Electrical Crimp Connectors

[MarkJ]

Thanks guys. I didn't think of silicon. <---- sometimes eyes not very smart...



Mark

[CharlieJ]

Grease or silicone sound like a good idea on the surface but think happens to the connection when the heat is applied to shrink the shrink tube. The grease will liquefy and then outflow and will probably degrade the bond between the shrink tube and the conductor insulation. Heating a joint with silicone sealant may cause inconsistent curing of the sealant.

A proper crimp is nearly gas tight. In a wet area, use terminations that require double crimping dies and are adhesive lined. Heat the completed crimp with a heat source (not a cigarette lighter!!) until a band of adhesive shows around the end of the shrink. Done.

Charlie

[capt_douglas]

My biggest concern over crimp connections, aside from those cheap non-ratcheting crimpers, is water intrusion. I crimp, test, then shrink wrap the connection to make sure no water gets into the wire.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

and would it be better to have the plastic of the wires dry, or greased where the shrink wrap will be shrunk?

If your heat shrink is adhesive lined then the wire jacket "plastic" should be dry. The adhesive needs to adhere to the jacket of the wire to create a watertight seal. Any grease or silicone will interfere with this bond and could cause a seal break. If it is regular dry non-adhesive heat shrink a little silicone or lanolin on the "slide in" portion of the connector would be fine as well as the jacket but it may only be as temporary as you need it to be..

Well pumps wires stay bone dry submerged under 200+ feet of water with only crimped & heat sealed sta-kon connectors which are nothing more than adhesive lined butt connectors.

The top connector has been both crimped & shrunk and the adhesive is present on both the connector and wire end.

[GordMay]

Let's remember that Mark is in Greece, and seeking a temporeary 12 month "make do" solution, with the materials at hand.
Please correct me if I'm wronge.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Let's remember that Mark is in Greece, and seeking a temporeary 12 month "make do" solution, with the materials at hand.
Please correct me if I'm wronge.

You're wrong.

We are 27 miles from Greece. but we will be there in 2 weeks

I don't think the heat shrink available here has adhesive inside.
The stuff I bought in Australia and Asia definitely did not.
I even keep reading about the connectors with the adhesive/sealent inside but have never seen them in any shops.

But it sounds like the silicon sealant could be the same as the adhesive if I use that. I'm thinking of a light dusting of grease over the connection (as I might need to take it apart) and then silicon over the connection and the wire. Then if I light heat the tube (with a cigarette lighter as I dont have anything else) while the silicon is still liquid then it will ooze and set in the right spot like adhesive would?

You guys don't realise how lucky you are to be in the USA where everything is available at the local megastore chandler, or if not available on the internet or Ebay.

Damned if I can even ask the people here a thing as the language barrier is too much! Today I bought some wire for 70 cents per meter and I'm thinking this will be typical copper wire and the clown is trying to tell me is 'marine' wire. I get home and its silvered wire! worth $1 per FOOT in the USA. But how would I know for 3 months till the whole lot rusts?

The reason why its a temporary fix is that... <<hesitates!!>>... I have hard soldered the LED globe to the power wires and then sealed the whole box up.....

The whole thing has to be chucked away but its not so easy to do it here.. like they don't have LEG globes with off set bayonet grip; they don't have the cheap (non-aquasignal) red/green frame with the bayonet grip at all...


The best news for Turkey is that here in Marmaris they have cleared a whole block and have been builing a BIG building.... I asked someone what it was..... Westmarine.....


In a few months..........


Thanks for everyones help. I read every line and think about every thing you guys teach me


Mark

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

You're wrong ...

I really HATE when that happens!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I really HATE when that happens!

ROTFL

Suffer!

[Fishman_Tx]

What port are you going to put into?

You could use silicone in a pinch. To substitute for the adhesive-lined shrink, use regular shrink and a flexible polymer adhesive similar to what in the US is known as "Goop" (specific variety is E6000 but any of them will do) or 3m Scotch-Weld. Look at Arts & Craft shops or large hardware stores. Blue engine RTV will do as a temp otherwise.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Hi guys

Some advice please, (and not advice on the type of connector I'm using) I am using a normal 'quick connector' the slide on type to connect a troublesome bow nav light.

The connection will be in the weather, and spray and all that untill the whole unit is Deep Six-ed and a new one is bought in about 12 months.

I intend to 'water proof' is by using 2 sets of shrink tube on each wire.

I was also thinking about putting lanoline over the metal bits of the connectors as well. Is that a good idea?


There is no point in using a treatment inside a good crimp. It may mess up the adhesive.

and would it be better to have the plastic of the wires dry, or greased where the shrink wrap will be shrunk?


Thanks for your help.


One day when I grow I will know how to do all this stuff.... or I will just pay someone to do all the sucker work


Woe is me!





Mark

I performed 6-month and 12-month salt spray chamber tests on just those connectors a while ago for an article. I tested many products (Bo-shield, wd-40, corr-block, bearing grease, no-alox, terminal grease, lanolin, and bare) and old-fashioned terminal grease (actually no-oxid) was the top performer by a solid margin.

[Fishman_Tx]

at "The Phone Company" we use no- ox on everything.