[Elecraft] Crimped connectors

[T. David Yarnes]

Jerry and All,

This seems to be pretty much the same rationale that I've 
heard over the last few years as APP's became more popular. 
A soldered connection can create something almost too stiff 
or rigid, and can break more easily over time.  A properly 
crimped connection leaves the wire strands naturally pliable 
near the joint, and apparently this is much less subject to 
failure.  I'm sure there is a right way and a wrong way to 
solder a connection properly, but it does seem to me that 
there are a lot of variables in making a good connection 
such as iron temperature, wire size, surface area, etc. etc. 
When I first got my good APP crimper, I tried a couple of 
test connections to see if I could pull them apart.  I 
couldn't!  I've also experienced more than once a soldered 
connection that ultimately just snapped off.  So, maybe I'm 
happy in my ignorance, but a properly crimped connections 
seems pretty effective.

Dave W7AQK

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeremiah McCarthy" <wa2dkg at msn.com>
To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 8:47 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Crimped connectors


Only to make a point, not an argument...I worked for 30 
years at Grumman and we built most of the Navy's aircraft, 
which are subject to a highly corrosive environment...All 
connections, thousands of them, were crimped using 
"Stakons", the trade name for those little red, blue, and 
yellow terminal lugs...AMP was the manufacturer of both the 
tools and the terminals...Soldering was grounds for a 
"crab", or rejection of the connection...Solder can wick up 
the wire under the insulation causing a rigid condition 
subject to vibration fatigue...Also, the heat from soldering 
distorts  the red, blue, or yellow insulation sleeve on the 
terminal lug compromising it's integrity...Of course there 
were a few connectors that had pins that had to be soldered, 
but not many...The pins in most of the connectors by Cannon, 
Amphenol, Deutch, etc. were crimped...

Rivet and skin corrosion on the outside of the aircraft is 
much more of a problem than corrosion of crimped wire 
connections...

Jerry, wa2dkg_______________________________________________
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