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Soldering is good, BUT... You should avoid soldering when possible because connectors are detachable for module maintenance and solder is prone to cracking in

Soldering is good, BUT... You should avoid soldering when possible because connectors are detachable for module maintenance and solder is prone to cracking in high vibration environments. Typically you will see a connector soldered and otherwise secured mechanically to a PCB where vibrations are unavoidable. Crimping is better whenever feasible

InitialLastName 4y ago
This is probably true for scaled production, BUT... Most people following Instructables for tips on soldering wires to vector boards aren't likely to need to maintain their prototypes, and roughly 0% of those prototypes will be in a high-vibration environment.
- gw99 4y ago
  Actually this crap will probably be bodged into a rats nest nightmare project if it’s an instructables user. Anyone who has debugged one of them knows to do things properly or suffer the wrath of intermittent problems.
  - orangepurple 4y ago
    And intermittent problems make newbies lose motivation extra quickly and care even less until they eventually rage quit. It's better to just get connections done well right away
- DoingIsLearning 4y ago
  Still the GP comment is in the right direction. For wires like the ones in the video you can still use something like a small phoenix connector and just screw your wire connections in, just like you would wire up a choc box, no crimp tools required. The advice in the post will likely create a cold joint and intermittent/noisy connections.
- orangepurple 4y ago
  Soldered connections can be surprisingly crap (intermittent electrical gremlins) especially if you're a noob. You can't easily spot a cold solder as a noob. Meanwhile even a noob can easily judge basic crimp quality. Better to get an all-in-one box assortment of cheap male and female connectors off eBay I started out soldering but now it's mostly limited to installing connectors into PCBs followed by hot glue around the housing for mechanical rigidity
jstanley 4y ago
Crimping is better if you're an industrial facility and you can afford to scrap a few parts working out how to crimp them. If you're an individual making runs of 1 and you have to crimp a different connector to a different wire every time, soldering is easier and more likely to result in a reliable connection.
- midoridensha 4y ago
  Crimping works really well when the parts are sized appropriately for each other (the correct size wire and matching-size terminal, for instance), AND when you have the exact correct crimp tool to do the crimping. Crimp tools can cost a small fortune, and are specific for the item they're crimping. You can't just use some generic crimp tool or pliers and get a good crimp connection. So in a factory setting with the correct parts and tools, crimps are actually superior. For prototypes or one-offs, soldering as you say is more likely to be reliable.
- tengwar2 4y ago
  Crimping is pretty easy if you have the right tool - not the "free" one made from stamped metal that comes with those cheap boxes of red/blue/yellow connectors, which crushes the connector flat rather than allowing it to retain the springiness on which a good crimp relies. I'd say that it's easier than soldering, but the tools are roughly comparable in price. However there is rarely a choice to be made: if you're attaching to a circuit board you're going to have to either solder wires on, or solder a connector (even if the wire or cable going to the connector is crimped). I just use crimping for motorcycle electrics, where vibration is an issue.

InitialLastName 4y ago

This is probably true for scaled production, BUT... Most people following Instructables for tips on soldering wires to vector boards aren't likely to need to maintain their prototypes, and roughly 0% of those prototypes will be in a high-vibration environment.

gw99 4y ago
Actually this crap will probably be bodged into a rats nest nightmare project if it’s an instructables user. Anyone who has debugged one of them knows to do things properly or suffer the wrath of intermittent problems.
- orangepurple 4y ago
  And intermittent problems make newbies lose motivation extra quickly and care even less until they eventually rage quit. It's better to just get connections done well right away
DoingIsLearning 4y ago
Still the GP comment is in the right direction. For wires like the ones in the video you can still use something like a small phoenix connector and just screw your wire connections in, just like you would wire up a choc box, no crimp tools required. The advice in the post will likely create a cold joint and intermittent/noisy connections.
orangepurple 4y ago
Soldered connections can be surprisingly crap (intermittent electrical gremlins) especially if you're a noob. You can't easily spot a cold solder as a noob. Meanwhile even a noob can easily judge basic crimp quality. Better to get an all-in-one box assortment of cheap male and female connectors off eBay I started out soldering but now it's mostly limited to installing connectors into PCBs followed by hot glue around the housing for mechanical rigidity

jstanley 4y ago

Crimping is better if you're an industrial facility and you can afford to scrap a few parts working out how to crimp them. If you're an individual making runs of 1 and you have to crimp a different connector to a different wire every time, soldering is easier and more likely to result in a reliable connection.

midoridensha 4y ago
Crimping works really well when the parts are sized appropriately for each other (the correct size wire and matching-size terminal, for instance), AND when you have the exact correct crimp tool to do the crimping. Crimp tools can cost a small fortune, and are specific for the item they're crimping. You can't just use some generic crimp tool or pliers and get a good crimp connection. So in a factory setting with the correct parts and tools, crimps are actually superior. For prototypes or one-offs, soldering as you say is more likely to be reliable.
tengwar2 4y ago
Crimping is pretty easy if you have the right tool - not the "free" one made from stamped metal that comes with those cheap boxes of red/blue/yellow connectors, which crushes the connector flat rather than allowing it to retain the springiness on which a good crimp relies. I'd say that it's easier than soldering, but the tools are roughly comparable in price. However there is rarely a choice to be made: if you're attaching to a circuit board you're going to have to either solder wires on, or solder a connector (even if the wire or cable going to the connector is crimped). I just use crimping for motorcycle electrics, where vibration is an issue.