What kind of connectors are these?

[PamlicoTraveler]

I am replacing a radio and this is how the old radio wires were spliced. This looks like a great way to connect small wires, instead of having to use butt connectors. What are they called and where do I find them?

[jannw]

TaDa!

RCA : Connectivity : Phone : TP310N

[PamlicoTraveler]

Originally Posted by jannw

TaDa!

RCA : Connectivity : Phone : TP310N

Dang, you are good. Thanks!

[ka4wja]

Pamlico,
While RCA might make these type of connectors (and I've used their brand as well), these type of connectors are know as "Scotchlok" and were developed by 3M >50 years ago....
And, I've been using Scotchlok's for 40 years now...with good success....(nice 'n easy way to splice SMALL wires)

http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1720621.pdf

Fair winds...

John

[Exile]

I've used ScotchLok's to splice the tiny wires of ethernet cable several times with surprisingly good success. There's an inexpensive tool you can buy that compresses the red "dot" shown in the pic which then secures the wires while also releasing some sort of sealant or lubricant. Always thought it was epoxy but maybe it's dialectric grease. I bet John would know!

[ka4wja]

I confess, I've been using the same pair of linesman pliers for almost 40 years....still cuts (and strips, if you know how to use 'em) copper wire like they were new....and I've used 'em for decades with Scotchloks....
Yes....there are 3M tools for them....but, I've never used them...just used my pliers...

As for the "goop"...yep, it's dielectric grease / silicone...

Gotta' go..

fair winds..

John

[dlymn]

These are often in the garden irrigation section of hardware stores. They work well. I've left joints out in the open for years with no problems.

[CaptTom]

I bought a pack of them at Home Depot. Used them to connect up a wire for NMEA signals from my AIS to my VHF. So far so good.

[Wotname]

Be aware that most of the 3M scotchlock connectors are designed for single strand (solid coper) conductors.

Yes, many use these on multistranded conductors and I have seem some somewhere designed for mutistrand conductors but best practice dictates getting the right connector to suit the wire size, wire type and insulation type.

[hpeer]

The Scotch Loc connectors are "insulation displacing". That means you just whack off the ends and don't dpstrip the wires. You are supposed to use "parallel acting" pliers to compress them so that the two sides come down straight. Think channel locks.

To the best of my knowledge they are for use on SOLID copper conductors. You might make them work on stranded, never tried. There are different sizes for different size wire.

[svinvictus2]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

I am replacing a radio and this is how the old radio wires were spliced. This looks like a great way to connect small wires, instead of having to use butt connectors. What are they called and where do I find them?

I carry a couple of hundred on my boat....got them from, you guessed it, China on Ebay. They're great!

[azsailor12]

RCA says they are designed for phone wire- solid 26ga. I wouldn't be using them on larger stranded wire

[CampDavid]

There are a 3m connector that acepts up to three conductor under 20 gauge wire. Raymarine include them with a number of their periferals such as GPS antennas. Very good for connecting seatalk or nema signal wires.

In my case i use them tk connect my Raystar 125 anntenna into my seatalk network.

I have box on the boat.

The irrigation ones are bigger and sone gave siljcone which seals the wires when you crimp them.

FLETCH

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Colin A]

If you look thru the 3M catalog some are rated for both stranded and solid so just check the spec sheet. For certain applications they can be very useful.

[jheldatksuedu]

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