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Crimp or Solder ???

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BuckSkin View Drop Down
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    Posted: 13 May 2024 at 11:48pm
Crimp vs Solder ?

I am a self-proclaimed expert when it comes to truck electrical and I have had my own way of doing things for years; probably wrong; but it's the way I do things.

Anything bigger than 10-AWG, I CRIMP and I mean CRIMP; and, I slather and saturate the wires in Vaseline prior to crimping, especially anything that goes in one of those copper-lug hollow-tube-type terminals.

I have one of those Forney crimpers where you hit it with a sledge-hammer; you can't get any more crimped than that.

For smaller wires, I have an old Harbor Freight crimper that I wouldn't trade to that guy for two pair of his Snap-On ones; they are that good; if you have a good grip, and I do, you can liquify the copper with a set of those.

Anything 12-AWG or less, I have always been adamant about soldering; however, every time I solder such a joint, I get this nagging feeling that I am doing more harm than good.

I even solder any small crimped connections; I crimp and then I solder.

It looks good and I believe a good coat of solder prevents anything getting into my connection.

However, and this is where I am in 100% agreement with the guy on the video, and why I never solder anything bigger than 10-AWG, especially battery-cable size, no matter how expert one claims to be at soldering, there is no way to prevent the solder wicking way back in the wires, way past the connection, and making that wire on both sides stiff and brittle.

My intentions are to change my life and quit soldering everywhere that I can; I know there are times and places where soldering is about the only choice.

I intend to ask ol' Saintie Claws for some of those good two-stage crimpers and procure myself a huge assortment of the various necessary crimp terminals.

I noticed that one set of crimpers ain't gonna cut it as they are pretty much specific to only three sizes of wire.


As for the Vaseline, I have used and tried all the expensive purpose-made treatments out there and I will stick with the Vaseline as I know for fact that it is better than anything else on Copper wire.

I have slathered and dipped in Vaseline old reddened green-corroded corrupted Copper cables that most would throw away --- poor people have to make do --- and then crimped the living daylights out of the connection and ten years later that old corrupted Copper wire will look better than new; shiny as a brand-new penny and flexible as a good welding cable.


Yes, I have been a firm believer in soldering; but, in my mind, I have always known it was not the best choice.

If one could somehow prevent that solder creeping way back past the joint, then I would be an adamant proclaimer for the superiority of soldering anything smaller than 10-AWG.
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WF owner View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WF owner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2024 at 8:18am
I have started using these lever connectors for connections that I may have to take apart at some point. They are not for places where the weather or road conditions might affect them, but I really like them for other applications where they are protected.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dorix Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 May 2024 at 12:10pm
I use Wagos occasionaly as well, and for certain applications they work well.
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Walker View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Walker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2024 at 8:36pm
Oxidization will eventually form on things pressed together ( the thing that makes old radios sound scratchy when turning the knobs to adjust sound and tuning potentiometers ) and may give you a less than perfect joint in time whereas solder will seal everything inside away from oxidization and keeps independent wires/electronics from working loose from each other. I'm a solder man myself. Plus you get to play with fire,acid and lead all at the same time.


Edited by Walker - 15 May 2024 at 8:47pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KJCHRIS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2024 at 9:14pm
I crimp almost all wiring terminals, some that can get tugged on when in use get crimped & soldered. 
 BuckSkin; I thought the Vaseline on wires was just something I learned from my grandad 50+ years ago. Only thing I do different is that on terminals going on batteries they get heat shrink (the good type with the jell stuff inside) or at least wrapped with electrical tape. That's what the Cat Dlr shop foreman taught us to do in the mid 70's. 
  I've seen cables and the crimped/sealed portion of terminal still be good after 10-15 years on old neglected construction equip. Just clip off old terminal, strip back and install a new one. 
 Anyone priced #1 ga or 2/0 batt cable lately?
 Crimp batt cable ends have jumped up also. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BuckSkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 May 2024 at 10:25pm
Originally posted by KJCHRIS KJCHRIS wrote:

wrapped with electrical tape

When I was a kid, "black tape" was a woven cloth affair impregnated with a roofing-tar-like substance that sealed everything away from the elements.

If you got close to it, you would be washing it off your hands for weeks.

Way every once in a while, I will run upon some on an old truck or tractor and it is still as gooey and sticky today as it was sixty years ago.

Then they came out with the thin plastic stuff of the last fifty years and I don't know even if one could buy that good old stuff if they wanted to.

I am sure it would be full of stuff that gives people in California cancer; but, it sure was good electrical tape.

Am I the only one that remembers it ?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote WF owner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2024 at 4:52am
Originally posted by BuckSkin BuckSkin wrote:

Originally posted by KJCHRIS KJCHRIS wrote:

wrapped with electrical tape

When I was a kid, "black tape" was a woven cloth affair impregnated with a roofing-tar-like substance that sealed everything away from the elements.

If you got close to it, you would be washing it off your hands for weeks.

Way every once in a while, I will run upon some on an old truck or tractor and it is still as gooey and sticky today as it was sixty years ago.

Then they came out with the thin plastic stuff of the last fifty years and I don't know even if one could buy that good old stuff if they wanted to.

I am sure it would be full of stuff that gives people in California cancer; but, it sure was good electrical tape.

Am I the only one that remembers it ?

I think you are talking about black friction tape. It's not cheap, but still available.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BuckSkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2024 at 5:23am
Originally posted by WF owner WF owner wrote:


I think you are talking about black friction tape. It's not cheap, but still available.

Thanks for finding that.

When I read this review: 

TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE!!!! WORST PURCHASE ON AMAZON EVER I HAVE EVER MADE! The tar glue comes off on your hands and makes your hands sticky, dirty and stinky. Eventually all the tar like substance completely comes off the tape so that it has no tackiness or grip at all. It is hard to wash the tar like substance off your hands. What a mess and disappointing product.

 :I knew it was the right stuff.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jaybmiller Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2024 at 6:09am
Question: Why did God invent gasoline ?

Answer: So you COULD get that sticky black goo OFF your hands !!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DMiller Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2024 at 6:19am
Have used crimp connectors for over fifty years now. Work fine when as note keep Air and moisture away. Used seal tape for early years, moved to shrink tubing and latest is Liquid tape UNDER shrink tube. Still solder sensitive connections as ABS or Sensors of any type as crimps add resistance. Larger cables get crimped then solder flowed into the connection and shrink tube applied around that as on Battery Cable ends.

All will eventually fatigue or ozone fail but make the best possible to last longest connections. Plug in connectors get a grease like connector lube that helps reduce moisture damage and seals aome
Air off them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BuckSkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2024 at 6:44am
Originally posted by DMiller DMiller wrote:

Liquid tape UNDER shrink tube

Are you meaning that stuff that has a brush on the can lid and is very similar to that stuff you dip plier handles in ?

I like that stuff but never thought to use it under heat-shrink; I had a can about half empty, lid screwed on tight, and went to use it six months later and it had solidified.

I am curious to try sixtyfiveFord's trick of storing such things with the can upside down.

Lately, I have been trying a new trick.

For years, I have adamantly applied three layers of heat shrink.

Lately, instead, I have been tightly wrapping with black tape and then completely cover that with a layer of heat shrink. 


I believe you are on to something by coating with liquid tape and then heat shrink over it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Codger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2024 at 7:08am
Potting compounds, 3:1 adhesive lined shrink tube, and good quality crimp terminations utilizing the correct tools for those terminations are usually the best methods to low resistance durable terminations. The zinc chloride used in soldering past flux becomes minutely corrosive if not washed clear after soldering, but most easily removes with 91% isopropyl alcohol.

I can't answer for suppliers as I don't shop from a price standpoint, but rather from what works and can be depended upon. I have literally hundreds of connections and terminations exposed to the elements for years with many being oceanside installations still performing and meeting design criteria. I use the same criteria in automotive type work.

Typically I used/use Burndy, Thomas & Betts, and some Ideal. Not the most inexpensive by any means, but from the mentality it has to work. 
A career built on repairing and improving engineering design deficiencies, shortcomings, and failures over 50 years now.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JoeM(GA) Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 May 2024 at 7:18am
LOL!, grew up on friction tape, that stiff was a true mess around an engine, but it worked! As for crimping, I too crimp all battery cables, I broke down a few years ago and bought a handheld hydraulic crimped, I love it as struggle with hand strength these days.
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