What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

[xxturbowesxx]

Just curious after fighting with a soldering iron in a tight place and heat shrink over the years if theres a better way. What system/process do you use?

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

Crimp on terminals with integrated heatshrink/self sealing adhesive. Expensive but absolutely water tight and no soldering required.

 

[scipper77]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I agree that crimping is great! I also am a big fan of liquid electrical tape.

 

[dingbat]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

This is directly from the ABYC Standards Manual.

ABYC E-11.16.3.7. Solder shall not be the sole means of mechanical connection in any circuit. If soldered, the connection shall be so located or supported as to minimize flexing of the conductor where the solder changes the flexible conductor into a solid conductor.

Note: When a stranded conductor is soldered, the soldered portion of the conductor becomes a solid strand conductor, and flexing can cause the conductor to break at the end of the solder joint unless adequate additional support is provided.

Also FYI: ABYC E-11.16.3.6. Twist on connectors, i.e., wire nuts, shall not be used.

 

[xxturbowesxx]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

Could someone post a link to the different types they use? Ive always soldered and not familiar with the terms of these items.

 

[mlaymance]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I believe that soldering the connections that the text was referring to means that there has to be a mechanical connection I.E. a loop ortwisted mechanical connection prior to soldering.

At least that was what I was taught when I had to be solder certified for a government project my company was working on.

I use solder and heat shrink. Unless you have a really good crimper, those lugs may or may not make a good connection.

Crimpers that have a positive lock.....(they will not release until they have been crimped far enough) are the only kind that I would consider for use on a boat.

My $.02

 

[ddrieck]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I was taught by a electrician to crimp and then solder the connection. He explained it this way.

" If you were pulling enough of a load the connection will get hot enough to melt the solder and the connection will fail. Therefore, the connection must be crimped first"

Darren

 

[rusirius]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

Depending on the application I usually solder or crimp then solder... (I usually never only crimp)... In recent years though I've used more than my fair share of "scotchlok" connectors when they can be used... The things are the best thing since sliced bread... Just insert wires, close with a pair of pliers and viola... Instant waterproof/good connection... I still don't trust them as far as solder, so I don't use them all the time, but often enough and I've honestly yet to have one fail...

 

[rusirius]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I was taught by a electrician to crimp and then solder the connection. He explained it this way.

" If you were pulling enough of a load the connection will get hot enough to melt the solder and the connection will fail. Therefore, the connection must be crimped first"

Darren

Honestly regardless of load if you're connection gets hot enough to melt the solder you've FAILED somewhere... You're either HORRIBLE at soldering, using a wire gauge WAY too small, or whatever...

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I've used more than my fair share of "scotchlok" connectors when they can be used... The things are the best thing since sliced bread... Just insert wires, close with a pair of pliers and viola... Instant waterproof/good connection...

Yikes, scotchloks would be the last type of connection I would utilize and ONLY if there was no other choice. They are really only meant as a temporary solution and in no way suited for a marine environment. They are not waterproof, watertight or even water resistant, at least none of the ones I've ever seen.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

Yikes, scotchloks would be the last type of connection I would utilize and ONLY if there was no other choice.

Yup, those things are terrible. I've removed too many failed ones and have learned to hate them .

You guys are probably going to laugh,,, but on my project I've been;
- crimping
- soldering
- liquid taping
- and then heat shrinking...

On a few buried connections in the wiring harness I;
- crimped
- soldered
- liquid taped
- heat shrinked
- liquid taped again
- and then heat shrinked again

Just call me Mr. Overkill

 

[bruceb58]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I use the Ancor crimp able butt joints that have the built in adhesive and shrink tubing. They make a perfectly waterproof joint. I do solder on occasion although it really is a "no no" on a boat. Reason is that you now have a rigid connection that can't flex and will eventually break.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I use those standard crimp on connectors available at any wall-mart. However, after crimping them on, i give them a quick shot with a $6 pencil butane tourch to melt the plastic cover off. Then I heat the crimped metal sleave and let it suck solder in from both ends. ( The torch works SO much faster than a soldering iron!) Lastly, I heat shrink the joint and seal it with liquid electrical tape. Takes a few more minutes but requires no special /expensive connectors and will not fail.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

Crimp on terminals with integrated heatshrink/self sealing adhesive. Expensive but absolutely water tight and no soldering required.

This was the second post and IMHO the right answer. The shrink sleeve is built into the connector. By the way, those "waterproof" connectors are available on the wall with all the other crimp connectors at my local Lowes, in Brooksville, Florida. Home Depot is too far away!

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

Scotchloks are the best invention ever. Working at Verizon, we used those to repair phone lines inside homes, as well as outside. They are used in every phone terminal around here, well, the older ones. They are filled with a gel, and are waterproof. I use them for speaker wire, phone wire, and just about anything they will fit. In my years of working with them, I have seen some submerged in water (a leak in the roof had a puddle in this guy's attic) and still working, no static on the phone line.

 

[gss036]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I just did one on my boat with a twist nut and filled it with liquid tape. It is laying loose under the deck on a glass panel and if it ever gets wet, well then boat has sunk and it really doesn't matter then.
I think it was broken/pulled when the deck was installed on the boat and fiberglass cement installed for deck support. If it works then I have a deck light, if it doesn't, oh well!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I was referring to this type of scotchlock

not the gel filled style, those seem OK.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

Those wire taps suck. I've had horrible experiences with them even in non-marine aplications. They cut into your wire/cunductors and leave it exposed to accelerated corrosion.

 

[rusirius]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

I was referring to this type of scotchlock

not the gel filled style, those seem OK.

OHHH NO NO NO!!! LOL!!! I'd never use those pieces of crap... I didn't think they were called scotchloks... The connectors I'm refering to are these:

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: What do you use to connect wires on your boat?

Yep, those are the good scotch loks. I tell ya, they work for everything. I would gladly endorse those.