I had been having problems with my AutoMeter pyro needle jumping all over the place. I could wiggle the wires and get it to stop but it would start again in a day or two. So today I took things apart to see if I could find the loose connection. It seemed to be more squirrily if I moved the wires at the back of the gauge but I could find nothing loose. I finally started wiggling the wires all the way back thinking I might have a bad wire (it happens) and when I got to where I had used one of those taps (because I was in a hurry) which came with the gauge it really started jumping. I removed the taps and spliced the wire properly and used heat shrink and now the pyro is rock solid.

I don't like crimp splices either because it leaves the joint exposed and sometimes doesn't connect well. I use the Western-Union splice shown here
and then cover it with heat shrink or tape if I'm out of shrink. The western union splice is very difficult to pull apart with stranded wire and nearly impossible with solid wire.

Edwin

 

There is a lot of good information in that article.

 

i like to use wire nuts if it is something i want to ever take apart. haven't used a crimp or squish connector in a long time.

 

My travel trailer is full of wirenuts and I hate them. They tend to fall apart after being vibrated for a while like they get in a trailer or a truck. They might be OK in a house but I'm not crazy about them there either. Just because electricians use them don't mean they're the best thing. Electricians use them because they're fast.

Edwin

 

I solder just about everything I can. I guess it comes with the job I do daily. My piece of mind is that it will not come apart on it's own and, and to keep things nice over the years I apply a black urethane before I heat shrink it all to ensure mother nature is not going to get me.

 

i do agree with heat shrink and solder on any circuit that is very important such as head lights or ign wiring i changed my glow plug controller on my 84 gm to the 87 style a couple of years ago and yes i soldered and heat shrinked it all . but when it comes to trailer wiring of the lites or a radio in a pickup i have had great luck with wire nuts as long as you use the correct size and if it is in the weather add alittle di-electric compound to keep corrosion at bay. in both dads and my fifth wheel trailers i came across wire nuts and they haven't gave me an issue and dads is a 1987 model and been across the USA including a trip to alaska a total of 8 trips plus alot of local camping. i used to run into the side tap connectors and crimped connectors on the trailers the company i worked for ran over the road and i hated them. and on older trailers to repair a lighting problem the wiring at points along the route would be diconnected to facilitate trouble shooting .

 

I solder/heat-shrink everywhere that it is feasible.

However, I often have to use crimp-connectors, for one reason or another.

Those flimsy crimping tools that are so prevalent in wiring accessories kits are chiefly to blame for the bad reputation that crimp-connectors have un-rightfully acquired.

The crimpers that I use will squeeze water out of a rock.

Also, I fill the wire-sleeve of the connector with plain old Vaseline, or a generic equivalent.

Then, I dip the wire end in Vaseline, just before putting it in the connector.

When Vaseline dipped, five years later, the wire will be just as shiny as it was on the first day.

What blows my mind is that otherwise very well built trailers will be loaded with those crappy scotch-lock wire tap thingies, or whatever they are called.

After the first trip, you have to reach under and wiggle a wire, then the lights will come on.

 

I have been using the posi-lock connectors, they are real tight and can be taken apart real easy. So far I have no complaints on them. they are avalable at most walmarts.
http://www.posi-lock.com/posiplug.html

 

Those splices bring back my old Basic Electricity class back in the 60's.
Such a simple thing to do but it was amazing how many thumbs the PE coach/shop teacher had that couldn't even make a splice without having the book in front of him and then burn off the insulation trying to solder it with a 200 watt soldering iron.
Ever see people strip wires with their teeth?
Jim

 

Seen it? I've done it.

 

What's wrong with that? That's why I have a special "V" filed into my falsies.

Edwin