I've used these on aircraft wiring during my time in the Air Force for both Communication Systems wiring as well as other general wiring, so I think if they are good enough for Military Aircraft, they are probably good enough for car audio. That being said, they are a bit picky until you learn their little tricks. First, you need to twist the wires in the same manner you did when you used the traditional soldering method. Second, if you heat both outer ends prior to melting the middle, they definitely aren't going to slip on you. And lastly, if you're doing a big wire bundle like the one shown here, it's best to stagger the splices, to keep bundle size down and make it easier to avoid accidentally over heating the other connections. Slipping a heat shield of some sort in between the slice you are working on and the other wires in the bundle helps prevent this as well. A metal pie plate works well, because they are easy to but to the size you need, and disposable. Personally, if I were doing a bundle, I would slip a big piece of shrink tube over the whole thing at the end, because they do look like shit when compared to the traditional method. One last comment, the thing you said about someone without a soldering iron probably not having a heat gun is a little off. Someone who is into car wraps would definitely have a heat gun and no iron, and it's pretty easy to imagine someone expanding their scope from wrapping to include audio as well. As always, though, good video!
I was going to say the same thing about staggering and twisting the wires but you did mention a few other tricks I wasn't aware of. You just tought me a few neat tricks thank you.
I've been using these things for about 20 years now and I must say I really like them for confined spaces. What you really need is a heat gun where you can dial in the temperature. With the connectors I use the entire ring melts It didn't look like the whole ring melted on yours. That may be because it wasn't hot enough. The other thing is, you need to confine the heat with a nozzle. I use a Steinel heat gun. It has a digital temperature control and indicator. It came in a kit to do hot air plastic welding, heat shrinking, paint stripping and other things. It has a full assortment of nozzles. it includes a couple sizes were the nozzle wraps around the connector so you only have to position it one or two times. Using this gun with these connectors I can do a joint in about 30 seconds. Also unless you're using adhesive wall heat shrink your not getting a sealed joint like these. So for marine applications these are the way to go.
I agree. I think the heat gun being used does not concentrate the heat to the heat shrink tubes. I don't know about adjustable temp heat guns but I do own a 300w flashlight style heat gun that has a nozzle which I think would be perfect for the job. Also, stepping the connections would be better rather than having all the connections bundled together. Makes it look slimmer especially if you shrink wrap the whole job of 9 connections for example. I'm definitely going to order a bunch of these heat shrink connectors
That was my thought as well, a good heat gun with a small straw style nozzle might work better, and will work worlds faster. I've never used these solder and seal connectors, but even just for shrink tubing the nozzle makes a startling difference.
Glenn Kotze stepping the connectors??? You basically mean making the wires different lengths to keep the individual tubings from touching??? If so, then yes, it sounds like that would work loads better for say, shrink wrapping as you suggested...
You are right. He did mention that the insulation was starting to melt because his nozzle was vary large and throwing out the heat in a wide area. A deflector nozzle would have directed the heat to the other side enveloping the solder connector and correctly melted the ring as you stated. The military has been using these for many years for a good reason, and I have built many a cable with these. In an automotive environment, I wouldn't use anything less.
Used them to build wire harnesses for military subcontractors. Need a nozzle and adjustable heat. If they worked good enough for a tank or plane, more than sufficient for car audio
The Air Forces uses the seal connectors on their aircraft. They hold up better to moisture. I use them on my boat and have had really good lucky keeping the salt water out of the connectors. They are a little more expensive but to me they're worth the money. Also, to me, they are easier to use.
@RandomKind That's an extra step, but many mariners use these seal solder connectors and then add several layers of heatshrink with sealing compound to obtain the best waterproofing possible.
I think using a compact heat gun intended specifically for heat shrink tube would be the way to go on this. There's a deflector which the wire goes in and it heats up most of the way around the tube at the same time, and you can of course get it into smaller spaces with it.
This is exactly how those Raychem CWT connectors are supposed to be installed. Heatgun with small nozzle and deflector. There are detailed application instructions available from TE connectivity.
Hey Mark! Wanted to add my experience with these type of solder sleeves. So I work in aviation and we use those solder sleeves in the wiring of the helicopter radios for communications, transponder, and media. But they are only used to solder the shielding of the multiple conductor wiring to ground to reduce EMF noise, then we use closed barrel terminals to install it into a connector. So they only serve for grounding purposes in radios. Especially since they are $7 a piece, but they use a higher temperature solder and heat shrink and the wire is a nylon insulation that can withstand more heat and vibration than car wiring can. We are even not allowed to splice radio wire, either the wire needs to be replaced or be re-terminated. If we splice anything, there can’t be more than one splice per wire in non radio applications. Very rarely do we solder anything in our application; switches used to toggle comms is where we use it or micro switches for actuators. And also to add to the frustration you can’t twist wires together to secure them either. Everything has a specific terminal that must be used with a double crimp, one the wire and the other on the insulation for security that requires a double crimp tool. Thought you might find it interesting! 👍
I use these on the custom vehicles I build. Key is a concentrated nozzle to direct the heat. I use 30 to 40 of these in each vehicle, they are a time saver for me and my employees.
This is a great product for in car installations. Solder on a bench is ideal, but often we are wiring up stuff in the car and getting a smoldering iron in there is not plausible
Dave Taylor 1 word: crimp! A good crimp is better than the best solder, that's why only crimping is allowed in some industries and anything stock in a car is usually crimped.
Candisa, So, it has nothing to do with time and energy to solder the joints, right? Cost and speed rule production lines, not "top quality first". I'm not one, but a NASA trained electrician I associate with on the net solders his wires. (He goes by Jonnie B, if you think I made this up)
T L If it were for cost and energy, they would solder instead of crimp, which some actually did, resulting in brokes wires right next to the solder joint because of vibration over time. NASA/military solder joints aren't even twisted together before soldering, the wire ends are saturated with solder individually, positioned side by side against eachother and molten together. Those joints are very easily serviceable on site without damaging the wires (no need to cut and restrip), but they aren't the best connection electronically nor mechanically. In high current situations they do not solder, they avoid connections as much as possible and crimp the ones that are unavoidable.
I have been considering buying those to try out but haven’t got around to it but I’m glad I didn’t waist my money on them the soldering iron lives another day
My experience with these has so far been positive. I like them in wet or moist areas better than the traditional method. Here in the south we have a lot of humidity so any connections that will be outside have to be sealed. I still use my soldering gun and heat shrink on most of my audio connections simply due to the fact that it's cheaper and it solidifies faster allowing me to move on the next connection without waiting for the previous connection to cool.
The reason you're having problems and getting poor results is because you're using a heatgun designed to remove paint and wallpaper, without a concentrator nozzle even. These heat guns also get far too hot, some up to 1200C. With how much the heating elements were glowing inside your gun, I'd say you were on the smokin' hot side. You need a hot air workstation so you can control the temperature of the air and have a fine enough nozzle so you only heat the connection and not the entire bundle of wires. You can set the temperature low enough to avoid melting the wire as well.
I can see using these in an area that may see moisture like in an engine bay or trailer light wiring (soooooo many scotch locks in trailer wiring). We also used these a lot by the technicians in the dealership service dept. I managed mainly because they were pretty foolproof for the guys that weren't really good at soldering. I myself will stick to a solder gun and heatshrink. I like to know the solder is properly flowing around the wires. Not sure I trust solder that will melt with a heat gun.
Steve Goff, most heat guns can get hot enough to melt solder. My digital heat gun can turn up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit with adjustable fan speeds. I can flow multiple solder joints on a board at the same time with just hot air. Lol
I use these all the time on military planes. Get yourself an adjustable temp heatgun with a C shaped shroud so you don't have to move your gun all around and run it so hot. It also helps to not melt your fingerprints off or wires.
I work in the Marine electronics business and love these "Solder Sleeves". I use the original TE/Raychem versions and these cover the copper a lot better. It looks like yours are missing a good solder flux. Especially for on-sight repairs these Solder Sleeves rock! Saves me a lot of time and a simple butane torch makes for a fast repair or modification.
The average consumer isn't going to buy the TE ones though, I have seen nothing but links to Amazon ones in car audio groups, so thats what I reviewed.
I agree with CAF. Most people aren't going to spend $5-$7 per connection. These low cost alternative will work just not as well as the expensive one. These are the Harbor Freight versions....lol.
The connection with those connectors is actually a better connection even though you can see exposed copper. There is no wicking under the insulation which actually creates a weakend solder joint that can cause wire failure under the insulation. Even people with years of solder experience cannot replicate a proper solder joint between two wires over and over. This is why crimping is a standard in some critical industries. Next I would say that if you starting out with a cold heat gun, the time to proper temp and the low temp solder melting is increased. If that heat gun was already full temp I am certain it would not have taken even close to that amount of time to complete. I have used these solder connectors in all kinds of applications and it never takes more than a few seconds. Now, where these become a pain in the ass is when your on tight quarters new material that can melt from the heat gun discharge. But, a hot iron can also be just as damaging in tight quarters as well. I use these connectors as often as I can to save time and maintain consistency. I'll use a soldering iron after that if need be.
These work out great for me because its just less stuff to use for wires like speaker wires. You can even a lighter. So they do work in some instances.
I work on trucks and trailers and we almost exclusive use these. Like others have said, you need a narrow nozzle and a good, adjustable heatgun. Staggered connections make for little or no bulk. We routinely splice 15 conductor trailer wiring cables using these and finish with adhesive lined heatshrink.
I have the exact same kit! I love these. I had to tap in to a few wire in the kick panel last month while starting my SQ build in my 05 Acura TL. It was a very tight area and I could barely get the wires stripped.....more less a set of crimpers in there. I really wanted to try these out so out they came! I guess I could have truly used my soldering gun to handle this job.....I guess I did....in a way though...lol! Being close quarters, I didn't want to use my butane torch and risk damage or even fire. So, I used my Milwaukee 12 volt soldering iron with the flat plastic welding tip to run over the connector. I would turn it slightly back in forth....sort of a rotisserie method. LOL. IT WORKED! It probably took longer than a torch but it was safer. By the way, this soldering iron is awesome! Lots of features. Heats up in 30 seconds. A light tells you when you can put it up. The head can be angled. Also, if you get the high capacity batteries, it acts like a stand for the iron. Again, thank you Mark. Another great, USEFUL, video!
I have used them on motorcycle wiring. I do quite like them, and the heat shrink section does seem tougher than generic heat shrink. One issue I have had is melting through the heat shrink when trying to melt the solder. Due to this I tend to use an extra piece of conventional heat shrink over the join to make sure there is no uninsulated area I haven't spotted, and to further strain relieve the join. I find it far easier to use a heat gun in odd positions than a soldering iron, and far less worry about putting down the heat source between joins. I actually normally use a heat gun sold for household paint stripping (and this is far tougher than my nice temperature controlled soldering iron). While some people won't have such a heat gun, a lot of people seem to manage to use a cigarette lighter for this , and they are far easier to get than either a soldering iron or a heat gun.
Thank you so much for doing this! I just bought yesterday some of these myself and am waiting for it to come in to see what my thoughts are on it for a rewire.
I read down a good number of replies and did not see this addressed .... with conventionali soldering, I always like to use a bit of electronics flux as it seems to pull the solder into the strands of multi stranded wire connections. Wondering how the low temp solder in these connectors would respond if flux is utililized. Thanks for the always informative videos Mark. You are a true craftsman as the results of your projects always show.
x2 on FLUX!!! These are my primary go -to. Just wired up some relays inside my FJ Cruiser yesterday. Dip each lead into flux, insert & heat for WAY less than a minute before I get flow (~20/30 sec). Depending on application/location I've used butane soldering iron (w/o the soldering tip, just the hot-head), a small crafting heat-gun & full size heat gun (fastest). I strip the insulation to give total overlap when inserted, but have insulation go slightly inside of color band, heat ends first to lock-in, then hit the solder ring, let cool (canned air GOOD) then second sleeve of heat_shrink (color matched to wire when possible, thank you, OCD...) FLUX... Stagger... Heat shrink.
Thganks for the video. I looked at these things when I was doing a bunch of re-wiring work on my motorcycle but ended up using traditional methods because I already had all the stuff I needed but it's good to know that for certain applications, they do work. One thought though, on e-bay, they range quite a lot in price, I'm sure there are some that perform way better than others.
I would definitely get a adapter for that heat gun to focus into a smaller hole. It really helps with heat shrink and solder sleeve such as the one you’re working with
I use this a lot, but not for car audio. The main area i use them in is other smaller jobs whre i need to connect one or two wires in the field, also i do not use a heat gun but a lighter. For example last week i was replasing a trailer light plug and had to bypass a rear foglight switch.
Really good and thorough test I think. Thank you very much for making this! I don't use these myself, but have seen them available at a couple of workshops. More common, and kind of similar looking I think, is the crimps with clear/tinted heatshrink with glue on them. Personaly I am a solder guy, and usually only vary the type of heatshrink I use (with or without glue).
Soldering is great. the only problem I have is if it ever grounded out that low temp solder could melt and then cause other problems when the wires become loose, there is no mechanical connection. Also if the connectors were larger than soldering by itself, you could always splice the wires to different lengths In order to stagger the connections and thickness in one spot.
I use these for years on anything that I want to be watertight. I use an open flame micro torch to melt them and have much better luck melting the solder. I love them.
I soldered a loom for my new head unit this week and I was really happy with how quick I got the soldering done... until I saw you only took 1min10 secs😶 I can see one advantage of the solder and seal connectors though. I wouldn't have had to cut and redo the 3 wires that I forgot to put heat shrink on before soldering 🤬
Here in germany we use these type of shrink and solder connectors since the 90s I think. They are the only correct way to repair wires that go to the O2 sensor for example. They are not meant to be a time saver, and ours work quite a lot better on the soldering part.
I tried these at my shop only to come to the same conclusion you did, if you cant solder, don't be an installer. My guys prefer a dedicated soldering/hot air rework station any day of the week. These do have thier place in the consumer genre but the "industry" will never use them. I will say in my testing that the cheap 898D+ rework stations with Hakko clone iron can be had for around 80$ and the 8mm nozzles not only does these better but also does heatshrink wonderful. Any good temperature controlled station with Kester 60/40 leaded solder is the best way to solder but in some situations it helps to use "247 Solder" type LOWTEMP-15. Its in a syringe, melts at 280F, has no clean flux built in, and consists of 42%Tin57%Bismuth1%Silver so it is very convienent to use on wires or circuit boards. Pro-tip : Keep it in the fridge so it doesn t seperate and it will keep long past the date on the syringe, you really only need to pay attention to that for production work that needs consistent melt times. May be do a video on the different grades/types of heatshrink Mark, that is something I get asked quite often by customers/collagues. People tend to cheap out on heatshrink and solder and wonder why the job looks bad. Give me a 20$ iron and some Kester 44 before you take away my good solder and leave me with a 200$ Iron.
Those work a lot better, and faster with a torch or lighter, and when ever you have to connect a bunch on individual wires, you dont do them at the same place, do each one a inch or so away, so they are not at the same exact point, which will make the connecting area not as bulky. If your worried about the flame in the car, you can put a sheet of aluminum behind the wires, or even some aluminum foil folder over itself a few times, and can just slide it behind the wires. Just like soldering is an art form that you have to learn, so is using these connectors, just need to figure out the right heat range and distance. I twist the two wires together and then fold them into a small ball, that fits right under the solder band. The wire is also sealed with these, so they are water proof, unlike heat-shrink.
I use a butane torch and the time is under a minute.Of course I use a diffuser to even the heating process. You were correct in using a smaller length f stripped wire.
If you heat the colored band onto one end first then it is much more manageable as you are not having to hold 4things at once also using a torch lighter of the smaller variety is a great alternative to the heat gun as it is much more localized
Also , another technique is after twisting wires together squash them with vise grips to sort of crimp them , then solder. Thanks for all the informational videos
Great channel! I have been playing with car audio for almost 20 years and have learned new methods and techniques from you. Keep up the good work! I will buy a shirt to help support the channel.
I have noob topics for you: Effects of poor grounds/connections. Creating a new good ground. Protection of new connections (esp. Amp. Grounds) Common causes of system noise. Long term effects of pierce testing wires. I finished watching while I typed. Good stuff. I concur...learn how to soldier correctly first, then decide what corners you think are worth cutting. I holster two....my Wall Trig-R-Heat reliably handles the heavy lifting while a butane pen has its back. Been tempted from time to time to buy a bench unit, but I only perform surgery on my own toys. Liquid tape, anyone? I can make a connection and soldier in places I cant reinsulate properly.
These are good, for solid low resistant connection, you need to use a butane torch with heat tip(provides more direct heat to smaller space/faster), pre heat the wires(when joined) then slide over the shrink and heat from center to out in each direction. Will provide a solid connection with just as good cladding/penetration. Use in Semi-tractor harness repairs, heat gun not an option and getting a soldering iron into the restricted spaces safely usually impossible. HTH.
Soldering is great but these are better then twisting or crimping AND waterproof. And the only way to get a soldered join on really short wires were the heat shrink can’t be moved far enough out of the way while you solder.
I use them with a mini heat gun that has two settings up to 900deg F. Sometimes they melt nice and easy while other times it takes forever SB's sometimes the plastic melts away before the tin/solder melts. Just depends on which ones you get I guess but when they work, they work great!
What you failed to show was this- try getting heat shrink tube on each of that 9 wire bundle with only short lengths exposed out of the outer sheath that holds all nine together. Nothing worse than the heat shrink shrinking while you are soldering (shrunk but not actually covering the wire junction). When space is limited, this will drive you insane!
Think I'll be sticking with the ol soldering iron and heat shrink .... Awesome video though beings I've never seen those connection in use.👍 Thank you once again!!
I figured you'd like them as others have. I know how to solder and like the looks of the finished soldering/shrink tube better, I wasn't aware of any advantages or disadvantages.
Love your videos dude, I’ve learnt a lot from you… I use these connectors and they work well..1) The real deal on these connectors is saving steps, not time, make the job simpler, not necessarily faster (less tiring). 2) You can offset the strip/cut on the wires, that will make it less bulky when jointing all off them. Offsetting cuts is also safer, when possible. 3) Come on, there is no real need for getting soldering every single string of the wire… no big deal missing few, as long as they are still in contact, locked in position by the rest. 4) For heating up, just use a lighter (safer than using a heat gun inside the vehicle, much more control)
Very interesting, Thanks! I think an amperage test would have been very important here, to see if the joint was comparable if not equal to the normal way under an electrical stress.
These are used all the time for aircraft and boats. Even the Air Force uses them so I'm pretty sure they're good enough for car audio. I've tested electrical resistance myself with these things and there's no noticeable difference if they're installed properly with full melt.
Never used these, I use crimp-on butt connectors most of the time, but I can definitely say those strippers are worth gold. Use then everyday at work, use then at home, and I refuse to use the other cheapo strippers from walmart. Crimp-on barrels may not be the most professional, but they work.
They may be a bit slower to work with on a bench with everything handy, but I bet their faster (and safer!) when you're upside down working under the dashboard. However, nothing beats a *good* crimp connection, in reliability, speed, ánd safety. Good crimpers and connectors aren't cheap though.
First off- VERY Good video; Old School(I'm O.S.) Vs.Techy, solder penetration, multi-conductor (which is what I am about to do; PDM60 motorcycle install) etc...etc... So I have been researching several different ways to fab-in some LED strobes. Posi-Lock has some interesting connectors, but I wanted heat shrink peace-of-mind. I found those that you were using that come in the clear plastic box on eBay, but I don't need a huge assortment. SUMMIT RACING has a brand of those same Self-Solder connectors made by NTE Electronics that come in single size bags. BUT my point is that the ones NTE makes has a LOT more solder in them than the ones in that clear box. And in their video you can SEE the solder melt-and-flow pretty quickly; it also APPEARS to make the level of connection you were looking for. N-E-way......THANKS! for the great video from East Texas!
First used these in 1980; Western Electric. Solder-seals is what they called them then. Used only where there was a possibility of moisture. Biggest short-fall was in joining wires of different gauge. Not so good with stranded wires, either.
Great video. I like them. The TE brand works extremely well. Also, it's best to attach a reflector to your heat gun so that the connector is surrounded by the hot air. Causes uniform melt of solder and shrinkage of tubing. Thanks for video!
These are nice though ive used them in the past and find that they are most useful in confined spaces. The problem is those spaces generally dont lend themselves to the kind of heat and time required to fully melt the solder. In the end the few seconds saved vs solder and heat shrink didnt justify the cost for me.
I know these have been around at least since the 60's. Played with them as a kid. Then they just kinda vanished. Good to see them back. Thing is though. If you know how to properly crimp wires. Solder is not needed
I still prefer soldering normally and using heat shrink for the best connection but those connectors definitely have their uses. You have to consider the time spent setting up the soldering equipment or being in situations where soldering isn't practical, like working on a car in a parking lot with no outlets. I've used a torch lighter to shrink and melt the solder on those connectors more time than I've used an actual heat gun. It isn't ideal but it works if you keep the flame at a distance and keep it moving. Also, putting flux on the wires also helps the solder flow, just as it does with normal soldering.
Wouldnt it be going better if you stick the wire in flux, and then use an mini-heatgun (you got like small heatguns with more directional heat) so you get easyer into small spaces, but also flux would help flow thru the wire itself ;)
Using these to splice aftermarket tweeters into a 2009 civic as they are dash mounted all the way forward where the windshield meets the dash. No way I'd be able to get a soldering iron back there, there's barely room for my hands, so this will be interesting. Wish me luck! Thanks for the tips Charity.
As long as the connection is good between the wires this could be a good alternative as I'm sure somebody has already created a jig to hold the bundled wires in the shrink wrap while keeping them separated from each other. Also, there's no fumes to contend with.
These things are awesome. I have a little metal bar about 2 inches long with two alligator clips on it, holds them nicely. I use a lighter as well, works fine.
I I found if you take the first side of the wire put it into the all in one piece heat shrink it in place and then add the other side heat shrink it in place and then do the solder part
You can actually use a BIC lighter without burning them. I find them very easy to use. Also, 100% penetration of solder is not necessary as long as wires are connected.
I bought a pack of one hundred of the red connectors on eBay here in the UK for £5.00, so that's £0.05p for one connector. I've used them for installing spotlights on my Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Anybody trying to use these you must know that there should be no ring left in the middle as seen in this video. You need a small nozzle to focus the heat only on the solder ring
After you started to get a small bundle of connectors, did you ever notice the integrity of the first one or two degrade after heating up and cooling down, heating up and cooling down as you added more connections?
I've used these on aircraft wiring during my time in the Air Force for both Communication Systems wiring as well as other general wiring, so I think if they are good enough for Military Aircraft, they are probably good enough for car audio.
That being said, they are a bit picky until you learn their little tricks. First, you need to twist the wires in the same manner you did when you used the traditional soldering method. Second, if you heat both outer ends prior to melting the middle, they definitely aren't going to slip on you. And lastly, if you're doing a big wire bundle like the one shown here, it's best to stagger the splices, to keep bundle size down and make it easier to avoid accidentally over heating the other connections. Slipping a heat shield of some sort in between the slice you are working on and the other wires in the bundle helps prevent this as well. A metal pie plate works well, because they are easy to but to the size you need, and disposable. Personally, if I were doing a bundle, I would slip a big piece of shrink tube over the whole thing at the end, because they do look like shit when compared to the traditional method.
One last comment, the thing you said about someone without a soldering iron probably not having a heat gun is a little off. Someone who is into car wraps would definitely have a heat gun and no iron, and it's pretty easy to imagine someone expanding their scope from wrapping to include audio as well.
As always, though, good video!
...are you really that beautiful or is this just some sort of faux profile? In all of the world...
Charity Lloyd perfectly said. I’ve used these connectors with great success...big time savers!
I was going to say the same thing about staggering and twisting the wires but you did mention a few other tricks I wasn't aware of. You just tought me a few neat tricks thank you.
Excellent, well-written reply.
Thanks. Very useful. I was wondering about flexibility. Soldering is too rigid for my bike application.
I've been using these things for about 20 years now and I must say I really like them for confined spaces. What you really need is a heat gun where you can dial in the temperature. With the connectors I use the entire ring melts It didn't look like the whole ring melted on yours. That may be because it wasn't hot enough. The other thing is, you need to confine the heat with a nozzle. I use a Steinel heat gun. It has a digital temperature control and indicator. It came in a kit to do hot air plastic welding, heat shrinking, paint stripping and other things. It has a full assortment of nozzles. it includes a couple sizes were the nozzle wraps around the connector so you only have to position it one or two times. Using this gun with these connectors I can do a joint in about 30 seconds. Also unless you're using adhesive wall heat shrink your not getting a sealed joint like these. So for marine applications these are the way to go.
I agree. I think the heat gun being used does not concentrate the heat to the heat shrink tubes. I don't know about adjustable temp heat guns but I do own a 300w flashlight style heat gun that has a nozzle which I think would be perfect for the job. Also, stepping the connections would be better rather than having all the connections bundled together. Makes it look slimmer especially if you shrink wrap the whole job of 9 connections for example. I'm definitely going to order a bunch of these heat shrink connectors
Glad I'm not the only one who noticed that right off the bat! The adjustable heatgun with the shrouds are worth the money!
That was my thought as well, a good heat gun with a small straw style nozzle might work better, and will work worlds faster. I've never used these solder and seal connectors, but even just for shrink tubing the nozzle makes a startling difference.
Glenn Kotze stepping the connectors??? You basically mean making the wires different lengths to keep the individual tubings from touching??? If so, then yes, it sounds like that would work loads better for say, shrink wrapping as you suggested...
You are right. He did mention that the insulation was starting to melt because his nozzle was vary large and throwing out the heat in a wide area. A deflector nozzle would have directed the heat to the other side enveloping the solder connector and correctly melted the ring as you stated. The military has been using these for many years for a good reason, and I have built many a cable with these. In an automotive environment, I wouldn't use anything less.
Used them to build wire harnesses for military subcontractors. Need a nozzle and adjustable heat. If they worked good enough for a tank or plane, more than sufficient for car audio
sounds like the crucial point is--DO THEY ALL provide that ?
The Air Forces uses the seal connectors on their aircraft. They hold up better to moisture. I use them on my boat and have had really good lucky keeping the salt water out of the connectors. They are a little more expensive but to me they're worth the money. Also, to me, they are easier to use.
@RandomKind That's an extra step, but many mariners use these seal solder connectors and then add several layers of heatshrink with sealing compound to obtain the best waterproofing possible.
During MOS school the Marine Corps has those
I think using a compact heat gun intended specifically for heat shrink tube would be the way to go on this. There's a deflector which the wire goes in and it heats up most of the way around the tube at the same time, and you can of course get it into smaller spaces with it.
This is exactly how those Raychem CWT connectors are supposed to be installed. Heatgun with small nozzle and deflector.
There are detailed application instructions available from TE connectivity.
These things are fantastic. Been using them the last couple jobs. They are completely waterproof and can be done with a bic lighter in a pinch.
Hey Mark! Wanted to add my experience with these type of solder sleeves. So I work in aviation and we use those solder sleeves in the wiring of the helicopter radios for communications, transponder, and media. But they are only used to solder the shielding of the multiple conductor wiring to ground to reduce EMF noise, then we use closed barrel terminals to install it into a connector. So they only serve for grounding purposes in radios. Especially since they are $7 a piece, but they use a higher temperature solder and heat shrink and the wire is a nylon insulation that can withstand more heat and vibration than car wiring can. We are even not allowed to splice radio wire, either the wire needs to be replaced or be re-terminated. If we splice anything, there can’t be more than one splice per wire in non radio applications. Very rarely do we solder anything in our application; switches used to toggle comms is where we use it or micro switches for actuators. And also to add to the frustration you can’t twist wires together to secure them either. Everything has a specific terminal that must be used with a double crimp, one the wire and the other on the insulation for security that requires a double crimp tool. Thought you might find it interesting! 👍
Can confirm
Since we use similar products in the aviation I would recommend staggering the joints.
My thoughts exactly .
Not always an option in the Car Audio world though. Many times we're working with pre-stripped harnesses.
Mark has done it! Now YT please quit advertising these in my feed. You are the man!!!
I use these on the custom vehicles I build. Key is a concentrated nozzle to direct the heat. I use 30 to 40 of these in each vehicle, they are a time saver for me and my employees.
This is a great product for in car installations. Solder on a bench is ideal, but often we are wiring up stuff in the car and getting a smoldering iron in there is not plausible
Dave Taylor 1 word: crimp!
A good crimp is better than the best solder, that's why only crimping is allowed in some industries and anything stock in a car is usually crimped.
Candisa, So, it has nothing to do with time and energy to solder the joints, right? Cost and speed rule production lines, not "top quality first". I'm not one, but a NASA trained electrician I associate with on the net solders his wires. (He goes by Jonnie B, if you think I made this up)
T L If it were for cost and energy, they would solder instead of crimp, which some actually did, resulting in brokes wires right next to the solder joint because of vibration over time.
NASA/military solder joints aren't even twisted together before soldering, the wire ends are saturated with solder individually, positioned side by side against eachother and molten together. Those joints are very easily serviceable on site without damaging the wires (no need to cut and restrip), but they aren't the best connection electronically nor mechanically. In high current situations they do not solder, they avoid connections as much as possible and crimp the ones that are unavoidable.
I have been considering buying those to try out but haven’t got around to it but I’m glad I didn’t waist my money on them the soldering iron lives another day
My experience with these has so far been positive. I like them in wet or moist areas better than the traditional method. Here in the south we have a lot of humidity so any connections that will be outside have to be sealed. I still use my soldering gun and heat shrink on most of my audio connections simply due to the fact that it's cheaper and it solidifies faster allowing me to move on the next connection without waiting for the previous connection to cool.
The reason you're having problems and getting poor results is because you're using a heatgun designed to remove paint and wallpaper, without a concentrator nozzle even. These heat guns also get far too hot, some up to 1200C. With how much the heating elements were glowing inside your gun, I'd say you were on the smokin' hot side.
You need a hot air workstation so you can control the temperature of the air and have a fine enough nozzle so you only heat the connection and not the entire bundle of wires. You can set the temperature low enough to avoid melting the wire as well.
That is a neat product idea - not going to replace my solder and iron though.
I tend to agree, I think they have their place, but now you know.
I'll stick to just twist and tape..
if you do DIY stereo replacement and you don't have an iron or don't even know how to used is great idea definitely better then crimp connections
You can always use your girl hair blower
I can see using these in an area that may see moisture like in an engine bay or trailer light wiring (soooooo many scotch locks in trailer wiring). We also used these a lot by the technicians in the dealership service dept. I managed mainly because they were pretty foolproof for the guys that weren't really good at soldering. I myself will stick to a solder gun and heatshrink. I like to know the solder is properly flowing around the wires. Not sure I trust solder that will melt with a heat gun.
I could see them being good for the application you mentioned.
I've heard they use these in the navy alot
I see them as a great product to keep in your vehicle with a lighter easy and quick road side wiring fix to get you home
Steve Goff, most heat guns can get hot enough to melt solder. My digital heat gun can turn up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit with adjustable fan speeds. I can flow multiple solder joints on a board at the same time with just hot air. Lol
I use non-insulated butt connectors with Adhesive shrink. Crimp crimp heat gun 123....all said and done!
I use these all the time on military planes. Get yourself an adjustable temp heatgun with a C shaped shroud so you don't have to move your gun all around and run it so hot. It also helps to not melt your fingerprints off or wires.
I work in the Marine electronics business and love these "Solder Sleeves". I use the original TE/Raychem versions and these cover the copper a lot better. It looks like yours are missing a good solder flux. Especially for on-sight repairs these Solder Sleeves rock! Saves me a lot of time and a simple butane torch makes for a fast repair or modification.
The average consumer isn't going to buy the TE ones though, I have seen nothing but links to Amazon ones in car audio groups, so thats what I reviewed.
I agree with CAF. Most people aren't going to spend $5-$7 per connection. These low cost alternative will work just not as well as the expensive one. These are the Harbor Freight versions....lol.
I have also seen these all over social media. I was very curious about them.
Thanks for making this video!
The connection with those connectors is actually a better connection even though you can see exposed copper. There is no wicking under the insulation which actually creates a weakend solder joint that can cause wire failure under the insulation. Even people with years of solder experience cannot replicate a proper solder joint between two wires over and over. This is why crimping is a standard in some critical industries.
Next I would say that if you starting out with a cold heat gun, the time to proper temp and the low temp solder melting is increased. If that heat gun was already full temp I am certain it would not have taken even close to that amount of time to complete. I have used these solder connectors in all kinds of applications and it never takes more than a few seconds.
Now, where these become a pain in the ass is when your on tight quarters new material that can melt from the heat gun discharge. But, a hot iron can also be just as damaging in tight quarters as well.
I use these connectors as often as I can to save time and maintain consistency. I'll use a soldering iron after that if need be.
These work out great for me because its just less stuff to use for wires like speaker wires. You can even a lighter. So they do work in some instances.
Those cable cutters are awesome.. For the size they cut very well.
Ive seen those around for years, felt really stupid that i had no idea how to use them! Ty for this video
I work on trucks and trailers and we almost exclusive use these. Like others have said, you need a narrow nozzle and a good, adjustable heatgun. Staggered connections make for little or no bulk. We routinely splice 15 conductor trailer wiring cables using these and finish with adhesive lined heatshrink.
I have the exact same kit! I love these.
I had to tap in to a few wire in the kick panel last month while starting my SQ build in my 05 Acura TL. It was a very tight area and I could barely get the wires stripped.....more less a set of crimpers in there. I really wanted to try these out so out they came!
I guess I could have truly used my soldering gun to handle this job.....I guess I did....in a way though...lol!
Being close quarters, I didn't want to use my butane torch and risk damage or even fire. So, I used my Milwaukee 12 volt soldering iron with the flat plastic welding tip to run over the connector. I would turn it slightly back in forth....sort of a rotisserie method. LOL.
IT WORKED!
It probably took longer than a torch but it was safer.
By the way, this soldering iron is awesome! Lots of features. Heats up in 30 seconds. A light tells you when you can put it up. The head can be angled. Also, if you get the high capacity batteries, it acts like a stand for the iron.
Again, thank you Mark.
Another great, USEFUL, video!
I have used them on motorcycle wiring. I do quite like them, and the heat shrink section does seem tougher than generic heat shrink.
One issue I have had is melting through the heat shrink when trying to melt the solder. Due to this I tend to use an extra piece of conventional heat shrink over the join to make sure there is no uninsulated area I haven't spotted, and to further strain relieve the join.
I find it far easier to use a heat gun in odd positions than a soldering iron, and far less worry about putting down the heat source between joins. I actually normally use a heat gun sold for household paint stripping (and this is far tougher than my nice temperature controlled soldering iron). While some people won't have such a heat gun, a lot of people seem to manage to use a cigarette lighter for this , and they are far easier to get than either a soldering iron or a heat gun.
Looks like it will work great in tight spaces, going to order some. You the man Mark!
Thank you so much for doing this! I just bought yesterday some of these myself and am waiting for it to come in to see what my thoughts are on it for a rewire.
I read down a good number of replies and did not see this addressed .... with conventionali soldering, I always like to use a bit of electronics flux as it seems to pull the solder into the strands of multi stranded wire connections. Wondering how the low temp solder in these connectors would respond if flux is utililized. Thanks for the always informative videos Mark. You are a true craftsman as the results of your projects always show.
x2 on FLUX!!!
These are my primary go -to. Just wired up some relays inside my FJ Cruiser yesterday. Dip each lead into flux, insert & heat for WAY less than a minute before I get flow (~20/30 sec). Depending on application/location I've used butane soldering iron (w/o the soldering tip, just the hot-head), a small crafting heat-gun & full size heat gun (fastest).
I strip the insulation to give total overlap when inserted, but have insulation go slightly inside of color band, heat ends first to lock-in, then hit the solder ring, let cool (canned air GOOD) then second sleeve of heat_shrink (color matched to wire when possible, thank you, OCD...)
FLUX...
Stagger...
Heat shrink.
Thganks for the video. I looked at these things when I was doing a bunch of re-wiring work on my motorcycle but ended up using traditional methods because I already had all the stuff I needed but it's good to know that for certain applications, they do work. One thought though, on e-bay, they range quite a lot in price, I'm sure there are some that perform way better than others.
Solder and heat shrink all the way, if not then barrel connectors, great video as always Mark
man i always respect you because you enjoy sharing as much knowledge as you can. I'd be honored to buy your merch :D
great product!! Better than a butt connector yet not as good a nice solder joint. Perfect for beginners!
I would definitely get a adapter for that heat gun to focus into a smaller hole. It really helps with heat shrink and solder sleeve such as the one you’re working with
how about using a smaller propane powered heat gun
I use this a lot, but not for car audio. The main area i use them in is other smaller jobs whre i need to connect one or two wires in the field, also i do not use a heat gun but a lighter. For example last week i was replasing a trailer light plug and had to bypass a rear foglight switch.
Thanks for doing this. I keep seeing this on instagram and was wondering how good they were.
Really good and thorough test I think. Thank you very much for making this!
I don't use these myself, but have seen them available at a couple of workshops. More common, and kind of similar looking I think, is the crimps with clear/tinted heatshrink with glue on them.
Personaly I am a solder guy, and usually only vary the type of heatshrink I use (with or without glue).
Soldering is great. the only problem I have is if it ever grounded out that low temp solder could melt and then cause other problems when the wires become loose, there is no mechanical connection. Also if the connectors were larger than soldering by itself, you could always splice the wires to different lengths In order to stagger the connections and thickness in one spot.
These would really shine when making road-side repairs, providing of course you have a butane torch or something similar.
If you use a reducer attachment for your heat gun to isolate the heat to the center first this will help the solder melt better
I use these for years on anything that I want to be watertight. I use an open flame micro torch to melt them and have much better luck melting the solder. I love them.
I’ve been using this system with pond lighting. I also put a single piece of heat shrink over all joints together.
I soldered a loom for my new head unit this week and I was really happy with how quick I got the soldering done... until I saw you only took 1min10 secs😶 I can see one advantage of the solder and seal connectors though. I wouldn't have had to cut and redo the 3 wires that I forgot to put heat shrink on before soldering 🤬
Here in germany we use these type of shrink and solder connectors since the 90s I think.
They are the only correct way to repair wires that go to the O2 sensor for example.
They are not meant to be a time saver, and ours work quite a lot better on the soldering part.
I'm a MAN mechanic and we use these for almost everything. Like you said, not really meant as a time saver.
I tried these at my shop only to come to the same conclusion you did, if you cant solder, don't be an installer. My guys prefer a dedicated soldering/hot air rework station any day of the week. These do have thier place in the consumer genre but the "industry" will never use them. I will say in my testing that the cheap 898D+ rework stations with Hakko clone iron can be had for around 80$ and the 8mm nozzles not only does these better but also does heatshrink wonderful. Any good temperature controlled station with Kester 60/40 leaded solder is the best way to solder but in some situations it helps to use "247 Solder" type LOWTEMP-15. Its in a syringe, melts at 280F, has no clean flux built in, and consists of 42%Tin57%Bismuth1%Silver so it is very convienent to use on wires or circuit boards. Pro-tip : Keep it in the fridge so it doesn t seperate and it will keep long past the date on the syringe, you really only need to pay attention to that for production work that needs consistent melt times. May be do a video on the different grades/types of heatshrink Mark, that is something I get asked quite often by customers/collagues. People tend to cheap out on heatshrink and solder and wonder why the job looks bad. Give me a 20$ iron and some Kester 44 before you take away my good solder and leave me with a 200$ Iron.
Those work a lot better, and faster with a torch or lighter, and when ever you have to connect a bunch on individual wires, you dont do them at the same place, do each one a inch or so away, so they are not at the same exact point, which will make the connecting area not as bulky. If your worried about the flame in the car, you can put a sheet of aluminum behind the wires, or even some aluminum foil folder over itself a few times, and can just slide it behind the wires. Just like soldering is an art form that you have to learn, so is using these connectors, just need to figure out the right heat range and distance. I twist the two wires together and then fold them into a small ball, that fits right under the solder band. The wire is also sealed with these, so they are water proof, unlike heat-shrink.
I use a butane torch and the time is under a minute.Of course I use a diffuser to even the heating process. You were correct in using a smaller length f stripped wire.
If you heat the colored band onto one end first then it is much more manageable as you are not having to hold 4things at once also using a torch lighter of the smaller variety is a great alternative to the heat gun as it is much more localized
Also , another technique is after twisting wires together squash them with vise grips to sort of crimp them , then solder.
Thanks for all the informational videos
I just started using those. I am a Fan!
I don't need a heat gun for shrink wrap, I use a butane torch lighter, does the job a lot quicker, because it doesn't need time to heat up.
Great channel! I have been playing with car audio for almost 20 years and have learned new methods and techniques from you. Keep up the good work!
I will buy a shirt to help support the channel.
Thank you! I appreciate that!
Putting them at different lengths off the centre of both wires
I have noob topics for you:
Effects of poor grounds/connections.
Creating a new good ground.
Protection of new connections (esp. Amp. Grounds)
Common causes of system noise.
Long term effects of pierce testing wires.
I finished watching while I typed. Good stuff.
I concur...learn how to soldier correctly first, then decide what corners you think are worth cutting. I holster two....my Wall Trig-R-Heat reliably handles the heavy lifting while a butane pen has its back. Been tempted from time to time to buy a bench unit, but I only perform surgery on my own toys.
Liquid tape, anyone?
I can make a connection and soldier in places I cant reinsulate properly.
What wattage of heat gun is required? My new 300 watt gun doesn't melt the solder😒
These are good, for solid low resistant connection, you need to use a butane torch with heat tip(provides more direct heat to smaller space/faster), pre heat the wires(when joined) then slide over the shrink and heat from center to out in each direction. Will provide a solid connection with just as good cladding/penetration. Use in Semi-tractor harness repairs, heat gun not an option and getting a soldering iron into the restricted spaces safely usually impossible. HTH.
Soldering is great but these are better then twisting or crimping AND waterproof. And the only way to get a soldered join on really short wires were the heat shrink can’t be moved far enough out of the way while you solder.
I use them with a mini heat gun that has two settings up to 900deg F. Sometimes they melt nice and easy while other times it takes forever SB's sometimes the plastic melts away before the tin/solder melts. Just depends on which ones you get I guess but when they work, they work great!
What you failed to show was this- try getting heat shrink tube on each of that 9 wire bundle with only short lengths exposed out of the outer sheath that holds all nine together. Nothing worse than the heat shrink shrinking while you are soldering (shrunk but not actually covering the wire junction). When space is limited, this will drive you insane!
Think I'll be sticking with the ol soldering iron and heat shrink .... Awesome video though beings I've never seen those connection in use.👍 Thank you once again!!
I figured you'd like them as others have. I know how to solder and like the looks of the finished soldering/shrink tube better, I wasn't aware of any advantages or disadvantages.
I actually have a soldering iron but not a heat gun. I just use a butane torch.
Same thing I was thinking. I have a soldering iron, but no heat gun. I use a butane torch, or even a cigarette light, for the heatshrink.
Love your videos dude, I’ve learnt a lot from you… I use these connectors and they work well..1) The real deal on these connectors is saving steps, not time, make the job simpler, not necessarily faster (less tiring). 2) You can offset the strip/cut on the wires, that will make it less bulky when jointing all off them. Offsetting cuts is also safer, when possible. 3) Come on, there is no real need for getting soldering every single string of the wire… no big deal missing few, as long as they are still in contact, locked in position by the rest. 4) For heating up, just use a lighter (safer than using a heat gun inside the vehicle, much more control)
Good video. I have been wondering about these things I see them popping up all over the place thank you
For rookies I’d say this is better than crimping. And more professional while not needs the tools to do it the normal way
Very interesting, Thanks! I think an amperage test would have been very important here, to see if the joint was comparable if not equal to the normal way under an electrical stress.
These are used all the time for aircraft and boats. Even the Air Force uses them so I'm pretty sure they're good enough for car audio. I've tested electrical resistance myself with these things and there's no noticeable difference if they're installed properly with full melt.
Don't forget viewers to FIRST slide on your heat shrink when using traditional method!
Never used these, I use crimp-on butt connectors most of the time, but I can definitely say those strippers are worth gold. Use then everyday at work, use then at home, and I refuse to use the other cheapo strippers from walmart. Crimp-on barrels may not be the most professional, but they work.
I've been seeing this product in my feed as well, thanks for the detailed video.
I think those heat activated solder it's ment for jet lighter not a heat gun. It's way quicker with a jet lighter or small torch 30 secs max
You also can heat them up with a lighter...
Yep, a small soldering torch makes this take seconds.
I've used a bic, it works fine, just don't roast it.
@@index7787 bic's don't work in the wind. I got a lil hand torch thing for wiring repairs
Good old bravo 1 charlie
@@index7787 howbout a zippo? Would that be ok? 🤣 just joking.
You need to redo this test with a reducer on your heat gun. It will speed up time considerably and stop cooking your wire
I love those things, I typically use a small pen torch, heats them up nicely!!
They may be a bit slower to work with on a bench with everything handy, but I bet their faster (and safer!) when you're upside down working under the dashboard.
However, nothing beats a *good* crimp connection, in reliability, speed, ánd safety. Good crimpers and connectors aren't cheap though.
Yea twist the wire then slide the connector over 😉😉😂😂😂😂
First off- VERY Good video; Old School(I'm O.S.) Vs.Techy, solder penetration, multi-conductor (which is what I am about to do; PDM60 motorcycle install) etc...etc... So I have been researching several different ways to fab-in some LED strobes. Posi-Lock has some interesting connectors, but I wanted heat shrink peace-of-mind. I found those that you were using that come in the clear plastic box on eBay, but I don't need a huge assortment. SUMMIT RACING has a brand of those same Self-Solder connectors made by NTE Electronics that come in single size bags. BUT my point is that the ones NTE makes has a LOT more solder in them than the ones in that clear box. And in their video you can SEE the solder melt-and-flow pretty quickly; it also APPEARS to make the level of connection you were looking for. N-E-way......THANKS! for the great video from East Texas!
They look nice
First used these in 1980; Western Electric.
Solder-seals is what they called them then.
Used only where there was a possibility of moisture.
Biggest short-fall was in joining wires of different gauge.
Not so good with stranded wires, either.
Great video. I like them. The TE brand works extremely well. Also, it's best to attach a reflector to your heat gun so that the connector is surrounded by the hot air. Causes uniform melt of solder and shrinkage of tubing. Thanks for video!
If u use a lighter then the solder Will melt better and with these tubes the wires dont get the large stiff part that the soldering Iron gives you
I'm more impressed with current flow than time, sure time is important but the overall importance is current flow
These are nice though ive used them in the past and find that they are most useful in confined spaces. The problem is those spaces generally dont lend themselves to the kind of heat and time required to fully melt the solder. In the end the few seconds saved vs solder and heat shrink didnt justify the cost for me.
I know these have been around at least since the 60's. Played with them as a kid. Then they just kinda vanished. Good to see them back. Thing is though. If you know how to properly crimp wires. Solder is not needed
is it a stronger connection though what about a pull test?
Those robust cutters are known in the electrical trade as rabbit ears.
I still prefer soldering normally and using heat shrink for the best connection but those connectors definitely have their uses. You have to consider the time spent setting up the soldering equipment or being in situations where soldering isn't practical, like working on a car in a parking lot with no outlets. I've used a torch lighter to shrink and melt the solder on those connectors more time than I've used an actual heat gun. It isn't ideal but it works if you keep the flame at a distance and keep it moving. Also, putting flux on the wires also helps the solder flow, just as it does with normal soldering.
Wouldnt it be going better if you stick the wire in flux, and then use an mini-heatgun (you got like small heatguns with more directional heat) so you get easyer into small spaces, but also flux would help flow thru the wire itself ;)
Using these to splice aftermarket tweeters into a 2009 civic as they are dash mounted all the way forward where the windshield meets the dash. No way I'd be able to get a soldering iron back there, there's barely room for my hands, so this will be interesting. Wish me luck! Thanks for the tips Charity.
Ok. Great on stranded wires. Does it work the same on solid wires?
As long as the connection is good between the wires this could be a good alternative as I'm sure somebody has already created a jig to hold the bundled wires in the shrink wrap while keeping them separated from each other. Also, there's no fumes to contend with.
These things are awesome. I have a little metal bar about 2 inches long with two alligator clips on it, holds them nicely. I use a lighter as well, works fine.
I I found if you take the first side of the wire put it into the all in one piece heat shrink it in place and then add the other side heat shrink it in place and then do the solder part
You can actually use a BIC lighter without burning them. I find them very easy to use. Also, 100% penetration of solder is not necessary as long as wires are connected.
I wanna get those
I bought a pack of one hundred of the red connectors on eBay here in the UK for £5.00, so that's £0.05p for one connector. I've used them for installing spotlights on my Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Thank you for the heads up!
Anybody trying to use these you must know that there should be no ring left in the middle as seen in this video. You need a small nozzle to focus the heat only on the solder ring
After you started to get a small bundle of connectors, did you ever notice the integrity of the first one or two degrade after heating up and cooling down, heating up and cooling down as you added more connections?
Thank you for a fair review👍🏼