Tool source suggestion

["Warren R Anderson" <wranderson@xxxx>]

I have always soldered my crimp connections (after crimping) when I
>intended that they would become a permanent installation on my boats and
>also my cars. So far I have been lucky enough to not have any failures
>from those connections I completed in that manner.
>
>Bill Huff


A crimped only connection on stranded wire will lose integrity when exposed
to moisture. New vehicles have soldered/crimped connections (heavy duty
trucks especially) or soldered and heavy duty sealed from the elements. We
see bad connections especially in RV's where Scotch Locks are used in great
numbers and moisture gets into the housing. I live and work on mostly dry SW
vehicles but have seen eastern electricals virtually destroyed because of
non sealing terminations. There are many products out there to deal with
corrosion and a lot are intended for marine use which I do not get into
much.

Purpose here, there is a tool source that we have used for terminal crimping
tools. The tool I use to crimp insulated terminals is made by S & G Tool.

WWW.toolaid.com

Their part number is 18900 and it does work quite well and is not expensive.
The tool crimps equally every time and does not kill the operator doing the
job. The kit, 18920, we do not have but is capable of dealing with the
multitude of special connectors that are on mobile equipment. We have other
stand alone crimpers but this one tool set should do all. The 18900 crimps
neatly and does not tear up the insulator tube. This is NOT the tool that
doesn't work and is in the plastic box terminal kits. The individual wire
strands inside the crimp are still vulnerable to corrosion attack but inside
a car or otherwise protected should be OK. High power (12 ga or heavier) or
exposed to moisture, a non insulated or insulated terminal crimped AND
soldered will provide a high degree of connection integrity. Heavy wall
shrink tubing is a nice finishing touch. I do not think it has been
mentioned, shrink tubing is available heavy wall and silicone lined that
will provide moisture sealing.

There are recently released service bulletins on this topic from Ford, GM,
Chrysler and others with these recommendations.

We get fliers from the Tool Warehouse. Tools at GREAT prices and they should
have S&G crimpers and we think might sell to other than professional
wrenches.

Just checked out a thread on another site from HD techs in New Jersey,
Seattle, Eastern Canada and Chicago concerning electrical connections and
REAL corrosion protection. Think I'll stay here where it's dry and I don't
have to oil everything down to keep the salt from destroying whatever is
metal.

Warren Anderson
Sedona,AZ