Thread: Wiring Harness Terminations

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Run your wires and use bread loaf twisties or a insulated solid #16 gauge wire to temporarily hold your wires until you are ready for final tie with tie wraps. Saves you accidently damaging any wires trying to cut off tie wraps in the process. If you don't have a good crimp tool then go buy one and throw away that POS multi tool you have which will only cause you trouble later with bad connections. As for as the comment about using crimp connectors there is absolutely nothing wrong with using crimp connectors if you have the proper tools to do them with. I would not solder my connections as the heat will weaken the wire strands. Each to his own. I will say do not use cheap connectors on your car from home depot or local hardware store. Go to electrical supply house and ask for T&B or Panduit connectors along with some heatshrink tube for each connection. Take your time and watch for any edges that may chaffe your wire. Leave a few inches of slack for each connection with no undue stress applied on the connection. Remember every extra connection is only a place for something to wrong so avoid unnecessary splices and such. Good luck.

Buzz is right..........crimp terminals are perfectly fine, and in some cases much better than soldered ones. Soldering can make the ends brittle and prone to breaking. I know there will be an argument on that, but if you feel comfortable soldering, do it, and if you like crimping, go that route. We crimp everything.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Buzz is right..........crimp terminals are perfectly fine, and in some cases much better than soldered ones. Soldering can make the ends brittle and prone to breaking. I know there will be an argument on that, but if you feel comfortable soldering, do it, and if you like crimping, go that route. We crimp everything.

Don

yep i here what they say about solder .. but think about it ? if something thing is shaking that much to break a small wire then you have alot of other stuff thats going to bust off or back off nuts bolts ?? as well .i do use both. i have seen more crimps fall out if not crimp right then solder one break off .when i was a rigger at the boat yard we used crimp ends the hi quality one that the jacket did not bust off when crimped .but on the street rods i have wired i like to solder then and use shrink tube on them for a time there i was wiring alot of street rods for a guy i knew he would never look at the wiring in the street rods he pick up two of them allmost burnt down .i had a line on the hard to fined head lite spade end connectors i liked to use the pain less universal fuse block .or buy the blocks from Car Quest . the last thing i wired was a 1940 MACK truck with a 350 chevy engine i put in it

Couldn't agree more Don, solder has no place on auto wiring, you can't control the flow and vibration will crack the wire. Crimping is by far the best if done with a quality tool.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Buzz is right..........crimp terminals are perfectly fine, and in some cases much better than soldered ones. Soldering can make the ends brittle and prone to breaking. I know there will be an argument on that, but if you feel comfortable soldering, do it, and if you like crimping, go that route. We crimp everything.

Don

Originally Posted by roadster32

Couldn't agree more Don, solder has no place on auto wiring, you can't control the flow and vibration will crack the wire. Crimping is by far the best if done with a quality tool.

Steve/Don,
So how do you make running splices, say for a ground wire that needs to pick up several components, then run to a body/chassis ground; or a power feed to a GM headlight switch that also needs to hit a second spade terminal on the same switch? I have not seen a "Y" crimp connection? One thought is to strip back 1/2" of insulation on the main run, tightly twist your branch wire around that bare section, and securely heat shrink it. No solder joint then.... just wondering what you use?

Originally Posted by rspears

Steve/Don,
So how do you make running splices, say for a ground wire that needs to pick up several components, then run to a body/chassis ground; or a power feed to a GM headlight switch that also needs to hit a second spade terminal on the same switch? I have not seen a "Y" crimp connection? One thought is to strip back 1/2" of insulation on the main run, tightly twist your branch wire around that bare section, and securely heat shrink it. No solder joint then.... just wondering what you use?

I would not just twist a wire around the other as you suggested as this type of connection is just not satisfactory. I would mount a ground terminal block and individualy bring your wires to it and terminate 1 by 1. Run a # 10 to feed the block. For the power circuits you can also use a quality terminal block with a jumper bar that that will tie them together and make it a common supply. Just don't overload the circuit. For the one offs they do make what is called piggy back terminals for things like the switches you refered to. Wiring techniques like this will provide you with a quality installation and if you ever need to do some troubleshooting or additions it sure makes it nice later. Check out http://www.tnb.com/contractor/docs/stakon.pdf this site for all your needs. Some of the best stuff in the industry.

Originally Posted by rspears

Steve/Don,
So how do you make running splices, say for a ground wire that needs to pick up several components, then run to a body/chassis ground; or a power feed to a GM headlight switch that also needs to hit a second spade terminal on the same switch? I have not seen a "Y" crimp connection? One thought is to strip back 1/2" of insulation on the main run, tightly twist your branch wire around that bare section, and securely heat shrink it. No solder joint then.... just wondering what you use?

Roger, you could use this.

Mike

Roger now i think about it i havn't had to splice anywhere that i can remember, earthwise i like to run seperate earths back to a earth buzz bar that is bolted to the bolts that hold the body to the frame.

I use the Rebel wiring kits these days, they are good and so much quicker to install than making up my own like i used to do.

Originally Posted by rspears

Steve/Don,
So how do you make running splices, say for a ground wire that needs to pick up several components, then run to a body/chassis ground; or a power feed to a GM headlight switch that also needs to hit a second spade terminal on the same switch? I have not seen a "Y" crimp connection? One thought is to strip back 1/2" of insulation on the main run, tightly twist your branch wire around that bare section, and securely heat shrink it. No solder joint then.... just wondering what you use?

Originally Posted by roadster32

Roger now i think about it i havn't had to splice anywhere that i can remember, earthwise i like to run seperate earths back to a earth buzz bar that is bolted to the bolts that hold the body to the frame.

I use the Rebel wiring kits these days, they are good and so much quicker to install than making up my own like i used to do.

"Buzz bar" is not a term I am familiar with (google gives some interesting result). Is that an earthing/grounding bar, like a threaded brass bar or a terminal block hooked to a body bolt?

Originally Posted by Mike52

Roger, you could use this http://www.spliseal.com/products.html.
Mike

Thanks for that link, Mike. Interesting - kind of looks like black hot glue with a mold set, but is likely more than that. Looks especially good for exposed joints, like trailer wiring?

Originally Posted by buzz4041

I would not just twist a wire around the other as you suggested as this type of connection is just not satisfactory. I would mount a ground terminal block and individualy bring your wires to it and terminate 1 by 1. Run a # 10 to feed the block. For the power circuits you can also use a quality terminal block with a jumper bar that that will tie them together and make it a common supply. Just don't overload the circuit. For the one offs they do make what is called piggy back terminals for things like the switches you refered to. Wiring techniques like this will provide you with a quality installation and if you ever need to do some troubleshooting or additions it sure makes it nice later. Check out http://www.tnb.com/contractor/docs/stakon.pdf this site for all your needs. Some of the best stuff in the industry.

Buzz,
Thanks for the comments, link and advice. The twisted wire approach came from the manager at one of the local electrical supply houses and seemed like a good idea to reduce the number of conductors in the bundle, but based on comments here I think that the spliced ground would be a headache later. I especially appreciate the comment about troubleshooting - chasing a bad ground can be a big enough headache without introducing splice joints. I also like your common supply approach. Last night I was sorting through the final separation and grouping of wires, and found that I have five devices that require direct battery feed (fuse block #10, EFI ECU, Spal Fan Controller, Vintage Air unit, and Alternator Bypass connection). My battery is tucked up under the dash and I have bulkhead connections through the body/firewall down beside the starter, but five ring lugs would be a lot, and likely makes that cable to bulkhead connection questionable. One feed to a TB will be lots better.

Status - I have the trunk wired and secured (need to revisit the grounds for lights), headlight circuits ready to pull through the frame, and all other wires segregated and tagged. The only thing slowing me down now is that the pretty firewall bulkhead port got backordered for two days, and now will not be here until Monday or Tuesday keeping me from punching my firewall/body hole for the engine sensors, fan, alternator and starter circuits. I still have plenty to do - mount under dash courtesy lamps, door jamb switches, pretty up the back dash wiring harness with wire ties vs the split plastic coil Painless used, etc, etc. I am going to have a much better finished product because of the tips, talents, advice and direction shared here.
Thanks guys & gals.

Yes its a piece of brass bar attached to a chassis bolt Roger.

Originally Posted by rspears

"Buzz bar" is not a term I am familiar with (google gives some interesting result). Is that an earthing/grounding bar, like a threaded brass bar or a terminal block hooked to a body bolt?



Thanks for that link, Mike. Interesting - kind of looks like black hot glue with a mold set, but is likely more than that. Looks especially good for exposed joints, like trailer wiring?


Buzz,
Thanks for the comments, link and advice. The twisted wire approach came from the manager at one of the local electrical supply houses and seemed like a good idea to reduce the number of conductors in the bundle, but based on comments here I think that the spliced ground would be a headache later. I especially appreciate the comment about troubleshooting - chasing a bad ground can be a big enough headache without introducing splice joints. I also like your common supply approach. Last night I was sorting through the final separation and grouping of wires, and found that I have five devices that require direct battery feed (fuse block #10, EFI ECU, Spal Fan Controller, Vintage Air unit, and Alternator Bypass connection). My battery is tucked up under the dash and I have bulkhead connections through the body/firewall down beside the starter, but five ring lugs would be a lot, and likely makes that cable to bulkhead connection questionable. One feed to a TB will be lots better.

Status - I have the trunk wired and secured (need to revisit the grounds for lights), headlight circuits ready to pull through the frame, and all other wires segregated and tagged. The only thing slowing me down now is that the pretty firewall bulkhead port got backordered for two days, and now will not be here until Monday or Tuesday keeping me from punching my firewall/body hole for the engine sensors, fan, alternator and starter circuits. I still have plenty to do - mount under dash courtesy lamps, door jamb switches, pretty up the back dash wiring harness with wire ties vs the split plastic coil Painless used, etc, etc. I am going to have a much better finished product because of the tips, talents, advice and direction shared here.
Thanks guys & gals.

Originally Posted by roadster32

Couldn't agree more Don, solder has no place on auto wiring, you can't control the flow and vibration will crack the wire. Crimping is by far the best if done with a quality tool.

Hmmmm, I hate arguments and controversey and I agree that top quality crimp terminals and the proper crimp tool can produce good results and everything has its place. But being in this business since 1973 and having attended G.M.,Chrysler,and Ford training centers. They all preach that the only approved method of wire repair for "them" is solder & heatshrink,especially on computer controlled systems. I also will say when I purchase a dealer part that comes with a replacement pigtail or harness, it contains solder terminals & heatshrink. Sooooooooo I don't know, But I am a contankerous old creature of habit and having never suffered a failure of a solder joint after all these years, and having had the privelege or nightmare of tracing down problems caused by poor crimp connections I believe I'll just keep the electrical drawer of one of my toolboxes stocked with solder,butane and heatshrink...

Originally Posted by HWORRELL

Hmmmm, I hate arguments and controversey and I agree that top quality crimp terminals and the proper crimp tool can produce good results and everything has its place. But being in this business since 1973 and having attended G.M.,Chrysler,and Ford training centers. They all preach that the only approved method of wire repair for "them" is solder & heatshrink,especially on computer controlled systems. I also will say when I purchase a dealer part that comes with a replacement pigtail or harness, it contains solder terminals & heatshrink. Sooooooooo I don't know, But I am a contankerous old creature of habit and having never suffered a failure of a solder joint after all these years, and having had the privelege or nightmare of tracing down problems caused by poor crimp connections I believe I'll just keep the electrical drawer of one of my toolboxes stocked with solder,butane and heatshrink...

Couldn't agree more. I've been soldering since about 1960 and will continue to do so. I soldered when I was in the Corps and was certified to solder on military aircraft when I worked at McDonnell Douglas and in a pinch have made connectors from copper tubing.

I'm not ready to do the wiring on my 37 yet but I'm learning a lot about it from this thread. Thanks guys! I like to keep these things in mind while I'm doing the other work on the car so hopefully I can plan around potential problems as I progress.