Butt Splicing

[Vince@Meanstreets]

me too but i still drop in a pinch of solder then shrink. I need to befriend a Canadian so I can score some more ES2000.

[rocketrod]

Originally Posted by Vince@MSperfab

me too but i still drop in a pinch of solder then shrink. I need to befriend a Canadian so I can score some more ES2000.

Same here. Crimped only connections, can be problematic long term, but dab of solder fixes it.

I have been buying the non-insulated butt splices at the local Radio Shack for years. Not as cheap as ordering on line, but they are local and can be picked up when needed.

[JMitch19]

These are also a very nice product and you will never have to worry about them coming apart. I've tried to pull them apart and you end ripping the insulation on the wire the glue is so strong. They make them in many different sizes as well as ring terminals.

http://www.waytekwire.com/item/30980...RMA-SEAL-BUTT/

I think for an install that maybe seen John's method a much more attractive and professional way of doing a buttsplice though.

[JohnUlaszek]

Originally Posted by JMitch19

These are also a very nice product and you will never have to worry about them coming apart. I've tried to pull them apart and you end ripping the insulation on the wire the glue is so strong. They make them in many different sizes as well as ring terminals.

http://www.waytekwire.com/item/30980...RMA-SEAL-BUTT/

I think for an install that maybe seen John's method a much more attractive and professional way of doing a buttsplice though.

We mention these in the blog post. You're right, they are quite nice but 10x the price of the non-insulated method. You do get a better crimp than the hardware store type, but you still run the risk of damaging the insulation during crimping.

As far as pull-out goes, it really pays to have quality crimpers.

[Vegas69]

GM training specified a solder with shrink wrap or a butt connector that self sealed with heat. I personally feel a cheap butt connector and shrink wrap could be problematic in a moisture area. I just don't think shrink wrap seals that well and the connection patch is small and could be problematic with a small amount of corrosion vs. a solder. I'd use a weather tight butt connector in any area that could see water or a solder connection. Keep in mind, this is something you won't have a problem with in a few years. It would need to get wet a few times and could take 10, 15, 20 years the way these cars get driven.

[JMitch19]

Originally Posted by JohnUlaszek

I've not had any long term trouble going without solder, but I'm curious what kind of trouble you have run into and in what applications.

I can't answer for RocketRod, but I work for a company that manufactures harnesses and electrical products for the aftermarket. We see problems a lot when people don't provide the wire with any type of strain relief. Where the bare copper wire goes into the butt splice it gets flexed until it fatigues and fails. Heat shrinking the splice as you showed will provide the needed strain relief. We use the method you showed as well as the perma-seal splices in a production environment, and I'd be surprised if I've had more than 4 returns for this type of failure in the last 3 years. We don't soldier our splices, but we do have the proper tools which helps a lot.

Originally Posted by JohnUlaszek

We mention these in the blog post. You're right, they are quite nice but 10x the price of the non-insulated method. You do get a better crimp than the hardware store type, but you still run the risk of damaging the insulation during crimping.

As far as pull-out goes, it really pays to have quality crimpers.

Completely agree. I guess I'm spoiled and never took price into account. We buy the perma-seals in such bulk quantities I just grab them off the shelve when I need them for personal use.

[JohnUlaszek]

From the GM Upfitter Guide (Page D-17)discusses electrical best practices for crimping and splicing.

3. Crimp the splice sleeve on each end. Each wire must be crimped individually. For proper placement, see Figure 28. (Note: Use the appropriate crimp tool designed specifically to use with both crimp-and-seal and butt-splice sleeves.)

The method we discuss in the blog uses a high quality 3M splice with marine type heat shrink to seal the joint.

[GregWeld]

The reason that the OEM'S DO NOT SOLDER their connections - EVER - is that heating the copper embrittles it... and then you have the softer copper right at the end of the soldered connection which becomes the break point. Solder is used to attach wires etc to circuit boards. It's never used in a Marine or Automotive environment.


Trust me that you'll have a far better crimp using the uninsulated butt connectors (uninsulated terminals period) using FAR LESS pressure - over the insulated versions... and all the shrink tube I use is GLUED type. So moisture is never an issue as well as it provides the strain relief at the connection.

No wires should EVER be hanging - or be allowed to vibrate or chafe.


Here's an example of proper wiring....














And one of how not to do it......

[JohnUlaszek]

Originally Posted by rocketrod

Same here. Crimped only connections, can be problematic long term, but dab of solder fixes it.

I've not had any long term trouble going without solder, but I'm curious what kind of trouble you have run into and in what applications.