Reading the many thoughtful comments here makes you think it is amazing we can get good sound out of our gear whether we make it or someone else does.
Real life is fraught with compromises. I guess we should be grateful our Creator made us with just the right kinds of faults to make it all work in our heads.
The best analogy I can think of is the phonograph record. How can something so absurd and ridiculous make such enjoyable sound? It should not work anywhere as well as it does.
I use this warning from Salvador Dali all too often but it fits just as often: Do not fear perfection - you will never achieve it.
Real life is fraught with compromises. I guess we should be grateful our Creator made us with just the right kinds of faults to make it all work in our heads.
The best analogy I can think of is the phonograph record. How can something so absurd and ridiculous make such enjoyable sound? It should not work anywhere as well as it does.
I use this warning from Salvador Dali all too often but it fits just as often: Do not fear perfection - you will never achieve it.
Solder vs crimp connectors aside, don't overlook wago connectors for bench testing. A dmm lead fits perfectly in an open port for test measurements
How much pressure can those exert? Any idea? Will it stay tight for a long time or are those for temporary connections?
@rickmcinnis they're good for the long haul. NEC approved with the 221-4xx rated to 12awg and 20A and the 221-6xx are rated to 10awg and 30A. I believe the amperage rating is even higher in the EU but in the US, the current ratings are tied to the largest conductor they'll accept. I use them for a wide range of installations from10awg@ 30A/240V to 22awg @ a few mA/12V
Never crimp a soldered connection. Never crimp a wire that has been solder filled. Never solder fill a wire that you are going to compress with a screw.
Over time, the solder will creep and the connection will loosen.
Temp cycling will also cause it to fail, as the solder has an expansion coefficient of 25 ppm/C while copper is 16.6. The same thing that happens to aluminum wiring that cycles to failure.
John
Over time, the solder will creep and the connection will loosen.
Temp cycling will also cause it to fail, as the solder has an expansion coefficient of 25 ppm/C while copper is 16.6. The same thing that happens to aluminum wiring that cycles to failure.
John
In my experience working on 70 year old audio equipment, soldering that was marginal, is still marginal but most solder joints from 70 years ago are working much better than the components which said soldering is applied to.
Soldering a mechanical connection is the only way. I intend for anything that I build to outlive me, so I go with what has proven to work flawlessly for the application for 70+ years or as long as anyone has been paying attention...
Tight mechanical connection and a good hot solder joint.
Soldering a mechanical connection is the only way. I intend for anything that I build to outlive me, so I go with what has proven to work flawlessly for the application for 70+ years or as long as anyone has been paying attention...
Tight mechanical connection and a good hot solder joint.
Wire wrap at least used to be the #1 mil spec method.
Crimp done right can be best for our use if we have good crimpers and terminals and do it correctly. I have one crimper that is a ratcheting type that does up to 4 gauge.
Solder is what I used to do the most but now I crimp most everything but sometimes use wire nuts and high grade tape over them in 12 volt like for the around 100 LEDs for our RV.
A butt splice mil spec method I learned decades ago and have things that still work fine in mobile use for decades.
I do not recall the exact number of turns, etc, sure it depends on the gauge and maybe type of wire, single or stranded.
Strip back approx 1" on each piece, overlap and twist them but not to the ends of each wire, leave a little left over.
Solder in the middle section leaving the area where the ends are without solder so they can flex a bit to prevent breaking.
Heat shrink, I prefer marine grade so it is sealed.
I always use silver solder.
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I prefer to solder my speaker cables right to the speaker terminals or the crossovers skipping the use of the added connections to a speaker cup, cable terminals, etc...
Now going to figure out the best quality solder as out of silver solder to order that is not insanely priced, any recommendations?
I have looked into the Cardas Eutectic, seems decent for the price.
Rick
Crimp done right can be best for our use if we have good crimpers and terminals and do it correctly. I have one crimper that is a ratcheting type that does up to 4 gauge.
Solder is what I used to do the most but now I crimp most everything but sometimes use wire nuts and high grade tape over them in 12 volt like for the around 100 LEDs for our RV.
A butt splice mil spec method I learned decades ago and have things that still work fine in mobile use for decades.
I do not recall the exact number of turns, etc, sure it depends on the gauge and maybe type of wire, single or stranded.
Strip back approx 1" on each piece, overlap and twist them but not to the ends of each wire, leave a little left over.
Solder in the middle section leaving the area where the ends are without solder so they can flex a bit to prevent breaking.
Heat shrink, I prefer marine grade so it is sealed.
I always use silver solder.
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I prefer to solder my speaker cables right to the speaker terminals or the crossovers skipping the use of the added connections to a speaker cup, cable terminals, etc...
Now going to figure out the best quality solder as out of silver solder to order that is not insanely priced, any recommendations?
I have looked into the Cardas Eutectic, seems decent for the price.
Rick
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NASA sends soldered joints into space. 1-1/4 turns around the terminals, very strict rules on cleaning and tinning.
In the brotherhood of electricians, if you cover your wire nut with electrical tape, you did something wrong or you are hiding something from visual inspection.
My 1st Electrical Instructor - Jimmy Jessome
My 2nd Electrical instructor - Jack Penny
Local code inspectors
Me, in general observation over decades...
If the wire nut is subject to forces it was not made for, then use the appropriate device. If you fear temperature or vibration will compromise your wire nut, you are using the wrong device or the method is incorrect. If the wire nut does not effectively cover exposed conductors, it is not the correct wire nut size or the preparation was insufficient.
EDIT: There are temporary conditions under which the use of electrical tape is permissible if an inspection is dated and booked, guaranteeing the connection will be made permanent and proper, thus removing the electrical tape when the work is inspected and the permit is closed.
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Yes, cleaning and tinning as well as temp and how long applied as well as how long not moved after heat is removed, all critical aspects.
Inspectors not involved in what I do nor have been in a very long time. I tape them just as a bit of added insurance even though I test each one carefully first, not necessary but it only takes a little bit more time to add the tape. This is just for wires I might need to take apart at some time, anything in a space not accessable is crimped and heat shrink covered if 12 volt, in a proper enclosure if 120 or 240 volts.
A union electrician at one time and then a maintenance electrician at a GE plant and also spent 20 years as a tech in the military and been soldering since I was around 10 years old, now about to turn 73.
No idea how many thousands of times I joined wire to wire or terminal but never had a failure🙂
Rick
A union electrician at one time and then a maintenance electrician at a GE plant and also spent 20 years as a tech in the military and been soldering since I was around 10 years old, now about to turn 73.
No idea how many thousands of times I joined wire to wire or terminal but never had a failure🙂
Rick
You are very fortunate. I am in my 50s and my sight is growing dim. I NEED LED lights to inspect my work. I MUST WEAR a headlamp. I have failures all the time! I have to pull my wire nuts with linesman pliers to ensure their vice. I have to check and double-check everything. I NEED to use torque measurement tools to ensure I am compliant.
I am very fortunate in recent years, heat detection cameras and such technology have become affordable and more available. It has been a GAME CHANGER for me. Now I can fire up any equipment and watch live the heat and current surges. The old clamp meters are fine, I have several but it sure is nice to easily detect heat and hot spots.
A nightmare.
Back to '79 when we wired wrapped an LSI-11....
At least we were college students and getting paid by the hour.
OK, it may work best, but how practical is it?
I mean, two of us had the idea of pure mercury pools to substitute for speaker wires.... but then we found out the EPA didn't much care for it.
And we had to wear bunny suits and respirators which sort of limits the fidelity of the speakers.
;=)
Ha Ha, pretty funny🙂
Civilian:
As a minimalist when at all possible, the less number of connections means the purer the path and points of failure, I like to the fewest interruptions in the signal path as I can.
Fortunately vision not as good as it used to be but could be much worse, I wear glasses to solder now and a magnifier when I must which is getting far more often now.
I have had test failures when wiring things up, mostly I give each wire a good hard pull, if it comes out then of course I redo it and test again, once satisfied I tape it if a wire nut and if could be exposed to moisture on a crimp joint then I use marine shrink tubing on it.
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Military:
I was a well recognized good tech but I was not an engineer though often wished I had become one.
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I like the idea of a heat detection camera, it would be cool if an app was available for a cell phone capable of it.
Rick
Civilian:
As a minimalist when at all possible, the less number of connections means the purer the path and points of failure, I like to the fewest interruptions in the signal path as I can.
Fortunately vision not as good as it used to be but could be much worse, I wear glasses to solder now and a magnifier when I must which is getting far more often now.
I have had test failures when wiring things up, mostly I give each wire a good hard pull, if it comes out then of course I redo it and test again, once satisfied I tape it if a wire nut and if could be exposed to moisture on a crimp joint then I use marine shrink tubing on it.
----------------
Military:
I was a well recognized good tech but I was not an engineer though often wished I had become one.
------------
I like the idea of a heat detection camera, it would be cool if an app was available for a cell phone capable of it.
Rick