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Ratchet crimpers are the bane of my existance and buying the simplest knipex manual crimpers was probably 10 years too late in life. Sure I'd want some sorta auto crimpers if doing hundreds per day, but with these I can finally crimp all stupid types of generic crimp connectors and do it well and tight.
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Jun 2, 2023 18:31
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| # ? May 11, 2024 22:45 |
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Ratcheting crimpers rule for electronics connectors that are super small. My gigantic fingers would never be able to get it right, but with ratcheting I can put the connector in, rachet it down a little and then push the wire in and finish crimping. I just wish there weren’t so many freakin types of connectors
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Jun 2, 2023 20:29
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I've had really good results with this Pressmaster crimper frame and crimper dies. https://www.waytekwire.com/item/560/Customizable-Crimping-Tool-Frame/ The dies are stupid expensive but this setup works 100% of the time.
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Jun 2, 2023 21:29
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On this topic, is there a small portable heat gun for doing heat shrink? Like the Pine-cil form factor, but hot air?
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Jun 2, 2023 21:38
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 I couldn't resist...also it's what I use most of the time
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Jun 2, 2023 21:50
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It's 2023, upgrade to a weed torch.
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Jun 2, 2023 22:20
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um if you don't use a thermobaric particle accelerator to micro ablate your weed, you're living in amish times.
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Jun 2, 2023 22:21
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Jun 2, 2023 23:09
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it's just resting there right
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Jun 2, 2023 23:19
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Thank god he didn't make it to the end of the driveway
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Jun 2, 2023 23:37
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I saw someone take a gooseneck trailer from an auction like this, but ratchet strapped in. They made it a block down the road before it broke right in front of a cop.
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Jun 3, 2023 00:20
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DJ Commie posted:I saw someone take a gooseneck trailer from an auction like this, but ratchet strapped in. They made it a block down the road before it broke right in front of a cop. Now it makes sense. That level of stupid was beyond my comprehension.
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Jun 3, 2023 01:14
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Safety Dance posted:On this topic, is there a small portable heat gun for doing heat shrink? Like the Pine-cil form factor, but hot air? There’s little butane torches that are handy, but of course still fire. I have a heat gun that’s about 3” in diameter, about 8”  long intended for various hobbies that works great, and cheap.Edit: Mini Heat Gun, TACKLIFE 350W... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZJK1VQS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
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Jun 3, 2023 02:01
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I got one of those and it's decent for doing the solder seal connectors but it has a short cord and isn't real portable. I would try a butane pencil torch with a heat fan. https://shop.sculpt.com/butane-pencil-torch.html My own horrible mechanical failure:  
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Jun 3, 2023 02:30
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Clean it, and fill it with solder. Then drill whatever holes/passages it needs.
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Jun 3, 2023 02:51
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kastein posted:I just tell people to buy an Astro 9477 and use the good dual wall heatshrink splices. Do I trust a well done solder joint in a well secured harness? Sure. Do I trust Joe blow's soldering he thinks he knows how to do? No loving way, not without seeing him do it. A decent ratchet crimper that's correctly adjusted on the other hand you have to be aggressively stupid to gently caress up with. I can tell people to use that and their poo poo will work, every single time. This. Most of the reasons that people give for soldering being no good on cars are myths, but I don’t do it, you probably shouldn’t do it, and I definitely don’t appreciate it when the PO has done it.
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Jun 3, 2023 04:32
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Galler posted:
yeah but seriously if it's just for heat shrink a lighter is perfect. just make sure to keep the flame moving, and hold the heat shrink in the blue part of the flame at the bottom so it doesn't get sooty. it works just as well as the fanciest hot air setup.
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Jun 3, 2023 06:03
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Galler posted:
it works, but the little catalyst flameless butane ones are really nice. i think the one powershift linked is one of those, or at least has that attachment. i have an ECG J500 with the JT-003 flameless heat tip...somewhere i end up using a lighter more often than not just cause i cant remember where i put the correct tool. its nice when i do find it tho Darchangel posted:I've got a Chinese clone crimper. One feature I see on the Astro is slots for the screws in the dies. Mine has holes meaning I have to fully remove the dang screws every time. Works fine, though. i havent used the astro specifically, but ive used the "wirefy" amazon kit that looks identical and i am really not a fan. it works ok, but the dies are never quite the right size. i was trying to use them with the heatshrink butt-crimps, and the heatshrink dies under-crimped them and the uninsulated dies over-crimped them and broke through the heatshrink (as you'd expect). i have started buying the iwiss crimpers either from amazon or from aliexpress depending on which is cheaper, and i have been pretty impressed. so far they've done exactly what ive wanted them to do, the visible quality of the dies looks better than most, and they're cheap enough that i just get a separate crimper for the handful of different types of thing i need to do instead of swapping around dies. the "real tools" like TE or whatever are always going to be better, but im not going to spend that kind of money on hobbyist stuff.
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Jun 3, 2023 07:20
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I've hosed up solder joints and crimps, but I can resolder the joint. The crimp is a complete loss, sometimes a section of wire is too. Maybe I've never used good crimp tools, but I sure have tried a bunch of different ones over the years.
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Jun 3, 2023 07:38
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I usually solder connections if it's accessible to do so. Just find the smaller connection is neater and easier to tuck back into the loom instead of having a big ol crimp connector bulging out from under the loom tape like some kind of tumour But different manufacturers have different procedures they want you to follow. Aston Martin was no solder joints whatsoever. Ferrari and Maserati are like ehhh just do whatever, any type of connection you do will probably be better than what was there originally so just go nuts lol 
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Jun 3, 2023 09:39
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Solder over crimp where I can, but crimp when no other option.
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Jun 3, 2023 14:20
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For heatshrink I use one of these: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/dewalt-20v-max-lithium-ion-cordless-brushless-compact-heat-gun-tool-only-/1001528333 I got it as a gift and thought it would be a gimmick but I haven't used my plug in heat gun since I got it. It is by no means a replacement for an actual plug in heat gun but for heat shrink it is perfect. The double wall solder splices work fine with it.
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Jun 3, 2023 14:53
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Use these for connecting wires together: 
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Jun 4, 2023 12:52
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I don't solder often, but when I do I wrap my splices in half a roll of the cheapest possible auto parts store electric tape.
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Jun 4, 2023 13:13
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My dad did car electronics for 30 years and he would always crimp, plus the good heat shrink with glue inside for stuff exposed to the elements. Soldering is way too fiddly when you're upside down under the dash of a semi truck. Plus you've got crimpable spade connectors, eyelets, all kinds of other useful bits, so it just makes sense to standardize on a good ratcheting crimper. He did still fire up the butane soldering iron sometimes, but only for fixing other people's messes or the odd component fix on a PCB.
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Jun 4, 2023 13:17
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Jun 4, 2023 18:18
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afen posted:Use these for connecting wires together: A Wago 773 connector is how I'd bring 7 (or 8) 14g wires together. Edit: I'm getting my threads crossed  the OSHA thread was talking about a guy trying to cram 7 14s in a single wire nut.
Wombot fucked around with this message at 19:15 on Jun 4, 2023 |
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Jun 4, 2023 19:12
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I just learned the magic of ratcheting crimpers (got a Klein Tools 3005CR) and holy crap, I didn't realize how good crimp connections could actually be! Can we argue on what the best connectors to buy? I know the Harbor Freight ones are garbage, but what about Gardner Bender (At least the heat shrink butt ones at Lowes)? Are the heat shrink ones good or is it better to cover with a separate piece of heat shrink? Are Wago's decent/acceptable in a car, or are they only for solid wire? Would it be better to use a Ferrule Crimp before using a Wago (And in that case, why not use a butt connection?)? OR would this be acceptable for using with an 8-way Wago? What's the best way to splice wires on a trailer? I'm mostly talking about the mid-trailer lights without using a horrible quick splice OR OR OR do I stop this derail and ask in the stupid questions thread?
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Jun 4, 2023 19:57
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Fire Storm posted:I just learned the magic of ratcheting crimpers (got a Klein Tools 3005CR) and holy crap, I didn't realize how good crimp connections could actually be! i bought some of those wago connectors a long time ago and they're nearly impossible with stranded wire imo, but maybe there is a specific version that works better with stranded wire? i have a feeling i'll never use up all the 2 and 3 port ones i bought a while back
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Jun 4, 2023 20:20
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Used those specific ones extensively for joining motor wiring, which was all stranded; I think ferrules are actually discouraged for them? The grey-bodied type are easier to use with stranded wire, but both types are fine if you stripped fresh. Keep in mind that they have a minimum wire gage as well.
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Jun 4, 2023 20:47
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There are 2 types of Wagos, the push-in types and the lever types. You can use the lever ones with stranded wire but the push-in ones will not work for that.
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Jun 4, 2023 20:52
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No problems with stranded wire and lever wagos, I have used both brand and "lever wire connector" knockoffs. No issues assuming the insulation fits and the wire is the correct gauge. the push ones are branded "wallnuts" or push in nuts. no stranded on those solid only.
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Jun 4, 2023 20:59
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Wagos are good connectors, but boy are they super chunky for what they do. And it bothers me on a fundamental level that they don't join two wires inline. I have a bag of them but only for special cases. Lineman's splice + solder or inline crimp are both better imo.
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Jun 4, 2023 21:02
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Sagebrush posted:Wagos are good connectors, but boy are they super chunky for what they do. And it bothers me on a fundamental level that they don't join two wires inline. I have a bag of them but only for special cases. Which is the opposite of how I feel using wagos in home wiring. Roughly the same size or a little smaller than twist connectors while much easier to manipulate.
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Jun 4, 2023 21:27
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Sagebrush posted:Wagos are good connectors, but boy are they super chunky for what they do. And it bothers me on a fundamental level that they don't join two wires inline. I have a bag of them but only for special cases. Wago 221-2401 is the inline splice.
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Jun 4, 2023 21:38
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Shalhavet posted:Wago 221-2401 is the inline splice. ah nice i didn't know they even made them in that format. gonna buy a bunch
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Jun 4, 2023 21:46
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The failures are coming from inside the thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOTrS6-mNtA
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Jun 4, 2023 23:14
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I solder with a $20 iron meant for arts and crafts and it works fine. It gets hot and melts solder. Like it’s already been said the secret is in the prep. Strip about half an inch from each wire and twist the wires with plenty of overlap so they can withstand a decent amount of pulling force without any solder at all. Then you just touch the iron against the wire and let a gently caress ton of solder wick into the joint. It ain’t ever coming apart again. Shrink wrap or tape over and done.
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Jun 5, 2023 00:41
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Wasabi the J posted:The failures are coming from inside the thread: this is a strange video i agree with his overall point: the solder (and sometimes flux) wicking into the wire is the most annoying part of soldering wires. however, the exceptions he lists for when he does need to make a solder joint largely don't make sense to me. the potted connector is fine; i had never thought about that problem but adding a little pigtail is a cute solution to it. however, then he mentions D-sub connections, and shielded wire drains. you can just buy crimp d-sub connectors; AMP, ITT-Cannon, Cinch (those off the top of my head but others too) make 'em. the only reason i can think of to use solder cups is if they're maybe trying to fit too large of a wire than the crimp contacts can take. for shielded wire, i like to cut the wire longer than it needs to be, then de-braid the shield to make a continuous drain wire without needing to solder or splice anything. might need to trim the strand count down, but that's not a big deal. twist em all up into a wire and heatshrink it together. then you can crimp it into whatever terminal you need to use. seems like a weird oversight for pro harness folks to make
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Jun 5, 2023 01:01
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| # ? May 11, 2024 22:45 |
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polyester concept posted:I solder with a $20 iron meant for arts and crafts and it works fine. It gets hot and melts solder. Like it’s already been said the secret is in the prep. Strip about half an inch from each wire and twist the wires with plenty of overlap so they can withstand a decent amount of pulling force without any solder at all. Then you just touch the iron against the wire and let a gently caress ton of solder wick into the joint. It ain’t ever coming apart again. Shrink wrap or tape over and done. OK I've got the wires soldered together, now how the heck do you get the shrink wrap on?? 
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Jun 5, 2023 03:21
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