# crimp connectors, splices and ect. tips.



## rabbit (Apr 21, 2015)

I solder crimp connectors because crimped connections fail more often. In fact, they suck. If you're careful you can pull the plastic barrel off, solder and push it back on.
If you want, where the wire goes into the crimp connector, where the metal is split, take regular pliers and smoosh just one side of the split around the wire you've tinned, curl the other side of the split around that and solder. This is a good trick if your connectors are a bit too big for the wire.
A tiny bit of silicone sealer (toothpick) between the end of shrink tubing and the wire just before it's shrunk. Waterproof more or less.
I use a Western Union splice for smaller (under 10 ga. or so) wires. It gets bulky on larger wire. If you can get two wraps with stranded wire you're good. Solder it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Union_splice
I can bend a loop or hook in the wire, load it up with solder and use it instead of a crimp on stud connector. This is a good work around if you're out of the proper connector.
Use flux with solder. Chuck the wire nuts and crimper. Solder everything


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## DaleH (Apr 21, 2015)

Wow :shock: ... and I wonder why then that insurance companies, ABYC, the European equivalent thereof and the USCG find MORE boat fires and burned boats due to electrical fires caused by poor soldering technique? Ever hear of the Apollo 11 disaster?

I'm glad it may work for you, but not for me .. 

A soldered joint hardens the juncture and makes it brittle. Recall ABYC standards also state that solder should not be the sole means of connection, or something to that effect. All wires must also be properly secured and routed too, to prevent vibration and chafe.

Use cheap crimpers? Yup, you'll get a lousy result. So yes, there's some technique to good crimp techniques as well as the tooling. But I don't care if you're a NASA-certified solderer (yes, there IS such a certification process and ratings) ... stay away from my electrical connections, lol  .

But otherwise it is of my opinion that your advice or admonition against crimping is mistaken.


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## PSG-1 (Apr 21, 2015)

While soldering most certainly assures a connection that won't come loose, unfortunately, the heat from soldering, as well as the flux itself, sets up the wire for corrosion issues, especially around salt water.

The BEST method is to use heat-shrink self adhesive lined butt connectors. In fact, it's what ABYC recommends. When you do the heat shrink, use a heat gun, not an open flame, to shrink them. Open flame will usually damage heat shrink tubing and connectors.

When properly done, the adhesive lining heats up and bonds to the insulation of the wire. For additional protection, install a length of heat shrink tubing over the connection. Or better yet, use a few wraps of 3M rubber splicing tape on the connection. Once you put this tape on there, you cannot unwrap it, you have to score it with a razor to remove it. 

If done in this manner, the connection is not only secure, it is waterproof, which means it will also resist corrosion.


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## rabbit (Apr 21, 2015)

Ever notice how the wires in your VHF are soldered? Also the place where repeated bending will break the wire is just behind the solder. I've never seen this happen after thousands of joints on radios, boats, cars, atvs or anything else I've soldered. Maybe that's due to other factors like properly securing it. I've seen many failed crimps. Not all of them mine.
If the wire is spliced then solder isn't the sole means of connection.
I believe as many boaters do crummy wiring as there are farmers who are sloppy welders.
Mobile radio joints often fail where components are mounted to the board. Soldered wires almost never break at the solder.
Crimped connections corrode more easily and the crimp can damage the wire.
Copper wire is heated to what, 750 to 900 degrees to anneal it. How hot is a soldering iron?
As far as my tools go, I buy the best I can afford so I'm not disappointed.
Cheers


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## PsychoXP18CC (Apr 22, 2015)

I've used both crimp connectors and soldered connections on various applications over the years. And yes, there are better and worse ways to do either. Once a secure connection is made, sealing the connection and securing it from movement are just as important. The wire will take a lot more abuse than the point where the solder stops before it work hardens and breaks. But any wire or connection will eventually fail given enough cycles of movement. So yes, securing the wire and connection to minimize movement is very important either way. 

I learned to solder when racing slot cars where it's key to make sound connections, both electrical and structural, with the least amount of solder because every gram of weight slows you down. Getting a wire/connection to hold up to a few thousand fairly extreme bending cycles in a single race involves a bit more than just melting some metal onto some wire. Corrosion wasn't an issue because we rebuilt just about the entire car between races, but integrity was everything. We used, and I still do use, an 1100 degree iron, but I also have a rheostat on my soldering station so I can reduce the heat for more delicate tasks like circuit boards and such. Different fluxes work better in different applications too. You can use acid flux for an electrical connection, but a paste flux made for that task will not corrode nearly as fast where the acid flux works better for structural connections between dissimilar materials. Most any flux will promote corrosion, so cleaning a connection after soldering can make them last a lot longer too.


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## overboard (Apr 22, 2015)

I like to just crimp most of my connections. 
What I do is heat up a standard crimp connector and push the metal crimp tube out of it with a finishing nail or something similar. Then I slide a piece of shrink tube over the wire, crimp the bare connector, and then position the shrink tube over the splice and shrink it. Never had a problem.
I just did something different though on a boat trailer:
I used the male and female spade connectors, so everything could be just unplugged to replace a broken light if needed.
Before I put the connector on I put some silicone sealer on the wire coating, pushed the connector on, and then crimped it. Dielectric grease on the contacts, and dielectric grease on the outside of the female connector before plugging together. I would think those connectors should now be waterproof.


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## DaleH (Apr 23, 2015)

overboard said:


> Dielectric grease on the contacts, and dielectric grease on the outside of the female connector before plugging together. I would think those connectors should now be waterproof.


1) Water-resistant maybe, not water tight. 
2) Grease on OUTSIDE of the female will do nothing but attract dirt & promote corrosion.

I'd leave connection intact as is and would wipe it off clean and cost w/ 2 thin coats of liquid electrical tape from Home Depot. This peels right off in the event you ever need to switch out to a new ligt assy.


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## overboard (Apr 23, 2015)

Hmmm?, good idea, may just try that.


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## poolie (Apr 24, 2015)

These https://www.posi-products.com/ are some of the best I've ever used.


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## minuteman62-64 (Apr 24, 2015)

I used to have a high failure rate with crimps. Then I: a. got the correct tool; and, b. learned how to use it (at first I was inserting the connectors backwards  ).

I use that liquid electrical tape on almost all of my connections. Haven't had a problem yet.


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## Hanr3 (Apr 25, 2015)

I crimped all my boat connections. 6 years later and I have not had one issue. I also use Die-electric grease, and never use shrink tubing. Trapped moisture leads to corrosion. 
It's all in the technique. Solder won't stick if the surfaces are dirty. I have yet to see a brush small enough to get inside the connections crimp area so you can brush to bare metal for a good connection.


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## Bob Landry (May 17, 2015)

I'been in the marine service business for 20 years, have ben using crimp connectors and have never had one fail. The adhesive lined heat shrink connectors provide a water tight seal.
BTW, ABYC does not allow a solder connection if the joint relies totally on solder for a mechanical connection. Neither did the Naval instructor who taught me circuit board repair and micro soldering.


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