Source for good quality connectors

[Desert Mouse]

Hey everyone. Does anyone have a tried and tested source for GOOD QUALITY heat shrink connectors? I've got a small van mounted system I'm building, nothing fancy. Ideally I'd like to just get an assorted kit of various types, butt, ring, quick connect ect.
I've been searching for a while now and all I can find is the ubiquitous cheap crap on amazon, or Incredibly expensive professional grade connectors that only sell by bags of 50-100 for one type of connector. Im not afraid to spend a little money on some quality hardware, but not a few hundred to get more then I will ever use =p
Even some of the stuff I've seen mentioned in other threads on closer examination and reading of reviews is severely lacking.

Id love to hear what you all use and recommend. Thanks!

 

[Cronix]

Hey everyone. Does anyone have a tried and tested source for GOOD QUALITY heat shrink connectors? I've got a small van mounted system I'm building, nothing fancy. Ideally I'd like to just get an assorted kit of various types, butt, ring, quick connect ect.
I've been searching for a while now and all I can find is the ubiquitous cheap crap on amazon, or Incredibly expensive professional grade connectors that only sell by bags of 50-100 for one type of connector. Im not afraid to spend a little money on some quality hardware, but not a few hundred to get more then I will ever use =p
Even some of the stuff I've seen mentioned in other threads on closer examination and reading of reviews is severely lacking.

Id love to hear what you all use and recommend. Thanks!

Will has a list on his other site: https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/wire-and-connectors.html

 

[Bluedog225]

Thanks for the link. I was noodling around tying find Will’s recs and failed. I see now tools are listed under solar components.

I got some 3m butt heat shrink butt connectors. Beefy af. But expensive. I’ve found the wirefly to be ok. And strangely, harbor freight is ok. About 2/3 the weight of the 3m.

I’d def trust Will’s recs if I’d found them.

 

[yodamota]

I spent some time trying to find a resonable size pack of quality connectors. Ancor brand. marine grade stuff. It appeared they were either 350$ CAD+ or you had to buy individual 5 packs/25 packs. I almost believe what I am looking for does not exist. These 350$+ packs are for businesses/marinas who sell a few connectors when needed. I don't know!

 

[Rocketman]

Wil’s list goes to Wirefy. I got a 270pc kit a few years ago for use around my MotorHome. I really like them. Used up some of the more popular sizes - got a more limited kit that was just the popular basic stuff.

They have worked well - get a dedicated shrink crimp tool - it makes all the difference. I got the Wirefy one.

 

[Dave911]

Menards sells the heat shrink crimp connectors in smaller quantities and they are of good quality. I used several on my boat and also on a trailer. No issues at all.
They also sell primary wire and it isn't obvious, but is Anchor brand marine wire. Even though it doesn't say so on the package. Its printed right on the wire itself. Its properly tinned and stranded as well.
I haven't used Harbor Freight's connectors but they have stepped up their game quality wise.

 

[JRH]

Hey everyone. Does anyone have a tried and tested source for GOOD QUALITY heat shrink connectors? I've got a small van mounted system I'm building, nothing fancy. Ideally I'd like to just get an assorted kit of various types, butt, ring, quick connect ect.
I've been searching for a while now and all I can find is the ubiquitous cheap crap on amazon, or Incredibly expensive professional grade connectors that only sell by bags of 50-100 for one type of connector. Im not afraid to spend a little money on some quality hardware, but not a few hundred to get more then I will ever use =p
Even some of the stuff I've seen mentioned in other threads on closer examination and reading of reviews is severely lacking.

Id love to hear what you all use and recommend. Thanks!

FWIW , The wirefly stuff has done good for me…, most other stuff on Amazon seems cheap as hell.. i wasn’t thinking about price that much as the 25 to 50 I used will probably last the rest of my life ..
I really couldn’t find any high end ones to buy…I may Look into the ones Mr blue dog mentioned if I ever need any more…
I do like that wirefly makes a nice ratcheted crimper for their connectors ..that’s a plus as it’s a good fit and works very well.
J.

 

[Q-Dog]

Hey everyone. Does anyone have a tried and tested source for GOOD QUALITY heat shrink connectors? I've got a small van mounted system I'm building, nothing fancy. Ideally I'd like to just get an assorted kit of various types, butt, ring, quick connect ect.
I've been searching for a while now and all I can find is the ubiquitous cheap crap on amazon, or Incredibly expensive professional grade connectors that only sell by bags of 50-100 for one type of connector. Im not afraid to spend a little money on some quality hardware, but not a few hundred to get more then I will ever use =p
Even some of the stuff I've seen mentioned in other threads on closer examination and reading of reviews is severely lacking.

Id love to hear what you all use and recommend. Thanks!

West Marine sells small packages of connectors in their stores and online. They were Anchor brand last time I went into a store. Wire by the foot too.

 

[Desert Mouse]

Hey thanks for the replies everyone. Yeah I followed wills link first, unfortunetley those are unavailable.
I was actually looking at a wirefy kit, some of the reviews are meh, a few reports of the crimp sleeve being too short for a good crimp, and the ring terminals being thin and flimsy. Those could just be user errors though, bad crimping tools or rough handling. I might just buy them and try it out. Especially as the definitely higher quality stuff (3m,ancor, menox ect.) are 75$+ for a small kit.

 

[rodrick]

NAPA has them if you only want certain sizes and not a kit but the kit may be cheaper

 

[hwy17]

Digi key and Mouser. You have to browse the datasheets in detail to confirm they're exactly the kind of heat shrink you want.

There's so many options at first it's overwhelming, but I enjoy spending 30 minutes finding the perfect 18 awg m6 for me or whatever.

 

[Dave911]

Gardner Bender® Heat Shrink Butt Splice Terminal Kit - 24 Pack

This heat shrink terminal kit is constructed with heat-shrink insulation and is adhesive lined to waterproof and environmentally-seal electrical connections when crimped and heated. They come in a variety of colors.

www.menards.com

The Harbor Freight equivalent is cheap and they have great reviews. Might be worth trying those. I would test them before using them on anything critical. Harbor Freight will ship just about anything for $6.99.

I have had the Menards Gardner Bender connectors sitting in bilge water, underwater, for years, without issues.

Ratchet crimpers can be good if they are calibrated as they are adjustable. If you just buy them without setting them up, you might be doing a lot of crimps wrong, thinking they are all good. I do wiring as part of my occupation and although I have a few sets of ratchet crimpers, I don't carry them to jobsites. I prefer the Ideal/Klein style crimp pliers for low volume stuff. I think that Ideal came out with them in the late 70's or so and everyone has copied them. After you have crimped on a few hundred terminals you don't need ratchet crimpers.

9-3/4" Multi-Crimp Tool - Dipped Grip

9-3/4" Multi-Crimp Tool - Dipped Grip

www.idealind.com

reThe is nothing wrong with the ratchet crimpers, but you need to do several test crimps and tug tests to make sure the crimp is correct.
If you aren't doing tug tests on every crimp you make you are fooling yourself into thinking you have good crimps.

The Ideal Stripmaster tool is another classic. It came out about the same time as the crimper. The Stripmaster will cleanly strip THHN fast. The Nylon cover on THHN screws up a lot of other automatic strippers.