Heavy gauge wire/cable Crimp or Solder for Offroad use?

[Rezarf <><]

I have been reading up and rounding up parts for a dual battery system in my Land Cruiser.

I find solder companies recommend solder plugs for heavy gauge connections.

I found crimper companies recommend crimping for heavy gauge connections.

For off road (or marine) conditions which do you prefer and why?

I am leaning towards using solder pellets as I see most marine applications using them, however a good crimp that creates a solid cold weld seems just as mechanically and electronically sound.

So what so you prefer and why?

 

[Buddha.]

I'm interested in this as well. I've used the crimp style and I've soldered. Neither seems great.

 

[Semi-Hex]

I too use a combination of the two. Some crimp packages (APP for example) work so well, you shouldn't need to solder and some connection make sense to solder (inline wire runs). Find what works best for you and get good at it.

 

[M35A2]

Use which you feel better about, but do it right, and don't use bargain basement connectors / components.

Lately I have been using the one piece shrink wrap / solder connectors and am pleased so far. Hot air gun shrinks wraps and melts the solder inside. Slick and quick.

 

[Robert Bills]

Lately I have been using the one piece shrink wrap / solder connectors and am pleased so far. Hot air gun shrinks wraps and melts the solder inside. Slick and quick.

Where do you buy this? Do you have a link or online source?

 

[AndrewP]

Generally, crimped connections done well, are preferred for high vibration environments. That why boats, airplanes and most cars are crimp only in the factory wiring. But the problem is the "done well" part. If you don't have really good crimpers built for the connectors you are using, you are probably better off with soldered connectors.

For battery cable wiring, like with a dual battery charging system, this applies pretty well:

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

I actually bought one of those crimpers and it does an outstanding job. I have also used a much cheaper hammer crimper that worked well too. Regardless of what you do, cover the joint with the marine adhesive heat shrink. Makes a neat and waterproof cover to decrease corrosion, and extend the useful life of your cabling.

 

[ripperj]

The problem with soldering big wire is getting enough heat to the connection fast enough to prevent damage to the insulation and/or jacket. Typical solder 60/40 flows well at 705 (tip temperature, the solder melts under 400), not enough heat and the solder won't flow well, too hot(torch) and you start to burn the flux and melt insulation. Basically you need to get it hot, apply the solder and get the heat off.

There are much fewer variables using a good hydraulic crimper, just match the lug, wire and crimper die, strip to the right length and it's hard to screw it up.

The other problem with solder is that you can wick so much solder up the wire strands that it's no longer flexible

Sent from my Passport

 

[Chris Boyd]

With the right tool, I crimp to spec and then use an adhesive shrink wrap to keep things from moving around. I could never get the wire hot enough to get a proper solder job.

 

[Joe917]

CRIMP ONLY, here's why:
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

 

[stingray1300]

For my inverter, I used 1/0 welding cable. The proper sized lugs can easily be soldered safely (safe for the cable). I put a lug in a vise, then use a propane torch to heat, then start adding solder. With the torch still aimed at the lug, dunk the cable into the lug. If more solder is needed, just add it until the lug almost overflows with solder. Allow to cool. Then, if you want, take a punch and take a whack onto the lug to "pinch" the cable in the lug, then use adhesive shrink tubing. This way, no oxidation should be the result, and you'll have a nice clean, worry free connection.

 

[dstn2bdoa]

When buying large gauge wire for a dual battery project on a previous vehicle, I found that my local Interstate battery sales outlet would properly crimp the connection of your choice for free when buying the parts. Just go in with your run lengths, gauge, and desired connector and they'll crimp and shrink wrap for you.

 

[LeishaShannon]

The proper sized lugs can easily be soldered safely (safe for the cable). I put a lug in a vise, then use a propane torch to heat, then start adding solder. With the torch still aimed at the lug, dunk the cable into the lug. If more solder is needed, just add it until the lug almost overflows with solder. Allow to cool.

If the wire isn't heated this results in a cold joint... not what you want.

 

[Joe917]

If the wire isn't heated this results in a cold joint... not what you want.

Also:
Soldering does not give a mechanical bond. In a short circuit condition enough heat can re-flow the solder.
Soldering allows solder to wick causing a hard point outside the lug, failure point.
Crimping a soldered joint will crack the solder and the solder will prevent a proper crimp.
Soldering after a crimp will do nothing as a proper crimp is gas tight.
A soldered joint is less conductive than a crimped joint.

A crimped joint is superior in every way, BUT it must be done properly to make a cold weld. No hammer or V notch crimps. No cheap Harbor Freight crap. A good quality crimp tool will cost $150 or more, that is why guys don't want to crimp correctly.

 

[comptiger5000]

I've never actually seen a solder joint on a wire fail from vibration like people say they will. I tend to do solder and heat shrink for most smaller connections. For big cables, definitely crimp though, as you likely won't be able to heat the wire well enough to get a good solder joint.

 

[4x4junkie]

For my inverter, I used 1/0 welding cable. The proper sized lugs can easily be soldered safely (safe for the cable). I put a lug in a vise, then use a propane torch to heat, then start adding solder. With the torch still aimed at the lug, dunk the cable into the lug. If more solder is needed, just add it until the lug almost overflows with solder. Allow to cool. Then, if you want, take a punch and take a whack onto the lug to "pinch" the cable in the lug, then use adhesive shrink tubing. This way, no oxidation should be the result, and you'll have a nice clean, worry free connection.

That's pretty much how I've done mine for decades (though any kind of pinching/whacking/crimping of the connection after the fact is completely unnecessary, and may actually cause fractures within the soldered connection).

Contrary to the nay-sayers here, I've never had a soldered connection fail in these supposed ways they can fail while I HAVE had numerous crimped connections fail due to either excess resistance (causing the connection to melt and/or catch fire), or outright loss of the connection entirely (ones supposedly done properly by OEM product manufacturers too), so I always find ironic comments stating crimped connections are somehow superior either electrically or mechanically (speed of assembly on a production line is the only advantage I see, and is why they are so prevalent in manufactured goods). I always follow up with solder on the crimped connections in any manufactured goods I buy. It has cut the problem rate I've had with such goods almost to zero.

As mentioned, use a propane torch set real low for large connections such as battery cables.
Put the wire/cable into the connector or lug (open end facing up), then heat the side of the connector with the torch (being careful not to burn the insulation). As it heats up, feed enough solder into the connector until it's about full to the top, let cool, wrap with heat shrink, forget about it forever.