Double wire crimp problem

[Bitsyncmaster]

I think I see the problem with the double wire ground crimps on the relay sockets. It look like when they made the crimps they got each wire perfectly set so the one wire curled the pin on the left side and the other wire the right side. The open barrel type pins are made to fold the two sides into the wire. Number one problem is the wire used in our car is bare copper. Tin plated wire and pins would probably last another 30 years crimped that way. Had they twisted the two copper wires it may have not had problems.

[Ron]

Tin plated wire and pins would probably last another 30 years crimped that way. Had they twisted the two copper wires it may have not had problems.
+1

I never liked the split type in the first place...split or not I always solder the connection.
BTW- I was wondering why you didn't suggest that in your How To (with a warning about not getting it tooo hot)??

[Bitsyncmaster]

+1

I never liked the split type in the first place...split or not I always solder the connection.
BTW- I was wondering why you didn't suggest that in your How To (with a warning about not getting it tooo hot)??

You have to be real careful if you solder the relay terminals that the solder does not flow up to high and prevent the relay pin from inserting fully. I started soldering my jumper that removes the fan circuit breaker but I ran into that problem of the pin not seating. Now I don't solder them.

I do solder my butt crimps even though those heavy closed barrels should never fail. But there you don't have to worry about the solder flowing to far.

There is a lot of controversy over soldering crimps. The big negative is the wire gets brittle because the solder flows into the wire. But that is only a problem if the wire is stressed with movement. If you shrink tube it after, it should not move the wire.

[Ron]

You have to be real careful if you solder the relay terminals that the solder does not flow up to high and prevent the relay pin from inserting fully. I started soldering my jumper that removes the fan circuit breaker but I ran into that problem of the pin not seating. Now I don't solder them.

I do solder my butt crimps even though those heavy closed barrels should never fail. But there you don't have to worry about the solder flowing to far.

There is a lot of controversy over soldering crimps. The big negative is the wire gets brittle because the solder flows into the wire. But that is only a problem if the wire is stressed with movement. If you shrink tube it after, it should not move the wire.

The only problem I have ever seen with heat is getting them too hot and relieving the tension. Solder will seek heat (you can even make it go uphill with the correct iron), so if you heat from the half on the wire end of the terminal and touch the solder to the split/end of the other, it will help both of those problems.
I with you on the heat shrink for stress! (I have to admit that my main problem is not forgetting to put it on the wire before the terminal, even after rebuilding thousands of alternators for a living days back when. LOL)

[Bitsyncmaster]

Yes the solder will flow to the hot point. Not hard to solder carfully on the bench but when your cramped between the seat and dark relay compartment it's a chore to be carfull.

Everyone forgets the heatshrink before you crimp both ends.

[David T]

Yes the solder will flow to the hot point. Not hard to solder carfully on the bench but when your cramped between the seat and dark relay compartment it's a chore to be carfull.

Everyone forgets the heatshrink before you crimp both ends.

From a design and engineering viewpoint there are MANY things that could have been done better with the electrical system. The connectors were not the correct ones for holding 2 wires. Like many things the wiring does not improve with age, things corrode, lose their tension and springiness, get flexed till they break etc. In many circuits the gauge of the wire is too small and/or there is too much load, fusing is incorrect, and on and on. Not easy to solder an old, crimped connector. You cannot properly clean things up well enough to get the solder to wick and flow. If you try to take the connector off the wire you usually ruin it. I like to crimp and solder so I KNOW it can't corrode inside the crimp and have a bad connection. When you draw near maximum current the first place you start to get resistance is the crimped, mechanical connectors.
David Teitelbaum

[Farrar]

Everyone forgets the heatshrink before you crimp both ends.

A good habit to get into is to put the heatshrink on before you strip the end. Just make it one of the steps you go through every time.

Soldering the terminals is not too bad as long as you just use a little bit -- I take the solder up and leave the iron on for an instant longer and let the solder flow into the wire strands. I hold the wire with a pair of pliers, which acts as a heatsink so that the insulation doesn't melt. I keep tension on the pliers with a chip bag clip. (High tech, I know.)

FWIW, British Wiring has tin-plated terminals for housings which will fit up to 12 AWG wire. I think that's the maximum size back there in the relay compartment. You have to be careful and look for the size, though.

[Ron]

Not hard to solder carfully on the bench but when your cramped between the seat and dark relay compartment it's a chore to be carfull.

(..or replacing terminals for the replacement fuse block ;-)