complete rewire

[Lance M]

Originally Posted by lewster

There are many other ways to join wires, even dissimilar ones by using terminal blocks with screw connectors, which is my go-to connector for 120VAC.

Lew,
Are you referring to Euro style barrier strips?
Euro style barrier strips
Ideal Barrier Strip

[lewster]

Originally Posted by Top

Lew,
Are you referring to Euro style barrier strips?
Euro style barrier strips
Ideal Barrier Strip

YEP! Use them regularly with great effect.

[RumbleStrip]

We are rewiring our Airstream too and are soaking up any info that we can find. Thank you!

[ericpeltier]

Originally Posted by AtomicNo13

X2 on never solder!

Why no solder?

[lewster]

Originally Posted by ericpeltier

Why no solder?

Not only does solder introduce another metal to the copper mix (which will actually induce corrosion, even when properly applied with a nice, shine finish and not the dull grey visible in most poorly executed solder joints), you really don't want any type of hard connection that will eventually work harden as you travel and eventually break.......or worse...... crack and leave only a small portion of the wire in question to carry the entire ampacity rating of the wire.......

It's a disaster waiting to happen!! With so many quality crimp and/or screw connection systems readily available, why would anyone even think of solder???

[rmkrum]

Tradition as opposed to real understanding? A well-made crimp connection is solid, gas-tight, and reliable to NASA specifications with the right calibrated tools.

Lew, you would be amazed at the number of Ham radio operators that stubbornly solder wires together just because "I've always done it that way". Sigh.


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[lewster]

Actually, I have gotten into more tan one 'discussion' about solder vs. crimp with some 'old school hams'.

Very hard to bring some of them into the 21st century!!!🙄


Lew Farber

[rmkrum]

Amen to that one...!

We won't get into the morse code or no discussion either...but it's one of the Ham radio very traditional communications methods that I am totally unable to do, no matter how hard I tried. Thank god it's no longer required to get a license.

Admittedly I'm an expert at soldering.

But I'm also an expert at hardware design, and soldering wires is not the best way to go when you are talking reliability on anything that moves, flies, or vibrates.

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[eartick]

Late to the discussion but so glad to hear people on this forum talking up crimp connectors and terminal strips over soldering of wires for secure connections.

Worked for 35 years in chemical plant environment where there is a constant hum or vibration. Some of our control systems from the 70s was solder base connections. Misery in a nutshell.....

I would take a twist connection securely taped over solder any day but a crimp connect either taped or heat shrunk will out last them all.