Small wire splicing - Best method?

[scot850]

I'm never sure the best way to make long term wiring repairs. On thicker wires I will solder the repair and the seal the join with shrink tube.

However, with thin wires this makes the join rigid, and therefore the wire is more likely to snap if bent. I probably overthinking this.

I am also aware that the connector managed to somehow get damp at some point (strangely the 2 we opened at the junkyard were pristine) so I need the shrink tube to try to water proof the joins. I'm hoping they will be strong enough and I will zip-tie the wire harness the support the joins.

I do have those shrink tubes with the solder ring in them that claim to be waterproof.

Lastly, I need to use something to try to prevent moisture getting under the connector again in case the car has a leak somewhere. I'll possibly use a bead of anti-corrosion grease for wiring around the base.

Neil.

[jonesg]

Solder, marine style heat shrink ( contains glue in the tube) , finish with liquid plastic on the ends.

[DavidE7]

I have had good luck with these connectors from O'Reilly Auto Parts:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/do ... hrink+tube
The trick is to use a proper crimping tool and then shrinking the tube tight like Jonesg said.

[scot850]

Both great suggestions and also just spoke to one of my brothers who is in electrical and electronic manufacturing and he agreed with the processes you have mentioned. I do have the glue type heat shrink so that makes total sense, but as I don't have access to the crimper or crimps I will go old school soldering.

Thanks guys!

Neil.

[RickHaleParker]

NASA splice, Solder then Shrink tubing.

[abscate]

NASA splice, Solder then Shrink tubing.

RHP for the win!

[cn90]

Butt connector as posted by David above.

[cn90]

I was told soldering won't last long.

[scot850]

Well, sorry to disappoint. Once I removed the outer carcass of the connector I was initially concerned as we had cleaned the outer face of the connector with De-Oxit and also Wurth's corrosion cleaning spray. However, the inner portion has the rectangular hole you need to access to remove the pins.

I removed the 5 offending pins and blew through everything with the air line. The pins themselves that were broken off int the female ends turned out to be sitting proud in 4/5 of the pins and easily plucked out with a small set of needle nose pliers. Th e5th was a different pain, but it came out too. Looking at all 5 of the pins under magnification, they were all un--corroded internally. All the pins had failed at the part at the surface, and not the in female pin at all. So a good clean and we opted to re-install the pins. so no soldering!

Thankfully the owner was able to cycle over after his work and being much younger and more bendy he was able to get under the dash and although it was a real pain, he managed to get the CEM re-installed, including the large zip-tie!

We reassembled everything to the point were we could try the car. Connecting the battery (key in Posn. II) and amazingly no warning messages other than for open doors and hood. Car started quicker I felt and I measured the battery charging and this time it was just under 14V and not 12.8V with the broken control wire for the alternator. So no power system service light and then we tested the wipers and they too had returned to a working state! Woo-Hoo!!

We did a bunch of other smaller jobs on the car he wanted to do and then he drove the car home. He texted to say the car had no issue and not only that he feels the alternator issue was already failing, as he said the car ran a lot more smoothly. Bonus!

This weekend he will bring the car over so we can get it up on the hoist and give it a thorough going over prior to going to an Out of Province inspection next week.

Thanks for the help guys!!

Neil.