Butt Connectors vs Solder | Crimping vs Soldering | Wire Connections | AnthonyJ350

In this video I compare and contrast two styles of connections that are most commonly found in an install bay environment. Crimping with butt connectors and soldering.

If done properly, both are very solid connections. However I think soldering is still better because it's less prone to failure and corrosion.

About AnthonyJ350

I am a Mobile Electronics Certified Professional 12 Volt Installer (MECP Certified), Business Management Graduate (KPU), with a Professional Driver's License and a genuine automotive enthusiast who loves working on vehicles and I want to share my experiences with you. The goal is to help other people who can hopefully learn from my unique outlook towards vehicles, experiences and working practices.

Please feel free to ask questions or give feedback either in the comments or e-mail me.

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Butt Connectors vs Solder | Crimping vs Soldering | Wire Connections | AnthonyJ350

ANTHONYJ350

[JulesBartow]

Great Tips & Techniques Presented Here.

Some additional considerations:

The standard for a submersible well pump ( under water for 5-10 years, 80-300 feet deep) is a crimp butt connector and shrink tubing. No soldering.

Small solid wires between 19-26AWG? Use Dolphin Super B-wire “Beanie” crimp connectors (white dry or blue filled Gelly Beans). You don't even need to strip the insulation as the multiple teeth pierce it when squeezed by pliers. Telephone and alarm companies have been using Dolphin Beanies since the 1950s for fast, reliable connections. Phone companies have since replaced them with Wagos and 3M Scotchlok pigtail Insulation Displacement Connectors (IDC) UG, UR, UY, 314U for solid wire.

Nevertheless, I hate callbacks. In an automotive, marine, industrial, high vibration or salt air environment I prefer soldering a pigtail backed up by a beanie for strain relief and insulation, especially for stranded wire. For larger wire I also solder and use a crimp cap with dielectric grease rather than deal with making a Western Union lineman’s splice and shrink tubing for power, speaker, sensor, and control signals. It doesn't look as good as inline shrink tubing and takes up more space, but if the customer isn't ever going to pull the wire through a hole or cabinet to a a product bolted down for it's life and the wiring is hidden why carry a slit spray paint cap?

A lot of bars/taverns are putting big screen TVs outdoors where humidity gets to the connectors. I smear dielectric grease on all the Cat 5 & Cat 6 4-pair computer RJ-45, HDMI and Coax jacks/plugs. A little dab'll do ya.

[fueledgaragetv]

The moment I started watching I knew this was going to start the non-insulated crimp fire-storm. Yes, that’s the way it’s designed but experience leads to changes in process that can work fine. I will put my 2 cents in as someone that was taught in 1987 to use the point on the crimper and have done it that way for 30 years. All the guys in San Diego I ever installed with crimped that way. Many of us went to work at manufacturers, like Directed, Kicker, and JL Audio and we still crimped that way. Now, I do custom wiring in hot rods and I look at crimp connectors as more of a temp fix. But this is common practice.

[zapityzapzap]

I find un-insulated connectors and heat shrink to be my preferred way of splicing. Also the uninsulated connector's OD tends to be very close to the OD of the insulation on the wire being spliced.

Solders main weakness is in high vibration applications.

[ryanneillund]

Thank you! Using the table surface for leverage and properly crimping the butt connector are mega ideas! I am restoring a 2001 Jeep XJ and the audio is a mess. You just saved me a ton of time! Down the road, I want to install a Joying radio in the center of the Jeep once I get the current rat nest replaced. Cheers!

[MIKE]

One thing, if you have enough wire, offset the joints from each other slightly.Makes a neater job.

[alik]

Detailed, simple, another words, PERFECT!
Thanks!!!

[TheTherealdarkhorse]

The tooth slot on the crimpers are not designed for use on insulated butt connectors. The rounded end on crimper is for insulated connectors. Toothed crimp is for non insulated. The tooth can actually cut through the insulation and expose the metal. It should be written on the crimper itself. Also putting to much force on the squeezing the butt connector can not only cut the insulation but also cut the wire. Stop squeezing when you hear a snapping sound or crunch. It's a very distinctive sound and it let's you know that the wire is completely depressed. With experience it will become like second nature. Also give a light tug to make sure the connection is good and to be completely certain of a good connection you can measure resistance in the wire. In some cases crimps are a better option especially if you are not experienced in soldering. A cold solder may have you chasing problems in the future.

[irwinjudson]

Good clear instruction, practical and easily understood. Showing how not to do it is also very instructive. Lots of extra detail, all of it relevant.

[wirewrks]

OK, sorry for the lengthy post, but I think it's required.

Here's my position on the crimping vs. soldering debate (in relation to the automotive environment, anyway). Hopefully, it will help clear up some of the confusion, perceptions and misinformation. -- Or hell..., it might do just the opposite, confusing and enraging some. Either way, I welcome any comments or criticism, constructive or otherwise.

Crimping gets a bad rep primarily from technicians/installers using the wrong stripping or crimping tool(s), the wrong crimp connector/terminal for the application, or both.

The most common problems are caused by using a combo wire cutting/crimping tool. Specifically, a device meant for cutting solid conductor wire and crimping non-insulated connectors (120-240V electrical rel.), being used on multi-strand wire and insulated connectors/terminals. The most common & likely offender is the Klein #1006 (or 1005) Crimping & Cutting Tool, or similar. (I could be wrong, but I believe this is the tool I've seen Doug Bernards (Soundman) using in some of his videos…?)
 It's designed for cutting (not stripping) solid conductor wire and crimping non-insulated terminals. When used for stripping insulation on multi-strand wire, the tool will crush and break several strands of the wire. Then, because of the crimping die's stake (pin, or "tit"), it will over-crimp and deform the insulated connector/terminal to the point of severing a large portion the wire strands that remain after the stripping process. There's a high probability that eventually, the termination fails or causes problems when the few remaining strands connected, break from vibration & stress related issues. (Also, some technicians/installers incorrectly place the stake over the seam of a non-insulated connector/terminal.)

When you consider the 600-800 degree temps when soldering, combined with the possibility of damaging a vehicle's interior from accidentally dropping the iron or molten solder on the upholstery or carpet, or the high temps melting adjacent wiring or plastic components, in the realm of automotive electrical/electronics, crimping wire connections and/or terminations is the preferred method.

Again, this is just my position. I've been involved in the low-voltage industry over 30 years. Very early on, I chose to adopt and learn the correct process of this method after experiencing all the issues and failures of the other procedures. I've got a bench full of assorted soldering and de-soldering stations and portable irons, but they never make it into the shop or any vehicles.
I could go into more detail, but you've suffered enough !

Hope this was useful. Happy Trails....

[marinos]

The second way of soldering is better for terminals rather two wire together. In a situation where the terminal is directly fitted on the circuit board first, tin the terminal and then the wire is better since when you put them together and apply heat both will melt and join them faster. This way the circuit board will net exposed to heat for a long period that may reach the rest of the electronic components. This works though if you have a good soldering iron, correct temperature and most important the tip of the iron is tined.

[cmorcom]

Great tip with that spray paint can cap. Thanks!

[michaelb.]

When soldering, apply the tip of the iron to the wires on the opposite side from where you will touch the solder. That way the wires are forced to get hot enough to melt the solder when it touches the wires on the opposite side. Capillary action, not necessarily gravity, pulls the molten solder into the hot wires.

A mistake many people make when soldering is touching the iron to the wires and immediately placing the solder in the same spot. The hot iron melts the solder, but the wires may not yet be hot enough to draw the molten solder in.. resulting in a cold solder joint. Another mistake resulting in a cold solder joint is soldering correctly, but then jostling or moving the wires before the solder has had a chance to cool and fully solidify.

Regardless of whether you use leaded or lead free solder, pay attention to the flux. It should be acid free flux for any electrical work. Otherwise acid in the flux would corrode wires over time. Solder used for plumbing purposes usually has acid in the flux.

[MrRockydee]

Raychen invented both shrink tubing and solder sleeves where I worked for 28 years, And yes connecting wires is a science in itself, Great video.

[TheJbrantl]

Lol, I like your video, very helpful. I just wanted to mention that the reason it was so difficult when you tinned the leads individually was because this method works best when you hold one lead in your other hand making lining up with the other lead easy, if you have steady hands. I've used this method for years so in my defense it works well and just takes a little practice and I will say if your doing a lot of wires it can go quick. it only takes a minute to tin all individual leads then just go through and line them up, you don't need to add additional solder if you do it right. But after watching your video I can see the advantage of twisting the leads to make it stronger, i will most likely be using that technique at some point thanks

[richmac]

Thanks for the video but a couple of comments/suggestions. I've soldered wires together using both of the methods you discussed (tinning and not tinning) with equal success but generally I don't tin first. However if you are going to tin the leads first then you should NEVER rely on the solder holding them together. After you tinned them you should have twisted them together. It's more difficult to do this after tinning but you can still get 2 or 3 twists and then heat the joint. This results in a much better connection and the solder flows together much more quickly. Almost seemed like you were trying to make this look difficult just so you could show why you don't like to do it. Also, when doing the crimp connections, using the wrong tool (yours is not the best) can result in over crimping and damaging the insulation. Too much force (like putting the end of the crimper on the table) can actually damage the connector by over crimping. Best to get a ratcheting crimper.

[rccrx]

Helping hands are a tool that should be on any bench. I'd definitely recommend it to someone interested in soldering a lot and the exhaust fan is a good thing . Both are great tools and investments as well a great soldering iron. I Like the video ! Electronics tech

[jazzdrummer]

DOD and Aerospace soldering is almost always done with tinned leads. They use solder pots and dip the leads. It's a lot easier. Good video, I wanted to see the crimping part. How do you know how much insulation to strip off the wire before you crimp?

[alexk]

I also was twisting each and twisted together after that soldering as you did 6:05, but I saw the method which I really like. No twisting is required just insert wires into wires squeeze with you fingers and solder it.

[WillsGarage]

I'm a marine technician and all I use is heat shrink butt connectors and have never had an issue with them.

[Troy_Audi]

Thank you for your video's, I Solder every harness as well..
I have started to Solder the OEM harness in for any that have been cut out.. not much more and you never need to redo it.
Keep up the good work