butt connectors

[LagerDrinker]

Ok, you've heard me mention butt connectors being better before. gonna put my money where my mouth is. first ill show pics and explain later.














starting off with a small set from mac tools is a wire cutter, stripper, crimper. Also a automatic wire stripper and cutter and a good wiring harness. For demo i had to cut wire. Next i stripped one wire using automatic stripper(note how damaged wire is, wrong tension setting which was my fault) the other wire to be stripped i used regular stripper. Inserted wires in butt connector and with regular crimper crimped connector. Last photo shows final repair after heating insulator. Note goo coming out of ends and where my crimper punctured insulator. This is a permanent semi flexible and waterproof repair. No tape to unravel or get juicy after tapes glue melts and you can see it added little to the thickness of the wire. this repair took me just a few minutes cause i was taking pics, normally just seconds to do.

If you still have doubts about using good butt connectors its ok, took me a few weeks to realize how much better, safer, and cleaner they are over soldering.

your comments welcome

[jamman]

yes the silicone butt connectors are the shit, my cheap ass , who's time is worth almost nothing still likes to solder, and soldering is an art.. good job Jim.

[LagerDrinker]

Originally Posted by jamman

my ass still likes to solder, and soldering is an art...

I was gonna do one for proper soldering technique, but i think you nominated yourself for soldering thread.

but remember...

[JetEngineMech]

Well done!


The only thing I do different is put a sleeve of heat-shrink tubing on before crimping the second end of the connector and then heat the tubing closed with a hair dryer or heat gun. The before part is very important!

[LagerDrinker]

JEM, the but connector i used already has heat shrink on it. Its funny you mention that though cause back when i was soldering i have had to cut wires and start over because i forgot to put on shrink on wire.

[JetEngineMech]

Ahh, now that I look at the photos better I see the heat shrink, very nice! Yeah, every now and then I have to redo a connection when I see the heat-shrink laying on the floor...

[LagerDrinker]

this is what they look like minty fresh out of the box...


I posed them on top of soldering gun case on purpose. yes i do own a soldering gun.

I agree those new butt connectors are the tits. I am old skool and still dig the old fashioned solder and heat shrink but I am slowly switching over.

kgdb

[flathead45]

I avoid butt splices if possible but those heat shrink ones are the only way to go for a butt splice

but don't forget the die electric grease before inserting the wire and crimping, that will prevent the fuzzy green creep from getting on the copper

and remember ... heat shrink will not keep the water out forever

[LagerDrinker]

Originally Posted by flathead45

I avoid butt splices if possible but those heat shrink ones are the only way to go for a butt splice

but don't forget the die electric grease before inserting the wire and crimping, that will prevent the fuzzy green creep from getting on the copper

and remember ... heat shrink will not keep the water out forever

NO,NO,NO flatty. No dielectric grease! these newer(been around for at least 10 years) butt connectors have hot glue inside them. they make a 100% watertight seal. Adding dielectric grease will prevent glue from sticking to insulator.