Heat shrink self-solder butt splice connectors

[Sbosserman]

Check this video out, I’ve gotta get some of these heat shrink self-solder butt splice connectors to keep in my trailer and at home!

https://youtu.be/7Wh5gM8GM70

Amazon has them:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S62KYSL..._3RIFEbMSBJ9DM

Watch that video, it’s incredible!

[bwag1961]

I bought an assortment pack through AliExpress and they do work great.

[Andy n Sherrie]

I have used these on my pontoon boat, my utility trailer I bought from Harbor Freight, and my one man inflatable pontoon. Just get a decent heat gun and you will probably love them too. The heat gun doesn't need to be capable of crazy high temps, 600-800 should be fine.

[5picker]

Using a heat gun is imperative with this style of butt connector unless you are careful.

They can be shrunk/melted with a small butane torch but one needs to be careful with too much heat. Because they are designed to melt/shrink at fairly low temps, you can easily melt the connector until it splits open using a flame.

There are hi-temp versions of this as well.

Also... I'm not an advocate of just jamming the two ends of the wire strands into each other. The proper procedure is holding the bare ends of the wires in an X pattern and then twisting half of one of the bare strands around the other wire and then doing the same with the remaining.

[dbledan]

I have used them. They are ok with a heat gun but terrible with butane torches.

I like posi taps for outdoor waterproof tight fit applications better. They have tap connectors, splice connectors, multi wire terminators etc.
https://www.jpcycles.com/product/420...UaAlTiEALw_wcB

[Mike134]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Also... I'm not an advocate of just jamming the two ends of the wire strands into each other. The proper procedure is holding the bare ends of the wires in an X pattern and then twisting half of one of the bare strands around the other wire and then doing the same with the remaining.

It's called a western union splice, a very reliable splice when soldered.

[mlmay12]

Originally Posted by Sbosserman

Check this video out, I’ve gotta get some of these heat shrink self-solder butt splice connectors to keep in my trailer and at home!

https://youtu.be/7Wh5gM8GM70

Amazon has them:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S62KYSL..._3RIFEbMSBJ9DM

Watch that video, it’s incredible!

We used these on Aircraft and they work OK but do you usually carry an electric Heat Gun with you? I prefer mechanical crimps with a heat shrink tube over it that can be shrunk down with a bic lighter.

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by mlmay12

We used these on Aircraft and they work OK but do you usually carry an electric Heat Gun with you? I prefer mechanical crimps with a heat shrink tube over it that can be shrunk down with a bic lighter.

Of course I carry a heat gun with me. Ten bucks at Harbor Freight. I don't carry any bic lighters.

[lorenc]

I wish FR had used them on my 2014 Surveyor. Hauled it to
Florida last Feb, rained most of the way down and then I had no trailer brakes the last hour or so. Next day mobile repair man spent all day troubleshooting and the last thing he checked was the butt splice connectors at the brakes where they splice the wires from the brakes to the wires from the trailer. Because of all the rain the wires shorted out!

[lorenc]

$700.00 later ��

[Slow Moon]

Here is a potentially fair and unbiased evaluation of these "Heat Gun Only" connectors with respect to time required and quality of connection compared to traditional "Soldering Iron & Heat Shrink Tube" connections:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEHpiZ0xnIo

In my view, it's a bit of a mixed bag. HGO connectors will always cost more, but they may not save any time and they may not be as reliable as traditional SI&HST. If you like very pretty connections, the HGO may be unbeatable. If they will work with matches or a butane lighter, then they can be used when you have no other tools. If you want unquestionably the best reliability, then you might like the old SI&HST approach.

[Philkaty]

Used these types in the Navy on F14s

[Andy n Sherrie]

I will say this, in regards to my usage of them. When you are using the heat gun watch the solder ring carefully and you can see it melt and flow into the wires. I had a few fail when I first started using them because I wasn't watching closely enough and the solder didn't flow well enough to do it's job.

[babock]

Just use good crimp heat shrink connectors, a good crimper and a heat gun.

[hobienick]

Originally Posted by babock

Just use good crimp heat shrink connectors, a good crimper and a heat gun.

Agree. It's quick and easy and I know the connection is good when I am done. Plus, soldering to splice wires makes them rigid and prone to breaking in high vibration environments due to a lack of flexibility.

I assuming the HGO connectors used by the military are much more robust, and expensive, than the ones shown here.

[Philkaty]

Originally Posted by hobienick

Agree. It's quick and easy and I know the connection is good when I am done. Plus, soldering to splice wires makes them rigid and prone to breaking in high vibration environments due to a lack of flexibility.

I assuming the HGO connectors used by the military are much more robust, and expensive, than the ones shown here.

the ones I used in the Navy were smaller in length. either way they are not going to break. A F14 and F/A18 for a lot faster then your motorhome and hit the deck harder than almost any bump in the road.
You are going to be ok with solder sleeves.

[babock]

I worked in the defense industry for many years. Never saw those type of connectors being used during manufacturing. Must have been for emergency use only.

[Philkaty]

Originally Posted by babock

I worked in the defense industry for many years. Never saw those type of connectors being used during manufacturing. Must have been for emergency use only.

used them several times in the Navy. Not sure where or what you worked on. I work for an Aerospace company for the last 15 years and they are in some of the wiring harnesses.

[67L48]

I just upgraded my amp and sub in my truck. I used these self-soldering connectors to do the job. Worked great. So much better than traditional friction-fit butt splices and the like. Got a big assortment off Amazon for $12.

I will be using these for all of my wire splicing going forward. You can usually get a pretty good Porter-Cable Heat Gun from Advance Auto Parts for ~$25. Sales and/or coupons. That's a much better gun than anything you'll find at Harbor Freight (and I say this as a card-carrying member of the HF fan club).

[Stank Bait]

I just wonder about the pull strength of these connectors. Audio in a vehicle ok but think on anything critical rather have the old telegraph wrap. Guess it would be as strong as crimp connection. On a big bundle of wires I can see an advantage keeping lengths consistent. Would take up less space than telegraph wrap.