Anyone use these pushfit electrical connectors before, on tiny wires?

[yourmomm]

I've never seen them before, but then I'm no electrician.

You just insert the two wires into the connector, (insulation and all), push the button on top down, and it operates a guillotine, which at once cuts and connects both wires inside the connector, all encompassed by conducting gel of some sort (vaseline or some such, which should keep the salt and moisture out). Then seal the whole lot with self amalgamating coax seal or similar, and those pesky unreliable tiny soldered raymarine radar wires can be cut and rejoined without difficulty...

Seems to work, for now. But for how long? Has anyone else used these with any success in a marine environment?

 

[pvb]

Yes, used them before - they were supplied with a Raymarine GPS receiver I bought. They work brilliantly.

 

[rich]

The Telephone engineers use them.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Yes, used them before - they were supplied with a Raymarine GPS receiver I bought. They work brilliantly.

+1

Finally overcomes the challenge of thin wire connections.

Have a feeling that the one's I used were a 3M product.

 

[Mistroma]

+1

Finally overcomes the challenge of thin wire connections.

Have a feeling that the one's I used were a 3M product.

+1
Used on my Raymarine plotter and VHF. No problems at all but I did replace the VHF ones when I replaced the Raymarine VHF. I used computer connectors normally used inside computers for these so that I could remove the VHF easily. No problems with these either (mixture or power and SATA data connectors).

 

[Pete735]

They have been at the top of my mast for 4 years now linking my nasa tricolour to the mast wiring, still going strong..

 

[Spyro]

They are not really pushfit, you should use proper parallel jaws crimping pliers to complete the connection. Not really meant for multi stranded wire but they do work. As said earlier they are used in telecoms external network but they use solid core wires.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I wouldn't use those.

 

[DannyB]

I've never seen those before, what I use is like a heat shrink sleeve filled with low melting point solder. Slip them over the wires and use a heat gun to solder the wires together, the sleeve shrinks down to seal the connection.

 

[yourmomm]

I wouldn't use those.

Ok. What would you use? Others are saying they've had some success with them....

 

[yourmomm]

I've never seen those before, what I use is like a heat shrink sleeve filled with low melting point solder. Slip them over the wires and use a heat gun to solder the wires together, the sleeve shrinks down to seal the connection.

Got a link?

 

[bitbaltic]

Can’t see the attachment. These are telephone-type gel connectors right?

I used a bunch of the some years ago when redoing my NMEA and they are all still fine. But that was before I learnt how to crimp properly, which I would always do now.

 

[coaster63]

These possibly

Excellway® HS03 100Pcs 26-10AWG Solder Sleeve Heat Shrink Wire Splices Butt Connector.

 

[RobF]

I've used them a few times on my stranded NMEA0183 wires connecting my AIS to my Garmin GPSMap ChartPlotter. The wires kept pulling out. I was not impressed as it meant having to remove the headlining and re-making the connection. In the end I went old-school and used solder and heatshrink to make the connections.

I don't think it was user error - after all, it should just be a case of pushing the wires in and pushing down on the button to make the connection?

 

[Poignard]

More information:

https://www.cablejoints.co.uk/upload/3M_Scotchlok_Butt_Connectors___3M_UAL_Connector.pdf

 

[thinwater]

I've never seen those before, what I use is like a heat shrink sleeve filled with low melting point solder. Slip them over the wires and use a heat gun to solder the wires together, the sleeve shrinks down to seal the connection.

All I can say is BE CAREFUL.

I've tested several, and many gave the impression of a good connection, but were in fact very weak. Only use brand names. 3M is very good. Some of the Amazon shite was worse than just twisting and taping. Really. And it is hard to tel the difference unless you make some test connections, pull test them and then cut them open.

Whatever you use, pull-test a few to make sure. They should be strong enough to break the wire or they really should not go on a boat.

 

[yourmomm]

I've used them a few times on my stranded NMEA0183 wires connecting my AIS to my Garmin GPSMap ChartPlotter. The wires kept pulling out. I was not impressed as it meant having to remove the headlining and re-making the connection. In the end I went old-school and used solder and heatshrink to make the connections.

I don't think it was user error - after all, it should just be a case of pushing the wires in and pushing down on the button to make the connection?

As others have said, you have to use something with a mechanical advantage to close the connection, but, other than this, I don't think user error is possible.

I've gone berserk on the radar connections i've made: shaking, pulling, tearing at them; submerging them in salt water, twisting etc etc. They seem rock solid. But I'm fairly sure that as SOON as I put them somewhere relatively inaccessible, they'll fail immediately, as you found....

 

[Spyro]

I've used them a few times on my stranded NMEA0183 wires connecting my AIS to my Garmin GPSMap ChartPlotter. The wires kept pulling out. I was not impressed as it meant having to remove the headlining and re-making the connection. In the end I went old-school and used solder and heatshrink to make the connections.


I don't think it was user error - after all, it should just be a case of pushing the wires in and pushing down on the button to make the connection?

They are called IDC connectors (insulation displacement) which means they cut the insulation then bite into the conductor. if the conductor is multi stranded they can cut some of those as well leaving a weak physical connection and a poor electrical one. Only meant for solid core wires (telecoms external cables)

 

[PaulRainbow]

For small NMEA 0183 cables i use two methods, solder and heat shrink is obviously one way. Another good method is to use Wago connectors https://www.screwfix.com/p/wago-2-way-lever-connector-221-series-32a-pack-of-100/8421r

These will hold fine stranded cable down to 0.14mm and up to 4mm. I often stick the connectors in place with a spot of quick drying epoxy. For instance, if i'm fitting a chart plotter in a pod at the helm i run the cabling through the stainless tubing and epoxy some Wago connectors in the pod for the power cable and any NMEA cables. Just slip the wires in, close the lever and you're done. Makes it nice and easy to make future changes, as the are reusable, and a couple of small cable ties around all of the wires ensure everything is held firmly in place.

 

[vas]

For small NMEA 0183 cables i use two methods, solder and heat shrink is obviously one way. Another good method is to use Wago connectors https://www.screwfix.com/p/wago-2-way-lever-connector-221-series-32a-pack-of-100/8421r

Paul, or anyone else that may help,

is there any such contraption that one could mount on an electronics box (with lots of arduino kit inside) that would enable easy attachment of cables coming from sensors all around?
I mean I've used M20 or whatever size that is 5-6-8 connectors but jamming and soldering even 6 wires in that and getting it all looking decent is no mean job!
It would be easier if I could have something like that with numbered single lever wire inputs that would on the other side of the enclosure connect wires to the PCB.
So not two or three wires joint together , but a series of wires "terminating" on these levers and driving signals inside the box.

sorry not a v. good description...

cheers

V.