Jerry and All,
This seems to be pretty much the same rationale that I've
heard over the last few years as APP's became more popular.
A soldered connection can create something almost too stiff
or rigid, and can break more easily over time. A properly
crimped connection leaves the wire strands naturally pliable
near the joint, and apparently this is much less subject to
failure. I'm sure there is a right way and a wrong way to
solder a connection properly, but it does seem to me that
there are a lot of variables in making a good connection
such as iron temperature, wire size, surface area, etc. etc.
When I first got my good APP crimper, I tried a couple of
test connections to see if I could pull them apart. I
couldn't! I've also experienced more than once a soldered
connection that ultimately just snapped off. So, maybe I'm
happy in my ignorance, but a properly crimped connections
seems pretty effective.
Dave W7AQK
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeremiah McCarthy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 8:47 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Crimped connectors
Only to make a point, not an argument...I worked for 30
years at Grumman and we built most of the Navy's aircraft,
which are subject to a highly corrosive environment...All
connections, thousands of them, were crimped using
"Stakons", the trade name for those little red, blue, and
yellow terminal lugs...AMP was the manufacturer of both the
tools and the terminals...Soldering was grounds for a
"crab", or rejection of the connection...Solder can wick up
the wire under the insulation causing a rigid condition
subject to vibration fatigue...Also, the heat from soldering
distorts the red, blue, or yellow insulation sleeve on the
terminal lug compromising it's integrity...Of course there
were a few connectors that had pins that had to be soldered,
but not many...The pins in most of the connectors by Cannon,
Amphenol, Deutch, etc. were crimped...
Rivet and skin corrosion on the outside of the aircraft is
much more of a problem than corrosion of crimped wire
connections...
Jerry, wa2dkg_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [email protected]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [email protected]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
