making 12 volt connections better

Where possible I use solder and heat shrink tubing to make a secure connection.

I use ones that have solder in the middle and heat shrink, heat with a heat gun and it's soldered and sealed in one step.

Push-ons work for me.

Farmboy666 wrote:
I use ones that have solder in the middle and heat shrink, heat with a heat gun and it's soldered and sealed in one step.

Those are great terminals. Crimp, solder and tight seal in one shot is sweet.

If you properly swage (crimp) connections, they actually cold weld to the copper or tinned conductors and as such are gas tight and internal corrosion will not be an issue. This is very hard to do with the tools that leave the external insulation undamaged. Those tools that have a single tooth will always do a better job of this. This also requires that you use first quality terminals.

Those with a heat shrink insulating sleeve will reduce corrosion of any exposed conductor and serve as a better bend relief.

The vast majority of connection failures are at terminal connections. The reliability of these connections can be significantly improved by covering all the surfaces with a silicon "dielectric" grease. This product is grease, but is different than any lubricating type grease in that it has zero film strength. This means it is useless as a lubricant, and when it is in an electric connection will not interfere with any of the metal to metal connect that is required in this situation.

Why do I know all this?
As a ship's engineer by trade that ran a small vessel maintenance company up until the administration caused depression put us out of business. I sold of most of my expensive inventory, but kept the field boxes of terminals and tools and several tubes of silicon grease for my own use.

Matt

A few years ago I got involved with the operations of a small town government.
To turn the flashing yellow lights on one of the plow trucks, the driver had to twist two wires together. They had been doing it for years and thought it was normal.
I brought them into the late 19th century by adding a switch.

It's just a (cheap) option for connecting wires I thought I would share. :B

Op here...

On the house part of RV (not under the hood of vehicles) I have several projects that I've dabbed on some Die elec grease and screwed on one of these (top pic on right) and a drop of removable thread locker. None have come loose and 12 volt at each end. About 15-20 thousand bouncing down the road. All 12 volt, projects were overhead fan, light, speaker.

OK or big no-no?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twist-on_wire_connector

But under the hood...I have special Bosh wire tool set (fancy screw driver looking things) and spend the bucks for these types of connectors.

http://www.lsxtune.com/shop/product_info.php/cPath/109_136/products_id/432

Positaps and Posilocks are your best butt connectors. They are removable, installable without tools, and are very secure.

Derick wrote:
Positaps and Posilocks are your best butt connectors. They are removable, installable without tools, and are very secure.

Is this correct link to them?

https://www.posi-products.com/

for "severe" use I use the type that have a heat activated adhesive on the inside.
bumpy