Heat Shrink vs Insulated Terminals

[mainesail]

OK, I think I've got it.   It's nice to know I was doing it completely wrong.

Thanks.

For your bilge pump you were not doing it wrong at all. I have installed thousands of factory made heat shrink butt splices, over a 20+ year period, and never once seen one leak when properly installed and properly heat sealed..

These two links should help:

Marine Wire Termination

Making Your Own Battery Cables

[Clay Greene]

GenuineDealz is a good source for heat-shrink terminals, really fast service and they don't charge for shipping.  Also a good source for primary wiring. Much less expensive than Ancor (whether purchased through WM or elsewhere). 

https://www.genuinedealz.com/

[Roc]

I Looked at the Genuine Dealz site and they don't show what brand of connectors they sell.  Might be cheap quality?

[J_Sail]

I have not personally bought from Genuine Dealz, but their name comes up frequently on lots of sites, usually in a positive way. MaineSail has mentioned them having good prices on battery cables, but hasn't said anything about their smaller crimp terminals.  Might be worth trying, but on the other hand, flakey electrical connections can be extremely hard to track down and can be dangerous under some circumstances. Let's see if anyone here has personal experience.
Jeremy

A few links mentioning them:
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/crimpers-crimp-terminals-and-wire-oh-my.142808/
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/archive/index.php/t-10447.html
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/i-found-it-i-found-it.128776/

[ChrisOB]

Get the mega box from 3M with everything, a couple hundred bucks but you'll always have what you need.  Top quality heat shrink with the heat activated glue inside to waterproof it.

[Jon W]

I purchased some ring terminals from genuinedealz. I prefer the terminals Ken K sells.

[KWKloeber]

chris

Do you have a link or part/no of the 3M kit?

kk

Get the mega box from 3M with everything, a couple hundred bucks but you'll always have what you need.  Top quality heat shrink with the heat activated glue inside to waterproof it.

[KWKloeber]

Here's a prime example of "pound foolish".....

S/He paid anywhere from 10 to 15 balloons for a nice busbar, and then saved 151 pennies (150 in materials and one penny in heat gun electricity) by using non-heat-shrink terminals.  Makes sense?



kk

IMO  double crimp terminals have no place on any application where there's moisture and chance of corrosion. Even if they have heat shrink tubing over them, the end of the terminal is open and thus corrosion can creep into the crimp and wire.

Additionally, the insulation capture, and strain relief is inferior on the double crimp, compared to AHS.
   YBYC, but If you're asking an opinion, "don't use them."   JTSO