Best wire splice?
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,406
Likes: 834
From: Straight Jacket Memories and Sedative Highs
Probably a poor way to do things. But people will do it. I used to think it was a good idea too. Not so convinced anymore after all I have read.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,439
Likes: 884
From: 'Noke, VA
Well Mike, you're wrong.
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,406
Likes: 834
From: Straight Jacket Memories and Sedative Highs
Have you read this thread? Have you read up on topic?
I used to think solderong was tjhe way to go, just cause a snob appeal. More read about it, it is rigid and can brittle. I suspect if wires were side by side, like a wire nut would be ok. Not inline.
Spend some time reading. I've changed my mind.
I used to think solderong was tjhe way to go, just cause a snob appeal. More read about it, it is rigid and can brittle. I suspect if wires were side by side, like a wire nut would be ok. Not inline.
Spend some time reading. I've changed my mind.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 188
Likes: 94
From: Wilmington Delaware
Late to this discussion and new to the forum. Have a background (aeronautical engineering) with electronics and wiring in high vibration and nasty environments.
For stationary objects in a low vibration setting say a radio on a table, soldering is fine. I can solder with the best of them. For other applications like any moving vehicle, soldering requires very specific treatment to isolate the soldered joint from things like vibration, tension, torsion (twist) and bending. Heat shrink provides little of that, so if you're soldering, heat shrinking and thinking that's it, you may have a potential failure point in the future. Additionally, there are a lot of misconceptions about weather protection. Not all if not most connections require no weather protection, depending on the environment in which the connection spends its life. Case in point is the battery leads are exposed to the elements. Lack of understanding of this can actually create corrosion problems in soldered joints with bad or poorly done heat shrink, especially with dissimilar metals.
Crimping gets a bad rap since most folks don't use the proper tools to do it. A decent ratcheting wire crimper is under $40 so if you don't have one, get one. Same goes for a wire stripper. They are not the same thing so if you're using the same tool for both...don't; you need new tools.
We've come a long way in the past few decades with regards to splicing products, as others on this thread have already pointed out.
I personally rarely solder things for a moving vehicle. Doesn't mean you can't. But, there are just too many other better products out there that provide a much easier and fault resistant splice.
For stationary objects in a low vibration setting say a radio on a table, soldering is fine. I can solder with the best of them. For other applications like any moving vehicle, soldering requires very specific treatment to isolate the soldered joint from things like vibration, tension, torsion (twist) and bending. Heat shrink provides little of that, so if you're soldering, heat shrinking and thinking that's it, you may have a potential failure point in the future. Additionally, there are a lot of misconceptions about weather protection. Not all if not most connections require no weather protection, depending on the environment in which the connection spends its life. Case in point is the battery leads are exposed to the elements. Lack of understanding of this can actually create corrosion problems in soldered joints with bad or poorly done heat shrink, especially with dissimilar metals.
Crimping gets a bad rap since most folks don't use the proper tools to do it. A decent ratcheting wire crimper is under $40 so if you don't have one, get one. Same goes for a wire stripper. They are not the same thing so if you're using the same tool for both...don't; you need new tools.
We've come a long way in the past few decades with regards to splicing products, as others on this thread have already pointed out.
I personally rarely solder things for a moving vehicle. Doesn't mean you can't. But, there are just too many other better products out there that provide a much easier and fault resistant splice.
Last edited by DEGLIDE; Oct 28, 2019 at 08:22 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15,705
Likes: 22,718
From: Farmington ,MS
If you use an el-cheapo parts store crimping kit...you will always have problems... inline plastic tap, or trailer connectors as many people call them... should not be used on anything...including trailer connections...lol
Stage II
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: IN
Haisstronica butt connectors are easy to use because of their recognizable design. Each connector size comes in its own color code, allowing us to get the correct one at a glance. This will enable us to work much quicker since we don’t have to identify each size manually when we pick out a connector.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 177
Likes: 44
From: PA
I bought those newfangled heat shrink tubes with solder built in. Work good but you need to use flame instead fo a heat gun to get really focused heat to melt the solder. Like these.
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-1MFMZH...UaAhx-EALw_wcB
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-1MFMZH...UaAhx-EALw_wcB
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 289
Likes: 129
From: Flatlands of Indiana
34 years in aerospace, damn near everything is crimped. They key are the expensive tools used and the terminals. We don't use AutoZone crimpers and Chinese terminals. The tools and terminals are qualified to produce an acceptable crimp (not over / not under). I still use solder and shrink tube most of the time at home. Don't overheat the solder joint and wick solder up the wires, and use enough shrink tube to provide good strain relief and you'll be fine.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 898
Likes: 66
From: Slidell, Louisiana
I'm thinking about adding some extensions onto some LED's that I have, and I'm wondering if there are any new products out there that offer a nice clean splice when adding another set of LED's onto existing lines. I did a "search" and didn't really see anything applicable. Any help would be appreciated.