wire nuts or heat shrink

[tvanwave]

Hi
Replacing my backplate brake assembly today. Looks like at some point the wire connections were made with wire nuts and black tape. Forums have mentioned heat shrink connections. Are the wire nuts OK or should I use the heat shrink connection? If heat shrink what is a good source of heat when making the connection?

[tvanwave]

Originally Posted by tvanwave

Hi
Replacing my backplate brake assembly today. Looks like at some point the wire connections were made with wire nuts and black tape. Forums have mentioned heat shrink connections. Are the wire nuts OK or should I use the heat shrink connection? If heat shrink what is a good source of heat when making the connection?

Should mention that when I pulled the hub off the magnet assembly fell out and it was apparent the PO had not adjusted the brakes in years (adjuster was rusted solid. 5 wheels to go!

[ricknach]

NEVER use wire nut on any electrical connection that is exposed to the outside. The corrosion will rapidly distroy the connection. Either tightly twist the wire togetherand use heat shrink, or solder the wires together and use heat shrink. This will save you from having alot of problem in the future.
Rick N

[garry]

Use a hair dryer.

I usally just use the back end of the soldering iron close to the handle.

[Action]

With the above statement made - know that there are many many units running around with wire nut connectors and black tape. Most are still working. It's not the best connection in the world given thge above reasons.

An argument can be made against soldering, in that replacement time will mean cutting more supply wire off. Do this enough times and you will not have enough wire left to make a connection. Annual brake inspectiosn are encouraged. It would eliminate the issue you are discovering now. (Misadjusted or non-functioning adjsuter)

Hair dryer works well for shrink wrap.

Personally I am good with any connection type. As an added caution with wire nuts, I use a liquid sealer in the wire nut after I know the connection has been made. Then wrap it with electrical tape.

>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[Jim & Susan]

Some folks on the forum take the position that the exposed brake wires under the camper should be wire-nutted (is that a real word?) together so that road debris and other nasty stuff will simply pull the wires apart rather than breaking them off at an inconvenient point. When I put the new axles on, I used wire nuts and then wrapped that connection in electrical tape. Just another opinion.

Jim

[Bluto]

There are silicon filled connectors for electrical connections that are exposed to the elements. They come in butt splice and twist connectors. Any thoughts about using those?

[r carl]

I just squirt Noalox into the wire nut before I twist them on and then tape it up.

[Lumatic]

My factory connections on my 71 were wire nuts.

[Ganglin]

We used a coat of Noalox anti corrosion paste on the wires - crimped them - then heat shrunk them. The heat shrink butts from Home Depot (blue for the brake wire gauge we had). Used a heat gun on low...

Tyco Electronics DuraSeal Heat-Shrink Butt Splices, 16-14, , 8/Clam - CPGI-D-406-0002-8 at The Home Depot

[Mexray]

Wire nuts are for inside house wiring - or - lazy guys doing a 'quickie' wiring connection for someone else, where they won't have to worry about it 'down the road'...

I prefer heavy crimp type connectors - the type that are covered by heat shrink tubing - they make a quick, waterproof connection - use a quality, heavy crimp tool to insure a positive, tight connection - then heat with a propane torch or propane lighter to completely seal the connection!

A good mechanical connection that's then soldered and sealed with heat shrink tubing also is a good choice for a trouble free connection...

Ray

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by tvanwave

Hi
Replacing my backplate brake assembly today. Looks like at some point the wire connections were made with wire nuts and black tape. Forums have mentioned heat shrink connections. Are the wire nuts OK or should I use the heat shrink connection? If heat shrink what is a good source of heat when making the connection?

Butt Crimp with heat shrink ends or butt crimp with heat shrink. Soldering creates a breaking point.
Wire nuts are best kept to places that will stay dry and vibration free.

[Birdwell57]

Wire nuts (good connection) and liquid electric tape (can be removed, but makes a pretty good water/crud barrier).

[Wingeezer]

IMHO, to minimize effects of corrosion of wiring on my motorcycles, trailers, and pretty much anything needing sound electrical connections, I think you cannot do better than a good old soldered joint insulated with shrink tube -never given me any problems. On any other type of connector, trailer plugs, bulbs in sockets, etc., I always apply dielectric
grease, I do think that helps too.

Brian.

[Tom Nugler]

I’ve been using the heat shrink butt connectors for nearly 20 years in the import auto repair biz. Never seen one fail that was properly installed.
You can get all the different sizes from a good auto parts store. They also are available with standard blade or bullet male and female ends and ring terminals.
You’ll also need a crimper that doesn’t puncture the heat shrink covering. You don't need a $100 specialty die crimper, just one that crimps insulated connectors. If you can find one with this feature on the business end of the tool, and not in the center, it will be a lot easier to work with.
When the shell is heated the inside coating melts, sealing the connection, and the heat-shrink snugs everything up tight. At this point I don’t use any else inside or out.


Tom

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, wire nuts are for houses, [my opinion] because low voltage equals high amperage and loose connections melt. Twelve volt systems need a good solid connection. I use crimp connectors, a Thomas & Betts professional crimper, shrink tubing, and a propane Barbeque lighter to shrink the tubing. Also black plastic electrical tape is known for coming loose in hot weather. I have a roll of special Ford factory electrical tape, [not plastic] but I only use that for making looms. Click on my blog to see how my brake wires were put together from the factory, except one.

Click on blog number under my name or avatar.

[Bluto]

Thomas & Betts crimpers, now your talking best of the best.

[tvanwave]

Much thanks to all who helped me here. I guess there is no one way that is universally "the way" to make the connections. I've done 4 of six wheels (today) and decided to go the crimp/ shrink route for a lot of the reasons expressed in this thread. Doubling the small gage wire over did make a better crimp. I used the 12-10 crimps becasue I could insert the feed wire w/o distorting the wire. Used a small propane torch to shrink the connections (almost burned the coating off the brake wire once), and then wrapped the whole bundle w/ heat resistant electriclal tape made by DUCK. Also found a few placed where the feed wire was chafing and fixed that as well. Two wheels to go and thanks to you all I did not wrap connections in saran wrap, freezer tape, and bread bag twisties.