Hi, I want to know what everyone's opinion is on connecting bare wires. So many people just twist the wires together and tape them. I've done it for years and have never had a problem. Every car I buy they are all wired like this. But, we all know this isn't a good way to make a solid connection between the two or more wires. Question #1: Should this method never EVER be used? Question #2: Besides soldering, is there any alternative methods that supply a good solid connection with little resistance? Can't wait to hear your guy's opinions...
i use the fancy but connectors that have the heat shrink on them. i crimp and heat em with a lighter, prolly just like pedro does.
i've seen wire nuts used as well. i prefer to use butt connectors and crimp them. make sure they're tight!
i ussually use the twist and tape cuz im too lazy lol but u could buy the butt conectors like the guys said which work pretty good and make a better connection than the twist and tape
Looks like the line-up goes... 1.Soldering 2.Butt connectors w/ heat shrink 3.Butt connectors 4.Heat shrink 5.Wire nuts 6.Twist n' Tape 7.Twist and watch sparks fly! Thanks a lot guys! :lol:
Wire nuts should never be used. If you read any car electrical books, they will all tell you not to use them. Soldering is the best. You can twist and tape, but theres a certain way to do it to make sure the wire doesnt come loose. Ive done it plenty of times.
funny you say wire nut should never be used. i m useing wire nuts( the huge ones) on my sub box to make it quick and easy to remove if need be.
my friend installed his HU with some tiny wire nuts that actually seem to hold really well. danracer do they just say that they fall of easily or is there another reason?
amen, dude, solder always first, second goes butt connectors. no matter what you do, always always always cover it with heat shrink. The mechanic in me always wants to solder but the other guy in me knows that sometimes it isn't the most cost effective for a lot of people Gen, the simple explination is because they are intended for home use, and will unscrew themselves due to all of the bumping and moving around that car wires tend to do. They usually come completely undone at the worst possible time. And twist and tape will cause the wires to eventually become exposed due to all of the extremes that the tape will have happen to it. Eventually causing it to fall off.
actually if u do it the right way the wont fall easily....in fact ive done a couple of them that is actually hard to pull of...the problem is that if you do em w/ a single twist they can separate easy and perhaps cause a short or something the best thing you can do with a twist is heat shrink it since it will hold better than just electrical tape
nuts are meant for single strand wire. stiffer, doesn't move easily car electrical is multiple strand/more flexible. hey pedro, you have to re tighten on yours periodically right?
not really. but they dont vibrate at all they are under the box and cant move either way i move it around a lot to accommodate groceries and other stuff. so i check them and they do stay tight. of corse i tighten then so hard it hurts^_^
Strip connectors/standard electrical conectors work fine and provide same connection as soilder does.