soldering vs. mechanical connections
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KidDingo
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 7:32 pm
- Your car is a: 1981 Fiat Spider 2000 FI 5-spd
- Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
Re: soldering vs. mechanical connections
Who's he calling "wire"?
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Michael
1981 Fiat Spider 2000 FI
Michael
1981 Fiat Spider 2000 FI
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RupertSportSpider
Re: soldering vs. mechanical connections
I found a couple of those in the car I just bought.Danno wrote:pfft. You all know I'm gonna just strip the wire with my teeth, twist the connection and hope the bare wires don't touch other bare wires.
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2ndwind
- Posts: 548
- Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:17 pm
- Your car is a: 1982 Spider
- Location: Cincinnati OH
Re: soldering vs. mechanical connections
Funny, spider2081
I was talking to my Father-in-law over Turkey Day. He is a mechanical engineer and was a machine designer for AMP for over thirty years. We were talking about electrical contacts on the FIAT when he said: "AMP tried for decades to sell quality contacts to the automotive industry but they just won't spend the money." "They buy the cheapest parts they can."
I was talking to my Father-in-law over Turkey Day. He is a mechanical engineer and was a machine designer for AMP for over thirty years. We were talking about electrical contacts on the FIAT when he said: "AMP tried for decades to sell quality contacts to the automotive industry but they just won't spend the money." "They buy the cheapest parts they can."
Steve
1982 Red Spider 2000
1919 Old Town Sailing Canoe
1982 Red Spider 2000
1919 Old Town Sailing Canoe
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spider2081
- Patron 2024
- Posts: 3009
- Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:45 pm
- Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
- Location: Wallingford,CT
Re: soldering vs. mechanical connections
Thanks, 2ndwind
It's interesting that the auto industry is known to often look for the least costly parts to install in their cars. From what I have seen, if the connection of the wire to the terminal is crimped that is not where the failure usually occurs. Example, the ignition switch connector is a high maintenance issue on our cars. The crimps are not the point of failure. The socket looses its tension over time as a result of current flowing through it and eventually the connection becomes intermittent. A similar quality terminal soldered to the wire would have the identical problem in time. This supports your father in laws comments. It's the quality of the terminal that is important.
I think the inline multi-pin connectors on the Fiats are a poor design. The wire is pressed into a "v" to make the connection to the pin. The nylon cover on the connector holds each wire in it's pin. Now that the cars are 30+ years old this type of connection can become intermittent. They are difficult to isolate and tricky to repair. These connectors are used on the Spider 2000 wire harness for the rear tail light assembly. I open these connectors and solder the wire to the pin "V" and then close the connector to correct the intermittent. Soldering the wire to these pins is about the only soldering I do. Everything else is crimped.
Tell you father in law I have been using AMP terminals and tools for years and very pleased with their quality.
It's interesting that the auto industry is known to often look for the least costly parts to install in their cars. From what I have seen, if the connection of the wire to the terminal is crimped that is not where the failure usually occurs. Example, the ignition switch connector is a high maintenance issue on our cars. The crimps are not the point of failure. The socket looses its tension over time as a result of current flowing through it and eventually the connection becomes intermittent. A similar quality terminal soldered to the wire would have the identical problem in time. This supports your father in laws comments. It's the quality of the terminal that is important.
I think the inline multi-pin connectors on the Fiats are a poor design. The wire is pressed into a "v" to make the connection to the pin. The nylon cover on the connector holds each wire in it's pin. Now that the cars are 30+ years old this type of connection can become intermittent. They are difficult to isolate and tricky to repair. These connectors are used on the Spider 2000 wire harness for the rear tail light assembly. I open these connectors and solder the wire to the pin "V" and then close the connector to correct the intermittent. Soldering the wire to these pins is about the only soldering I do. Everything else is crimped.
Tell you father in law I have been using AMP terminals and tools for years and very pleased with their quality.