# Solder seal wire connectors



## alloy (Sep 6, 2021)

I see ads all over for these.  Never used them before.  Seems like a pretty good idea to me.

Pro's and cons on them?  Anyone used them in  an engine compartment?

Says minimum temp to melt solder 231F.  Seems pretty close to normal engine temp.


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## markba633csi (Sep 6, 2021)

I don't know if I'd trust them in a hot engine bay, but I've never used them
-M


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## KevinM (Sep 6, 2021)

Some areas of an engine bay get well over 231F.  Exhaust manifolds get quite hot.


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## 38super (Sep 6, 2021)

Used a coaxial version on Phantoms, need a good heat gun.  Never had a failure, jets get pretty warm.


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## alloy (Sep 7, 2021)

I think im going to order some.  I've got some connections to the ecm that they recommend they be soldered. There are a couple of the connections in the engine bay but they are up around the intake so hopefully not too hot there for them.


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## 38super (Sep 7, 2021)

That blue ring melts and seals the wiring.  We had probs with moisture corrosion (read that as ****head maintenance), these splices fit the bill.


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## Jackle1312 (Sep 7, 2021)

Solder sleeves work great if you use a heat gun with a reflector to flow the heat around. The Mil-spec ones take a higher temp to melt compared to commercial ones. If I remember they require 700 deg or higher to melt and are rated around 200-400 deg max service temp. The ones you are looking at are low temp so the service temp is lower. 
One thing to watch out for is burning the wire insulation if you have to heat it higher then it can handle


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## rwm (Sep 7, 2021)

I have tried these. I watched the solder melt and flow. Seemed like a good connection. Upon destruction testing I found that a lot of these had not wetted the copper and the wires were only physically held together by the plastic. Before  you spend the time on your project I highly recommend you test some of these (including pulling them apart) and make sure you are happy with the connection. Please report back.
Robert


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## markba633csi (Sep 7, 2021)

I suspected that they might not work too well on old wires that have a thin film of corrosion
Sometimes you can have wires that look like shiny copper but actually have a nearly invisible film- very hard to solder even with old reliable Kester 44
That happened to me in first grade, trying to demonstrate soldering to the class- very embarassing
-M


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## pdentrem (Sep 7, 2021)

Over 20 years old the sales guy for The Fastener Center was flogging these. Worked fairly well, the techs (mechanics) found that a times like mentioned, not enough solder to completely fuse the joint. I tried a different companies terminal version recently, fail. No where near enough solder, and the metal rings, etc are so soft that you can almost tear them off with your teeth. I have reverted back to slipping on a shrink tube, solder the joint and then slide the tube over and heat it. 
Pierre


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## alloy (Sep 7, 2021)

Well luckily ALL the wiring in the car is brand new.  New Autowire classic update harness, and a PSI Conversions LS3 swap harness.  

I'm doing everything I can to prevent problems in the future.  The best wire connections I can, premium parts as much as I can afford, lots of nyloc nuts everywhere.

I plan on using this as my daily.  The only time I won't drive it is in the snow.  I have an all wheel drive SUV for that.  I've spent too many years with driving newer cars, it's about time I drive what I enjoy.  And hopefuy if I live long enough I'll be enjoying my my 55 Chevy after I build it.


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## rwm (Sep 7, 2021)

I was actually wondering if fluxing the wires first could get these to work better. I have not tried it.
Robert


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## matthewsx (Sep 7, 2021)

I recently let my ABYC Electrical certification lapse but on boats using only solder for a connection isn't allowed per standard.



			https://abycinc.org/blogpost/1678504/293794/Does-Your-Boat-s-Wiring-Meet-ABCY-E-11-Standards--Ed-Sherman
		


John


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## Jackle1312 (Sep 8, 2021)

Your better off using a good quality crimp splice and adhesive lined heat shrink. I use the TE Connectivity solistrand connectors and haven't had any issues. They do require a special ratchet crimper that doesn't open until fully crimped. What ever you do don't use the cheap crimp connectorsif you want it to last. Also solder can make the connection brittle and more prone to failure.


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## pontiac428 (Sep 8, 2021)

I won't touch these connectors with a ten foot crimper.  I have no expectation that low-temp bismuth solder is going to stick to copper wire reliably.  Heat from the engine bay is one thing, heat from resistance due to a full load over a weak connection is enough to cause a failure.  John M.'s comment about solder joints being prohibited on marine systems is right in line with this.  Automotive wiring harnesses (and combat vehicles for that matter) are all crimped to prevent fatigue and allow for more transient heat tolerance.  Low-temp solder joints seem like a weak link on multiple fronts to me.  For convenient splices, the chinese knockoff Daniels crimpers plus uninsulated butt connectors and with adhesive-lined shrink boot make a durable solution.  With silicone insulated fine strand wire, those splices can hold up to 600 degrees of heat, compared to 231 F or less.


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## WobblyHand (Sep 8, 2021)

pontiac428 said:


> I won't touch these connectors with a ten foot crimper.  I have no expectation that low-temp bismuth solder is going to stick to copper wire reliably.  Heat from the engine bay is one thing, heat from resistance due to a full load over a weak connection is enough to cause a failure.  John M.'s comment about solder joints being prohibited on marine systems is right in line with this.  Automotive wiring harnesses (and combat vehicles for that matter) are all crimped to prevent fatigue and allow for more transient heat tolerance.  Low-temp solder joints seem like a weak link on multiple fronts to me.  For convenient splices, the chinese knockoff Daniels crimpers plus uninsulated butt connectors and with adhesive-lined shrink boot make a durable solution.  With silicone insulated fine strand wire, those splices can hold up to 600 degrees of heat, compared to 231 F or less.


What @pontiac428 said.  I've had solder joints fail at or near a bend.  Good crimp joints are far better.  Normal (not low temp) solder joints can be made under special conditions, but the cables need to be constrained (on both sides) to prevent any bending or movement within an inch or two of the solder joint.  The solder wicks up the cable strands quite a distance.


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## Janderso (Sep 8, 2021)

pdentrem said:


> I tried a different companies terminal version recently, fail


That's too bad, a slick idea.
Maybe some improvement to the product down the road.
I've used them on machine wiring, so far so good.


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## markba633csi (Sep 8, 2021)

Automotive is an especially harsh environment for electrical connections- you've got the axis of evil: heat, vibration and moisture
Marine is even worse- adds salt


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## G-ManBart (Sep 8, 2021)

pontiac428 said:


> I won't touch these connectors with a ten foot crimper.  I have no expectation that low-temp bismuth solder is going to stick to copper wire reliably.  Heat from the engine bay is one thing, heat from resistance due to a full load over a weak connection is enough to cause a failure.  John M.'s comment about solder joints being prohibited on marine systems is right in line with this.  Automotive wiring harnesses (and combat vehicles for that matter) are all crimped to prevent fatigue and allow for more transient heat tolerance.  Low-temp solder joints seem like a weak link on multiple fronts to me.  For convenient splices, the chinese knockoff Daniels crimpers plus uninsulated butt connectors and with adhesive-lined shrink boot make a durable solution.  With silicone insulated fine strand wire, those splices can hold up to 600 degrees of heat, compared to 231 F or less.


This!

In the welding world you'll see a lot of newbies asking if they should solder the connections on the leads because it seems like it should be "better"....it's not.  The old guys usually respond with something like "you can try that, and when they fail you'll wind up crimping them".


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## Eddyde (Sep 8, 2021)

I bought a set of these, I have used them a few times: I found that cleaning the wire with non corrosive flux eliminates wetting issues, also heat it well. Use only a heat gun, no flame. So far no issues but time will tell....


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## Jackle1312 (Sep 8, 2021)

They come in handy for special situations such as grounding for shielded cable. The mil-spec ones typically have a red solder band and it gets heated until the red color is gone all the way around. I have never had one fail but have burned a few due to the high temps required. Still prefer a good crimp connector and heat shrink.


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