how does everybody connect their wires?? whether it be crimped, twisted, taped, or soldered, we all have ways of doing them.
i personally prefer solder and tape to everything. i couldn't tell you the last time i used a crimp connector. granted crimps are MUCH quicker than tying, soldering, and taping wires off, but i like the idea that i KNOW a soldered connection will not be coming apart.
i guess it could be argued that if you crimp it right, it won't come apart. oh well.
comments??
-UK
Replies (11)
ttocs on 01/14/2005 10:15:58
Soldering is a better method, and I would probably do it on my car. But I do not think it is necessary to do so on easy items like decks and speakers, crimp connectors will do just fine. Crimp caps are a no-no as they pull off too easy. Alarms I do solder as an alarm is only as good as the install, no reason to skimp.
If you didn't work as CC would you still want to solder EVERYTHING?
gearhead on 01/14/2005 10:49:26
I crimp big stuff, #2 or heavier. I solder almost everything else. I use self sealing heat shrink most of the time. If I do use tape, I use the stuff with no glue on it, it sticks to itself when stretched. It doesn't ever get "gummy" or unravel.
swez on 01/14/2005 12:56:28
I use crimps on most every day applications and give them a good tug to insure they are secure. However, in critical wiring applications, soldering and shrink tubing are the most reliable way to connect wires.
The only time I use tape, is to secure bundled wires for a neat, clean install. I have found certain electrical tapes that are very soft and stretch to be very effective. I usually heat this tape like shrink tubing and they don't unravel.
Swez
uochronos on 01/14/2005 14:33:23
for day to day system i use crimp on everything small and solder 8 guage and larger... for pure SQ and high end stuff i use crimps all the way though... solder is a good conductor but good 99% pure copper crimps are a way better conductor. infact the more i read about it the more i see most really high end and experts seem to us this method as well. just my 2 cents.
Chronos
UKinstaller on 01/14/2005 22:51:36
nice responses. ttocs if i didn't work at CC, i would use crimps on radios in easy cars like fords. i would hate to put a deck in say a 4Runner where it's an iso mount and the disassembly is kind of a pain and have problems with a loose connection.
gearhead you CRIMP stuff bigger than 2 gauge?? interesting.
swez i definitely feel the tape for clean installs. i use it all the time. i think that 3M makes THE best electrical tape. it is very soft, stretchy, and never comes unravelled.
chronos, i've never used the 99% pure copper crimps, i might have to check those out.
and to anyone that ever reads this that doesn't already know, always, ALWAYS solder when installing an alarm. someone might be pretty pissed if the crimp holding together their starter kill relay came undone and they can't start their car.....
-UK
uochronos on 01/15/2005 01:52:24
ya only found 2 places that have 99% pure copper connectors and still trying to get some from one of them... i have like a whole bunch of info about the whole idea behind why good crimps are better then solder. let me find the web site and i well let you guys have a look and see what ya think... one key here is useing a good set of crimpers need alot of preasure here.
Chronos
UKinstaller on 01/15/2005 02:38:08
nothing crimps quite like a Klein.
-UK
gearhead on 01/15/2005 09:54:54
I've got an AMP brand crimper set. It looks like a set of bolt cutters. 24" long handles. I don't have any dies smaller than #2, that's one reason I solder anything smaller. It swages the terminals to the wire/cable. Terminals ain't cheap though, about $5 ea. for solid copper battery terminals & $3 ea for lugs. I've never had a cable/terminal failure with it.
MrBrownstone on 01/17/2005 22:40:50
I use tape to keep crimps or soldered connections from bending too much. Personally, I've never had a crimped wire fail, and besides, you really F-up your connecting posts after you use solder.
No need to solder anything. Circuit boards use it because it takes up less space and is far cheaper than crimp as it's less install time when doing 300 pieces to a board. In car audio and security, no advantage other than it's 'irreversible'.
PS You can melt solder again, but that's not the point. Electricity doesn't know the difference. U can use Platinum solder, but if you are using copper or silver wire, the limit factor is the wire,...not the connection.
You can use a butter knife or the back side of a spoon to butter bread. Both are equally easy to use, and do the same job.
ttocs on 01/17/2005 22:48:49
I solder alarms just to ensure that wires are not going to come loose. If I do use crimps in the occasion it is hard to get to, I use wire ties around both wires to keep them together.
What about where water may get into the crimp such as in a door for a speaker. The corrosion will eventually lead to the failure of the connection. A properly soldered and insulated connection would be prefered here I think.
Victor on 01/17/2005 22:55:14
Crimp and Tape .. thats how I do it..
Victor...
i personally prefer solder and tape to everything. i couldn't tell you the last time i used a crimp connector. granted crimps are MUCH quicker than tying, soldering, and taping wires off, but i like the idea that i KNOW a soldered connection will not be coming apart.
i guess it could be argued that if you crimp it right, it won't come apart. oh well.
comments??
-UK
Replies (11)
ttocs on 01/14/2005 10:15:58
Soldering is a better method, and I would probably do it on my car. But I do not think it is necessary to do so on easy items like decks and speakers, crimp connectors will do just fine. Crimp caps are a no-no as they pull off too easy. Alarms I do solder as an alarm is only as good as the install, no reason to skimp.
If you didn't work as CC would you still want to solder EVERYTHING?
gearhead on 01/14/2005 10:49:26
I crimp big stuff, #2 or heavier. I solder almost everything else. I use self sealing heat shrink most of the time. If I do use tape, I use the stuff with no glue on it, it sticks to itself when stretched. It doesn't ever get "gummy" or unravel.
swez on 01/14/2005 12:56:28
I use crimps on most every day applications and give them a good tug to insure they are secure. However, in critical wiring applications, soldering and shrink tubing are the most reliable way to connect wires.
The only time I use tape, is to secure bundled wires for a neat, clean install. I have found certain electrical tapes that are very soft and stretch to be very effective. I usually heat this tape like shrink tubing and they don't unravel.
Swez
uochronos on 01/14/2005 14:33:23
for day to day system i use crimp on everything small and solder 8 guage and larger... for pure SQ and high end stuff i use crimps all the way though... solder is a good conductor but good 99% pure copper crimps are a way better conductor. infact the more i read about it the more i see most really high end and experts seem to us this method as well. just my 2 cents.
Chronos
UKinstaller on 01/14/2005 22:51:36
nice responses. ttocs if i didn't work at CC, i would use crimps on radios in easy cars like fords. i would hate to put a deck in say a 4Runner where it's an iso mount and the disassembly is kind of a pain and have problems with a loose connection.
gearhead you CRIMP stuff bigger than 2 gauge?? interesting.
swez i definitely feel the tape for clean installs. i use it all the time. i think that 3M makes THE best electrical tape. it is very soft, stretchy, and never comes unravelled.
chronos, i've never used the 99% pure copper crimps, i might have to check those out.
and to anyone that ever reads this that doesn't already know, always, ALWAYS solder when installing an alarm. someone might be pretty pissed if the crimp holding together their starter kill relay came undone and they can't start their car.....
-UK
uochronos on 01/15/2005 01:52:24
ya only found 2 places that have 99% pure copper connectors and still trying to get some from one of them... i have like a whole bunch of info about the whole idea behind why good crimps are better then solder. let me find the web site and i well let you guys have a look and see what ya think... one key here is useing a good set of crimpers need alot of preasure here.
Chronos
UKinstaller on 01/15/2005 02:38:08
nothing crimps quite like a Klein.
-UK
gearhead on 01/15/2005 09:54:54
I've got an AMP brand crimper set. It looks like a set of bolt cutters. 24" long handles. I don't have any dies smaller than #2, that's one reason I solder anything smaller. It swages the terminals to the wire/cable. Terminals ain't cheap though, about $5 ea. for solid copper battery terminals & $3 ea for lugs. I've never had a cable/terminal failure with it.
MrBrownstone on 01/17/2005 22:40:50
I use tape to keep crimps or soldered connections from bending too much. Personally, I've never had a crimped wire fail, and besides, you really F-up your connecting posts after you use solder.
No need to solder anything. Circuit boards use it because it takes up less space and is far cheaper than crimp as it's less install time when doing 300 pieces to a board. In car audio and security, no advantage other than it's 'irreversible'.
PS You can melt solder again, but that's not the point. Electricity doesn't know the difference. U can use Platinum solder, but if you are using copper or silver wire, the limit factor is the wire,...not the connection.
You can use a butter knife or the back side of a spoon to butter bread. Both are equally easy to use, and do the same job.
ttocs on 01/17/2005 22:48:49
I solder alarms just to ensure that wires are not going to come loose. If I do use crimps in the occasion it is hard to get to, I use wire ties around both wires to keep them together.
What about where water may get into the crimp such as in a door for a speaker. The corrosion will eventually lead to the failure of the connection. A properly soldered and insulated connection would be prefered here I think.
Victor on 01/17/2005 22:55:14
Crimp and Tape .. thats how I do it..
Victor...
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