[Elecraft] K3 just goes off - SOLVED

[Don Wilhelm]

Crimps are good if they are properly done with proper sized terminals 
and proper crimping tools for that type and size of terminal - there is 
no "one size fits all" crimping tool, and I believe there lies the 
problem with amateurs using crimped terminals - buying the proper 
crimping tool for each and every crimp terminal would be prohibitively 
expensive.

Yes, there are consumer grade "universal"crimping tools and terminals, 
but they grip the wire over only a short distance - professional crimps 
will make solid contact with the wire over a larger area, and will be a 
gas-tight connection where corrosion cannot get in.

I believe soldering is a better alternative for amateur work. Soldering 
does have one disadvantage and that is solder will be wicked up the 
stranded wire for a small distance, AND if the wire is subject to 
vibration at that point, the wire will eventually break right where the 
wicked solder ends (under the insulation where that break cannot be 
immediately noticed).  So in high vibration environments such as 
avionics, soldering is a definite "no-no", but at the home station 
installation where the wires are seldom moved, soldering should be just 
as good or better than properly crimped terminals.  In your mobile 
installations, you might want to consider either crimping or supporting 
the wire for about 3 inches away from the soldered terminal.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/24/2012 7:55 PM, Hisashi T Fujinaka wrote:
> What does the maritime industry use? Anyone work at Boeing who can tell
> me why they (I think) crimp instead of solder? I thought I remembered
> that it's because crimps are stronger over the long-term under
> vibration. I could be making it all up.
>
> I'm just curious if there's a reason or if people are just talking for
> the sake of talking. I've had lots more solder joints fail than crimps,
> but I've had crimps fail too.
>
>