Quick screw in Anderson Plug Connectors

Plain Truth · Guru

Quick screw in Anderson Plug Connectors

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Anderson plugs should not be soldered they should be crimped which is a lower resistance connection method than screwing and will not harden the copper or cause a stress concentration like soldering.
When high currents are being transmitted, check the heat rise of these with an infrared thermometer. You may be surprised at the losses.
Cheers,
Peter

dabbler · Guru

Agree with above. Just carry an appropriate crimping tool.

markf · Senior Member

Could be a good "get out of jail" card despite the drawbacks. Soldering is always a good field alternative too but for a good solid permanent solution, crimping (properly done) is the only way to go.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Whichever method the wire has been connected always pull the plug out by the plug & not the wire.

If you cannot get a grip on the plug put a handle on it.

Put heat shrink around the wire & lug so the wire moves less in relation to the lug. A couple of layers of heat shrink if there is room.

denmonkey · Senior Member

I've always soldered mine. Don't own a crimper but would love one of those hydraulic jobbies.
Will get one eventually.
If I had the tools, I'd crimp and solder.
there can be a big difference between a good solder and a bad one. I've been responsible for some **** ones in my past, usually when in a hurry to get it done and it's these ones that can come away.
Beyond my occasional shoddy work, not been any issues otherwise.
I reckon I've got over 40 in service in various places , car, caravan, boat, amateur radio set up and they've all be done the same.
I also just use the cheapies off ebay and buy them in packs of 20. Always handy to have around.

Nifty idea though PT, thanks for the heads up

Bobdown · Guru

I'm for soldering as well, especially if there is no movement on the joint.

Had trouble with the fridge out of Broome this year, inline crimp was not done properly, pulled straight out.

Solution, butt end join with a screw connector, a touch of solder when I got home.... my thoughts cheers Bob

Eaglemax · Guru

much better Bob. Whenever I use crimps I crimp them on the lower one of the crimper eg blue I use the blue middle crimp then use the red one. Just don't trust them.
Tony

Phillipn · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Anderson plugs should not be soldered they should be crimped which is a lower resistance connection method than screwing and will not harden the copper or cause a stress concentration like soldering.
When high currents are being transmitted, check the heat rise of these with an infrared thermometer. You may be surprised at the losses.
Cheers,
Peter

Solder hardens the wire and makes them brittle and will break with movement as P-n- M have posted. Wires in planes are crimped to avoid breakage from vibration.

Radar · Guru

Been reading here where soldering is not good in automotive situations, I for one who don't own a climping tool has only soldered anderson plugs and have 6 items in use. The car to caravan plugs have roughly 8 years of use, about 80 000 kilometres of travel. Have had the volts checked right down the line, all very good charging our batteries.

My question is how long before the solder gives up and will I get a power drop.

I am not a trained trade person, just a bit of jack of any thing.

-- Edited by Radar on Friday 9th of August 2019 07:23:10 AM

dorian · Guru

I splice and solder any wire joins which are intended to be permanent. If I use a connector, I crimp it and then flow solder into the crimp, if access permits. I don't know if this violates any wiring rules, but this practice has served me well to date.

swamp · Senior Member

Hi
Understand the breakage issue BUT
Automotive factories DONOT solder because u need an operator with some brains and it takes time .
Vs.
crimping done with the right tools is cheaper and quicker

There are many solder joints in different areas in a vehicle many are concealed

Soldering
When done have a suitable sod iron wattage . Preparation is Key.
Finish with a sleeve of glue lined heatshrink to support wire and resist vibration problems

Crimped joins still have vibration failures

Bobdown · Guru

We were taught to solder in Telecom, phone wires are single strand with 50 v DC current, they were twisted and soldered. In pillars etc, where the wire is wrapped around, if it was not soldered it would vibrate, hence a noisy phone line.
Crimping has its place, especially the bigger diameter cable with a proper tool, not a pair of pliers, I'm thinking 240v power cable and coaxial cable.

Apart from the debate, I think the OP is a good idea to get one out of a jam, would be handy to have a couple of spares.

Cheers Bob

T1 Terry · Guru

Soldering Anderson plug lugs to the cable requires the lugs to be heated and filled with solder, then the cable plunged into the solder pool. The cable only becomes brittle if the solder is allowed to wick back up the conductor under the insulation and fractures can occur yet not seen.
Those dreadful one punch type crimpers make a far worse connection than soldering and cause a lot more trouble, so if you are going to crimp the cable into the lug you need a hex die hydraulic crimper with enough pressure to lock the cable solidly into the lug. Had lots of faults from the cable pull out of Anderson plug lugs or creating that much heat the lugs either weld together or melt the plastic Anderson plug cover ... or just get the spring clip that hot it comes out of the plastic housing so there is insufficient pressure between the 2 lug faces when plugged together the next time and the whole lot melts or the plug comes apart and gets ground away dragging along the road.
We do see more than the average number of Rv's come through the gate so we get to see a lot of the more common problems.

T1 Terry

diggerop · Senior Member

I take the lugs out of the housing when I solder the wires in.