Soldering a clutch cut wire

[EclipseGSX1995]

Hi everyone. I installed a clutch cut wire without soldering connections, just by using an insulating tape. Is this going to be a problem? Is there any big current flowing through this wire?

 

[LiquidX]

Solder you connections!

 

[EclipseGSX1995]

I would do that but i do not have soldering tool.

 

[doubleclutch99]

buy one at radio shack for ten bux and get after it. use flux too, then tape it up tight.

 

[cookmeup272]

Bought one at harbor freight for $4.99

 

[EclipseGSX1995]

You guys are right. I did not solder and my clutch cut is not even working

 

[DSM1G90]

You could do an alternate and easily use wire nuts. Bag of yellow wire nuts from any hdwe/auto/elec store is pennies to a soldering iron.

Strip back a half inch on the wire insulation so you can easily twist the wires together before putting on the nut.

 

[DSM_munky_man]

Or solderless butt connectors, that is what I did and mine works great.

 

[LiquidX]

Soldering won't loose connecting or pop apart. Wire nuts can be lost and look terrible, taps can loose their connection. I have used vampire clips and they hold up. Only issue I could forsee is if the clip pops off and a wire falls out.

 

[DSM_munky_man]

Soldering won't loose connecting or pop apart. Wire nuts can be lost and look terrible, taps can loose their connection. I have used vampire clips and they hold up. Only issue I could forsee is if the clip pops off and a wire falls out.

True, but it is hard to get up in there to cut the wire, let alone get solder, an iron and hand room to do it all w/o dropping solder bits in/on your eyes/arms. If you properly crimp a solderless connection and dont have the wire in a way out of the way stress pulling on it way then you should have no issues. I agree on soldering all connections but there is some places where that can't be done easily, i.e. under the dash. Unless the whole harness is pulled down or parts of the dash taken off.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

I recommend soldering the connection and using heat shrink to seal ut the connection. I was able to solder cut connections under the dash of my car. It was a total pain, but I was able to get it done with out hurting myself.

 

[cookmeup272]

You could do an alternate and easily use wire nuts. Bag of yellow wire nuts from any hdwe/auto/elec store is pennies to a soldering iron.

Strip back a half inch on the wire insulation so you can easily twist the wires together before putting on the nut.

I do all of my connectors (not all but most) with wire nuts. Easily reversible, takes seconds to do, and the connection is good and it also protects the connection. Radio, gauges etc....all work good

 

[DSM1G90]

Wire nuts can be lost

..not if you put them on tight enough then wrap up the splice with electrical tape nice and tight...

I'm a part-time electrician/technician that used wire nuts for quite the many of moons and never had problems with these form of wire splices ...

True though, and do agree with soldering when it has it's rightful place (like doing radio/dash installations with the smaller gauge wire and use shrink tube to cover up the solder splices...) in some applications.

-DSM

 

[zanderson]

I recommend soldering the connection and using heat shrink to seal ut the connection. I was able to solder cut connections under the dash of my car. It was a total pain, but I was able to get it done with out hurting myself.

+1 to it being a pain. Solder it up and throw out the electrical tape. Shrink wrap will work 10x better.

 

[LiquidX]

Dsm1g90

I know that wire nuts have their rightful places when it's a specific gauge of solid wire. But using a wire nut in a car just seems absurd and half assed. In your opinion, if you were look to buy a used car and saw that someone used wire nuts on tenelectrical system, how would you feel on getting the car?

I meant they would or could get lost bythe vibrations over time while drive the car.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

I agree with Liquidx. If I were looking at a car and saw wire nuts in the electrical, I would walk away right then and there. They are fore use in buildings where vibrations will not be an issue. Just think, if one of those nuts come loose, that is a potential car fire. Not worth the risk if you ask me.

OP, Do yourself a favor and do it right and not have to worry about it again.

 

[cookmeup272]

ive never had a wire nut even start to come loose in any of my cars

 

[Blurred Talon]

Solder and heat shrink is the only way to fly for wiring imo.

 

[DSM1G90]

if you were look to buy a used car and saw that someone used wire nuts on tenelectrical system, how would you feel on getting the car?

Tough question since it all depends on the buyer, but an easy answer for me to answer since I've experienced it before: If the wire nut job is solid and secure (like a car I did buy had the radio's wiring held by the small orange wire nuts knowing that the owner didn't know about soldering-a more professional install-, and with inspection and saw how tight and secure they were, I left it alone) since I'm not real concerned about looks and can easily cover a wire nut job with either wire flex wrap or friction (cloth) tape-it's not that all hard to be creative in making something look good from what you got in front of you.

But, if I want to get real anal about it all, I will re-do it with a good soldering and shrink tube technics.

AND, on the topic of soldering: If you don't get that solder hot enough to flow over and through the wires completely, you might get what's called a "cold solder" join and those are very nasty due to the sudden increase of resistance and can easily cause an open in any circuit. That lead must shine and lay smooth over and into the wires completely.

Plus, some wires have enough wax coating on them (esp automotive wire to handle the extremes) were the solder will simply not stick to it - no matter on how much flux you use - and that's a given sign of a good "cold solder" join (this is why it's then much easier to wire nut the job). You just have to make sure that the wires are totally clean and copper bright (forget about aluminum clad copper wiring for that stuff is nasty to solder) to make a good solid solder join .. and use 60/40 .35 gauge solder since it melts fast and flows quite easily with a 25+ watt iron.

I don't know about the RoHS, lead free solder on how it performs or not in these applications since I have tonnage of the other Kester Solder stuff.

thx, and good luck-DSM

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

RoHS solder performs about the same. It just takes higher temps to melt it. It is just as easy to work woth though. Also the end result will look "disturbed" rather than having a smoothe shiny finish like lead solder will.

Honestly, I don't see a point or any need to use RoHS in our cars though. All of their electronics are leaded anyways.

 

[jamezbennihanna]

I would use solder IMO its the best way to make a good connection and would be less problematic. Good luck and happy boosting