (Model 22) set-screw connector is rated for 20 through 10 AWG conductors, so it covers everything from small control and fixture wire up to 10 AWG branch circuit conductors. That range is what makes it usable for mixed-gauge splices in a box where you would otherwise need two different connector sizes.

That is the main reason electricians buy the 30-322. The set screw clamps the conductors mechanically, so the splice can be broken and remade without re-stripping the wire each time the connection is disturbed. Twist-on wirenuts usually leave the conductor ends damaged or work-hardened after a couple of cycles.

Both. The 30-322 is UL listed to 486C and CSA Certified to C22.2 #188, and it complies with Federal Specification W-S-610E. The CSA certification is what matters if you are wiring in Canada, and the federal spec compliance is what government and institutional procurement usually asks for.

No, and this is the most common mix-up. The IDEAL 30-322 is a splice connector: it joins 20-10 AWG conductors inside a box with a set screw. A NEMA cord connector is a plug-body device that mates with a plug or receptacle, like the Bryant 8269T hospital grade NEMA 5-15R connector or the Leviton 8319-C hospital grade NEMA 5-20R. If you are terminating a cord to make a connection body, you want one of those, not a set-screw splice.

The 30-322 is a Model 22 set-screw splice connector for 20-10 AWG conductors and is not intended as a cord-end device. For a cord-mounted female connector, look at straight blade devices such as the Leviton 15W33 industrial grade straight blade connector, 3-wire 2-pole, 125V 20A, or the Pass and Seymour Turnlok 27W Series 20A watertight connector rated NEMA 4X/6P for wet locations.

Yes. The set screw applies maximum compression directly to the conductors, which is what gives a vibration-resistant splice. On equipment that shakes, that mechanical clamp is more dependable than a spring-threaded wirenut that can back off over time.

The shell is flame-retardant and rated to 150 C (302 F), which covers high-temperature fixture whips, ballast compartments, and heater junction boxes where a standard low-temp connector would not be acceptable.

The 30-322 ships as a box of 1,000 Model 22 connectors, which is a contractor or MRO stocking quantity rather than a few-splice pack. If you only need a handful, order a smaller count part number instead of this one.

The 30-322 is a dry-splice set-screw connector for use inside an enclosure; nothing in its ratings makes it a watertight device. For wet or washdown locations you want a purpose-built weatherproof fitting such as the Bryant WPC Series weatherproof wiring connector fitting, or for a cord-connection application the Pass & Seymour Turnlok 27W Series 20A watertight connector rated NEMA 4X/6P.

Hospital grade is a listing applied to receptacles and cord connectors, not to splice devices. The IDEAL 30-322 is a Model 22 set-screw connector for 20-10 AWG conductors, UL listed to 486C and CSA certified to C22.2 #188 and compliant with Federal Specification W-S-610E. If the hospital grade mark is what the spec calls for on the device itself, that is a connector such as the Bryant 8269T hospital grade NEMA 5-15R or the Leviton 8319-C hospital grade NEMA 5-20R.

The Leviton ML2-C is an ML2 Series midget connector supplied in packs of 100. The IDEAL 30-322 is a Model 22 set-screw connector sized for 20-10 AWG conductors, packed 1,000 to a box, and its set screw applies compression to the conductors so the splice resists vibration and does not need the wire restripped each time the connection is disturbed. The two serve different connection methods, so confirm which the drawing calls for before substituting.

Yes, the Model 22 shell permits fast visual inspection of the splice, so you can confirm the conductors are seated and the screw is driven without disassembling anything. That is useful on jobs where the AHJ wants to see completed splices before the boxes are closed.

For a 125V 20A straight blade connection body, the Leviton industrial grade 3-wire 2-pole connector is the item to look at. The IDEAL 30-322 will not serve that purpose at all, since it is a 20-10 AWG in-box splice connector with a set screw, not a plug-mating device.