Electrical Connections

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Message originally posted by: Mike Garner
Electrical faults are the biggest cause of breakdowns accoring to AA/RAC. So I want to make a good job of my electrical connections.
Is there any one out there who works in the automotive trade who knows/can recommend top quality electrical fittings?
I have never liked crimp on fittings, but most of the solder on connectors all look very flimsy - I want quality. Any ideas where Where I can find it?
regards
Mike

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Electrical Connections

Mike
Try 'Vehicle Wiring Products' based in Ilkeston Derbyshire,they are on the web. or tel 0115 9305454 Crimp on are ok as long as you use the professional ratchet type tool.

[amalgamated users from prior forum]

Re: Electrical Connections

Message originally posted by: Don
The prince of darkness; Joe Lucas strikes again. After very nearly 30 years of motoring I have to agree with the AA/RAC. In my experience the fault usually lies in the connection between the spade and the push on "LUCAR" connector. I wish I understood the chemistry, but there appears to be a corrosion product that forms between the two pieces of metal that acts as a near perfect insulator, it's something to do with the plating. The connection looks OK feels OK but does it conduct no? Wiggly it a bit and all is fine for a while then bingo it stops again. I don't know what the solution is, but keeping the connections clean and dry bust be a start; plenty of heatshrink and harness tape.

Crimps are fine, I use a type that comes with a glue lined heatshrink sleeve already attached. You crimp it, attack it with a heat gun and it shrinks and glues itself to the wire. These are available from RS components.

[pdm_engineer]

Re: Electrical Connections

Mike
I agree with Alan and as it happens vehical Wiring Products are by favorite supplier. however a decent ratchet tool is very expensive and you need different jaws for each crimp type. You may consider crimping with a cheaper universal crimp tool and soldering, which is what I have done. This is a reliable but time consuming alternative.

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Electrical Connections

I fill the female part with vaseline before pushing them together. It keeps the damp out and improves the electrical contact.

[teazle]

Re: Electrical Connections

Hi MIke,
I would agree with all that been said so far and I've had no problems. I found the best way to join 2 wires if you couldn't twist,solder,file and sleeve was a small tube of solder encased in a hard heat shrink outer tube; slot wires in each end and the gun heat melts solder and shrink sleeve.Dunno what they were called but I can find out. Avoid using insulation tape, use harness tape and tie off ends with duck tape. SVA love conduit so I should sleeve the lot(I used hard plastic wherever possible) and use heat resistant sleeve in engine bay esp to alternator.CBS are good for bits too.www.carbuildersolutions.co.uk
Good luck C