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For the best connection I solder, do you? Why not?

offgriddle

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For the best connection I solder, do you? Why not?
 

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The larger the wire the more difficult the process. I am far better with a crimp with anything larger than #16.
 
I am a believer in soldering most of the time. However, on larger cable lugs (4 awg and up), I have had the solder crack under temperature changes and cause an intermittent connection that gets worse over time. I now crimp the larger connectors. Only time will tell how long they hold up.
 
I used to think that crimp and then solder was the best connection ..... but that was before I got a couple of hydraulic crimp tools that create an unbelievably good connection.
I now avoid solder because the flux can cause oxidation and also causes the wire to be brittle.

If you don't have REALLY GOOD crimp tools, crimp then a good solder joint may be the best.
 
I solder any small signal level type crimps - for example BMS voltage sense wires. Unless using a connector like a Deutsch that uses barrel crimp style connections.

I crimp any large high current connections. This is because with high current comes temperature rise and expansion/contraction. This can cause the solder to compress and crack and you end up with a poor connection; similar to a cold solder joint.
 
I solder everything for #10 wires and smaller - I have a history of doing wiring on salt water boats and corrosion is the big enemy there and crimped connections seem to corrode faster than soldered joints. I have made battery cables in the past with soldered lugs - Heat the lug with a torch, fill it half way with solder, insert the cable and keep the heat on until the cable gets too hot to hold and then remove the heat. Marine grade heat shrink tubing over the joint. Never had one of them fail. As with any connector, the key is to make sure you're not creating a cold solder joint. I do agree that for larger cables, a good hydraulic crimper is the best way to go - I've just never done enough cables to warrant buying one

Don
 
This. If you have the right terminals, it’s the way to go. The cheap, aluminum, cheap connectors are a hazard.
 
When I really want a good joint I solder. Iron for small stuff, torch for big. But I don't solder ends designed to be crimped, they're too loose.
 
If it was the BEST way ..... don't you think that is the way it would be done on airplanes?
Joking right? Same planes friend recently had to exit while engine repaired THEN OMG 2nd engine wasnt working.

Or when my mom had to exit and wait while hydraulics were repaired.

Point is: corporations are cheap capitalist pigs saving a buck by not soldering.
 
Joking right? Same planes friend recently had to exit while engine repaired THEN OMG 2nd engine wasnt working.

Or when my mom had to exit and wait while hydraulics were repaired.

Point is: corporations are cheap capitalist pigs saving a buck by not soldering.
Ahhhh I see.

Glad I asked that question so we could get a little more insight into your viewpoint.
 
As stated, solder is by far NOT the best possible connection.

It's one of the least reliable methods, and virtually no standards of termination allow it.

Joking right? Same planes friend recently had to exit while engine repaired THEN OMG 2nd engine wasnt working.

Or when my mom had to exit and wait while hydraulics were repaired.

Point is: corporations are cheap capitalist pigs saving a buck by not soldering.
Virtually every engineer who has ever studied the mechanical properties of a soldered connection would disagree with you.

It has nothing to do with cost. In many applications where cost is second only to reliability and performance a soldered connection is still the last option.
 
I will add that the car stereo installers course does suggest soldering but the reason for it is that you'd be surprised how many morons can't crimp something properly, and a badly soldered termination is usually better than a badly crimped one. Keep in mind that is designed for high school kids making 10 dollars an hour.

Just in case anyone wants to point to that "standard" as evidence.

For everything else, crimp it using proper crimp tools.
 
There used to be a member on here, jeephammer… search some of his posts. Crimp, solder, SILVER solder… with pure silver… he mentioned some clear testing done on the subject… o

Mortals, crimping is best.

Nuclear physicists… silver…

In between… both likely. Depending on placement… in an RV… crimping.

On a boat? Tinned flexible conductors, crimped with hermetic paste shrink wrap…

In a home? Crimp, or solder… whichever you are best at.
 
 
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