Splicing to NASA Standards

[wawaw]

There is an old 'NAVY' manual that shows how & some basic aircraft books also.

 

[bctexas]

Ok, so crimping is better than soldering. But, it seems to me that a proper soldered connection is better than the cheap hardware store crimped ends squeezed with a cheap hand crimp tool. A proper soldered connection is likely better than any crimp-on ends and crimp tools that I can afford - or justify the price of. Nothing I build is going into space, or flying though the air. I built a kit car 20 years ago and wired it with all soldered/shrink wrapped connections and in 25k miles or so have never had a failure. I know that isn't proof of anything, but what I have been doing all these years seems to have worked just fine.

So, is there a better crimp tool/crimp on ends that I can afford and are readily available? I'm all ears - always ready for an excuse to buy new tools!

Cheers!

 

[theoldwizard1]

Ok, so crimping is better than soldering. But, it seems to me that a proper soldered connection is better than the cheap hardware store crimped ends squeezed with a cheap hand crimp tool.

Yes, low quality crimped connectors with improper tools will lead to early failure.

The big problem with solder and STRANDED wire is that where the solder ends (could be under the insulation) you have hard/brittle point which has a higher probability of failure. If the solder wicked up under the insulation, this failure point would not be visible.

So, is there a better crimp tool/crimp on ends that I can afford and are readily available? I'm all ears - always ready for an excuse to buy new tools!

First, with quality terminals. I use TE Solistrand. They are uninsulated, tin plated and were originally designed by AMP.

Klein Tools 1006

Always use marine/dual wall heat shrink.

 

[RPH]

We build a high frequency water cooled cables for the induction machines. Parker fittings on the ends. Cable itself is very fine wire due to frequency applied. Some are even litz wire assembly. The cable is soldered on the ends to the fittings. One can tell when the new guy makes them. Cold solder on some, too hot on others as the solder wicks up. These cables move and the wicked units usually break 6” into the cable. Soldering is a lost art for most.
Photo below is typical hood bonding tool. All high frequency conductors are water cooled.

 

[MBfreak]

RPH
Nice machines!

Ola

 

[theoldwizard1]

...these cables move and the wicked units usually break 6” into the cable.

bingo !

 

[RPH]

Thanks, we aim to be the best.

 

[Cooter Brown]

Wow, that's how I was taught to solder wires together from dear old dad (who was a Ma Bell employee)... now I know where he got it.

My electronics teacher used to tell me it was overkill.

Now if I can find something to show me how to do the waxed twine wire harness bundle...

12 cord is what the waxed lacing is called.
The old timers called it this because it has 12 strands.
The process is called lacing. I remember doing electrical panels also until time is money overcame the pride in workmanship.
Now I open up a panel and its an absolute nightmare to see what the new generation is calling good workmanship.
Heres an example I helped a neighbor with today. New panel put in by some jackleg
already shorted out one circuit when he opened the panel cover. Deadfront bowed to clear the cable coming in the top,that GE(the manufacturer) should have never supplied prepunched holes for.Absolute mess.

This thread brings back some memories! I haven't heard the term "12 cord" in years. My dad loved the stuff.

My grandfather started at Western Electric in 1922 and spent a few years before and during the War assigned to Bell Labs where he built special projects with the engineers. My father started in the early 50s at Western and worked there for 5 years before he went to Bell where he worked until the divestiture in '84.

Both of them used (and taught me) the splicing technique shown, and both could use 12 cord like artists.

I've still got some real solder from them, and a precious supply of 12 cord!

Another skill they both had was taping--when they taped a joint, it was a thing of beauty, and it stayed taped!

 

[shaune]

Soldering is not allowed in aviation to make a splice, as for the previous reasons stated. **** connectors is the correct method but there are specialized tools to perform the crimp. Ideally the run of wire should not have any splices. That sometimes doesn’t work and again in aviation there is a limit to the number of splices per length but I can’t remember what that is right now.

 

[tcianci]

This brings back memories. in 1972 I was a rookie at Polaroid and they brought in an instructor who taught us the "NASA Soldering Course". I probably still have the certificate somewhere. That was about 50 years ago. When I built my present street rod, I bought a Weatherpack connector kit. Best money I ever spent. Inside the cab, I used solder, Scotchlok and regular crimp connectors. No problems after 8 years.

 

[Monza Harry]

For vehicles I have found nothing that matches soldered joints for reliability. Twist and solder or crimp and solder [my prefered, when I have the choice] and dual wall heat shrink. Youngest brother is a truck mechanic mostly done fleet work and these are their choice, many trailers with a million miles and the lights are still working, even less trouble with LED low power requirements.
Harry

 

[Kevin54]

Just remember one thing.....The title is "to NASA Standards". That is a totally different critter from wiring a car or speakers. Government Standards are VERY strict. My wife did it all of her life. From Apollo and Gemini parts to the SR71 Blackbird, The B1-B, F-117, plus wiring Black Boxes, having her voice on the Aural Warning Units in planes, and also wiring items for Apollo 11 that went to the Moon.

 

[jkeyser14]

As already said a millions times, soldering is no longer a favored wire joining method. Calibrated crimp tools are preferred. If you do high reliability stuff a pull test is also performed using the crimper and identical wire/crimp connectors. The pull tester will pull both ends of the wire until failure occurs and you can compare the results to the specifications.

 

[parb]

The lineman's splice is what I learned thirty years ago when I went to EE undergraduate school. We also learned how to build cable harnesses using waxed string and tying cable knots. Old-school....

 

[E430Driver]

All well and good,but what "everyman" can afford the set of crimpers NASA and NASCAR are using these days to make those crimps much less the (likely) wire itself as its very probably a special beast in itself?

 

[WES51]

This is not the way I have learned solering.

By the way, please google my user name and then hit images.

 

[nitroracer20]

Wes are you a vintage solder station?

 

[03.]

Now I open up a panel and its an absolute nightmare to see what the new generation is calling good workmanship.
Heres an example I helped a neighbor with today. New panel put in by some jackleg
already shorted out one circuit when he opened the panel cover. Deadfront bowed to clear the cable coming in the top,that GE(the manufacturer) should have never supplied prepunched holes for.Absolute mess.

that is disgusting. In Australia we have an expression 'all over the place like a dogs breakfast'
We were always taught that the way your work looks speaks volumes of your ability. Obviously no longer the case. Read in another thread electricians have to do 8000 hours for licence. Perhaps they should spend a few hours on how to do neat work.

 

[nadogail]

In my Shipyard days we took pride in how our wire and cable installation looked.

 

[WES51]

Wes are you a vintage solder station?

Yes Sir and I do nice work!

I also disagree with much of the 'new' way people solder these days (including solder over crimp and other atrocities).

But I should stop at that before my bloodpressure goes up.

 

[gte718p]

All well and good,but what "everyman" can afford the set of crimpers NASA and NASCAR are using these days to make those crimps much less the (likely) wire itself as its very probably a special beast in itself?

HF Crimper -$60

Astro Pnuematic -$65

Klien -$38

Tool Aide Set -$119

I use all of the above regularly. You don't need a $1000 dollar crimper. You just need to understand this is not a crimping tool.

 

[03.]

Another pet peeve of mine is idc's insulation displacement connectors. Fast for manufacturing but absolute rubbish after about 10 years of service. I restore lots of machines with them that are over 20 years now and have to replace all of them with crimps, some of them up to 40 per connector. Hours of work and now the eyes ain't what they once were.

 

[Jdsmith]

I would recommend the Panduit CT-1550 crimper as a general purpose ratcheting sta-kon crimper that will make quality crimps but is lower cost than Molex, Amp, and the other high end products. It's not sufficient for nuclear plants and may not work for things that fly, but I've made thousands of crimps with them in industrial substation control wiring and haven't had a bad crimp yet.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[racerock]

Did she use solid wire?

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

yes...