Thread: 47-55.1 AD wiring
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Old 06-05-2018, 06:33 PM   #67
dsraven
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: calgary alberta
Posts: 7,773
Re: AD wiring

I am in the jweb camp.

-use non insulated connectors. that way you can see the quality of the crimp plus the harness isn't affected as badly by the bulk of the extra material. I have seen the insulated crimps fail and when cut apart the "tube" of the connector was mis-shaped or crimped right on the end of the tube etc. it is impossible to see the quality of the crimp with the plastic cover over the barrel
-sometimes it is a good idea to have a quality stripper that is JUST a stripper but does a very good, clean cut of the insulation without cutting the wire. make sure to know the gage of the wire you are stripping and then use the right size stripping tool
-use the proper crimping tool. some crimpers will just use 2 flat spots to crimp the barrel of the connector. I have not had good luck with this style. personally I like the style of crimper that has a 1/2 round style receiver on one side and a pokey part on the other side that will indent the barrel of the connector. just don't over crimp with this style
-if crimping in tight quarters think about the tool and where the crimping part will end up when using the tool. I have several types, some with the crimp part on the nose, for hard to reach areas, and some with the crimp part between the handles, for better leverage when tight quarters is not an issue. most ratchet types have the crimp parts on the nose. if tight quarters is an issue then you also don't really want a pair of pliers on the end of the crimper, that would waste space. practice a few crimps before going to work on the final copy.
-use proper crimping tool, something that won't allow an overcrimp
-strip the wire to the correct length
-ensure all the wire strands end up inside the connector tube
-don't twist the stripped wire to get it inside the connector, if possible, because wherever the wires run across each other and get crimped down becomes a spot where they can possibly break under tension. think about it, the strand becomes quite a bit thinner due to the stacked wire in the crimp
-use double wall shrink tube and ensure there is ample length. double wall is like hot glue on the inside so it helps seal the joint. it also comes in different colors to match wire and will be available in long lengths for better pricing
-use a heat gun to shrink the tube, instead of a lighter or flame source, because the heat gun shouldn't overheat the tubing. too much heat will cause the plastic tubing to bubble and will probably end up stiff afterwards
-if doing a few wires in a harness, close together, try to stagger the joints so the wiring harness doesn't get too thick in one spot. also the loom will be able to handle the extra diameter
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