Crimp and Solder question

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

I replaced my sink and waterheater on my last visit to the boat and got everything done except connecting the AC power to the waterheater which I will be doing this weekend. I've seen the term Crimp and solder used and I am wondering when you say solder, do you mean to pre tin the wire before crimping or are you soldering after you crimp? The old one was crimped and heat shrink was used as well. Is this the preferred way to do it? I'm assuming wire nuts are out of the question. As for the heat shrink, do I need to use a heat gun or will a match or lighter work?



Thanks,
Mike

[Stu Jackson]

Mike,

C&S:  For battery cable lugs, there's a great description on page 54 of the Nov/Dec 2006 Good Old Boat magazine:  put flux in the inside of the lug, install the wire, crimp, then solder by holding the assembly with a long pair of pliers or other holders, heat the lug with a suitable heater (usually a propane torch) and melt the solder into where the lug and wire meets. 

For (butt or ring)  connectors on smaller wire, make the crimp connection to the wire and just solder them together where they join, being careful to not melt the connector's plastic.  This is where a soldering iron, not a propane torch, would be employed.  The wire you use should already be pre-tinned if you're using the proper Ancor wire.  Heat shrink over the connector and soldered joint.  Yes, wire nuts are out of the question.   A heat gun will work better on the heat shrink because a match or lighter are too cool and will only burn the small areas that get hot enough.  Try using your stove.

Assume that you are just going to have to crimp & solder ring connectors at the ends of the AC wires connecting at your water heater.

I've also had success with just crimping carefully (I have the ratcheting Ancor tool, it's simply great), and closing with Liquid Lectric Tape and heat shrink.  Solder will last longer if crimped properly first.

[Ron Hill]

Mike : Chrimp first and then solder.  Do as much with an electric soldering iron as possible.  Then cover the job with heat shrink with a heat gun - last resort is a flame.  NO Wire Nuts!!
Key to soldering - is to let the solder flow and holding the solder joint steady until the solder is set. Good Luck 

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Ron and Stu, thanks for all the good info. If you're using butt connectors can you still solder after crimping without melting the plastic on the crimped butt connector. Isn't all the bare copper hidden by the butt connector?

Mike

[Stu Jackson]

Mike

If you solder, then you have to "give up" part of that "neatness" where you set the joint up so that the insulation on the wire ends up right in line with the connector body.  Without soldering, I, too, try to minimize the length of the bare wire so that the insulation lines up with the connector.  When soldering, you need some wire still sticking out from the connetor into which the solder flows.  So, bite the bullet: either neat, lined up and no solder, or some exposed wire and solder.  In either event, it's all covered with heat shrink.

[Ron Hill]

Mike : You can't solder a butt connector.  There are some Anchor butt connectors that have a substance in each end that will help seal put the moisture -- but soldering is a better electrical connection. 

What I do is strip the wire on each so I can get 2 twists between the two wires.  Don't be skimpy with the solder, but leave a huge blob either.  There are 2 mistakes you can make when soldering -- 1. you use too small a diameter of heat shrink and it won't go over the soldered joint or enlarged (from heat) wire insulation. 2. you used too short a piece of heat shrink to cover the solder joint and leave an overlap on the wire insulation of at least 1/4" on each end.
A few thoughts.