Wiring Connetors

The best electrical connections are probably made with aircraft quality connectors and the crimper made for those connections.

I also crimp and solder. But I slide back the plastic covering on the blade connectors and just solder the tip of the stripped wire to the metal connector. It helps to maybe use an Xacto knife to scrape the connector a little bit where the solder goes and tin before inserting the wire (especially if it is not brand new). I use liquid flux also. Be quick and don't let the solder wick up the wire. This is where the breaks will occur. Then crimp. The crimped connector holds the wire and wire insulation mechanically and the little bit of solder gives a good electrical connection. Best of both worlds.

Looking back at what I wrote, it is easier to do than to explain. There are not all that many connections.

I still have my Lucas bullets and harness mostly for originality and the only problem I've had is with the 2x2 connectors splitting. Dump them if you can using the B+ Mr. Bogus method.

comnoz said:

JimC said:

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.

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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

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agree, I finally invested in a high quality ratcheting crimper after years of using the combo wire stripper type and it makes a huge difference....FWIW have found a good selection of decent crimp connectors at Napa Auto

Trouble with old wires, they are corroded and soldering is hard to do without a lot of flux, not a good idea. Crimping is best, but make sure with good crimpers and brass/plated connectors. Probably best to use new wires and new connectors.

That said, I'm using my original harness with some minor repairs and a few new connectors and mostly all the old bullet/cone connectors. But the early harness doesn't have the Police wires and the large connector under the tank. So far working fine, but I wouldn't race it or ride it to Ontario, especially this time of year.

Dave
69S

Another reason why I'd be wary of soldering - apart from being unnecessary on a *properly* crimped connection, is that unless it can be properly cleaned and neutralised afterwards, the flux will cause the wire to corrode.

Aircraft - crimps only.

From the electronics tinkerer in me, every electronic gizmo that I've ever assembled warns NOT to use a separate flux because of corrosion problems. Electronic solder contains a built-in flux (Kester or Ersin for examples). In any case, either crimping or soldering requires the wires not be corroded when you do the connection as the oxides (the corrosion) are much poorer conductors of electricity.

There are all kinds of solder fluxes. On the blade connectors described earlier I use a liquid rosin flux which is the same as I use on PC boards. It is the same as the inner core of electronics solder. This doesn't corrode anything. I do clean it off with alcohol or flux remover (nasty) just to have it look good. There is no-clean electronics flux too.

Certain fluxes do contain acid which is corrosive. Some of these are used for plumbing and are water soluble. They need to be washed off with water after soldering. I have a very active acid flux I use on soldering stainless steel antenna wires. This also needs to be cleaned off well with water.

If in doubt then crimp away. I guess not too many people build Heathkits anymore.

Russ

batrider said:

If in doubt then crimp away. I guess not too many people build Heathkits anymore.

Russ

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What a shame, Heathkit had some really nice stuff. Wish I had kept a few of the things I build back then. Well engineered. Jim

for over 30 years I pretty much exclusively have used :
DOW CORNING® 4 ELECTRICAL INSULATING COMPOUND
For all the british bikes and MG and Lotus lucas connectors.
Every connector comes apart and is lubed with this. The "economical" plated bullets only need to be:
1. sealed from the weather with the grease.
2. replace the connector barrels of the brittle/broken era with new where required.
The DC4 insulating property is to prevent electrolosis
I have never had a failure once treated correctly. over 100,000 miles on the MG 60.000 miles on the Lotus.
summer and winter use with snow/salt
IMO ...crimp only no solder.

comnoz said:

batrider said:

If in doubt then crimp away. I guess not too many people build Heathkits anymore.

Russ

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What a shame, Heathkit had some really nice stuff. Wish I had kept a few of the things I build back then. Well engineered. Jim

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some of the old tube Heathkit gear goes for big $$$ on ebay due to the high quality. Was curious what the current situation is for them and much to my surprise learned that they are supposedly getting back in to the kit business this year http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit

Thank you gents for all the suggestions,

I must say I haven't actually had any problems with the o/e Lucas bullets, spades or connectors, as long as the original connection is not sloppy. Granted at 40 years old they are past their best and the rubber insulation is well past its best. But they are cheap and easily replaced- and at that point one might be more worried about the general health of the wiring loom itself if all were original. They certainly don't seem to suffer the corrosion that Japanese bullets seem to- I'm talking o/e wiring looms on 70s Hondas, etc which can end up an awful rusted and corroded mess.

I read many years ago in an old BSA handbook that BSA abandoned negative earth in the 1930s- because of, wait for it, chassis corrosion. They seemed to be suggesting that positive earth suffered less from this. I'm no electrcikery expert, but this may explain why Brit bikes went to Positive earth- when no one else did!

In any event, a good, waterproof (not to mention oilproof) modern connector seems a sensible upgrade.

The decision to use positive ground probably came from telephone and telegraph practice where this convention leads to much less corrosion...but it makes no difference on a vehicle that is insulated from the earth. FWIW there is some good info on this at http://lyle.smu.edu/~levine/ee8320/positiveground.pdf

Thanks for that link, good overview of why the conventions of electricity are what they are.

Yes, I have a friend who is a British nuclear scientist and when presented with the positive ground why question said it was to slow frame corrosion even if incrementally ,so that was the choice they made at the time...wow!

Torontonian said:

Yes, I have a friend who is a British nuclear scientist and when presented with the positive ground why question said it was to slow frame corrosion even if incrementally ,so that was the choice they made at the time...wow!

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O.K., I'll buy it. That being true, what is the reason for manufactures, universally as far as I know, switching to negative ground?

I was taught, in U.S. Navy electronics school, there are two theories of electron flow. Electron theory and conventional theory. One theory posited electrons flowing from positive to negative, the other from negative to positive. As I understood it the Brits embraced one theory, the U.S. and many other countries embraced the opposite. Hence, being the reason for opposite polarities of chassis ground. Regardless of choice of theory, it produces the same result. It is just nice to have a worldwide standard.

Its nothing to worry about, except when dealing with polarity conscious devices, like diodes and electronic ignitions. Fuses don't care, filament lights don't care, relays don't care (except those with a kickback diode) and simple horns don't care which polarity is ground.

If you think about a valve (vacuum tube) the electrons flow from the (relative) negative cathode to the (relative) positive plate (anode). I don't think anyone argued about which direction electrons flow?

Dave
69S

DogT said:

If you think about a valve (vacuum tube) the electrons flow from the (relative) negative cathode to the (relative) positive plate (anode). I don't think anyone argued about which direction electrons flow?

Dave
69S

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There is no argument, its all theoretical. As far as I know, its never been proven which way electrons flow. My Navy training is from circa 1962, so things may have changed.