Wiring Connetors

Hello Gents,

Looking for some suggestions about what is a reliable and waterproof modern option for wiring/bullet connectors? Photos would be good- what have you got lurking under the tank/inside the h/lamp?

I've been using modern bullet connectors and they have held up OK so far. There is a heat shrinkable version available that is supposed to be waterproof. THey are NOT the same size as the OEM Lucas bullets so both ends of a connection have to be changed...

I've said this before, but I like weatherpack connectors.

http://terminalsupplyco.com/Store/Default.aspx?CAT=DEL110

I've used Posi-lock connectors to join up my new alternator and regulator to the harness, and posi-lok fuse holders. http://www.posi-lock.com/ I have really liked the simplicity of them, and the ease of their installation and that you don't need specific tools - and for the fuses the ease with which you can put fuses into them when your hands will not fit into the space - much harder to use a spring loaded fuse holder; but I caution that am completely unqualified when it comes to wiring; no doubt you will get more experienced and qualified responses. The connectors are probably a bit bigger than standard lucas connectors so may not be ideal for inside a headlight.

Deutsch connectors in the DT series are hard to beat. They are sealed and available in DTM [miniature] DTP [power] and straight DT for most common applications. Jim

comnoz said:

Deutsch connectors in the DT series are hard to beat. They are sealed and available in DTM [miniature] DTP [power] and straight DT for most common applications. Jim

Click to expand...

The above plugs are top quality, I believe honda donaldson use them now, catapiller and others use them, but at $250 us for the crimping pliers it is a bit of an investment, but they do the job correctly.
Check out WIRE CARE .COM

For our UK readers...

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... ullets.php

Sad to say, the Japanese type are way better than the originals, and you can actually get the petrol tank back on afterwards!
They're easy enough to fit with the correct crimping tool, are waterproof and won't short out inside your headlamp shell, requiring half the loom to be replaced due to the 35A fuse I fitted being 35A continuous, not 35A blow

The problems I had with the Lucas type connectors were twofold. First, the spring steel clampers on the female side split and fall apart, causing a loose connection, that sort of works so long as the thing is held together by the second problem, the the natural rubber insulators. After 30 or 40 years, the rubber deteriorates.

I got good results by just buying some new female connectors from Moss Motors and plugging my old wires into them. Simple, no crimping. Plug and play.

http://www.mossmotors.com/

splatt said:

comnoz said:

Deutsch connectors in the DT series are hard to beat. They are sealed and available in DTM [miniature] DTP [power] and straight DT for most common applications. Jim

Click to expand...

The above plugs are top quality, I believe honda donaldson use them now, catapiller and others use them, but at $250 us for the crimping pliers it is a bit of an investment, but they do the job correctly.
Check out WIRE CARE .COM

Click to expand...

There are aftermarket crimpers available for standard dt series connectors for 39.00.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Caterpil ... 35b66b576e

They are not up to the quality of the expensive crimpers but they will last several years for the occasional user. I have gone through a couple of them.
I just scored a pair of the original Deutsch crimpers on e-bay for 30 bucks and they look like new. There are accasionally still good deals to be had on e-bay. Jim

I am using these ones n all my bikes...
http://www.vintageconnections.com/

Philippe

comnoz said:

Deutsch connectors in the DT series are hard to beat. They are sealed and available in DTM [miniature] DTP [power] and straight DT for most common applications. Jim

Click to expand...

Those DTM's sure look good but they are $12.61 each (2 pin) + the crimp-tool!

Vince

Unclviny said:

comnoz said:

Deutsch connectors in the DT series are hard to beat. They are sealed and available in DTM [miniature] DTP [power] and straight DT for most common applications. Jim

Click to expand...

Those DTM's sure look good but they are $12.61 each (2 pin) + the crimp-tool!

Vince

Click to expand...

Not here. $5.43 for a male and female set.
http://www.wirecare.com/deutsch-connect ... Series=DTM

Jim

I've used the spade connectors with a separate insulation sheath, when I rebuilt my bike I cut off all the bullet connectors from the (new) loom and replaced them with these http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... s.php#stat Easy to fit and waterproof, been tested for 4K Miles in all weathers and I've never had a problem.

Webby

crusadersports said:

Hello Gents,

Looking for some suggestions about what is a reliable and waterproof modern option for wiring/bullet connectors? Photos would be good- what have you got lurking under the tank/inside the h/lamp?

Click to expand...

I like the insulated blade type. Available at most automotive stores or hardware stores. The Lucas bullets are not reliable in my experience.

I have been looking around for some connectors for a while now and all I seem to be able to come up with are those ugly looking red and blue plastic sheathed things. I like the look of the Vehicle Wiring Products stuff but what size is suitable for our bikes? Also British bikes seem to have a mixture of bullets and spade connectors. How do you know when to use what? :?

All I can say is what I did with mine:
I removed all the Lucas male bullets-into-sleeves and replaced them with the VWP 3.9mm Jap-style bullets. These fit pretty much all the cables on the Commando, I think.
Probably removed a pound of weight and a whole lot of bulk under the petrol tank - I also took the opportunity to strip out the Plod-spec wiring at the same time.

I had to make up a few couplers to replace the 3-way originals, and I did this by crimping 2 wires into a single bullet and using short lengths of wire 'ganged' them up to provide the necessary number of 'outputs'.

A picture, I think (I just read it and didn't understand it either ):



Another thing worth mentioning - always use sockets on live wires, and plugs on the receiving end - saves on a lot of the 'Trad Brit' short circuit failures if a connector does happen to separate.

Spade connectors are purely for where spade terminals are used on switches, coils etc. I don't believe thay can be made waterproof - a lot like the Lucas bullets, then :roll:

I use the japanese bullets, and spade type only where necessary. Crimped AND soldered.

Crimped AND soldered.

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Solder and vibration are a bad combination. I know of no motorcycle, auto, boat or airplane manufacture that uses solder for wire connections. If the circuit is in the form of a printed circuit board or potted module, yes on solder. Crimping only is far better than crimping and soldering.

JimC said:

Crimped AND soldered.

Click to expand...

Solder and vibration are a bad combination. I know of no motorcycle, auto, boat or airplane manufacture that uses solder for wire connections. If the circuit is in the form of a printed circuit board or potted module, yes on solder. Crimping only is far better than crimping and soldering.

Click to expand...

Amen on that one.

Although there are a lot of cheap crimp connectors and lousy crimpers around that don't even have the ability to keep the terminal on the end of the wire without soldering. Jim

I have been systematically removing all of the barrel connectors on my stock harness. I unwrapped it in sections and stripped out a lot of wire I didn't need as well. But it seems that the original bullets are a pretty good connection to the wire IF the original wire is still in good shape. I have been taking a short length of tinned copper ground strap (robbed from Frostex heat tape), I lay the stap inside a length of shrink tube, instert the wires from opposite ends so that they overlap the ground strap and shrink it down. This has been working really well for me so far. It is cheap, fast, easy and it provides a flexible connection that could be waterproof if you use heat shrink that is adhesive lined. They are a lot harder to cut apart with that style of tubing, but if you warm them up it still comes apart fairly well. I think it is important to note that usually "waterproof" means you can submerse the object (or subject it to pressure). Not a good idea on your bike regardless of connectors. "Splashproof" means you could take it into the shower with you. With this in mind I have been using mostly basic shrink tubing in areas that are fairly well protected from the elements and opting for the waterproof idea in places like the tail light connections.

Russ