To crimp or to solder terminal connectors

[@tastenheber]

To be honest, I don‘t trust these type of crimped connectors. Often I find myself removing the plastic, solder it and put a heat shrink tube on it. I prefer the non-insulated ones which grip into the insulation and the conductor separately. There are other types of crimped connectors I trust way more, like the wire-end sleeves for flexible connectors. Once these are crimped correctly, they never come lose again.

[@hugeshows]

I have some thoughts on this, and I've done lots of experimenting with this too. I have concluded that in most cases, I crimp and solder. Some of your concerns are valid, but they can be overcome. I like to combine the mechanical connection of a crimp directly to un-tinned (stranded) wire, with the added electrical and mechanical connection of the solder. Additionally, the solder serves as a hermetic seal and prevents any corrosion and high resistance buildup due to heat at the crimp site. Soldering the crimps stop thermal runaways. Here's my technique: 1) Use the correct size terminals for the wire gauge and crimp the connection. This is always critical even with solder. 2) Clamp the work somewhere where heat softening won't ruin insulation that is going to get hot. 3) Heat the terminal from the loop (or spade or whatever) No, this won't work on fully shrouded terminals unless you can slide the insulation out of the way before heating. 4) Feed the solder into the crimped joint from the end and keep an eye on how much your're feeding in. Experience will teach you to avoid wicking up the wire and stiffening it. The insulation covering the crimp will get soft when it's hot, and can slide around a bit. Just make sure it's in place before it hardens back up. With some practice you can apply and remove your heat quickly enough to avoid that too much. As to the issue of stiffening the wire, yes that's a concern. It can be avoided. But let's be practical - if you're not relieving the strain on a wire well before it reaches the termination, it's going to run into trouble no matter what in a vibration situation. I'm not building aircraft here, but at the end of the day I really like the fact that a well soldered joint is immune to the sort of oxidation/heat runaway problem that a purely mechanically crimped connection, let's face it, is prone to. We've all seen crimps that have inexplicably melted down. Never seen a properly crimped AND soldered connector do that.

[@HazeAnderson]

Good stuff! My only concern is the stiffening of the wire and you addressed that nicely.

[@kostaskritsilas2681]

The only issue is that just about all of your points are invalid. Please note the following: 1. Crimp terminals are not intended to be soldered. The metal used to form the crimp terminal is made to cold flow around a bare wire under pressure from the crimper. It was never intended to be soldered so its ability to be "wetted" by the solder is not a consideration; its sort if like trying to solder onto aluminum or steel. 2. Solder joints crack/fracture under mechanical vibration. This has been under investigation by the electronics industry for decades, with no solution in sight. As the IPC-610 workmanship standard puts it, "solder is an electrical connection, not a mechanical one". Whenever you get a chance, look under the hood, or any part of a car, and see how many wiring connections are soldered, and how many are crimped. Bet you won't find any soldered connections, and this is a pretty severe environment, bot in terms of temperature range, and being exposed to the elements. If soldering were a mire reliable connection method, it would have been used; the fact that it is not should speak volumes. The same is true in aviation and military applications. If solder type joints, or solder and crimped joints were more reliable, all of those industries would have been using them. The fact us, they don't, even in the cost no object aviation and military industries. 3. Properly made crimped connections not corrode, even over extended periods of time. From the above, note the "cold flow" characteristic of the crimp terminal materials. Cold flow literally means that the metal in the terminal flows around the wire as if it were molten metal. In a properly crimped connection (crimp terminal properly sized fir the wire, and a ratchet type crimping tool used), the connection is gas tight. This means that nothing gets in there to cause corrosion. If you were to take a very old (properly made, 25+ years if age) crimped connection apart by cutting the crimp terminal apart, you will see that the wire directly inside the crimp will look almost like new copper, and that even with the terminal cut open, the wire strands will still be stuck to the crimp terminal metal, and may be difficult or impossible to separate from the terminal. This is in contrast to many solder joints, which will have cracked after 25 years of age, letting in oxygen, moisture, and ultimately failing. If corrosion is a consideration, use a closed end crimp terminal, with a heat shrink insulator instead of regular plastic insulation. Crimp the terminal, then use heat to shrink the insulator around the wire insulation. This should not be required, for the reasons already explained above and below. 4. Cable joints do not only get mechanical pulling stresses put on them, they see vibration, too. Vibration is the best possible way to crack a solder joint. You can put in all the strain reliefs you want, but the cables will vibrate from the engine, mechanical systems, or just from rolling down the road (or flying in turbulence, or from running through water). And solder joints will crack. They crack on circuit boards, all the time. It is too bad that there wasn't a milli-ohmeter available to test the electrical resistance of the two connections, it would have been informative.

[@hugeshows]

@@kostaskritsilas2681 These are interesting points to be sure. Again, it's all about application and the type of wire and connector. The point you're making about the lack of vibration resistance in solder is something I'm quite familiar with, and is mentioned in some of my videos pertaining to Mercedes repair. But how is a connection that is crimped first going to allow vibration in the soldered joint? If crimping is a panacea for stopping vibration related connection failure (it isn't) then how will a crimped connection that is soldered be somehow more prone to failure? Last but certainly not least, why do manufacturers make crimp connections that are intended to be soldered as well? Example, Phillips Sta-Dry "Crimp, Solder & Seal" heat shrink terminals. And to your point about the metal-to-metal contact within a crimped wire. How do you verify that you've made such a perfect connection without cutting the terminal apart? You really can't. That's why I crimp then solder.

[@chrisw1462]

@@kostaskritsilas2681 2.) Crimps are used in the auto industry because they're CHEAP. Unless soldering prevented large issues, it would never be used in such an industry. Also, planned obsolescence, anyone? 3.) PROPERLY crimped... yeah. 4.) We aren't talking about circuit boards, are we? And I'm fairly sure most of the problems you're thinking of are when the solder joint actually pulls and/or breaks the trace from the board, which means it was the board that failed, not the joint. A properly soldered lug is supported on all sides and doesn't wick into the wire. Vibration only affects the joint where the wire enters the lug. A milliohm meter would show you something, that's for sure. Being brand new connections, they'd measure the same. A high-current test with a FLIR camera would be better, though. And much more informative.

[@kostaskritsilas2681]

Chris W Crimps are used in the auto industry because they eliminate warrantee repairs, and reduce the warrantee repair work that the dealers must do (which is eventually billed back to the car makers). Car makers are cheap, but cheaping out on wiring connections costs much more than the initial cost of the joint. Car makers have better ways of ensuring obsolescence than unreliable wiring connections (see parts unavailability). If this were strictly a cost consideration, IPC-610 (a worldwide electronics workmanship standard) would not be warning people away from soldering on joints subject to vibration and mechanical stress, and they do have separate considerations for high reliability situations (communications, aviation, military, and space), and still do not recommend solder joints in environments where there is vibration or mechanical stress. Yes, properly crimped. You should not be under the impression that high volume wiring harness manufacturers are having crimped joints made with hand tools (as per this video). In a high volume wiring operation, there are automated machines thar are doing most of the work. There are machines that cut wires to precise lengths, and strip each end perfectly. The machines are set up by production engineers following an engineering drawing. Then these wires are crimped by automated crimping tools, most often designed and made by the terminal manufacturer themselves (Molex machine for Molex terminals, Amp machines for Amp terminals, and so on). Those crimping machines will only crimp when the wire is in the right position, and is the correct gauge. So yes, properly crimped. This video, while good, is not representative of a production environment; at best, it is closest to a repair scenario. In today's electronics, you rarely see components pulling traces off. We learned a long time ago to glue, silicone, tie wrap, or otherwise keep heavy components stable so that doesn't happen. It still can happen if there us a bad PCB, or severe mechanical stress. Keep in mind that the vast majority of electronics components are surface mount or BGA packages, which are very light. Even in those cases, there will be solder joint failures due to solder joints fracturing, oxidizing, and eventually failing. Milliohm meter or FLIR will give you pretty much the same results. If there is a higher resistance at the joint, it will show as a hot spot on the FLIR, or plainly as a higher resistance on the milliohmeter.

[@MrVosh-nj2lc]

Highly oxidative atmospheres (water + air) will have a lot do with the type of connection. A soldered connection will withstand oxidation much better than a mechanical crimp.

[@kensmith5694]

Yes, very true. The best is to crimp then solder. That way solder is not doing the mechanical work but is sealing off the joint.

[@kostaskritsilas2681]

Really? Please explain why "highly oxidative atmospheres" environments use crimped terminals exclusively. By this ipI mean automotive, aviation, and military. No solder joint in sight, ever. Wire joints are crimped, and then put into weather tight connector bodies (GM calls theirs 'Weather Pak"). Same is true in aviation and military.

[@kensmith5694]

@@kostaskritsilas2681 Marine gear and earth moving equipment from Caterpiller have soldered equipment. Automotive production is extremely cost sensitive so we can leave that aside. Aviation and military gear makers are big on making things that can be inspected by a second person. A crimp then solder joint has to be inspected in process and that just won't do for them. What GM calls something is neither here nor there.

[@MrVosh-nj2lc]

@@kostaskritsilas2681 Money

[@nlo114]

This is video wrong in so many ways; if you are going to do a job, do it properly. Crimp terminals are designed to be crimped, solder terminals are designed to be soldered. Don't mix the two. Use the correct size crimp for the wire you are going to terminate, use the correct crimp-tool for the crimp you wish to use; they are not that expensive. Strip the wire to the correct length, being careful not to nick any strands. The proper tool will crimp the bare wire at one end of the plastic sleeve, and provide support at the other end by holding the wire tight enough without penetrating the insulation. When you insert the stripped wire into the crimp, be careful not to include the insulation into the 'bare-wire' crimp area, this will compromise the integrity of the joint. If you put too big a wire into the crimp, it will over-crimp and fracture; too small, it will under-crimp and fall out. If you really must solder a crimp terminal, remove the sleeve first. When you apply the solder, don't get it all over the clamping-area of the ring, it will prevent the terminal screw/nut/ whatever from seating properly and making good contact. The poster of this video ought to go to tech-school/college before posting stuff like this, and learn to do the job properly. (Yes I do know what I am talking about, I served a full technician apprenticeship and obtained FTC after my name. I have worked many years in aerospace, on planes and satellites, with no operational failures. I have ESA and NASA certification to teach).

[@johnny0454]

Could you the check those connections electrically while in a loaded circuit to see the effects of each on current flow?

[@kensmith5694]

Caterpiller and the marine industry crimp then solder. The solder seals the joint. If you are working on something for a harsh/salty environment, that is the way to go. You don't need or want a ratchet on a crimper that you are using for low volume work. The ratchet is intended to make it so that any idiot can make the correct crimp. Unfortunately, it has to be calibrated to the lug and wire involved. If it is out of calibration it always makes a bad crimp. A manual one where you look at what you are doing and make a judgement means you are in control. BTW: The jaw on the tool you have is the sort that doesn't make a very good crimp joint. It tends to mash flat the barrel instead of forming it inwards without making it get wider. You need a 4 terminal Ohmmeter to check the connections. A regular DMM style meter is not good at these low values. Most of the resistance is in your meter leads and the point of contact with the tip.

[@pulesjet]

Now come back in 5 - 10 years and check again. Oh, Subject those connections to salt spray ? Auto Ex host ? Heat and Cold Contractions cycle ?

[@kensmith5694]

You left off: Saltwater, dry, saltwater, dry. Fuel oil exposure freeze thaw High current spike

[@pulesjet]

@@kensmith5694 Now add Aluminum Wire ? LOL Man O Man I hate that chit.

[@rolandberendonck3900]

Very usefull advise Paul! Thanks :) I always thought it was better to solder a connection, until now that is. Lol. BTW what striptool did you use? What brand and type nr is it? Didn't see that. I am still looking for a good one.

[@breaksteel]

I take the jacketing off, crimp it and apply a bit of solder. I finish it with some heat shrink. A word about your solder and why your joints are failing is that your only applying heat to the iron. This doesn't allow the solder to properly flow onto your wire. This is best shown during the joint made at 5:14. It also helps to have a cleaner tip. To make this joint properly heat both the wire and the terminal on one side of the crimp while feeding the solder into the other side of the crimp. Solder flows to the heat and is also effected by gravity. I mention gravity because if you solder with the wire tip up the solder can flow into the wire causing it to stiffen up near the solder joint. If you solder with the tip facing down or at least angled down then the solder is less apt to flow back under the wire jacket. One final point is if your going to solder wire at all, get silicone coated as it doesn't melt the jacket when soldering.

[@MalagasOnFire]

Crimping is perfect for for vibration and temperature driftings enviroments like automotive, solar energy, otherwise use solder. . Thanks for the correction on the crimping on the ferrules. Great info on crimping. For Fast-On connectors ( for SLAB's) there are the crimping version ( two sheet wrap) and the soldering version.

[@ianwilliams1448]

How do you solder without meltjng the plastic insulation on the terminal?

[@kevinbodnar448]

Thanks for the tutorial cheers

[@elmoreglidingclub3030]

Excellent!! Learned a lot. Quick question: What crimper and stripper tools do you use??

[@BunnyFooFnFoo]

"Marine how to crimp" has a really exhaustive review. Google the words in the quotes.

[@alanparadise3139]

love it. Can you put a link too where you purchased the crimping pliers. And the wire stripper's.

[@jtb8631]

Crimp stranded wire. It doesn’t typically need solder, but you can wear a belt and suspenders if it pleases you. Use the appropriate size connector for the wire gauge. Solid wire makes sense to solder as well, if you do not feel confident. I have crimped many many terminals, and when done correctly neither really needs solder for power electronics. Smaller signals may be different, I don’t know.

[@kr33p1n]

Great video! A friend and I were just talking about if you should crimp and solder and I was explaining to him a good crimp is sufficient enough!

[@kensmith5694]

You were wrong if it is a salty environment. The solder seals the joint. Without it, the joint corrodes and fails. In the past, I had to do a lot of field repairs over this.

[@chrisw1462]

_Is_ it a GOOD crimp? Good solder joints are pretty easy to see. How do you test a crimp? Pulling on it weakens the wire and the joint, even if it is (was) good. Yes, in many cases crimping is fine, and a low cost, easy alternative to solder. Saying it's always better is just.. ignorant.

[@adrianharrison5208]

Sufficient enough, that just says it all

[@JahanZeb1976]

Wonderful. I am using the same technique and it works for me awesomely. Great to see this video from you. Thanks for sharing.

[@MrFrazierNation]

I love the video. This is one of those videos you need and didn't know you needed it.

[@russellstephan6844]

I understand why the industry standard is crimping. It has more flex built into the setup. A solder connection just doesn't have the ability to resist vibration like a good crimp. But, "good crimp" is the key. I have numerous street motorcycles with over 100k on the clock. These bikes have all kinds of add-on electrical modifications from horns to auxiliary high-amperage lighting. I have never experienced a wire failure from any of my modifications. Here's my procedure: 1) Use a heat gun to soften the crimp plastic ring and pull it off with needle nose pliers. 2) Install a couple of sections of heat shrink tubing over the wire before connecting the terminal. 3) Solder the wire to the connector. 4) Apply some liquid insulation to the area around the wire/insulation. Heat the shrink tubing in-place. The heat shrink tubing provides a great deal of stress relief and with the liquid insulation no green crusties should work their way up the wire into the insulation. Why do I prefer the above? Well, I do not want spend the dosh on every single type of industrial-quality crimper made.

[@gowdsake7103]

fair point but the soldered connection plus heat shrink eliminates corrosion fails

[@marlenetrujillo9797]

Thank you for trying to help others get stuff done. Industry standard is if its a crimp connector crimp it. This does mean a collection of crimp tools if you have multiple projects. As far a tinning it looked nice because you could see the individual strands, however if the tinning enters the insulation it is against IPC code due to the stiffness/brittleness introduced as you mentioned. It looked like PVC insulation material on the cable you showed, That stuff is notoriously difficult to solder with due to the tendency to melt so quick and easy. Try turning the heat down a bit. When the insulation melts into the wire it is said to introduce extra resistance to the circuit. This may or may not be crucial to your application. And i totally agree if in a high vibration or repetitive motion environment, never solid always stranded for the least headache. sometimes solid core wires break in the middle somewhere and it is a total pain to find.

[@waderyun.war00034]

Now you need to oxidize both and test them again. In automotive if you don't solder wires that are on the outside of the car they will quit working a lot faster.

[@adirondacker007]

Wade Ryun I'm with you on that! I worked as a heavy truck mechanic while I was in college. Crimp connectors were the bane of my existence. We kept a spool of 8-conductor cable to replace corroded wiring on trucks and trailers. Guys would wire in lighting with crimp butt connectors without heat shrink. I've seen corrosion that traveled 10 feet into the cable. We did only soldered lineman splices with marine grade shrink tube.

[@rflberg]

Would crimping oxides later.

[@judo-rob5197]

Why not do both? Except for the extra work involved.

[@yt66228]

Great video but I disagree. You do not take into consideration the harsh environment of a vehicle in the snow belt. The crimp might be ok on day 1 but it can corrode over time. That's why automotive connectors are waterproof sealed with O rings. Soldering done right is pretty much bulletproof. I was on the fence myself until I was sent by my company to a soldering school. This company trained people who worked for NASA and Satellite manufacturing. You can repair it easily once its in space. They don't crimp. They deal with vibration a lot. Learn to solder properly. You won't be sorry.

[@28russ]

Is there a little white plastic bit inside the connector? I was just gunna cut the plastic off the outside so it doesn't melt and solder it like it was a an xt60 connector but if there's a little plastic bit in the middle than that's probably gunna melt if I do it like that. And yeah, always tin everything. And a little bit flux helps a lot too.

[@mikeoliver3254]

Good advise Paul. I don’t use crimps very often but if I do something that needs a crimp I use a crimp. Have a great weekend.

[@teddy5004]

Question here is what do I do if I've already crimped something for automotive and it came loose while driving? I bought a solder kit thinking I could reinforce the crimp.. Is that wrong?

[@neoc03]

Never thought about it wicking into the jacket, but I'll never forget about it now. Great video as usual.

[@Boz1211111]

Yes, when copper is very clean it can be very significant

[@Electronzap]

Great video! I came across the argument that solder won't survive vibrations. I have those first connectors you did, and was thinking about getting the second kind. There's a major lack of crimping videos out there. Must still be a skill gained by those in the trades that need it, and the hobbyist is not thought about.

[@kensmith5694]

Crimp joints also won't survive vibrations. If the motion gets to the joint it will fail. At the joint is where there is an abrupt thing happens to the flex. This focuses the stress.

[@hobbyrob313]

sorry but i miss half of this video? the part FOR WHAT we do shrink for was not complete?! I can also solder an eye from and with the wire. BUT that is not what we do this for! ? I thought you will test it! How many Ampere can you do through those connection wires !? Greetings from the Netherlands! Rob.

[@aicisha]

For stranded I prefer both... crimp first then solder! And I got no worries after. I also check the connection with ohms range, not continuity.

[@soggyfries4347]

Are the colors on the different sized terminals universal? Noticed the colored dots on the crimper

[@ed-jf3xh]

it is always advisable to tin prior to crimping.un-tinned copper will oxidize. personally, i never use solid wire, i always crimp and sometimes i crimp and the solder after.

[@geirendre]

I would prefere to solder it after crimping. When it's crimped first it's tight and the solder seals it. If you solder first,the stranded wire will be a bit soft so the crimp can loose tention over time and that's a problem.

[@kensmith5694]

@@geirendre Yes that is correct.

[@ed-jf3xh]

@@geirendre Tinning first, helps protect the wire as crimping essentially crushes the copper. Not only does that make the copper weaker, it also increases the resistance at the crimp. Tinning, done properly, will add very little to the overall diameter of the conductor, help keep the resistance down as the gaps between the individual strands are filled with solder and should not contribute to early failure which can happen if the solder is too thick. You have the added benefit that the fastener surface stays flat, no solder buildup which often happens in post-crimp soldering, and you don't risk melting your insulator. As far as the solder making the wire brittle on the lead side, that is possible if you tin back too far. We all have our own ways. After 50+ years, I'm probably not going to change mine.

[@30041983TCM]

Only stranded wire crimped, that's all

[@ianwilliams4787]

I always thought the heat would melt the insulation on the crimp, but no..

[@johnbower]

It is not detrimental for a bit of solder to wick up inside the insulation near the end of the wire, it is actually better for this to happen as it acts as a stain relief to the bare wire at the point where it enters the connector. Some connectors especially on automobiles are actually designed to both crimp the bare wire and a bit of the insulation as well to act as a strain relief to stop the wire fracturing at the point where it enters the connector.

[@thebeststooge]

I have a crimping tool like the one you used but I seem to have the most issue with stranded wire as it fans it out on the inside making it too small to grip well.

[@kensmith5694]

It really isn't the right sort of tool. Even very expensive ones get it wrong. Get a really cheap one and see how its jaw is made. The area of contact between the barrel and the jaw of the tool should be such that it pushes metal in without bulging the thing to the sides. The curve of the working surface of the jaw is a bit smaller diameter than what you intend to crimp. This tends to gather the metal towards the center instead of pushing it outwards.

[@thebeststooge]

@Ken Smith Which crimping tool gets it right?

[@zoltano_cortez]

I tried crimping and it broke my PCB 😅

[@engineerkohat]

Awesome video dear sir from you. Great to watch your video.

[@charlesworton4020]

I second davbj1's comments - insulated crimp connects should be crimped only. Non-insulated crimp connects are usually first crimped, and then soldered, and then protected with heat shrink tubing. A perfect connection should be both mechanical and electrical. I was taught that the mechanical connection was supplied via the crimp, and the electrical supplied (or supplemented) via the solder. Thank you for specifying the use of a 'good' set of crimp connector pliers; I am consistently horrified at the prevalence of those $10, thin, stamped steel crimpers. They should be outlawed. >Charlie

[@ntag411]

When the wire gauge is too small for a connector I generally fold the wire prior to crimping. In a high flex application the wire used is a finely stranded non tinned wire with a silicon sleeve. Slot cars use this type of wire at the braided guide that goes into the slot of the track. Handling bare copper or even tinned copper, best to clean with a clean/lube solution to help reduce corrosion. Green growth is not desirable.

[@tecnolinux1469]

I have a doubt if i am gonna deal with tv or computers and i need to do a jumper,do you think that a 28 awg cable with do the job?

[@trevorvanbremen4718]

In MY case, I found it was related to my own skill. To begin with, my 'crimping style' was atrocious and I was using the WRONG crimp for the (stranded) wire size so I was doing the crimp first and THEN soldering to assure a good connection. (I'd already decided against pre-tinning the wire for the same reason mentioned in this video. The crimp itself would inhibit a lot of the solder from wicking back too far) As I became more proficient (and started using the CORRECT size crimp for the wire in question), I dropped the erroneous post-soldering exercise (mostly because it had become a waste of time) Synopsis: With the right tool, the right wire and a little 'skill', a standalone crimp is the correct method to employ, but it will take a few 'butchered' jobs to arrive at that goal. Trying to make a perfect crimp with a $5.00 crimp tool isn't as easy as with a $50.00 crimp tool. (Ask me how I know!) Practice, practice and practice.

[@webslinger2011]

Should have removed the plastic insulation before soldering. For automotive grade sockets, I would crimp then solder the wires since they tend to come off from crimping.

[@kensmith5694]

Yes, an automotive environment ruins crimps.

[@StevePilgrim2013]

Useful video! Forgive me, but I've been unable to find the earlier video you mentioned where a crimp might have been done incorrectly. My interest is in learning about the tool you used. Is it worth owning in addition to the crimping tool you used in this video? If you could let me know how to find make/model of both crimping tools & the wire stripper you used, I'd really appreciate it. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[@RepTalez]

i've never trusted crimps because if you pull hard enough they will pull apart. So I always pull off the plastic part, crimp it, wick some solder in the crimp, then cover with heat shrink. It's impossible to pull it apart. I know they sell ones without the plastic but the plastic covered ones are sold everywhere and usually sold in nice assorted sets.

[@K2teknik.]

Let me inform you on how we do test if a crimp is done correctly: We simply pull the crimp terminal off the wire and measure the force required, very simple, but it demand that you use the right size wire for the crimp terminal, the manufacture of crimping tools/terminal have specified at the force the crimp have to survive, if the crimp break at a to low force you adjust your crimping tool until it meets spec.

[@ed-jf3xh]

2 more things things about the ferrul crimper. 1) the wire should come just shy of the end of the ferrul. 2) don't insert the ferrul into the crimper all the way to the plastic. if you do, when you crimp it you run the risk of separating the ferrul from the plastic. there is very little ferrul inside the plastic shield. leave about 0.5mm space and you won't have an issue. With a high quality ferrul, you might not have any issues. always enjoy the videos, Paul.

[@jfratis9081]

Crimping does the exact same thing. You are making the wire inflexible where the crimp is. At some point the wire will be attached to something and that will not have the same flexibility as the wire itself. Some connectors are better soldered and some crimped. In this case it is better to crimp then to poorly solder a connector designed to be crimped.

[@tomgeorge3726]

Hi, good informative practical video. I have a similar set of crimpers, they are RIGHT HANDED as you are using them. The wire side must be on the coloured dot side. WHY, if you look at the jaws where they crimp, my pair have different clearances for the front and back crimp of the connector. Crimp connecting is in the same area as "wire wrapping", making a solid metal to metal mechanical join that is corrosion resistant.

[@K2teknik.]

Read the manufactures guidelines, often called a manual or user instruction, if it is a quality tool you have then things will be explained there, the reason for the different clearance may be found in the crimp terminals the tool is designed to be used with, and that again may be the manufacture of the tools own crimp terminals, not the any crimp terminal.

[@jimmywilson1388]

What if you cut the crappy plastic cover off the wire terminal and barely tin the end of the wire not the whole exposed wire end and then solder it to the terminal and give it a coating of dielectric grease and put a piece of heat shrink over the end of the terminal? 🤔 I’m not an expert by any means but that seems like it would be a good option and maybe it wouldn’t lose flexibility and have some grease in there for corrosion resistance. Plus the heat shrink would make the end of the wire a little tougher… I’d be interested to find out how well that would work. Great video either way! I really like those crimpers btw…👍🏼

[@michaelpadovani9566]

This is a great topic for video/presentation. Lot of great comments already so won't beat a dead horse here. First, get yourself a quality ratchet crimper tool. That's probably the most important than which method you use. That said, i don't use anything in high vibration environment...but i crimp and dab with a small amount of solder for insurance. I will admit a good crimp does not need solder. Again great video and topic.

[@maon7565]

Depends on the current, house wiring is solid (not stranded) for a reason.

[@kensmith5694]

Solid is cheaper to do. That is the reason. Stuff pulled into conduit is stranded.

[@chrisw1462]

Making a blanket statement that solder reduces flexibility so therefore _will_ cause premature failure is more than a bit heavy handed. The crimp itself provides a very hard bend point, just like solder. And if you crimp it wrong, you can even weaken the wire when it gets pinched by a sharp edge. If it's soldered right, there is no excess solder to make it stiff beyond the connector. Crimping requires correct tools and procedures, just as soldering does. The prevailing attitude that it doesn't leads to unskilled workers under uncaring supervisors. Can't find the crimp pliers? Just use needle nose. Or a hammer (yes, I've seen it). Oh, and, _AHEM_ , a well soldered joint will _never_ come apart by being pulled.

[@iotrix]

Very underrated comment. I completely agree with you sir. By the way you also characterized very well the theme of this channel if you look at more of his videos usually he has a very heavy handed approach. I think this channel is useful and appropriate for people who are not looking for excellence and precision. That is not to say that I'm not grateful for the author's contribution and his contagiously good spirit.

[@ianbertenshaw4350]

One thing i was taught is don’t tin the wire then crimp it because it can come loose . For the last few years i have been playing with Arduino nano and use those adapter boards that have screw terminals - what a pia getting little wires in the terminal ! Then i was watching another channel and the guy on there showed the ferrule crimps and didn’t they make my life easier !

[@josephstewart5201]

Excellent! very helpful video. I much prefer soldered connections, regardless of wire type or intended use, and to be clear, most of my soldering is for largely immobile (vibration-free) audio applications, like guitar speakers (with female spade connectors), or instrument cables (guitar into amplifiers), with 1/4" to 1/4" phone plugs, etc. However, to be quite frank, I've never understood why the manufacturers of these various connectors types (spade type and otherwise), put colored plastic jackets over them? Why? I get the color-coded 'wire gauge' thing, etc., but they melt and become unsightly as soon as the soldering iron gets anywhere near them! So why do that? I find myself just cutting the plastic jacket off with an Exacto knife (before soldering), then soldering them up, followed by an inch or so of sealed heat shrink tubing over the entire connection. Seems to make the whole plastic jacket thing kinda pointless to me?

[@kevinmeyer8540]

Eww @5:20 that was a straight up cold solder ypu used the iron too melt the solder not the joint... that was like textbook no and then you used continuity to test the connection shit you could have them just touching and continuity would pass i thought ypu would show us the difference in resistance higher ohms means shittier connection

[@Gwaihirium]

did u just blow on the heated solder ? facepalm

[@pyromen321]

Haha what bizarre timing! I just crimped a handful of spade connectors right before opening KZbin right now

[@whitehoose]

Crimping work hardens, soldering anneals but immobilises. Either is a point of failure by vibration whatever the termination type. The usual solution is to immobilise the immediate locale of the termination and only allow untouched stranded cable to move. the tail with a gromit or strain relief moulding. The only wire that moves is stranded and un-restricted except for an outer sheath That said as you say crimping is industry standard ... in Telecoms 99% of joints are either twisted conductor, IDC crimp or screw terminal. and 99% of the wire is single conductor and doesn't move. In exchanges cables were wrapped on tags and soldered but the cables were laced into position - so immobile. The 1% would be instrument cables which are copper foil wound onto nylon fibres, covered in a sheath and then crimped to some form of end/plug. Sockets would be single conductor and captive.

[@crimsonhalo13]

This is the first time I've heard of anyone soldering these connectors. Interesting.

[@1974UTuber]

I really wanted to watch this video but I cant stand hearing anyone say SODDER... Its spelled with an L in it FFS. I dont know why this bugs me so much but it really does

[@ianbutler1983]

@@PW_12345 Are you two really so arrogant as to believe that the way you pronounce a word is the only correct way? You must really not have much going on in your life. Travel around and meet different people from different countries. BTW, either pronunciation is correct. Only petty pedantics feel the need to point out such matters.

[@chrisw1462]

The aluminum / aluminium debate is MUCH more fun, though. :-)

[@trevorvanbremen4718]

@@chrisw1462 Totally agree!!! The colour of aluminium is FAR nicer than the color of aluminum . However, it's still impossible to 'solder' aluminium just the same as it being impossible to 'sodder' aluminum Can I please have some tah-may-toe sauce on my tom-are-toes?

[@trevorvanbremen4718]

@@PW_12345 Weld alumin(i)um? DEFINITELY... But so(l)dering it? I seriously doubt it. Perhaps a flux that's based on something like NaOH to remove the oxide surface followed immediately by soldering within some form of shield gas... I'd prefer to stick with plain old TIG welding thanks

[@stevegarnett6455]

@@PW_12345 - Close... the English say 'soul-der' (the last bit exactly as written, and essentially the same as the end of the American pronunciation). And it would be very rare for the word 'sod' to be used in its sexual sense (sodomy); normally it's an expression either of slight anger about somebody or something - or a lump of turf. As for France, it's more than a political rivalry - we've quite deliberately spent the last thousand or so years winding them up in all sorts of ways! Here's one of my favourite examples: The Americans invented colour TV - the system was of course referred to by the initials of the standards committee - NTSC. Or as we knew it, Never Twice Same Colour. Then this guy in Germany called Walter Brusch fixed your little problem with a system using alternating subcarrier phase - PAL (Phase Alteration, Line). Of course, the French didn't like this at all - especially when the British adopted it. So this guy called Henri de France (really...) decided to go one better and do some really dodgy stuff with a delay line and separating out the colours and devised a thing called SECAM (SEquential Colour Aide Memoire). And of course we refer to that as System Essentially Contrary to the American Method... gets them every time! And I often tin the very end of multistrand wire, and then crimp it - for all the reasons given.

[@educationtaleem2432]

Great video as always.

[@harpjason208]

For the CHF get a rebounder. Use the heck I understand r of it for 20 min a day. It will help a lit.

[@MCsCreations]

Pretty interesting, dude! Thanks for the tip! 😃

[@millstap]

I only had to see the title of the video to know that solder is always better. Especially with speaker connections, it's not as much the crimped connection at the wire, but the spade versus a soldered connection at the speaker terminal. A soldered connection will always sound better.

[@pulesjet]

Not a Hot Button. Not even debatable. Crimp and Solder ( or Sonic weld ) . Build my AirCraft and Subs Right Sir. Corrosion is the main issue at hand.

[@ianbutler1983]

If you can yank a ring connector off with your fingers, it is a faulty crimp.

[@kensmith5694]

Yes and you really should hang a weight on them for a few months. Often the metal will relax with time.

[@davidmoran4471]

There are very specific rules on Mil-Spec soldering, if you can get your certification, you can excellent solder joints.

[@67amiga]

Yes and we use anti-wicking heat sinks to keep the solder from flowing under the insulation.

[@jamest.5001]

Nothing wrong with a proper crimp!

[@gowdsake7103]

Add on to that the bolted or plug in lug and there is ya problem

[@timwsac]

Great video Paul and we all make mistakes buddy merry Christmas

[@Joetechlincolns]

Copied from the interwebs: A crimped spade terminal actually creates a metal-metal colloidal bond at the surface between the wire and the terminal, and if done right, no gas remains between the surfaces. This ensures longevity and safety, making this the preferred mechanism in industrial implementations.

[@Joetechlincolns]

Like you said, where and the type of wire.

[@kensmith5694]

It is cheaper to mass produce. That is the real motive.

[@upinya5223]

Solder done right is always better

[@JoshC321]

This is dumb. Why not remove the insulator on the ring terminal then solder to it??!!??!! They just slide off to expose the metal. Then one can get fancy and use double wall shrink tube.

[@NotMe-st8qc]

You are using the wrong type of connectors for soldered connections. So you are not comparing apples to apples. You have way too much space between the wire and the connector for the solder to fill. In addition if you solder something and blow on it you are cooling it and can form a cold solder joint. Copper is a malleable substance that compresses and stretches. Over time, a crimped connector can fail as the harder metal in the connector loses contact with softer copper wire. Also, oxidation can form between the wire and the connector that are crimped creating a resistive connection. So, use a proper connector that is meant to be soldered that has a minimal gap between the OD of the wire and the ID of the connector. Solder it properly and install heat shrink that has some hot melt glue in it over the connector. You then have a waterproof connection that will not oxidize and degrade over time. As far as wire flexibility, if that is a concern in the first place you should be creating a pigtail in the wire to allow for flexibility or using an extremely flexible wire with many fine strands such as MTW. I would trust a good solder over a good crimp any day of the week. I have repaired thousands of assemblies due to poor crimps and loose connections and very few where a solder joint was used. Just my experience as a bench tech and ME for 30 years.

[@cellularmitosis2]

like the buzz intro

[@influencer16]

wow, awesome.

[@certified-forklifter]

new logo? =D

[@gowdsake7103]

Am not keen on crimping there are 2 possible causes of failure !

[@kensmith5694]

1) Vibration causing failure 2) Corrosion 3) Creep in the metal.

[@gowdsake7103]

@@kensmith5694 Corrosion on the connectors for sure. Metal creep and vibration causing the connection to break down. Crimps on plugs or socket pins on non moving items can be extremely long lasting

[@Gwaihirium]

omg u dont know how to solder.. the flux is not hitting the metals at all

[@learnelectronics]

You're right. My 2 years of Navy training, and 8 years of college were for nothing. Thank heaven i didn't spend 23 years working in electronics, would have been a disaster.

[@Gwaihirium]

@@learnelectronics I got u beat with 27 years in electronics :) certified ipc specialist. Putting solder directly on the solder-bolt tip and blowing cold air on a cooling down solder point is a big no no :)