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Solder or Crimp

Started by antelopeslr5000 , Jan 22 2009 07:24 PM

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46 replies to this topic

#1 antelopeslr5000

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 07:24 PM

What do you prefer? Do you solder wires together or use a splice. Do you solder or crimp your connections?

I'm interested to hear from other members what they prefer and why they choose one method over the other.

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#2 FastEHHolden

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 07:32 PM

Depends on what its on....if its not "important" its crimped...under dash stuff gets crimped....but for the quick installation it gets twitched and taped...and I go over it again properly when it all works.

Things like ignition wiring, tachiometric relay etc get soldered.

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#3 _sshatch355_

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 07:49 PM

im a crimper but with a decent rachet crimper not those dodgy cheapo ones. but if i have to join a wire i will trace it back to the plug and run a completly new wire and track down the appropriate fittings so it plugs up as standard.

i dont like soldering if i can help it but i think that has more to do with the fact i cant get it neat enough and it pisses me off!!

i know with my ice ignition it says to "avoid soldering wires as they become brittle where the solder ends,flex at that point and break"

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#4 _torana_umunga74_

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 07:54 PM

i just twist them.. man im dodge

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#5 _OtG_

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 07:59 PM

Solder here... usually!

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#6 76lxhatch

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 08:04 PM

Solder and heat shrink. Solder joints can get brittle but in automotive applications (especially under bonnet) anything less doesn't even last half as long.

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#7 _SS Hatchback_

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 08:09 PM

Solder and heatshrink, stereo's im a ratchet crimper man , so when they need to come out its unplugged easily or later model stuff i buy one of those harnesses that go from your stereo and plug to your original wiring loom.

In saying that i have never reallyhad any issues with crimping

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#8 GML-31

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 09:39 PM

same as last 2... solder and heat shrink

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#9 _keith1962_

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 09:56 PM

If you want it long term then solder/heatshrink it but if its temp just crimp it.

my 2c worth

cheers Keith

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#10 _Viper_

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 10:51 PM

Yea I prefer to Solder/heat shrink, Hate crimped wires that pull out... Altho I havnt got one of those "proper" crimpers

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#11 TerrA LX

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Posted 22 January 2009 - 11:15 PM

Solder where ever possible.

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#12 _keith1962_

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Posted 23 January 2009 - 04:51 AM

Well Viper
I havnt got one of those "proper" crimpers if you want the rachet crimpers give me a
call on 0417643342 & i can supply mate.

cheers Keith

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#13 ToRunYa

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Posted 23 January 2009 - 08:17 AM

solder and heatshrink..... Husband? twist and any sort of tape he can find (most usually gaffa)

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#14 Tiny

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 08:59 AM

I've just been through it and here's my 2 bobs worth...

I Generally solder and heat shrink - any joined or spliced wires get twisted together well so that theyre almost load bearing themselves, then soldered then heat shrink applied. I'll also do my level best to make sure that you take teh strain off the connections by cable tying the wires away so they dont get pulled on!

I had an interesting system where i used those white plastic clip connectors with the uninsulated terminals.
I have a good set of ratchet crimpers and i bought what i THOUGHT was the right dies to suit the uninsulated but they weren't... so i bought a set of crimpers from Keith (Thanks again mate!!) and used them to complete all teh uninsulated connections. and i tell you.. with those crimpers you cannot tell that they weren't factory connections! On the car side, i actually then heated the connector up and put some solder in there but this caused me a bit of trouble when i came to push them into the connector - the solder stopped them from clipping in nicely!
SO the dash side i just crimped and clipped! Perfect!

My vote is mainly solder and heatshrink - however a good crimp on a good terminal is just fine IMHO!

Oh and anyone that uses those scotch lock self piercing connectors is ASKING for trouble!

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#15 _why-psi_

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 10:27 AM

if its for me or a friend. Solder. if its for someone random, Crimp. if its for someone i dont like much, Twist and Tape

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#16 Tiny

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 10:34 AM

LOL^

All the people who worked on my car, Auto sparkie or not.. must have hated me!

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#17 Heath

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 10:47 AM

Twist, solder, heatshrink.

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#18 fuzzypumper

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 10:49 AM

When splicing I usually twist & solder . In crimping situations I will usually solder too , especially when its under bonnet.
I also use heatshrink, nitto tape and pan ties where ever needed.
But then I studied electronics, so i wouldnt do it any other way.

Maybe all those years of sucking up lead solder fumes has effected me

Twitch twitch.

Edited by fuzzypumper, 24 January 2009 - 10:52 AM.

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#19 MRLXSS

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 11:30 AM

Twist and tape! :tease:

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#20 _Brewster_

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 03:20 PM

I'm usually a crimp guy, makes it easier to isolate when fault finding. And its usually my shit crimping! :tease:

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#21 Com_VC

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 06:32 PM

Yeah mainly solder and heat shrink, I dont twist the wires though. Firstly i'll thin each wire i'm joining with solder and then solder them together.

I mainly only crimp when i'm working with relays or need to fit a ring terminal for an earth or similar.

Most stuff also gets taped up so it looks factory.

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#22 VitcLJ

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Posted 24 January 2009 - 08:32 PM

Crimp with correct tools if on the ends of wires to terminals particularly if the wire is subject to movement. Heatshrink and solder if the wire is a a junction not subject to movement within a couple of centimetres of the joint. Soldering into terminals that are designed for crimping is not a good idea. Soldering and then crimping into a terminal is a crap idea The solder is a ductile metal and will in time move away from the pressure points in the crimp (its actually against the standards to do this) giving a high resistance joint. As noted those self piecing joiners are dangerous if you are going to draw any current through them, if its just for alarm voltage monitoring they work OK. twisting and taping is satisfactory in an emergency but hardly what one would call professional. (Ive seen installations of car stereos done this way by some well known retailers and reckon its a crap way of installing something in a customers car even if done for free).

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#23 antelopeslr5000

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Posted 25 January 2009 - 08:19 PM

Yeah, thoses splice scotch locks are pretty crap.

Posted Image

Quick and nasty, an auto electricians dream! :spoton:

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#24 _Patrick_

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Posted 26 January 2009 - 08:29 AM

when i started my job i was tought to solder and became pretty fast and goo with a soldering iron so all my connections get soldered.

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#25 _oldjohnno_

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Posted 31 January 2009 - 07:43 AM

Almost always crimped with good quality fittings and tools. I'm not sure what the law is in Australia but I'm told in the US it's not acceptable to use soldered joints in aviation applications because as someone else has pointed out there is a very high likelyhood of the wire fatigueing and breaking off at the start of the soldered section. I've personally seen this happen quite a few times on cars and trucks and other machines, mainly where there is vibration present. A good crimp avoids this and provides a perfectly acceptable electrical bond.