Solder vs. Butt Connector on hot for Coil Mod

[Chuck78]

I solder nearly EVERYTHING, even connections that I have crimped with fancy crimping tools... solder with good soldering gun/iron and solder, clean clean clean, heat shrink (put that stuff on before you solder if you won't have an open end of the wire left to slide it on after!). I will double shrink wrap and sometimes even tape over top of that...

The Regulator Rectifier connectors or connector kits I ESPECIALLY solder...

Proper technique and proper soldering iron for the job and for the wire gauge are critical. too small of a gun and you will have to heat for too long, and the heat affected area will be substantially larger, either melting insulation further away from the joint, or wicking more solder and flux way back into the wire under the insulation.

Best of luck with your project!

[Gorminrider]

I think it is called a "Union Splice" - more indicative of the style of attachment than a wire company

um, well, I don't know everything and a lineman would know better but just since it's mildly interesting and I've never heard of a "Union Splice", I'll stick with Western Union splice...
Western Union was a telegraph company. I imagine making repairs, to the very important telegraph while working up a pole in the rain wind, and dark .. I hae mae doots they would be using a soldering iron up there either. (The wire used was a single solid strand of copper by the way ..)

[Wingsconsin]

IN the interest of gaining more personal knowledge I did a quick google about the splice --
It seem either name is correct..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Union_splice



The Western Union or Lineman splice was developed during the introduction of the telegraph to mechanically and electrically connect wires that were subject to loading stress. The wrapping pattern is designed to cause the termination to tighten as the conductors pull against each other.

I learn more everyday since buying this bike...

[Steve]

I learn more everyday since buying this bike...

Yeah, who'da thunk you would be adding to your edjamacation by a bunch of mo'sickle freaks??

.

[Skinner]

I’m not going to comment on whether a soldered joint is better than a crimped, or vice versa. But, if you do choose to solder this video is very helpful:

https://jalopnik.com/the-best-way-to-wire-your-car-mods-1786411699

The video is geared toward car mods, but the soldering instructions apply to any soldered stranded wire joint.

[OldVet66]

The problem with soldering is a COLD SOLDER JOINT. If the solder is not as shiny as it is while liquid when it cools and turns solid it is a bad or cold solder joint and clearly inferior to a properly crimped connection. Any movement in the wires before they solidify will result in a dull cold solder joint. It takes practice to get them right. Everyone can't do it properly, where everyone is capable of making a proper crimp with the proper tools.

[Gorminrider]

^^ +1 I've done lots of bad soldering and have come to the conclusion that soldering is for circuit boards, tinsmiths and plumbers. A good crimp is like a good weld- it cannot be undone without destruction. A loose crimp filled with solder is second best.
All my soldering irons are for electronics. I'm going to over-emphasize the faults to make a point BUT; to heat a larger mass of copper and lug, they are going to overheat the copper locally and thereby anneal it-"brittle-ise" it in the attempt to heat the whole enough to "flow" solder in.. As well, they soften the wire insulation which cooled is then more brittle. Doing these in a cold garage in winter accentuates the flaws in the process.
That said, I've got a lot of nasty clumpy connections on my boat that were done ondeck in winterthat have lasted many years, but I know I could undo the globs of black tape, bend them backnforth a few times and they'll snap where the heavily oxidised copper leaves the powdery solder glob.

[hillsy]

Everyone can't do it properly, where everyone is capable of making a proper crimp with the proper tools.

Well, that's a bit of a broad statement. I've cut through cables in the past with some rushed, over-exited crimping. It's certainly NOT out of the question that you can make a crap job of crimping just as easily as you can make a crap job of soldering.

There is also the element of the application to consider - if you are joining wires (like in a loom) and anything "loose" then it's soldering. If you are joining a wire to a hard mounted component, then a crimp connector is best as I think they are more reliable under continued vibration.

At the end of the day, for me, after years of tinkering with bikes, when it comes to joining wires, soldering is the most effective, reliable and simply the best option.

Your results may vary and that's fine

[Wingsconsin]

SOLDER --CRIMP -- SOLDER -- CRIMP

Back & forth ...how does a newbie know what to do ..?

I refer back to my first post about do what you can- good enough is usually good enough if you have tried your best

Remember everyone likes to do things THEIR way -- and it may not be right for you .
Strive to understand the WHY concept of the advice and you will learn how to do it YOUR way .

[Gorminrider]

Strive to understand the WHY concept of the advice and you will learn how to do it YOUR way .

absolutely.
...if I was stuck with a bad crimp tool or had none, or didn't want to buy a +$60 tool and the very best crimps for a single job and had room to get a decent soldering tool there, I'd work with solder and not think twice about it. Knowing the ins and outs of any way is good. Twisting pigtails and black tape will get ya home too.

[Steve]

absolutely.
...if I was stuck with a bad crimp tool or had none, or didn't want to buy a +$60 tool ...

The good news there is that there is a perfectly good crimper available from Vintage Connections for $35.

Twisting pigtails and black tape will get ya home too.

I have done many strange "repairs" to get me home. The tricky part is to remember that what you did was intended to be TEMPORARY.
Just because it got you home does not mean that it's going to last.

.

[earlfor]

I got some 16G wire and wrapped it together per the video and it took 5 min of holding the solder gun to the wire to get this result. The solder just wouldnt melt. Since soldering isnt too successful, I'm thinking at this point I will just butt splice ( I have good crimp pliers) the wires and wrap well in electrical tape. Dont want to screw up the wiring with a bad solder job.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]54533[/ATTACH]

A good crimp is far superior to soldering. The marine industry does not allow soldered connections on yachts, only crimped. There is a reason for that. I don't solder any wiring on a bike electrical system.

[Fjbj40]

A good crimp is far superior to soldering. The marine industry does not allow soldered connections on yachts, only crimped. There is a reason for that. I don't solder any wiring on a bike electrical system.

Yup. Same as aerospace, soldering has pretty much not been used for many years now in harnesses, any wires which need repairs use environmental splices, no soldering allowed.

[80GS850GBob]

Do we have GS bat-signal somewhere? Anyone in IL who can help?

I'm a little too far north...but we should have 1 or 2 members down there as I recall....

[80GS850GBob]

This is helpful! Looks like my plug wires are epoxy'd into the coils so if I want to change the wires, the coils will have to be changed too. What kind of coils did you go with?

Thanks! I'm really excited for getting this thing on the road! First it needs to heat up a bit, this whole snowing in April thing, I am not a fan of. I'm assuming you are getting some of the same up in WI.

Oem Suzuki coil wire replacing.....you got a 50/50 shot at easy replacement....for me it was 75/25. Three wires came out fairly easy and the last one snapped off at the opening and fought me.
I'd suggest setting them in the freezer of a day or two like I did. Then pull and wiggle the wires and hope they pull out cleanly.....3 did for me. As I recall, the inner depth for wire insertion is toughly an 1 1/4" or so...and there's a spike in there that the wire has to pierce. My troublesome wire required the use of a brass tube, that I serrated with a file for some "tooth", and used my drill to slowly drill in.....straight around the wire. Once it was lossened I took a drill bit and turned it in via a small vice gripe to almost an inch deep....in the middle of the wire. Slowly pull out. Second time did the trick.
When a four wires are out buy new wire and cut to size...leave excess because you can cut some off but ya can't add it afterwards. I inserted about 2/3 of the needed length and smeared them, one at a time, with 30min epoxy....shove the wire in all the rest of the way and let dry. I made a depth gauge prior to wire insertion and marked the same depth on the wire so I knew how far in it had to go.
The hardest part is complete removal of the old wire....the neat part is all the different wires you can install in there...looks wise.