Though I better pipe up and dispel a few "myths" in this thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by Freetripper
Doing both crimping and soldering can create a high resistant join, do one or the other., and use the correct Crimper.
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Incorrect, this is actually the best way of doing it and ensures a high current connection, the crimp holds the cable and the solder provides the connection. If you don't know how to do large diameter cable soldering then stick to crimping only but with the proper tool (needs to be hydraulic and apply a few tons of force) and use oversized cable. The whole idea of solder is to provide a low resistance joint capable of carrying a much higher current, say your cable is rated for 100amps and you are using the correct sized lug, the connection at the crimp using the correct tool only provides around 80-90% of the cable rating on average.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deezelweazel
As already mentioned crimping involves a hexagonal crimp around the cable.
This process is also refered as cold welding.
The even pressure guarantees a tight connection.
Using a vice is just squishing the copper cable even with the punch afterwards.
The pressure applied is simply not enough.
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+1, the vice is a really bad idea, it's ok if you just use it to hold the cable while you then solder it (FYI you won't be using your 30watt Jaycar soldering iron to do the soldering with
).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deezelweazel
Use of solder leaves a lot of flux inside the core- that will cause corrosion. A not desirable state.
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If this is happening then you are doing it wrong, certainly filling up a lug with solder then just jamming in the cable is definitely the wrong way of doing it, this will create a cold/dry solder joint which is very bad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deezelweazel
Just a hint to remember. The diameter of the cable has to be choosen properly. If you increase the cable diameter to big- the current which can flow can and will burn up e.g a starter, or accessories.
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Incorrect, the cable diameter sets how much current can be carried and has nothing to do with the amount of current the device drawing power will draw. If your cable is too small you will cause the cable to heat up and depending on how much higher the current being drawn is above the rating for the cable will dictate if the cable just gets hot or if it causes a cascading current overflow resulting in the cable failing and the cable melting/catching fire (as the cable gets hotter the resistance goes up and so will the current running down it, the increased current heats the cable up more making the cable resistance increase causing more current and more heat round and round we go). You can use as bigger/oversized cable as you want, technically the bigger the better, it will
NEVER cause "can and will burn up" as a result, also remember the longer the cable the lower the cables rated current will be. Try aiming for a cable rated for 3 times the current you plan on running, if a device fails because "your cables are too large" then you are colour blind and should stop doing any electrical work (mixed the polarity up)......
Quote:
Originally Posted by werd
So, for someone like me who doesn't have a lot of specialised tools, what's the best way to do it?
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Either buy the correct tool or take the cable down to someone who does and don't buy supercheap cables