Thread: How to solder 6B&S

Originally Posted by trout1105

I have been told by Sparkies that a crimped fitting is superior to a soldered one especially when there is a high current draw.
.....

As with any opinion, everyone is welcomed to their own .. but don't mistake an opinion as a well founded test.

if a crimped connection was so much better than a soldered one, how do you explain the common D2 positive battery lead issue.
All three D2's I have access too have the dreadful positive terminal lead falling to pieces issue.

On my D2 I'm going to replace it with a proper battery clamp with multiple connections to begin with and then solder the cable to a lug so it doesn't fall to pieces again.
The earth lead on my D2 was cactus too(rusted and pathetic looking connections) but on the spare car I got for it's parts, looks like someone had recently changed it's earth lead to a new-ish one at some point not tooo long ago, so I at least got a way with a cheap fix for my D2's earth lead too.

I can't say for sure if one is better than another as I've never done the testing to prove it one way or another. Common sense dictates that a soldered connection is always better than a non soldered connection. Just that large starter type cables, even 6B&S types aren't easy to solder.

The commonly held view with cables is that solder is always better than crimping ... just that this commonly held view usually elates to the much smaller, up to 5mm, type cables.

never done an anderson plug, but done a lot of cable recently of that size with the dual battery installs.
I used the blow torch method to heat the lug, fill it with solder and while it's hot and insert the cable into the lug with solder. Do it where the mess won't harm anything, as this method may cause solder overflow.
My first cable(2B&S) I wasn't happy with, but on all the other cables I subsequently did, I did the procedure twice.
First time to tin the cable itself. Heat the lug again to remove the cable, and do it again.

Where I've seen soldered lugs fail is where they are insecurely bolted to their terminal. The heat generated by the loose/dirty connection travels down to the solder joint and empties it. Crimped lugs don't have that problem. It happens just often enough to be worth noting.

Originally Posted by bee utey

Where I've seen soldered lugs fail is where they are insecurely bolted to their terminal. The heat generated by the loose/dirty connection travels down to the solder joint and empties it. Crimped lugs don't have that problem. It happens just often enough to be worth noting.

Hence I apply a mechanical connection (a crimp) and an electrical protected connection (solder) for the best of both worlds. Solder keeps the cable to lug interface protected from the environment and the mechanical physical crimping ensures they’re physically mated.

The one thing soldered joints are really poor for is flexibility. A crimped only joint will function much better where the cable must flex up to the joint. Soldered joints tend to be stiff and brittle at the lug/pin interface.

As with any opinion, everyone is welcomed to their own .. but don't mistake an opinion as a well founded test.

The Bloke that gave me the opinion that a crimped fitting is superior to a soldered one had been a sparky for over 30 years and was running his own electrical contracting business in Darwin.
I am Not talking "house bashing" work here most of our work was for the power company in Darwin as well as PWD work, One of our contracts involved commissioning a gas fired power plant at Tennant Creek So this bloke knew what he was talking about.

NONE of our connections were soldered ALL were crimped from wire as thin as a tooth pic to wire fatter than your thumb and voltages up to 440V.
This bloke was meticulous with his work and IF soldered fittings were a better option then he would have soldered them, He Didn't.

Just to let you know that I collected this Portosol SP-1K from the post office this morning
PTLSP-1K-Large.jpg
So far I've only had a chance to play with smallish stuff but my what a machine.
Its got a few more bells and whistle than the suggested examples but then it is Christmas and I've been really, really good so I think it'll be ok

I can't wait to try it out on the big stuff

Between this, the Hakko and the hot air station I nearly have all the bases covered. I just need a decent crimper for a full house.

Many thanks to you all for your suggestions and advice, its very much appreciated