[urq] Barrel crimper?

[Bill Bennett]

When I choose to solder a pin it is usually after I've crimped the
connection.
even if solder makes it's own voltage source according to VAG bulletins??
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com>
To: <urq at audifans.com>
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 4:56 PM
Subject: Re: [urq] Barrel crimper?


> ... are you advocating the complete elimination of connectors?  Why the
> Molex links?  Crimping and soldering create permanent connections ...
>
> Soldered connections definitely have their place ... the old urqs have
> the intake air temp sensor soldered to the harness for the F/TCU ... for
> good reason.  Crimped connections are well known to be robust and
> reliable too.  It is possible to create a problem by doing a poor job
> crimping ... it is possible to create a problem by doing a poor job with
> soldering.
>
> The thing is that the problems many old cars have with electrical
> connectivity rarely have anything to do with whether or not the
> connector pins are crimped or soldered.  The real problem has to do with
> high contact resistance at the interface connectors themselves.  This is
> caused in most cases by oxidation, or by the connector being plugged in
> and unplugged excessively (does everyone know that interface connectors
> have a rated number of mating cycles?).  It is also true that there is a
> bona fide design issue in the wiring of the urq.  High current with high
> contact resistance creates heat ... and if you get enough heat it
> creates a degenerating situation where the contact resistance gets
> higher and the connector gets hotter, until the connector housing melts
> and the connection is broken completely.
>
> The main problem I have with soldering connector pins is that the solder
> will wick up the stranded wire and create a solid wire that can be
> broken more easily than the stranded wire.  You can also create problems
> by soldering a connector which was not intended to be soldered (usually
> related to melting or shrinking of insulation).  I've also seen what can
> happen if you "tin" a stranded wire *then* crimp the connector in place
> ... almost started a fire!
>
> I don't know where the owner of that "high end" car audio shop got his
> impressions ... perhaps from someone else who was his mentor before that
> ... and that was probably based on the use of poor quality crimpers.  If
> I owned a "high end" car audio shop I'd spring for the appropriate "high
> end" crimpers and instruct my employees to crimp/solder as appropriate.
>
>
> If you want to solder, that's fine as long as you understand the risks.
> When I choose to solder a pin it is usually after I've crimped the
> connection.
>
> Steve B
> San Jose, CA (USA)
>> >
>> When I said use solder it came from when I worked in a high end car
>> audio shop the owner said he would never buy or supply or let any
>> installer use crimpers!
>> And  in the 4 years I worked for that shop I NEVER saw any of the cars
>> that we worked on come back to the shop for a short of any kind.
>> So now on to do I own a set of  crimpers  yes I  do  I own  a  few
> sets
>> of  AMP crimpes  they  work  good  for  serten  things  but  when  I
>> work  on  my  own  stuff  like my Urq or do alarm's I will always
> solder
>> all the connections.
>>
>> Here is a great site on Molex plugs. http://marvin3m.com/connect/ And
>> like it says:/Connectors improve manufacturing:/
>> Connectors make it easier to assemble electronic products. They also
>> facilitate mass production processes.
>
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