Help with coax and connectors

Started by ♠SARKID♠, April 19, 2008, 03:44:19 AM

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

SarDragon

Quote from: Frenchie on April 20, 2008, 05:16:51 PM
Quote from: SarDragon on April 20, 2008, 06:23:24 AM
Soldered connections are the best thing for a mobile installation. Vibration will tend to  loosen crimped and set screw connections.

I tend to disagree here.  I have over 20 years experience using connectors of all types and a good crimp connection will outperform a soldered one hands down.

The problem is all crimp connectors aren't created equally.  Some work much better than others and the best ones require expensive crimp tools most people don't have.

My emphasis, and the reason I made my statement. I have similar career experience as a Navy avionics tech, and have found that untrained people using consumer level equipment and parts do not end up with high quality crimped connections.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

SarDragon

Quote from: mikeylikey on April 20, 2008, 06:48:49 PM
Quote from: lordmonar on April 20, 2008, 06:37:52 PM
but they require extra tools and are more prone to fail over time.

As apposed to solder ones, that require a solder gun and solder? 

The crimp tool at Radio Shack is 3.50.  The line splicer (splitter, whatever it is called) is cheap as well.  You can also get away with a sharp knife.....right??

Wrong. Improperly stripped wires are a leading cause of connection failure. Nicked wires break quickly, and cause other problems that lead to wire and connection failure.

A soldering iron and a roll of solder cost quite a bit less than the tools needed to make quality crimped connections. They are, with a little bit of education, also easier to use to make a quality connection.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

♠SARKID♠

Okay, reclaiming thread.

I just moments ago finished the antenna.  I ended up using a 50ft pre-ended coax from radio shack, but, I needed a bridge for the antenna.  So I stripped off a chunk, and re-ended the coax with a screw in connector.

Frenchie

Quote from: lordmonar on April 20, 2008, 06:37:52 PM
Quote from: Frenchie on April 20, 2008, 05:16:51 PM
Quote from: SarDragon on April 20, 2008, 06:23:24 AM
Soldered connections are the best thing for a mobile installation. Vibration will tend to  loosen crimped and set screw connections.

I tend to disagree here.  I have over 20 years experience using connectors of all types and a good crimp connection will outperform a soldered one hands down.

The problem is all crimp connectors aren't created equally.  Some work much better than others and the best ones require expensive crimp tools most people don't have.

I too have over 20 year doing comm for a living...and I say 100% the opposite.

A solder connection is much superior in the long run.

Having said that....there is nothing wrong with crimp on and the are much quicker to complete.

I comes down to a six of one/half dozen of the other trade off.

I prefer crimp ons as they save time and are easier to do....but they require extra tools and are more prone to fail over time.

Virtually every industry that requires high quality connections that aren't prone to fail over time has gone to crimp on connections exclusively.  This includes aerospace, automotive, and medical industries.  A properly made crimped connection will form a cold weld and will outlast the cable on which it's attached.  I've made crimp connections on everything from the smallest communication cables to 500 amp power cables.  When properly made they don't fail, ever.  About the only thing we use hot welded connections for anymore are large underground power or ground cables and in that instance we Cadweld them.

There are lots of pitfalls to crimped connections and most of them involve substandard tools and connectors, but there's also a lot of pitfalls with soldered connectors.