Brian Rauchfuss - PCD wrote:
>
> > But, Ferg, he's the same Bob Nuckolls who describes soldering D-sub
> > connectors and even #2 or #4 wire, large ring terminals. The latter I
> > think is questionable, but only due to the difficulty of getting
> > enough heat, fast enough, on the thing to ensure good solder flow
> > without making an ugly mess.
>
> How else do you connect #2 or #4 wires? My father said that the only wire
> connection that ever failed on him was an attempted crimp of a battery
> cable - without a special tool it is almost impossible to crimp properly,
> and it seems silly to buy a special tool for the 6 or so #2/#4 connections
> on the airplane.
>
> Brian
It wouldn't cost much for a maintenance shop to do it for you.
If I were soldering, the method I would try is to wrap the insulation
tightly in layers of foil to sink away damaging heat, and use one of
those butane piezoelectric start torches (very handy to own anyway),
rather than propane. Do it in a more vertical position, to keep
solder from flowing onto the ring. I'd use caution also where
Nuckolls says you don't have to heat the wire; may work, but I'd do a
pull test.
Since mech's with Inspection Authorizations and EAA Tech Counselors
inspecting my project are rather elderly and insist, dagnabit!, we
don't solder those things, I made a simple swager. Use 1/2" thick
aluminum alloy stock (not soft, 1100 or such), about 1-1/2" square.
Drill a hole in the center, sized by judgment as to how much smaller
than the O.D. of the terminal it need be to compress it around the
wire. Cut it in half so you have two hemispheric dies. Chamfer the
edges a bit (the ones that are parallel to the axis of the hole), so
you don't bite into the terminal. Place it a good heavy-duty vice,
and using a pipe on the vice handle (paying attention to personal
safety in doing so), glomp the #@!&
out of it. I was unable to pull
the cable out, with leg braced against the work bench and grunting.
With some odds, I'll bet it will tow a Buick.
Regards,
Fred F., A063
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