Solder

I have successfully soldered stainless steel and aluminum with rosin core solder. Clean metal and good solder are key to success.
 
thanks. i best buy some literature and watch some instructions on you-tube
 
I vividly recall my dad tearing my brother a new one for using rosin core solder on the wrong iron :D I can barely solder two stranded copper wires together, maybe it was a scarring experience ;-)
 
I use acid for electrical, heavy stuff. For my F3B winches, I crimped the welding cables with terminal ends (forget what they are called), then used the acid core, and soldered the connection.

If the cables are stranded, soldering with an acid is a very bad idea. The acid will wick between the strands and slowly eat away at the copper wire until terminal failure. Even soldering a crimped connection with a resin core is a bad idea. A crimped connection, properly executed, is a solid airtight connection and needs NO additional processes. If the connection is soldered, the solder will wick between the strands and create a stress point at the end of the solder, which will lead to fatigue cracking of the strands one-by-one, until total failure.
 
Crimped connections are reliable if made with the proper tool. Unfortunately the tools sold in hardware stores or DIY stores aren't. For reliable connections, especially those exposed to the elements, I will solder the crimp. I can';t recall ever having a crimped, then soldered fail. If soldering is done properly and the wire is clean, the solder will also wick back into the insulation, giving additional support to the wire and preventing stress breakage.
 
I can';t recall ever having a crimped, then soldered fail.
You're lucky.

If soldering is done properly and the wire is clean, the solder will also wick back into the insulation, giving additional support to the wire and preventing stress breakage.

That actually creates a stress point.

If your system incurs enough vibration, then your wire will fatigue and break. If there is no. or minimal vibration, then your wire, although vulnerable, is probably safe.
 
In my experience, the solder doesn't wick up uniformly, distributing the stress over a greater area, much like the flexible stress reliever on the ends of connectors. I have used this practice for over fifty years for automotive and marine connections with no ill effects. I started soldering crimped connectors years ago when crimped connections were failing due to corrosion from salt. I just got tired of rewiring trailers every year or two.
 
Properly supported wires will not likely fail when soldered.

We have a bunch of Anderson connectors we are using for assorted chargers.

Crimping the pins makes them one Tim use an given we are cheap we solder them.

Uses a lot but we have a 5 pound roll from estate sale not good for circut boards but good for wiring.

The cheap crimper tools do a poor job and the wire often is only held by a few strands.

Sta-kon deforms much better, key is use correct size terminal for the wire and good crimper.

If exposed to environment solder is good, one only needs to heat tip of connector and as soon as solder wicks in good, minimal up the wire this way.

Proper support to insure minimal stresses never a bad idea.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
 
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