Thin wire joinning

[PabloPicasso]

A few years ago I found joining very thin NMEA 0183 cables a bit problematic. There seemed to be no easy way of making reliable connections. N2K has resolved a lot of the issues here, thankfully.


But I have fitted a new low power LED masthead light and the cables are very thin. Again, too small to get a good connection with crimps. There is also not enoigh space in the base to fit three crimp connectors easily.

What is the proper way to connect ultra thin electric cables on a boat?

 

[Tranona]

Are you connecting inside the boat? If so this is how I do it

Spoiler alert Not approved by certain people here but works just fine. Clean simple, stable as the connections are in a nice warm dry place.

 

[jdc]

Probably gel filled crimps, such as Amazon.co.uk

But you didn't define 'thin' so you'll have to choose the correct size.

 

[PabloPicasso]

Are you connecting inside the boat? If so this is how I do it

Spoiler alert Not approved by certain people here but works just fine. Clean simple, stable as the connections are in a nice warm dry place.

No, inside the base of the masthead light!!

 

[Tranona]

OK different problem. Not sure how mine was done as the rigger did it

 

[thinwater]

Are you connecting inside the boat? If so this is how I do it

Spoiler alert Not approved by certain people here but works just fine. Clean simple, stable as the connections are in a nice warm dry place.

Wago 221 has a minimum cable size of 24 AWG (0.2 mm2). If there is any motion, they tend to either slip or break the wire in the smallest sizes. that said, I used WAGOs to connect my masthead light 5 years ago (since I had to extend the base above the wind instrument, I created a nice big, dry wiring box and provided for strain relief).

As for the OP, WAGOs are bigger than crimps. Will the crimps fit if you stagger them?

 

[Bobc]

Solder and heatshrink covers

 

[PaulRainbow]

Are you connecting inside the boat? If so this is how I do it

Spoiler alert Not approved by certain people here but works just fine. Clean simple, stable as the connections are in a nice warm dry place.

Nothing wrong with Wagos, in the right place. The issue some people here had with your installation is the lack of appropriate support. But you know best.

 

[thinwater]

Solder and heatshrink covers

Possibly. But not fun at the masthead. But yes.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Probably gel filled crimps, such as Amazon.co.uk

But you didn't define 'thin' so you'll have to choose the correct size.

Do not use those on a boat.

 

[fredrussell]

Solder and heatshrink covers

This is what I do with small wires. Frowned upon I think but hey ho.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Do not use those on a boat.

Don't use tem anywhere! Even Openreach engineers don't like them and that is what they are designed(?) for

 

[jdc]

Do not use those on a boat.

Why not? Vibration, don't like IDCs in general or what?

 

[Tranona]

Nothing wrong with Wagos, in the right place. The issue some people here had with your installation is the lack of appropriate support. But you know best.

You are just guessing it is inadequate - and it is not for all the reasons that I explained - but of course your guesses are better than actual fact! Come down and have a look for yourself if you don't believe me.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Why not? Vibration, don't like IDCs in general or what?

They are meant for telecoms use not general power circuits. As I said even OR engineers don't like them they basically, for the want of a better description, simply rot! Worse than solder butt connectors

 

[KevinV]

Solder and heatshrink covers

Check they aren't aluminium conductors before you try soldering in an awkward place

(don't ask)

 

[BobnLesley]

Possibly. But not fun at the masthead. But yes.

It can be done, I used solder and some liquid insulation to fix a windspeed indicator wire up there.
My only hiccough came when an Instructor from a nearby Coast Guard (US) Training Centre arrived in a massive rib filled with students and to show them just how good a helmsman he was, he zoomed-up at high speed and threw a 180* turn to kiss neatly up against the hull of our anchored boat.
When he enquired of Lesley "Good afternoon madam, is the Captain on board?" Rather than her answering verbally, Les silently pointed upward, towards me, clinging desperately to the rigging at the wildly swaying masthead. At which point the guy muttered "Ah, he looks busy... I leave him to it for now." before departing far more slowly; while I couldn't see for myself, Lesley reckoned that the expressions on the students' faces were a picture, all striving desperately not to burst out laughing.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Why not? Vibration, don't like IDCs in general or what?

IDC's are bad news anywhere, but with fine stranded wire, which we use on boats, they are terrible.

 

[PaulRainbow]

You are just guessing it is inadequate - and it is not for all the reasons that I explained - but of course your guesses are better than actual fact! Come down and have a look for yourself if you don't believe me.

I can see from the picture it is not adequate.

 

[jdc]

I'm not convinced that IDCs are so bad, and nor that they aren't routinely used by many, perhaps without realising.

Ethernet connectors, such as RJ45 are all IDCs and used on every radar, marine or not, and of course in all the industrial and office buildings all over the world. I everyone here has some - in the BT home hub and connecting the fibre box to the home hub at home, and for several functions on board.

And in your PC and TV, ribbon cable is connected with IDCs. Sure your chart plotter doesn't use them?

Also in your car, where IDCs are widely used nowadays.