Shrink tubing in-line connectors with built-in solder are ideal for making permanent, waterproof connections, perfect for auto, RV, boats, and power equipment. To make a strong, insulated seal, rub silicone paste on the soldered wire to prevent rusting. Connectivity solder sleeves are used to make connections between wires and terminals on equipment, enabling electricity to flow.
Solder seal wire connectors allow you to make connections between wires and terminals on equipment, enabling electricity to flow. These connectors can be used in Sauder® furniture assembly, which covers the trickiest steps of tools, assembly tricks, and handy adjustments.
The outer sleeve is similar to adhesive-lined heashrink but is usually transparent for inspection. Crimp style connectors are crimped and then shrunk, while solder style connectors have low-temp solder pre-applied inside. Solder the connector using liquid electrical tape, self-fusing silicone tape, and adhesive-lined heat shrink tube.
To make a waterproof connection, use a low heat gun, moving continuously, and ensure that the solder begins to shine and slip around the wires. The stripped wires can be placed to the solder sleeve, fixed, and heated with a heat gun. After cooling, a waterproof insulation forms around the solder. Most solder connectors come with IP67 water resistance, preventing water from entering the connector once heated.
📹 How To Make A WATERPROOF Wire Solder Connection! EASY DIY Solderstick
On today’s episode I will be showing you how to make a waterproof solder connection using solderstick solder wire connectors!
Can hot glue be used to waterproof electrical connections?
The seamless hot glue method for automotive wire splicing creates weatherproof and waterproof seals, thereby ensuring a solid and clear connection with no inconsistencies.
How to seal exposed wire?
To repair exposed wires in electrical cables, use electrical tape and a roll of tape. Place the tape over the exposed wire and wrap it around once. Peel up the end of the tape and center it over the area of the cable with the exposed wire. Press it down on top of the exposed section and wrap it tightly around the damaged area for 1 full revolution.
Repair damaged charger cables with Sugru putty or heat-shrink tubing for more serious damage. If a cable is extremely worn out and its wires are exposed due to new tears in the outer jacket, it’s best to replace it.
Electrical tape comes in different colors, so choose a color that matches the cable you want to repair. This method works for minor damage in any type of electrical cable, but it’s important to note that the tape can get worn out and torn over time, so you might need to replace it with a fresh layer. Examples of cables that could be repaired with electrical tape include phone or laptop chargers, power cables on electrical appliances, and headphone cords.
How do you protect soldering?
To guarantee the safety of soldering, it is imperative to conduct the process on a flat and stable surface. Furthermore, it is of paramount importance to return the soldering iron to its designated stand when it is not in use. It is inadvisable to place the soldering iron on the workbench and it is imperative that it is securely fixed in its stand. In the event that the soldering iron is not in use, it is imperative that it be turned off or unplugged.
How to waterproof a solder?
This video tutorial demonstrates how to waterproof wiring using three methods: liquid electrical tape, self-fusing silicone tape, and adhesive lined heat shrink tube. To apply an insulator, power must be disconnected, the area is free of moisture, and the residue is clean. These products are available at hardware stores, automotive suppliers, and electrical or electronic suppliers. They can be used on various applications such as boats, marine vehicles, off-road vehicles, dirt bikes, tractors, farm equipment, and more.
To apply the product, mix liquid electrical tape, self-fusing silicone tape, and adhesive lined heat shrink tube. Apply a minimum of two coats, wait 10 minutes between coats, and allow for at least 4 hours to dry. This product can be applied to soldered joints, butt connectors, male and female spade connectors, stationary connections, and screwed-on connections.
In summary, waterproofing wiring involves using liquid electrical tape, self-fusing silicone tape, and adhesive lined heat shrink tube. It is essential to disconnect power, remove moisture, and clean the area to ensure proper adhesion.
How to protect wire from water?
Liquid electrical tape is a product that provides protection for electrical wires and cables by covering exposed wires and preventing water from seeping through. It is similar to standard electrical tape but in liquid form, and is typically longer-lasting due to proper wrapping around cables or wires. To apply, mix the product before using a brush to apply it to exposed joints, and apply a minimum of two coats.
Wait for 10 minutes before applying the second coat and allow at least 4 hours for the second coat to dry. This process is applicable to soldered joints, male and female spade connectors, and butt connectors, regardless of their connection or connection type.
Self-amalgamating silicone tape, also known as self-fusing silicone tape, is widely used by handymen and construction areas to wrap around electrical joints, pipes, hoses, and cables. This durable, seamless, and waterproof layer is essential for electrical insulation.
How to waterproof a T-splice?
To secure a soldered splice, apply heat shrink tubing to the splice and a bit of the insulated wire. Use a heat gun to shrink the tubing, creating a tight seal around the splice. This adds insulation and protection, ensuring the splice is secure. For outdoor or exposed connections, use waterproof connectors or splice kits to protect electrical connections from moisture, dust, and other environmental factors.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure a proper seal and reliable protection. Apply a thin layer of silicone sealant over the splice and wire insulation, covering all gaps and openings. Allow the sealant to cure before exposing the splice to the elements.
Is solder weatherproof?
Solderstick’s waterproof solder wire connector kits are designed to prevent short circuits and fire hazards by providing a complete kit of up to 500 pieces of wire connectors in different sizes. The kits come in four colors: white (AWG 26-24), red (22-18 AWG), blue (16-14 AWG), and yellow (12-10 AWG). They are quick and easy to connect, requiring only a good heat source once prepared.
These connectors can be used by professionals or DIYers, regardless of the project, and they ensure a secure and long-lasting connection once sealed. They are suitable for various applications, including automotive wiring, marine electronics, home electrical projects, industrial equipment, lighting installations, DIY projects, sound systems, and HVAC systems.
The thick copper barrel in the connectors ensures strong secure crimping, providing minimal voltage drop, high current flow, and less heat. This prevents short circuits and problematic wiring that inferior connectors are known for. The insulation tubing has a unique dual-walled design, while the high-quality 3:1 shrinkage tubing has a heat-activated sealant lining for a 360-degree secure seal.
Solderstick heat shrink connectors are compliant with all electrical standards, including ROHS, ISO 9001:2008, SGS, and CE standards. The package includes 300 PCS Heat Shrink Ring Connectors, with wire ranges of 22-18 AWG, 16-14 AWG, and 12-10 AWG.
How to make wire waterproof?
Three methods for waterproofing electrical cables have been identified, namely liquid tape, self-fusing silicone tape, and heat shrink tube.
How to protect a wire splice?
It is recommended that electrical wires be spliced using a shrink tube or twist-on connector, and that the use of electrical tape to shield connections be avoided. To ensure the highest level of safety and precision, it is essential to adhere to a step-by-step guide when splicing wires. Prior to commencing, it is vital to cut off power to the wires in question. It is imperative that power be disconnected prior to undertaking any wiring operations.
How can I improve my solder wetting?
High-activity solder pastes are recommended for better wetting, especially for complex surface finishes, and can prevent poor wetting during reflow. Preheating your soldering iron is crucial to prevent cold joints and unreliable adhesion. If poor wetting occurs during soldering, repair the joint by stopping soldering, cooling it, removing burnt flux, heating the iron to the proper temperature, reheating the joint, and starting again.
How do you stop water when soldering?
The presence of water in the line will impede the ability to solder copper pipes together.
📹 Heat shrink solder butt connector test.
A few people have asked if I can take a look at these quick-repair connectors for cars and other applications. The idea is that you …
After seeing your comparison, I did my own. If you apply a small bit of flux to the wire before sliding it into the connector, it works perfectly. I did the same experiment twice. I cut open the soldered wired with lineman’s pliers and then with a dremel. Both times, the solder had successfully worked its way into all the tiny fibers to make a solid connection.
Hi Clive, nice article. Reminds me a demo from a very eminent engineer who told his students that soldering is not always the best. He demonstated that a good clean crimp joint has a lower resistance than a soldered one. He explained that in reality the purpose of the solder was just to stop it unravelling and keep osygen from getting in and oxidising the metal. He then demonstrated that was indeed the case by measuring the resistance and then connecting the two joints in series. Passing a high current through the two joints it was the uncrimped joint that melted. That demo has always stuck with me.
I’ve been using these and their slightly more rugged self-sealing crimping butt connectors for 30 years, in all sorts of 12 and 24v harsh environments and loads, mostly heavy goods and industrial vehicles and trailers, and they hold up extremely well. Both in the field repairs and in the shop. They’re more expensive than using shrink tube + solder, but they are very quick and more weatherproof. Something I appreciate in the mud and the snows of a -40C Canadian winter. Particularly in something like a trailer wiring harness.
Man, I love solder sleeves. Had to learn how to use them to mil-spec in my training days, never once used them professionally since. The rule has always been, “better to remake the whole cable than use any kind of splice” But for home jobs, use one every time because I’m not paying to replace a perfectly good length of wire.
We used these to terminate drain wires to cable shielding. A couple of notes on your application of these: Strip each end 1.5 – 2 times the width of the solder band. The idea is to contain the solder to a limited area. Strip too much and you end up getting the exact flowing problem you found. Pre-tinning the ends is preferred, or use a ‘no-clean’ flux (Rosin flux corrodes the solder joint over time if not completely washed off with IPA). Never ‘mesh’ the wire together. Always maintain the wire twist and lay the two ends side by side. Meshing the wire adds voids where the solder does not flow and you end up with the exact flowing problem you found (second reason for the failure). Use a bigger nozzle for your heat gun and heat the whole area up in one shot. This is just for efficiency. They work, but they do require a specific assembly method to work properly. Good luck!
I used these and Raycem splices for years on military aircraft wiring (starting way back in the 80’s) and new avionics installations. If they work on fighters they will work in your car. Since there is “no flame” allowed on aircraft we used nitrogen heat guns. Inert gas with a heating element. Never had any issues. A great solution if you hate to solder and want weather tight at the same time.
I have used these when I was working avionics on the military aircraft. We also had some designed to work with shielded cables with a pigtail built in to connect to the shield screen using the solder ring. One side of the sealing glue was smaller to seal onto the center conductor of the shielded cable, and one side was larger to seal and glue onto the outer jacket. The ones we used had a color added to the solder ring to know when it was heated enough to fully melt the solder.
Odd timing, I ordered some of these a month ago on impulse to try them out. Used on some 12v barrel plug connector wire ends, and they worked pretty well, although low current use yes. I was very surprised it worked so well with a pocket lighter, including the solder blob. I was expecting far less! May end up helping out in a pinch some time.
Hi Clive. I use these at work very often than not for bilge pumps in boats where the splices will be always submerged. Never had a problem with one yet. And for dirty jobs like that where you don’t want to be down there all day these have really been a godsend. What I would note is the adisive bands need more heat so they flow like hot glue and as for the solder I’ve noticed that if you strip your wires shorter about the same length as the solder band they give nearly a 90-100% solder coverage. Keep up the great articles.
I have been using these heat shrink butt connectors for 3 years now and they are excellent connector for wet conditions, They certainly make joints last longer and I feel they will and do out last the conventional mechanical crimp butt connector. I give them 4 out of 5 stars. I 1 star they could have gotten is that I wish they made some that would allow a multiple connection a Y or T connector.
I remember when these were a “New Product” in the RS Catalogue (Paper version, too!). Over the years I must have used hundreds of these, and every one was a complete success (for the purpose intended). They are great for emergency repair where water ingress is a problem, and for low current applications they are more than adequate. Indefinitely durable too (must have a few “out the back of the property” which have been there in all Aussie weather conditions for well past 12 years, and still work just fine as intended).
I’ve used these in car wiring harnesses before, fairly low current stuff but lots of moisture and vibration. No failures yet, and they’re very quick and far better than the butt joint crimp done with cheap crimpers that you see so often in modified cars because they won’t pull apart, allow moisture in to corrode the connection, or cause a stress concentration and snap off internally as is the case with the non heat shrink butt crimps.
I worked for a defence manufacturer in the 1970s. They used a device called a solder shrink sleeve that was very similar to these devices. The shrink sleeves had a solder pre-form and a PTFE heat shrink outside but I don’t remember any hot-melt glue. They worked very well and met the mil-spec standards. They were used to interconnect subassemblies. It looks like this solder that is bismuth based for low temperature.
These things are by far the best thing amazon has ever recommended me. I had no idea such a thing existed and they are fantastic, makes joining wires not only so much easier/faster, but when dealing with wires that are more likely to get wet, they provide some peace of mind(ive never tried soaking them underwater, when dealing with wiring underwater i just make it so there’s just one continuous insulated wire leading to the device to be submerged) plus I find they work best when you just hold the wire ends next to each other and pick the smallest size that can fit the wire insulation
Used them a lot when I was working on avionics, pretty strong and waterproof. Perfect also to attach a small wire to the shield of a coaxial cable before plugin into mil connectors… Of course, brand splices are of better quality and expiration date must be respected too. In your test with much more solder, this could produce an issue: vibration is your enemy (true for car and aircraft), and the joint brakes at the transition of the flux and coper, inside the isolation… Making the troubleshooting quite challenging. That’s never happening with splice.
These kind of splices are regularly used in quick aviation repairs (after certain prerequisites have been met of course), we usually have a pressurized air heater with a small pistol attached to a hose (Raychem AA-400 Compressed Air Nitrogen Heating Tool) instead of a heat gun to make maneuvering around wire bundles more easy and reduce bulk at the business end, along with a deflector shield, so that only the wire that you want to repair, gets heated, excellent repair method, when used for the right circumstances.
0:11 So I was driving along and then I went up a hill and my car took a dump. A fuse was blown. Replaced it, continued up the hill and it blew again. Long story short, my oxygen sensor wires were connected together with butt crimp connectors… and the plastic sleeves had expanded and slipped down the wires. So when I drove uphill, the bare metal butt connectors smacked into the firewall and shorted out, blowing the main engine control fuse.
Avionic maintenance throbber here, we use these inline splices all the time on low current wiring. They are waterproof, which is very important because nearly all of our cables are insulated with kapton and carbon arc tracking is no joke. Ours have a red dye on the solder ring that disappears when the solder is hot enough and begins to flow, we also heat the glue rings until a small amount of the goop seeps out of the heatshrink. They’re a bit of a pain it tight spots because you need a heat gun, and occasionally you come across one where the heatshrink melts before the solder flows, but they sure beat pulling cables through the bowels of a jet. Use them a lot for bonding pigtails too.
Thanks for the article – they work well and are convenient but are not the solution for every application. Extra flux on the wires before applying heat is a good tip and will help. It would be interesting to do a resistance comparison on the uncut wire, the “classic” solder joint and this “quick” solder joint – I expect they would all be equal. Finally, considering their cost they are a good thing to have on hand and produce a very acceptable joint.
Two tests remain. Having seen what 300 deg. C does, what would a higher temperature reveal? Additionally, we don’t know if these contain flux within the solder (yes, Clive suspected they did but wasn’t sure) which would call for a pre-flux test as well. Regardless of the result, they do “save” from certain steps – as least while combining with some manual methods of soldering.
Great article ! I use these frequently….my biggest complaint with them is that if you don’t control the heat it melts apart at the plastic on either side of the solder. Heat control is essential as each size requires a different temperature and duration to melt it. I have found that the opaque red, blue, yellow crimp then heat shrink work better even without a solder band.
I’ve been using those things at work (I’m maintenance technician at a decently sized chemical plant) for quick fixes & these things are just amazing. Saved me tons of labour already. Fix the broken wires with these & then put vulcanized tape all around the cable. It’ll last for years (maybe decades?).
After perusal this I bought a small box of assorted connectors to try them out. Like others have mentioned, I wanted to see how well the side of the road/ middle of the river, knife and a lighter scene played out. Surprisingly it went well this time, still have all my fingers and minimal burns. Oh, yes, the wiring! That too went well, the smaller the better. It seems. The larger connectors will get you where you are going but change them ASAP, as the solder to wire ratio is the least. The medium and small ones seem to be just fine as far as installing and forgetting. I used a cheap blowtorch style refillable lighter from a gas station which gave a concentrated blast of heat at a distance that didn’t ignite the connectors. I even tried it out on oily wires that had road grime on them, and I just wiped it off with my fingers and slid the connector on. It still sealed up decently on the wire. In my boat’s emergency tool kit I have a handful of these, a pair of pliers, and a torch style lighter/w small butane refill. This past year I’ve used three out of that box. Luckily not on my boat, but on other guys trailers. So far they work well for an emergency fix.
When the “wire wrap” technology was being developed in the 60s the developers quickly found that mechanical action can make a gas tight metal to metal bond. On the whole, crimping might well be more reliable than solder. Obviously, solder has it’s places (you can make literally thousands of connections of a PCB simultaneously) but when it comes to one wire on one wire crimping is difficult to beat.
I work as an automotive master technician. I particularly use non-insulated butt connectors with heat shrink. The insulated plastic butt connectors found in most automotive stores like to crack when you crimp them leaving them exposed to the elements. So I’ll take a wire and slide good heat-shrink on it then use the non-insulated butt connector and crimp it and slide the heat-shrink over it. Works like a charm. I’ve tried these heat shrink solder butt connectors and they can cause a voltage drop lol. Not to mention the majority you see online are super cheap and the heat-shrink will start to liquefy well before the solder in the center melts defeating the purpose all together.
We use those to splice data wires during avionics repair on airplane. When it’s a very low current application with much smaller wires it works great. Edit: Having solder wick up the wires in a high vibration area, like an airplane, is a big no. It makes the wire very prone to work hardening and breaking. With the all-in-one heat shrink you solve the electrical problem, you also solve the mechanical problem by adding strain relief, and finally the hot melt glue make an air tight seal to prevent moisture or other nasty thing like fuel to get to the splice. With all of that said they are not great everywhere, but for avionics repair it’s great.
RESIN / FLUX Ryan’s suggestion is spot on, if you apply a little resin / flux to the spliced or twisted wire as an addition first. This aids the solder flow of the small solder ring at the centre of the tubing, allowing it to ‘wick’ along the wire conductor. In addition, if the complete joint is assembled mechanically first, the heat can be applied evenly along its full length with a sweeping action. This melts the solder ring and the two glue rings evenly, making it more secure and looking pretty neat. By keeping the heat source moving, (be it heat gun or lighter), there is less risk of damaging any of the other insulation. Just a suggestion…… Great clip Clive, and most informative. Many thanks…. James Hennighan Yorkshire, England
I have bought this kit from China and have been very impressed with the connections they make. I just dipped the cable ends into liquid flux and, using a small cookery blow lamp, managed to install a remote control on, of all things, a feral cat trap for the local cat rescue emporium working where the ‘national grid’ dare not go!. They do what it says on the article.
I used to work in a factory that made military-grade cables and we used these all the time. The conductors would be tinned in a solder pot first though and then simply placed next to each other inside the sleeve. We used 450 deg C of heat on a wide heatgun nozzle and the joint would litterally take 2 seconds. Due to the fact they were tinned conductors, we always got a perfect, full penetration joint.
We’ve been using these forever in the aviation industry. As an Avionics tech. We pretty much only use these to solder shielded wire. So the actual wire is soldered or crimped together, then a section of the outer covering is removed to reveal the braided shielding around the interior insulated wire. This is slid over it and the solder ring over top the braided shielding and a separate wire is slid into it as well. Then this solders and seals the wire to the shielding and the wire is then grounded to an aircraft grounding stud, thus shielding the main wire from RF Interference from other aircraft systems. I’ve never used these for a straight wire to wire connection. Either normal solder splice or Amphenol crimps with heat shrink sleeve.
Especially for alternating currents, there’s a phenomenon called Skin Effect, that makes the great majority of the current flow on the outermost region of the section of the conductor. It shouldn’t matter that the solder has not penetrated deep inside. Also, generally, the limiting factor for sizing the gauge of a wire is its voltage drop, over its whole length. Having one little spot with a thinner effective section, shouldn’t be a problem at all.
I have mainly used this to solder microcoaxial cable shielding to wires. Then the hot and shield wire got a crimp and went into interchangeable panel connector blocks. It was not meant for RF, just shielding low voltage DC and low frequency signals. I remember introducing a presoldering task by hand, because of the small amount a shrink tube has inside. Without presoldering coax shielding absorbed nearly all of the solder inside, not making contact at the right spot and an acceptable joint basically.
I have tried these before and noticed there can be better solder flow with more heat but not too much. They are good for some things, quick fixes and such. Prefer butt crimp (proper connector3M, molex, etc and Klein crimpers) or solder and shrink tubing. There is an old ongoing argument and discussion on forums about which are better. I use what I feel is best for situation. Thanks Clive!
I’m using these for my car but always applying flux to the wires, this way they produce better quality joint. But I only had success using two smaller sizes (white and red). Anything bigger than that implies thicker copper and heat just creeps away from the joint. They are much more convenient to use than soldering iron and heat shrink tube when access is limited.
I ‘found’ these things a few years ago. I especially find them useful in cases where ‘messing about’ with a soldering iron etc. is difficult / impossible. So far all of the connections I’ve made ~4 yrs ago still hold and work without issue. I also have a few in the glovebox of my car… just in case…
My solid connection is where I do what you did by pushing the ends together and then taking one strand of wire and coiling it uniform and tight around the splice point. Then solder it properly finalizing the connection by wrapping 3M Super 33+ rubberized black tape. That connection is stronger that the original wire and will NEVER fail in a 100 years.
Hi Clive.. great demo as usual.. As I don’t want to do destructive tests on the joints I’m making and my assortment was cheap enough; I have decided to put the solder butts on to one wire out on the way and solder directly as you have done. Then I slide the solder butt up into place and just heat up the tubing and use it as both an insulation and waterproofing of the soldered joint.
Hi, as a farm raised individual I can tell you that simple twisting two cables together is often enough for even high current/voltage applications. You would be surprised how many farm equipment and cars have their starters swapped in a hurry and connected by the easiest means available. You don’t necessarily need that good of a connection for conductor to work. Please remember that the soldered part is not the only area conducting electricity. Unless the conductors in a wire are corroded, simple fact that this sleeve holds them together is enough to provide ample contact surface for nominal electricity flow. I think that bigger problem with those shrink connectors is in the structural strength of the joint. If there is some pulling, bending and twisting involved, such weak bond might fail easily. Also, I am curious if adding suplementary flux before joining conductors would improve the solder flow.
Used those the first time about 6 years ago wiring my trailer still no electrical problems, and have used them on farm and heavy equipment repairs since with no issues, you do have to be careful and check to make sure the solder flows good I have had an issue a few times but caught it quickly and it’s tough to solder outside when it’s 5 degrees and 20 mph winds
Crimping is preferred to soldering in any application where the wiring is subject to vibration. The solder joint is much more susceptible to vibration fatigue failure than a crimped joint, assuming stranded wires. If you use solder joints in a high-vibration environment, you should support the wires on both sides of the joint, near the joint, so the joint itself doesn’t flex.
I use these at work all the time for repairing 4-20mA pressure transducer cables in an outdoor environment. It’s a much more robust repair than a standard crimped butt connector, especially if you add another larger piece of glue heat shrink over the top of the entire repair. They hold up quite well in the harsh oilfield environment. However, anything more than 1A, I would definitely recommend a traditional hand soldered splice. I’ve never seen them fail in that fashion, but it’s not a repair I would be comfortable signing off on myself.
Hi Clive, Got given some of these. And tried them out. Like you was not really impressed. Soldier penitration was poor. It flowed on outer strands but only some got to core. Also tried smooshing and flux. It’s a little better but not much. Also found the stray strands will go through the wrap. And mine had no hot melt on the coloured rings. They I think are nice for temporary repairs. But I will not be using them long term in the marine electronics environment. With oils, water etc around. I have seen ones with soldier beads that are bigger. And more silver in colour. Think ours are Chinese rip offs. However they do sort of work.
As a Guy that connects wires a lot this looks like a great idea. I would recommend adding flux to the wire tips before heating. like Ryan-kk2rr posted. The huge problem I see with these is after they are heated the rubber coating around the bare wire part looks super thin. Any application with movement and these are a short waiting to happen. This just my opinion. I have never used them, maybe they are fantastic.
Used to use solder tape for field repairs – little rectangular strips of high-lead alloy that you wrap round the joint and melt with a match or lighter. They worked really well and could obviously be used with regular heatshrink. Maybe they’re not available anymore because lead. The solder in these things doesn’t seem to behave the same way so I’m guessing it’s a different alloy.
I’ve seen this issue numerous times while at Lockheed Martin where the solder didn’t flow to the inner stands. The main mistake you have there is not using the correct tip for your hot air, going with a curved shield tip is by far the best way to go. Also no need meshing the stands together, as a general lap splice is just as strong
I like your article a lot. I already used heat shrink connectors on my boat. But never the the one that has solder in it as well. I honestly bought them because the didn’t have the regular ones for me that that moment. I did exactly what you did, but instead of heating the solder, I thought I just had to use my regular cable tool and clamp on to the metal, haha. So, you reached something! Gratefull for the find and your article. And… really like these connectors!
Thank you for the article. I just bought some of these connectors because wires I have been trying to solder are usually underneath or in hard to reach areas but for sure are not being held by clips on top of a bench in easy to get to applications and above all that my soldering skills are nothing to brag about. Maybe while I am using these connectors I will do as you by pushing the wires together but then maybe twist a bit too and give them a bit more heat or reheat to better melt the solder into the wire connection.
Just a couple of points, because I find that fully soldered joints can tend to make the wire brittle. The biggest number one failure with butt connectors of all types is corrosion especially in road salt environments. These joints having the hot glue sealing the joint may be for the average joint much longer-lasting because of this alone even though they might be lacking a little bit on current capacity.
These were developed for the aerospace industry. I assume the “space grade” ones have quite a bit more solder. When they first became available to the public there was an article in one of the popular magazines, a test of various wire splicing methods. For this type they used a heat gun nozzle that blew air at it from all around. The article also noted they were the only wire connecting method approved for use on the Space Shuttles. So, yeah, the good ones made for that use would have more solder. Just the right amount, not too little, not too much.
There are a bunch of low-melt alloys. Woods metal, for example, I think is used in gunsmithing. Some alloys are designed to have no shrinkage and can be used for casting the inside of a part that is difficult to inspect. Others have non-zero shrink or expansion… I think they are made from lead, tin, bismouth, cadmium, and other heavy metals.
Just came across these on aliexpress while looking for materials to build shortwave antennae. Obviously they’re quite limited for high current applications but for stuff like that, they seem fairly handy. Personally, I would rather use solder and some heat-shrink but for those who are wary of soldering, it seems like a decent and quick solution. Thanks for the in-depth review as always.
I have used them for years now and they work well and I am satisfied how they work. I think my first attempts were also crossing strands, and they fail because not enough solder. They work well when you use two wire ends next to each other. If you cross strands, you basically create web or mesh, like solder wick uses. Yes crossing strands generates mechanically stronger connections, but usually I am more interested electrical connections.
I have used these on my car, but I go well OTT with the joints I have made. I flux and solder the joint, then add these connectors (More for the strength and water resistance, they are a lot stiffer than just heat shrink), when done I then put normal heat shrink over the whole joint. Over the top, yes of course. But gives peace of mind that these joints will be trouble free for a long time.😀
I’ve used these for splicing plugs on to LED strips for church stage decorations. the main advantage it they require much less focus and training to set up and don’t need to separate as much rgb cabling. They are also a bit sticky to you can have the 4 splices stay neatly together. it definitely expensive compared to a measure of shrinking tube and solder but when you have hundreds of connection to do it worth it.
Whenever I used those for car wiring exposed to the elements, I’d give the wires a little pigtail wrap of a few turns of thin-gauge solder like in the article, then a drop of organic flux before sliding the wires into those connectors. Then when it melts the solder, the liquid flux fizzes away, the real solder melts into the wire thoroughly, and also squeezes out air from the middle, outward. Finally the hot-melt seals each end. Without the extra step, just strip the wire to barely the length of the solder collar to concentrate that solder into a shorter length that should hopefully be squeezed into the strands as the tubing shrinks. I still like to pre-wet the wires with organic flux to make a nice clean shiny joint.
A proper mechanical crimp connection (with a good crimp terminal and a decent ratcheting crimp tool made for insulated heat shrink) will create a cold weld fusing the individual copper strands into a solid mass at the crimp point. Which you would see if you cut the joint open. I’ve got nothing against soldering but you need enough of it to flow into the joint and based on the stray strands there is simply not enough inside those terminals. Even if there was enough solder inside to flow into the joint. The solder is probably some type of low melting point alloy (to aid in quickly melting it with a heat gun). What are the mechanical properties of this alloy? What type of flux if any is used to remove any oxidation? Who knows how long it will last before it becomes brittle and cracks? Too many unknowns if you insist on soldering do it manually. Crimping is just so much faster than soldering fewer tools and less prep. This is a guide that I read years ago (it has some pictures of cut open terminals showing the cold weld): marinehowto.com/marine-wire-termination/ I’ve yet to have a mechanical crimp fail now that I’m using good crimp tools, terminals, and techniques. The crimp tool wasn’t even that expensive like 30 bucks it’s paid for itself many times over the years.
I probably wouldn’t use this for something like household wiring, but I think these are targeted towards something like automotive power and stereo wiring. I can definitely see these speeding up a stereo installation. Now, the next level of test would be: 1. resistance: original wire, heat shrink solder (solder seal), crimp splice, standard solder splice 2. current capacity: How does each type of splice carry current compared to the original wire? Does one type of connection get hotter compared to the others for a given current load? 3. longevity: At different current levels, will each connector break down and fail over time?
I have those exact ones used in article that I ordered from Amazon. I have used something similar 20 years ago in field work but these new ones are definitely lower quality and harder to use. Looks same but they are not same and it takes lot more heat to melt. Maybe because of RoHS requirement on the composition of materials used.
@bigclivedotcom ive used this exact pack infact just the other day, the smaller ones work quite well but as you demonstrated the larger ones lack solder volume, on helicopters we use a product called enviro-splice that has a simmilar hotmelt/heatshrink tube but uses a crimp connector to avoid the weakness of solder wicking, they are very good and will last 20+ years for joint made with a multicrimper and a lighter the only downside is about USD 1.50 per splice
ive tried with these and thought in the beginning what a good idea to put the long of it o the short they suck everytime i have used them the heat shrink ends up burning before the solder melts i have tried using a small butane torch or bic lighter then i thought maybe its being held to close but still did the same thing . so i bought a heat gun it seemed like it did an ok job until i stress tested the wire but it pulled apart so i think i will use the old method i know that works just solder them and use heat shrink
We used these on Armament Suspension/Release Equipment in the USAF. These were even in highly critical areas (literally critical, meaning nuclear suspension equipment) that also experienced lots of shaking and environmental changes. The SOLDERLESS JOINTS themselves were never a failure point. (Yes, even though they obviously have solder in them, they were called solderless) I believe you are supposed to melt the middle first in an effort to drive away any air pockets. But I would have to review technical manuals to confirm that. These were tough as nails connections that I never had issue with.
Used a bunch of those at my work. If the wire has any corrosion they don’t work. Solder them normally and then use inner melt heat shrink. When i worked at an Army depot working on Pershing missles, the goverment publications said a proper crimp was better than a solder connector, because of the solder wicking up under the insulation, making the connection brittle.
Thanks for the review! I wonder if it would be best to do both–solder manually and then apply one of three tubes. It would keep it water-tight and it would bond to your existing solder, keeping it in place. At any rate, now I have to buy some! Do I need them? No. Will I at some point in my life? Maybe. Better not take any chances. ADD TO CART
It would be interesting to heat up the joint with actual load getting it really hot simulating a short without fusing. Use wires with a high C rating and put a small amount of weight on the joint and see if the joint pulls apart and how much weight if takes to do this. I’m thinking I would trust a crimp connection on a pull test at high heat. Vibration in autos and boats causes solder not to be a good idea because the part of the wire next to the solder joint can sometimes stress and break. Not having adhesive is a very bad thing for waterproofing. Thanks for your review I was considering these until your review caused me to think about many issues.
I think my biggest concern would be that if enough current was drawn through this joint to make it heat up, the ‘solder’ could be compromised and the joint liable to pull apart. Why would it heat up, I hear you ask? Because there were only a few strands that were effectively soldered, the rest of them relied on nothing more than innate friction to keep them together and making an electrical contact. For a quick fix, and in an emergency, to get you home, fair enough, but I doubt I’d want to rely on them for a permanent repair – too much like the old ‘tape joint’ (wire strands twisted together and wrapped in insulating tape).
These heat shrink connectors are standard, mil-spec kit that has been used in, well, military and commercial aviation for 30-40 years. I used these as an electrician for BOEING Airplane Co. in the mid ’80s. They are designed to be used with a mechanically crimped ferrule, first, to form the butt joints. Then this shrink-melt cover was slid down and shrunk in place over the mechanical crimp. I have used them, personally, without the crimped ferrule. If it really counted… like wire bundle exposed to elements and wind…. I would never trust these without the crimped ferrule.
Another review I saw suggested you just twist the wires together and then expect the solder to provide some strength and better connection to the bond. The reviewer tried using flux and didn’t get any improvement, unlike a commenter below, so maybe there is a lot of variation among brands. But twisting them first seems like a good idea to me.
Hey Clive hope you are safe and well in these times.. I quite like these, the hot melt glue appeals to me, this would help maybe in motorcycle applications for a water tight seal, and has been mentioned maybe a drop of flux before hand. Also maybe if you need to introduce another wire into a loom two wires in one end, one in the other, when you are fitting an alarm for example..nice article
A little more generous on the solder either in thickness or width and I might have purchased some. Might well be some are better then others. I will have to look around and see if I can find different specs on different brands albeit somewhat the same source. Never did like the crimp version, I always went the DIY method although rather then slide in and between I went the parallel/series twist method. The twist method is harder to pull apart without solder so it provides extra strength even if not needed.
Brings me back to this one electronics class I took where exactly none of the prepared projects were prepared in a way that would lead to success. The heat guns we had on hand either burnt or did nothing to the heat shrink splices. If anyone who teaches soldering reads this, clean your soldering irons FFS. Are you really going to give some new person who has never held an iron before a rusted up tip that is guaranteed to just be the worst experience possible, are you?
Noticed that you applied heat for a shorter duration to the heat-strink/solder seal connector than you did to the wire connection on to which you applied your own solder. Perhaps if more heat were applied to the former as well, more solder would have surrounded and reached the center of the strand of wires.
I got this kit on Amazon to do wiring repairs on my boat. They seem to work o.k. but, melting is not uniform from one to the next. I think lower heat and longer application of heat is what makes it work better. Too much heat and it will melt, making the joint too fragile and susceptible to breaking. Is you want good flow, apply solder flux prior to joining and heating…not too much flux or it will not allow good seal where the blue bands are.
Crimping is a far better solution for joining wires on a vehicle than you might imagine. If done properly, it makes an electrically good connection and is less likely to be damaged by vibration than a soldered connection. There is a reason car manufacturers normally crimp rather than solder terminals.
An interesting product and a good demonstration. As others have suggested – pre-fluxing might help. I have a requirement for unobtrusive butt connections on 0.5mm solid copper wires (telephone) I can see obvious problems compared with multi-strand conductors if using this product but do you think they could be worth trying?
Low melt solder usually is a lot more brittle, so I wonder if this would last in a car or other vehicle with a lot of vibrations. But as a temporary solution in a pinch, sure. Also you could test the resistance compared to normally soldered joints, if the resistance is higher, at high amerage the l9w melt solder could melt and make a mess.
I use these in the aerospace world. Known as a Ray-Chem and they are activated by a nifty designed Infrarad gun. Sometimes they would fall into my pocket and I’d use them at home. Forced to use a very nice hot air gun, I’d add a touch of flux where the solder ring would melt and the solder would flow all the way through.
I use these in an industrial environment all the time. Basically there are two things. One the heat was too low. A little hotter two You don’t need it to go through the center of the wire as power is only actually on the outside of the wire. I know that sounds weird right. But your power is all around the outside of the wire not the inside. Thus the current flow in a wire is concentrated on the surface of the wire, as the current in the middle is repelled more than any other currents. Normally the effect is negligle, but design of high current wires is tricky. The electricity or current travels in the outer surface. Keep practicing you’ll get the hang of it. If you go too hot you’ll melt the heat shrink and it will bubble open. Like the old saying goes. “Nothing worthwhile comes easy”
those guys (when used in aircraft anyway) are used to connect not the wires but the shields around them. theres still a mechanical splice beneath them. the most common application ive used personally is to connect the shields around shielded wires to grounding braids/cables. bc the solder itself is really brittle. the heat shrink itself also commonly tears when heated. if any stray braid or wire is poking up itll pierce right through and solder will leak out. when applying them i was taught seal from one side to another to let gas ect out the other side, and make sure the solder is fully saturated. dif types of solder sleves have dif temps needed.
solder is only good for a low current carrying capacity in a moderately cool environment. The high CCC and heat generated from anything 110v or over will slowly oxidize the solder joint, making it brittle and prone to breakages, especially with high tention cable joins, such as conductors twisted together.
My understanding is the “solder” is gallium. Gallium is a low melting point metal criminals and spies once used in the 1960s-1990s. They’d make an impression of a key (maybe taken after valeting a car or some other con), they’d make an impression in a clay-like putty, and then later use a lighter or torch to melt gallium into the depression. It isn’t very strong, but for a connection it should work.
I use a drop of flux on the wires first, but even without the real test is the meter. How does the resistance compare? Is the mechanical strength acceptable? The flux makes the joint perfect but even without it (and the risk of future corrosion) if done properly the penetration is acceptable for a lifetime repair.
I claim no expertise in this, BUT, my understanding is that 0:43 when you were “smooshing” the wires together, that they should have been then twisted. That would have avoided some strands fouling as they entered the connector, however, as to whether that would have altered the outcome of your experiment, I don’t know.
Hi BigClive,thank you for all the articles,not my line of work but enjoy and try to learn from your content. I’m sure that in a recent article by ERIC O (South Main Auto) SMA (who you know) he said that he was no longer using these connectors as he had experienced a few failures of the joints previously done.Don’t think I dreamt this but under the present circumstances who the hell knows.Looking forward to your next article.
The automotive brand I work for requires that we technicians use their approved versions of these solder shrink connectors. As someone who’s pretty good at soldering, I say to hell with those and use traditional solder and water proof/sealed heat shrink. However, most technicians who can’t or don’t l like to solder love these things.
As a recovering electrician, only in an emergency would I rely on a solder only splice. A properly done mechanical crimp is faster, easier and better for several reason. 1) Solder invariably wicks up the strands and causes a stress point for the copper strands to bend against, then work harden, and then ultimately fail. 2) Solder does not provide much mechanical strength and especially modern lead free solder will crack under mechanical pressure (especially vibration in a vehicle, boat aircraft etc!). because the joint now will be made unyielding and brittle. 3) a properly done crimp compresses the copper strands and literally welds them together and gives much superior mechanical strength (if done properly). A case can be made to go back and solder a crimp to add a little extra current carrying material to a portion of wire since it’s compromised and no longer able to carry the same current as a undamaged section of stranded wire. This gives both mechanical strength of a crimp with the added electrical properties of a solder connection, but care should always be taken to first do a proper crimp and not try to rely on solder to make up for a poorly done job nor let the solder wick up either side of the wire.
Hi Big Clive, could you please do a test similar to the fist connection you made in the article but this time adding flux from your flux pen before inserting it into the solder sleeve and then dissect it again to see if there’s any improvement in the flow of the solder. I think this could be an interesting extra test. Thanks for the great articles, Stay Safe fella ❤️🌈
I’m pretty sure it will at least hold. The solder is really low temperature but the wires or the joint should definitely not heat up enough to melt that. I doubt the joint is going to be high enough resistance to actually act as a resistor and heat up either. If the wires themselves heat up that much, they’re definitely under specs. You always want your wires to be fairly over specs to be able to handle the load without any problems.
I’ve had mixed results with these. Yes they’ll join to wires but how well? I’ve had them heat up due to poor connections which not only effects the electrical connection but it can be dangerous. I’d say they’re fine for low current situations were there will be little vibration. That said I haven’t tried applying flux as other have said so perhaps that’s a factor.
As an ex-manufacturing engineer… lack of flux was the problem. Crimps uber alles for field connections. And no, it’s NOT probably better than a crimp. Crimps done properly are lower resistance and higher reliability than soldered connections. Fact. Any current level. Consider: which is preferable for RF connectors: crimping or soldering? How are high current Cam-lock connectors installed? Crimp or mechanical. Thanks for doing this tho, I had always suspected these connectors were junk, now I know. Can’t help wondering if some kind of flux coudl be added to the inside of the shrink tubing and all round the solder insert to fix this. I also wonder intensely how well some name brand ones (ie; 3M et al) perform. EDIT: 3M, Raychem, etc, don’t seem to make these! Hmmm, I wonder why… <_<