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To solder or not to solder, and where...

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ncbugeye

ncbugeye

Jedi Warrior
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I discovered a scruffy PO secret in NCBugeye's front flashers this weekend. The contacts which are made with those little bell connectors were just wrapped with bare wires, rather than being soldered, and one of the little bells was completely missing.

Jack Laird, I know you have some firm views on this, but how far should one go with soldering? Can those little bell connectors be found anywhere? They seem outrageously hard to tin with solder, even using a butane torch type gun. Maybe I just need a more aggressive flux. And then, even if you have them, those connectors seem a very loose fit in the holes in the back of the flasher unit. Would you recommend soldering the wires directly to the flasher unit? Or get a 3-way plugin connector? Any advice and guidance welcome.

PS By the way, I'm still hoping someone can post pic(s) of the install of an original manufactured pusher fuel pump at the back of a late-model car.
 
The little "bell" things are available from British Wiring.

It takes a bit of practice,but tinning can be done on these.
You can obtain crimp versions,but I prefer soldering as it is more robust.Of course I also use dialectric grease on every connection that I clean up and/or remake.

Stuart. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif
 
You do not need to solder them, strip the wire back about 3/8 of an inch stick it all the way in the bell part and bend the wires up the outside. Then push into the clamp part of the lights.
 
The way Jack describes it, you will find that the lengths of wire "folded" back will also tend to tighten the "bells" in their sockets!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Hi ncbugeye, others have posted that the bells can be tinned /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif---I also recommend "Rosin Cored soldered" connections over any mechanical fit type.---Fwiw--Keoke
 
Hello Chris,

I suggest getting the correct 'bells' and fitting them as intended, no solder. Why?, simply because it creates a sharp change from flex to rigid and that is where vibration breaks the wire. Soldered joints, (as properly crimped connectors also have) need a mechanical support upstream of the joint.

Alec
 
I have checked, and British Wiring's catalog does not appear to have exactly what I am looking for. They do have the bullet connectors that are supposed to be soldered and connected into snap connector sleeves. But the "bell" type does not seem to be there. They mention something somewhat similar - "loose sleeve bullets" but these seem to have a split in them and anyway are "not currently available".
 
In that case I would sodder the wire to the connection and move on.
 
piman said:
Hello Chris,

I suggest getting the correct 'bells' and fitting them as intended, no solder. Why?, simply because it creates a sharp change from flex to rigid and that is where vibration breaks the wire. Soldered joints, (as properly crimped connectors also have) need a mechanical support upstream of the joint.

Alec
Click to expand...

Well, if that was the case most of the bullet connectors in the wire harnesses would have fallen off eons ago. But they seem to be going strong after 40 years of use.---Keoke-?
 
spritenut said:
Loose sleeve bullets (bell) do NOT get soldered.
Brass bullets get soldered.
What Jack said.
Click to expand...


Last ones I soldered were brass.---Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

Here is what I do; Tin the nose of the bullet. Cut the wire and strip. Fold just enough wire back to cover the nose. Using a very hot iron and very thin 60/40 rosin core solder, solder the wire only to the nose. Done right there is no wicking up the wire and there is no exposed copper wire to corrode.
 
hello Keoke,

in general bullet connections are not fixed solidly at either side of the connection. The problem is when something is fixed and a connection is made to it. Some are not so bad as the movement of the cable is either nil or minimal, but when ever there is vibration, which cars have, the soldered terminal is weak mechanically, unless there is a crimp support for the cable. If you look at solder terminals that is how they are constructed.

Alec
 
---------------------------Keoke----------- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/lol.gif
 
Then what you do, to keep the corrosion at bay, is coat the connection with dielectric grease. Smear it plentifully around any place water or condensation could come in contact with electrical terminals.

After the terminal fittings are cleaned and dried, of course.
 
Lots of motorcycles have connections soldered, plus a coat of epoxy on top of the solder (plus shrink wrap and/or electrical tape). Some bikes vibrate at lot which can shake wiring all to pieces.

The epoxy on top of the solder may be overkill on a car, but it does work well in the high-vibe environment found on some bikes.

FWIW Dept. FYI. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif
 
I do a fair amount of work on Yachts and SOP is A) solder B)apply silicone to the joint C) shrink-wrap. If this holds up well in a marine environment with all the salt etc., it should be more than adequate in a car! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif
 
We seal the joints with finger nail polish on the race car. Slap it on thick.

Very difficult to pull off when it dries.
 
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