Good terminals, sized right with good tool is all you need
So I'm starting down the wiring path but I'm really hesitant to do much more than noodle on the schematics until I figure out which wire crimps I should use. I know there must be some better suited than others. Beside terminal connectors I'll need to do pins for the avionics. I'm interested to see what ya'll use. What is the skinny on the use of solder?
R head I did not read all the replies but I grew up miss trusting crimp terminals, but if you use good quality crimp terminals (Amp or 3m) not hardware store crimps of unknown quality and a good crimping tool they work great. I admit in my youth I did not trust crimp terminals for several reasons: I used cheap crimp terminals, cheap tools and I did not know what I was doing and why.
As some might have mentioned solder can wick into the strands of the wire and make it act as one be lump. One big solid wire is more fatigue prone than a bunch of single strands free to move relative to each other. Crimp terminals are made to be totally acceptable and sound with out soldering.
Good quality crimp terminals with a good crimp tool not only crimps the metal part of the crimp terminal but the outer plastic sleeve, which acts as a strain relief, since it gets crimped as well. The colorful plastic slave is more than window dressing. Now if you want to put more stuff on it you can. What is stuff? (heat shrink and solder)
If a wire does not move, it will not fatigue, crimp or soldered. Of couse with vibration almost everything moves even if only a little.
Heat shrink sleeves will help reduce and support wire out of a connector, but in 10-20 yrs, I'm not sure how the heat shrink will hold up? The plastic sleeves on crimp terminals have fairly stiff plastic that should stay put once clamped down.
Heat shrink is more flexible, but if you double triple it, it becomes too stiff. Of couse if too stiff where it stops makes a hard point where wire can flex and fail? You can also add time to build, weight and cost heat shrinking like crazy. A little is fine.
Some times I find my self splicing two wires together, soldering them together with a few heat shrink tubes overlapped. Crimp butt splices are a little bulky. If it's a straight piece of wire with heat shrink, supported (no movement), its will last forever, wicked solder or not. However if there are lots of flexing near the solder joint it might not last even with heat shrink. You have to pick and choose.
You will see I mention supporting wiring. That is part of the goodness puzzle.
Some like put a dab of solder on the end of crimp terminals? I say belt and suspenders. If you are doing it for fun great. If you are soldering to fix your crimp terminal installation which you think is marginal or you have no faith in, than that is the wrong reason. Get the best quality crimp terminals, sized for the wire and install per proper procedures with a good crimp terminal tool. Learn how to use it. Also stripping the wire is critical. You not only need the right amount stripped but you can nick some of the strands if not careful. Something to avoid as well. You want all those strands working.
As far as avionics there are two types commonly used, mini pins (DIN or computer plugs) and molex connectors. They are different than regular wiring crimp terminals but the same rules apply, good pins and the proper tool for the job. Molex are the most challenge for me but they are not hard. The "real" top dollar genuine molex crimper is big bucks. I was able to borrow a "Molex" tool. As far as pin connectors you can get a good inexpensive tool.
DIN or computer type plugs commong with many avionics now a days can be found in solder type. They work fine and you can heat shrink and with the shell back and more support it should last forever. However soldering all those little pins is place is a fun challenge. Pins you crimp and plug in.
Just go to
Stein Air for your electrical connector and tool needs. They have it all.
