Darrell said:
>but I don't like them or wire nuts either for that matter. 

I have to agree...I learned in Germany (I worked on the electronic steering controls for marine applications) that wire nuts are a no-no!  All wire connections are either soldered or put on a terminal block.  Good quality crimp connectors, with the proper tool, are also considered acceptable.  Wire nuts seem to be an American phenomenon.  Even wire splices on German electric motors use a terminal block.
Karl Batzler
84 Vanagon
87 Audi 5000 S
La Quinta, CA
-----Original Message-----
From: Darrell Boehler <midwesty@MIDWEST.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Sunday, January 31, 1999 4:47 AM
Subject: Re: Soldered Connections

>Hi Volks,
>    I feel solder is better. I also feel if one has no soldering experience
>that a crimp splice joint is probably better, but I don't like them or wire
>nuts either for that mater. I learned to solder as a radar technician in the
>usn. The best advice I can offer is what a cwo ( chief warrant officer) told
>me in 1960 and the basics have not changed much since then, the secret to a
>good electrical connection is to first have a good mechanical connection.
>    I prefer shrink tubing, however there is some much improved electrical
>tape out there. I find the new 3m / scotch super 33 hard to beat for most
>things I need tape for. It is not cheap around $4 a roll but then some for
>$0.50 can be more expensive it it fails you.
>Darrell
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Otmar Ebenhoech <Otmar@EVCL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Date: Sunday, January 31, 1999 2:19 AM
>Subject: Re: Soldered Connections
>
>
>>At 11:38 PM -0800 1/30/99, David Marshall wrote:
>>>I think you are missing the point with soldering - or you have never seen
>>>it done correctly.  Your examples of failing solders are not from a wire
>to
>>>wire connection but a wire to a component / circuit board connection.  If
>>>you are soldering two wires together you must do what is called a "western
>>>union" connection first.  This is where you strip the wires say 1.5 to
>>>2.0cm and put them parallel to each other so the cut end of one wire is
>>>next to the begining of the plastic covering of the other.  Then twist the
>>>wires so they make a mechanical connection first.  The wires should be
>able
>>>to hold together without solder.  The next step is to do a propper
>>>soldering job where you heat the wire and not the solder thus advoiding a
>>>cold solder.  Use decent solder that contains a very small amount of flux.
>>>I use the Radio Shack stuff.  After you make this connection I will bet
>>>anyone one hundred bucks that it will NOT break.  If you waterproof it
>with
>>>lithium greese and seal it with very snug heat shrink it is almost as good
>>>as an uncut wire - just a little stiffer where the connection is made.
>>>
>>>Crimps do have their place and work well when done with the right tools.
>>>They do tend to leave some part of the connection open to the atmosphere
>>>which makes it prone to rust and eventually failure.
>>
>>Maybe I was misdirected here, I was thinking of a crimp joint to something
>>like a 1/4" faston connector for going to the back of the light. You are
>>right that I was thinking of a wire to component connection.
>>
>>I would agree that in the case of wire to wire connections, using a western
>>union connection in a non flexing area it would be a very good connection.
>>This used to be done in the ECU harnesses of some cars (I think I remember
>>them in a '87 ford), but in my 97 jetta harness they were crimps.
>>
>>The lithium grease trick sounds good (if messy). There exists a type of
>>heatshrink that has a sealer inside it to seal connections from the
>>atmosphere. Usually it's called high voltage heatshrink and I've seen it in
>>three weights. Basically it's heatshrink with a hot glue like substance
>>inside it that oozes out when it is shrunk. This is fantastic stuff for
>>both crimped and soldered joints. Unfortunatly it's quite expensive. You
>>can make your own by laying down some hot glue on the joint and then using
>>ordinary shrink tubing over it. When the tubing gets hot enough it melts
>>the glue. Makes for a great sealed joint, but it will eventually crack and
>>compromise the seal if it's flexed enough.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -Otmar-
>>86 Syncro (front) 82 (rear) Stretch GTI Westfalia. "Power of two"
>>Several EVs (Electric Vehicles)
>>http://www.evcl.com/strvan/strvan.html
>>http://www.evcl.com/Picprev.html
>>Electric Vehicle Components Ltd. (650) 494-9255
>>

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