mikeb
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 02:18 PM |
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joining thicker wires
I need to join up the wires from my ignition switch to my loom.
For thinner wires I'd normally lay them on top of each other, solder them heat shrink over the top.
Is this suitable for thicker cables for the ignition?
Cheers
Mike
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big-vee-twin
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 02:27 PM |
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Crimp
Duratec Engine is fitted, MS2 Extra V3 is assembled and tested, engine running, car now built. IVA passed 26/02/2016
http://www.triangleltd.com
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mikeb
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 02:30 PM |
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Prefer to make it permanent. Never had much luck with crimps longer term.
Surely a nicely soldered connection is going to be better?
Plus I dont' have any that size and I'm tight 
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big-vee-twin
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 02:36 PM |
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Nothing wrong with crimps long term, most dirstribution cables in buildings carrying 100's amps are crimped and last well over 25 years
Soldering is fine however but I would do it with a crimp
Duratec Engine is fitted, MS2 Extra V3 is assembled and tested, engine running, car now built. IVA passed 26/02/2016
http://www.triangleltd.com
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jossey
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 02:44 PM |
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with heat shrink on top.
should be ok shouldnt it?
Thanks
David Johnson
Building my tiger avon slowly but surely.
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bi22le
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 02:50 PM |
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When I was doing a lot of in car entertainment I had to join thick supply wires quite often. You can get nice gold plated self insulating joining
blocks. They are quite extensive so the locost sie would be to solder. I also ended up doing this quite alot because access of space was often tight.
Make sure the wire doesnot flex where is it left. As I am sure you know the wire becomes brittle just either side of a soldered joint. You dont want
intermittent problems under a heat shrik that you will never find!
Good luck.
Track days ARE the best thing since sliced bread, until I get a supercharger that is!
Please read my ring story:
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/13/viewthread.php?tid=139152&page=1
Me doing a sub 56sec lap around Brands Indy. I need a geo set up! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHksfvIGB3I
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snowy2
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 02:54 PM |
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The trouble with soldering is that it is prone to cracking hence why the major car makers all use crimped connections. you don't need to run
thick cables to the ignition switch.....use relays a bank of 45A relays can be triggered with a single 5A wire.
sometimes you are the pigeon, most of the time the statue.
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 03:26 PM |
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A crimp IS a permanent connection, but not when it's done with a pair of pliers or side cutters! A crimp offers vastly better resistance to
vibration than soldering and lower electrical resistance.
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Autosri
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 04:00 PM |
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At work I jus use crimps and they are fine if done right but when I used to do my car audio stuff I would crimp the cables and then heat them with a
blow lamp and get some solder down the hole in the middle that way the crimp holds the weight and is still flexible at the ends but perfectly joined
in the middle but for normal ignition wires I would just crimp them
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craig1410
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| posted on 12/12/11 at 07:55 PM |
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Agree with those who say that you should crimp not solder. I used to design engine test looms for Lucas Automotive Electronics in Cirencester and the
looms had lots of crimped connections in them. There were some soldered joints but most were crimped.
The key thing is to buy a proper crimp tool with a ratchet and use the correct die with the correct crimps. If you do that and of course prepare the
ends properly then you will have a joint so strong that the cable will snap before the crimp pulls out. More importantly it will survive vibration
fatigue for many years before breaking, unlike solder joints. I should also mention that I am trained to military standards in soldering and I would
prefer a crimped connection on an automotive application any day.
See if you can borrow a crimp tool if the cost puts you off.
If you do decide to solder then a technique I've used before is to bare the ends of the wire and then just push the two bare ends into each
other such that the wire cores "interleave". Then use a pair of needle nose pliers to compress the joint gently and use liquid solder flux
to soak the joint before using a relatively small amount of solder with a powerful iron. If you can compress the joint nicely then you shouldn't
need much solder and you can largely avoid brittleness at each side. Then use adhesive lined shrink sleeving in two or three layers to support the
joint. It is imperative that you avoid any bending loads on that joint so support it with cable ties or whatever when installed.
HTH,
Craig.
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mikeb
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| posted on 13/12/11 at 02:38 PM |
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crimps it is then.
I know production cars use crimps but I only have the cheapy ones, that was really what I was refering to in terms of being a bit ropey not your OEM
grade stuff.
Cheers
Mike
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eddie99
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| posted on 13/12/11 at 02:40 PM |
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As a few people above, I crimp everything, using correct crimping tools, crimps are permanent. Just make sure you check everyone but seeing if you can
pull it apart.
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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craig1410
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| posted on 13/12/11 at 02:45 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mikeb
crimps it is then.
I know production cars use crimps but I only have the cheapy ones, that was really what I was refering to in terms of being a bit ropey not your OEM
grade stuff.
Cheers
Mike
If you take care you can effect a decent crimp connection with a pair of needle nose pliers but you need to ensure that you roll the ends of the crimp
into the body of the wire. The result when viewed from the end is like a figure of eight. Another way to describe it is if you take both hands and
close your fists and point your thumbs up. Then bring your palms together with thumbs pointing at your eyes and the shape of your curled up fingers
should be similar to the crimps. You can ease the crimp into this shape with pliers but it takes much longer than with the correct die. Better than
just using side cutters though. Also depends on whether the crimp is insulated or not as you might not be able to get at it if it's
insulated.
Just make sure the resulting joint is mechanically strong - pull it hard to test. And also, think about what would happen if it came apart and shorted
on the chassis. Is there a fuse to protect the live wire or will you be looking at a loom meltdown and possible fire??? Be safe!
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mikeb
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| posted on 13/12/11 at 03:14 PM |
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THe ones i have are like this.
blue Spade Terminals Male & female crimps crimp x 50 | eBay
I dont' think you can get a nice figure 8 on those.
What type to people recommend?
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snowy2
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| posted on 13/12/11 at 05:28 PM |
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My car is wired with them and my article posted elsewhere on here recommend them. my car has done 20000 miles over 3 years with out any problems....
sometimes you are the pigeon, most of the time the statue.
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