cooking stator wire?

[posplayr]

If you have a marginal connection where the resistance s a high as the typical minimum resolution of a DVM (the smallest that can typically be measured is 0.1 ohms) , and you assume only 12 amps, then you are looking at
Power = Current ^2 * R = 12^2 *0.1 = 144*0.1 = 14.4 Watts

That is a whole lot of power for a small gauge wire to dissipate. Any kind of corrosion in a crimp will lead to resistance values in this range. That is why I solder all my primary R/R connections. To much humidity where I live.

[keman]

I really like a good solid soldered joint over a connector anyday. If it is a connection that is not regularly disconnected, why not? Solder it well, wrap the joint with a nice thick shrink tube of the right size... I have even gone to the point of adding little bit of greese I inside the shrink before heating just to be sure no water can get in there. I do the same for all of my connectors.

[Normk]

I can link you to some very convincing arguments for use of crimp connectors over soldering, including that soldering has the issue of running up the wire and so creating a ridgid hinge point which promotes breakage. OEM manfacturers and especially aircraft use crimps for other reasons than cost. It is far easier to assure a consistantly effective connector through quality control of terminal, proper matching of tool and wire. Like most things, what seems simple to the untrained is usually very complex.

That said, I was trained over 50 years ago with solder and still prefer although training has increased my awareness of the issues. As someone mentioned, the exclusion of corrosives from the uniom has much merit when soldering although one can try acid dip testing and distructive disassembly of the crimped terminal to prove that the crimping pressure leaves little opportunity for entry.

Aircraft specify soldering for a very few applications and this operation has to be carried out by specially certified personnel, much like high pressure welding.

I am also a believer in soldering monofilament/single conductor wires as they are ridgid so, IMO, the hinge point concern is moot. The grease inside heat shrink sounds somewhat like the newer heat shrink and self sealing crimp terminals. Both of these have a gel inside which melts and flows to seal the connection when heated. Nice stuff which is very popular on highway trucks and marine. The terminals are easy to find but the tubing has not, at least around here.

Aircraft techs become pale in the face when they see some of the connections made on vehicles. I think they worry far too much as the airline accident rate is still much lower than it needs to be.

Another older trick for sealing wire is to slip a piece of plastic tubing such as a piece of drinking straw over the connection and pump full of RTV silicone. It's still hard to beat that one for connections which will be immersed in sea water.