I use the 3M butt splices with the shrink tube, but I fill them with dielectric grease first then insert the wires. I also use a T&B post style crimp tool, it gives me a more reliable crimp. In Michigan where they use salt in the winter, I have found this works.

They generally don't want soldered joints in marine use because solder travels up the wire and causes a stiff joint and with greater vibrational loads it will result in fatigue and failure. Also most soldered joints are done poorly and result in a high resistance joint. But i have yet to see a joint fail due to soldering.. in marine or automotive use that gets more use then a boat does....just saying...

1) Solder has no place on a boat. But in all honestly, the wire should be secured so there is no movement.

2) research 'racketing crimpers', such as Ancor, Greenlee, Idea.
They don't release until you fully crimped your connector. These aren't your cheap Walmart crimpers that strip, crimp, cut bolts, pliers, etc. JUNK!. You'll have a few $100 min. for a quality set of crimpers for all applications: double crimp, insulated crimp, non insulated, battery sized cables, etc. A different tool for every type of connector. The real high end crimpers can be sent in and calibrated. :)

Do it right with the right tool :)

yep...i have a Thomas Betts ratchet crimper at home....and in times of panic/dispare i do have a hand crimper, but i should just toss it out as its a 50/50 chance of piercing the jacket of the connector each time you crank down to crip with it!

Back when i was working at Motorola, it was fun to see a new guy try and crimp something with the wrong crimp die in the tool. Only to jam it cause they have too smal of a die and too big of a connector and watch the fear turn to panic when they cant open the crimpers back up :D

Here's a method that works well for me. YMMV

Strip wire ends
Coat wire ends with No-Alox
Insert into uninsulated connector and crimp with ratcheting crimpers
Seal with adhesive lined heat shrink

Take care with your "Butt"!
 

My preference and opinion is to use a proper type and size bare metal butt crimp connector, crimped with the proper tool and then use heat shrink tube with heat activated sealer already coated in the tubing. Soldering is not ideal in marine wiring as previously said because in harnesses and rigging where the connection will get flexed, bent and vibrated the solder joint is to stiff and can break and then be a "biatch" to find!

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

What a real crimp looks like. :)
6AWG, 266 individual strands, with no air space. Under a 10x eye loop, still looks like 1 solid piece of wire. Crimped with my Greenlee crimper, then cut in half at crimp point.

Isn't a Speedo considered almost waterproof?

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. :lolhit:

Regarding solder, fairly bold statement. Care to back it up with some facts?

heres an interesting thread i came across the other day...
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-m...soldering.html