Sparkies - Crimp Tool?

[mumstruk Member Find all posts View Profile Close mumstruk]

I solder damn near everything under 8ga. After 8ga, I do both... crimp the hell out of it and then using a mini jet lighter I flow 1.5mm leaded solder into the crimp.

@mumstruk. While I agree that if a joint gets hot it will soften the solder and cause a potential failure but a voltage drop at the least. Isn't it safe to assume though if your joint is getting that hot, you have bigger issues to deal with? What application are you talking about where it's acceptable for it to get that hot?

As this is a forum and everything is so easily taken out of context... I'm not disagreeing with you... just trying to understand. In my job (auto electrician) any joint that gets that hot is typically incorrect cable, excessive current draw. If it's outside enviromental factors causing heat (exhaust) then the insulation around the cable is my first concern.

Dumb stuff happens such as nuts working loose on terminals such as circuit breakers and Anderson Plugs (eg the many copies on the market) giving up the ghost. I also agree that incorrect cable size and excessive current is the major cause of heating of joints. I don't think I implied that heat in a harness was acceptable. You have to remember that people of all skill levels modify their cars.

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Crimp... Your lugs are designed for correctly sized cable and crimpers not solder and incorrectly sized cable...

you cannot verify a solder joint inside a lug is not dry and causing a hot spot.

Real sparkies crimp!!! Got just about every type of crimper for every lug you'll find, with exception to pinning and depinning tools in my shed and anything over 90mm sq. cable. Also have a multitude of solder tools... Only ever pullout the soldering gear when the equipment has been manufacturer for terminating with a solder joint. Never for a crimp lug, the name says it all...

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Crimp... Your lugs are designed for correctly sized cable and crimpers not solder and incorrectly sized cable...

you cannot verify a solder joint inside a lug is not dry and causing a hot spot.

Real sparkies crimp!!! Got just about every type of crimper for every lug you'll find, with exception to pinning and depinning tools in my shed and anything over 90mm sq. cable. Also have a multitude of solder tools... Only ever pullout the soldering gear when the equipment has been manufacturer for terminating with a solder joint. Never for a crimp lug, the name says it all...

In layman terms he has all the tools pictured and a shite load more and used them all on my rig. He does solder as well, but not together and does a very pretty job too.

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

I solder damn near everything under 8ga. After 8ga, I do both... crimp the hell out of it and then using a mini jet lighter I flow 1.5mm leaded solder into the crimp.

@mumstruk. While I agree that if a joint gets hot it will soften the solder and cause a potential failure but a voltage drop at the least. Isn't it safe to assume though if your joint is getting that hot, you have bigger issues to deal with? What application are you talking about where it's acceptable for it to get that hot?

As this is a forum and everything is so easily taken out of context... I'm not disagreeing with you... just trying to understand. In my job (auto electrician) any joint that gets that hot is typically incorrect cable, excessive current draw. If it's outside enviromental factors causing heat (exhaust) then the insulation around the cable is my first concern.

I agree with you 100%.

I have seen too many crimp jobs end up with no connection or intermitant problems that have had to be fixed. There are so called professionals that crimp and that is it. I believe in using heat shrink as well to help insulate wiring and protect the exposed cable.

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Crimp... Your lugs are designed for correctly sized cable and crimpers not solder and incorrectly sized cable...

you cannot verify a solder joint inside a lug is not dry and causing a hot spot.

Real sparkies crimp!!! Got just about every type of crimper for every lug you'll find, with exception to pinning and depinning tools in my shed and anything over 90mm sq. cable. Also have a multitude of solder tools... Only ever pullout the soldering gear when the equipment has been manufacturer for terminating with a solder joint. Never for a crimp lug, the name says it all...

Matter of opinion. I know some Real Sparkies and they solder!

Crimping doesn't take as long as soldering that's why most Sparkies crimp. It's all about time and the almighty $$.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

There are so called professionals that crimp and that is it.

I know some Real Sparkies and they solder!

Ooooooh thems fight'n words!!!I'm with Matty, They're called crimp lugs, not solder lugs... Maybe your real sparky mates don't have strong enough handsies to apply enough pressure to make a good crimp?

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Ooooooh thems fight'n words!!!I'm with Matty, They're called crimp lugs, not solder lugs... Maybe your real sparky mates don't have strong enough handsies to apply enough pressure to make a good crimp?

I don't know about fighting words Craig just a difference of opinion. Trust me they are very strong but particular about their work and it lasting through anything.

I've seen professionally crimped wires separate from the crimp on a number of vehicles. On inspection it appears that the crimping was rushed and not properly crimped.

On my personal rig everything is either crimped and soldered or soldered with everything heat shrinked with the glue lined heat shrink.

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Manufacturers design their kits for a specific type of termination method... To do a job correctly, you solder a solder joint and you crimp a crimp joint.

most of what ive seen everyone using are crimp lugs, they should be crimped only... Not soldered and not both soldered and crimped.

Certain types of pins and terminals are designed for soldering and these should be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol then both connection points tinned and then beaded with additional solder to be done correctly. Follow up with a further clean to remove the excess flux and inspect for imperfections in the solder and around the surfaces. Imperfections and or excess solder should be removed with desoldering tools and the joint redone. Importantly, more solder does not equal better in any case.

filling a crimp lug with solder and then dumping a cable end in is not recommended.

as far as verifying a joint will last and has been done correctly, crimping is faster and easier to both complete and check.

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

The titanic was designed not to sink.
The Prado was designed as a 4WD why modify it then?
There is plenty of stuff out there designed for a purpose but doesn't stop people modifying and making things better and longer lasting.
Just some food for thought.

[RanJ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close RanJ]

A properly done crimp shouldn't fail. An incorrectly crimped joint will.... same goes for solder. When it's designed to be crimped... I crimp when it's designed to be soldered... I solder. But in my opinion most things in a car are designed to be soldered.

When I worked in aviation we were required to crimp damned near everything. The only time I soldered was when wiring 250pin bulkhead plugs and sockets.

When I work on cars, I solder. Except for ignition terminals.

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Certain types of pins and terminals are designed for soldering and these should be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol then both connection points tinned and then beaded with additional solder to be done correctly. Follow up with a further clean to remove the excess flux and inspect for imperfections in the solder and around the surfaces. Imperfections and or excess solder should be removed with desoldering tools and the joint redone. Importantly, more solder does not equal better in any case.

Isopropyl, is that the secret ingredient in those cans you drink at "Mates Garage"?

Explains why I had to order 2 litres of the stuff and 2 litres of coke...

[RanJ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close RanJ]

Lol@drinking a single carbon based alcohol... it'll get you blind drunk!.... literally.

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Lol@drinking a single carbon based alcohol... it'll get you blind drunk!.... literally.

My mate Matty is intelligent though, he combines with Coke

[Torrie 72 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Torrie 72]

Crimp... Your lugs are designed for correctly sized cable and crimpers not solder and incorrectly sized cable...

you cannot verify a solder joint inside a lug is not dry and causing a hot spot.

Real sparkies crimp!!! Got just about every type of crimper for every lug you'll find, with exception to pinning and depinning tools in my shed and anything over 90mm sq. cable. Also have a multitude of solder tools... Only ever pullout the soldering gear when the equipment has been manufacturer for terminating with a solder joint. Never for a crimp lug, the name says it all...

X2. Quality lugs, quality tools and quality heatshrink to insulate and reduce fatigue at the join.
Cheers, Ben.

[RanJ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close RanJ]

My mate Matty is intelligent though, he combines with Coke

Works everytime!

I still my own spirits... and every new batch gives me a litre or two of Ether... now thats a good cleaner! The missus loves it! For the windows though