...There isn't a single right answer here. There rarely is...
...There isn't a single right answer here. There rarely is...
I,m a fan of a good soldered joint myselfView attachment 29119View attachment 29120View attachment 29121
I have to add my 2 cents to the debate. A mechanical crimp performed with a proper tool is a much more effective bond to the lug than a soldered joint. In my 30+ years in the trade I performed very few soldered joints and they were only because the electrical device required it. They were 60A and above special plugs where the only choice was a soldered joint. All other joints were with high pressure crimp tools that were either hydraulic or old fashioned hand operated. There are too many variables that need to be perfect to achieve a reliable soldered joint.
As far as heat shrink if it makes you feel better go for it but it will not prevent corrosion. Have you ever seen a corroded battery cable where the insulation looks perfect but the wire is corroded 2' past the lug. The best protection against corrosion and oxidation is Nolox applied to the wire before the crimp.
The lugs that I have seen pictured on the thread are mechanical crimp lugs. A lug intended for a soldered joint will be oversized to the wire gauge so that you get a good bond and complete solder flow through the wire strands.
Just my 2 cents to the discussion.
I have a squirt bottle of hot soapy water and then a blast of air from the compressor before I wrap them in coloured electrical tape.
> . . the telephone guys . . . had capsules of Bell Tell goop to shmeer on terminals and wire connections. . . . the wiring done with both crimp and solder covered with a shmeer and then heat shrunk are still good after 30 years.
When I installed the new inverter/charger, I drilled a small hole, after crimping and then filled the void with solder, then finished with heat shrink. Here's the 4/0 negative from the inverter/charger with the 2/0 battery interconnects.
Rwidman, I respectfully disagree. I have used this practice for well over 20 years- professionally, and all of the cables on Patricia Louise are assembled this way. I now own the big buck crimpers, but have never had a solder "failure". Does this mean I win the debate !!
1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Lehman 135 Twins
Did you continue to heat the lug after you inserted the cable end? If not then I agree with Ron. I don't see how you can get a proper soldered connection by only heating one of the two pieces you are soldering together while dipping the cold piece into hot solder.
Cap'n Bill 11
No, I didn't heat it afterwards. There was no need. Turns out the cable gets very hot when dipped into boiling solder and then it all cools together. I cut a soldered terminal end apart to compare it to the recently posted crimped terminal series of posts. But after making the cut- turns out I couldn't got the wire out of the terminal to snap a picture of?.....
1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Lehman 135 Twins
Cap'n Bill 11
No, I didn't heat it afterwards. There was no need. Turns out the cable gets very hot when dipped into boiling solder and then it all cools together. I cut a soldered terminal end apart to compare it to the recently posted crimped terminal series of posts. But after making the cut- turns out I couldn't got the wire out of the terminal to snap a picture of?.....
1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Lehman 135 Twins
No one is suggesting to solder only, right? (no mechanical bond)