Date:         Thu, 2 Nov 2000 10:09:21 -0600
Reply-To:     "Filcoff, David M." <FilcoffD@MISSOURI.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Filcoff, David M." <FilcoffD@MISSOURI.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Headlight improvements ?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>If you want to see vibration and harsh environmental conditions, take a
stroll
>through an operating reactor building.


I work at a nuclear reactor, so I asked.  Here's the answer I got: They
generally use crimp connections in locations where corrosion may be an
issue.  This is favored over a solder only connection for a few reasons.
First, it is more difficult to get a consistently good solder joint.  Second
a *good* crimp is generally stronger than a solder joint.  Note that these
are not the so-so crimp connections that you get from your FLAPS or Radio
Shack.  There are much stronger crimp type connectors available, somewhat
similar to the OEM crimps on a VW.  A crimped and soldered joint is superior
to all of the above.

Here are my thoughts and how I made my H4 wiring harness;  I used the
standard crimp connectors, removed the plastic casing, soldered the joint,
*cleaned* the joint and covered the conn. with heat shrink.  Note that some
solders contain flux, flux helps the solder stick to the metal.  Flux also
is corrosive and must be removed from the joint, I prefer Trichloroethane,
but there are other solvents that will do just fine.  I soldered my joints
because I don't trust the standard type of crimp connector.  The down side
of a soldered and crimped joint is that it is very tedious, when I redo the
wiring harness on my '61 I'll be using the improved type crimps and no
solder.

dave
251.org
87 Vanagon
61 Bus (6v)