Csail
N/A
I put a post here a bit ago but can't find it... anyway i have bought a dogs bo()0C$ crimping tool but there were suggestions of also dipping in some substance first / soldering.. any input would be good. (boat battery cables)
Crimping
- Thread starter Csail
- Start date
Norman_E
Well-known member
No point in soldering then crimping. The wire for marine use should be tinned, therefore corrosion resistant without soldering (i.e. tinning) the ends. The crimping tool distorts the end fitting and squeezes it onto the cable. In so doing it re-arranges the wires somewhat, so soldering them together is counter productive.
Csail
N/A
Ok.. so where is the best/cheapest place to buy marine electrical bits?
PCUK
Well-known member
Index Marine
savageseadog
Well-known member
Might have been my idea to dip the ends in Duck oil or WD40 or Silicon Grease or similar. The general idea being that it will stop the water wicking up the cable and also prevent corossion. I would also recommend heat shrink sleeving
Blueboatman
Well-known member
This is pretty good though I have never wanted to use it on the actual battery terminals myself.
damo
New member
There is also heatshrink with a waterproof adhesive lining to it
Niander
New member
Why not just solder?
alan006
New member
I asked a marine engineer the same question a couple of years ago. He told me that at the time for the boat safety certificate, soldering of battery leads to lugs was not encouraged because in the event of fire the soldered joints would fail whereas the crimped connections would survive longer. I can see the point, but it might be a bit academic in practice.
Since then I've always used crimpers.
Since then I've always used crimpers.
Frontier
Active member
For regular cables around the boat you want one of these
Can be got from here, or Google search I guess.
Maplin
For big battery connections you should be able to buy terminals that have screws to clamp the cable.
Crimps with the correct pressure (which needs a ratchet tool like this and not just the squeeze hand tight one) achieve a better and longer lasting electrical connection than solder.
They look more professional as well
Can be got from here, or Google search I guess.
Maplin
For big battery connections you should be able to buy terminals that have screws to clamp the cable.
Crimps with the correct pressure (which needs a ratchet tool like this and not just the squeeze hand tight one) achieve a better and longer lasting electrical connection than solder.
They look more professional as well
Artemis_C2121
New member
Gents
Its impossible to prevent water ingress on hand crimped wiring. When terminals are machine crimped IE by harness manufacturers (my profession) there is nothing added to the strands whether they are tinned or not.
The crimp is so formed that it excludes air gaps, when sectioned and looked at under a microscope it should not be possible to see any gaps in the crimp (one of the many quality checks done). water proof heat shrink is to prevent water entering between the copper core and the insulation material.
Any wiring that needs to be totally water proof will have to have water proof connectors with a rubber seal crimped at the same time as the terminal which seal to the connector when the terminal is inserted.
Your best option is tinned marine cable as you will not be able to prevent ingress so need to minimise its effects with tinned cable.
Soldering is something that should be avoided particularly in areas where vibration is prevelant, the reason is that the solder makes the wire hard and eventually the vibration willl make it fail heat shrink helps but not to a great extent. best to dry crimp and add heat shrink and in high vibration areas support the wiring by clipping a short distance behind the connector approx 50mm there by reducing the effects of vibration on the terminals
happy to bore the pants of anyone who would like to discuss wiring type issues
Nev
Its impossible to prevent water ingress on hand crimped wiring. When terminals are machine crimped IE by harness manufacturers (my profession) there is nothing added to the strands whether they are tinned or not.
The crimp is so formed that it excludes air gaps, when sectioned and looked at under a microscope it should not be possible to see any gaps in the crimp (one of the many quality checks done). water proof heat shrink is to prevent water entering between the copper core and the insulation material.
Any wiring that needs to be totally water proof will have to have water proof connectors with a rubber seal crimped at the same time as the terminal which seal to the connector when the terminal is inserted.
Your best option is tinned marine cable as you will not be able to prevent ingress so need to minimise its effects with tinned cable.
Soldering is something that should be avoided particularly in areas where vibration is prevelant, the reason is that the solder makes the wire hard and eventually the vibration willl make it fail heat shrink helps but not to a great extent. best to dry crimp and add heat shrink and in high vibration areas support the wiring by clipping a short distance behind the connector approx 50mm there by reducing the effects of vibration on the terminals
happy to bore the pants of anyone who would like to discuss wiring type issues
Nev
Stoaty
Member
I do work for a company that make some very specialist avionics. All their connections are dipped into Vaseline before crimping with a hydraulic tool and heat shrink tube applied. Circuit boards are wire wound, for reliability. not soldered.
Csail
N/A
This is what im using-
http://shop.pcscables.co.uk/products.asp?SubCategory=125
http://shop.pcscables.co.uk/products.asp?SubCategory=125
Niander
New member
As if a soldered joint would fail in a boat!...I'm not having that!...
Csail
N/A
I had loads fail out in a gale, slamming over the waves!
Niander
New member
Ha i knew there was a good reason to avoid those gales!