On Sat, Mar 26, 2011 at 10:51 PM, RussellMc wrote: > > Crimped lugs in "under bonnet" applications in vehicle systems ALWAYS > fail given long enough. > Or, that was my experience when involved with such things intensively > for a while almost 20 years ago. > It MAY be that a manufacture's crimp connection, or some system > designed in ways we never saw, has what it takes to survive a vehicle > environment. but I found that crimp plus solder was needed. > Under-bonnet has heat and possibly a degree of battery acid and lots > of vibration potential. > Note that you should avoid soldering a wire and then crimping it as > the soldered mass will "creep" with time and the joint will lose > cohesion. > > I've been told that proper crimps have lower resistance and shouldn't fail. A copper to copper crimp done under sufficient force should exclude all air and create a very low resistance junction. The high current lugs in your car are crimped, and those don't often fail. Making a proper crimp involves a die and a hydraulic press, something that most of us wouldn't bother with. People who are making battery packs for renewable energy systems or electric vehicles usually become intimately familiar with the process. --=20 Martin K. --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .