3 ms·

I didn't see it mentioned in the article, but please don't add solder to crimped connectors "to be extra secure" even though it's common advice in hobbyist circ

I didn't see it mentioned in the article, but please don't add solder to crimped connectors "to be extra secure" even though it's common advice in hobbyist circles. Unless you're using PTFE or similar insulation, you will make the crimp to the insulation weaker, defeating its strain relief purpose. Worse, right at the point where the solder wicks to, there will a huge stress concentration, and all it takes is a couple of bending cycles to break the first strand. After that point there is zero strength there.

deleted 2y ago
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eknkc 2y ago
I built some hobby projects using these connectors and I did not have a crimper so.. solder it is. Never had a problem but the connections were pretty solid in enclosures so no movement after assembling things. I agree that "do it how it's supposed to be done" is a good advice in any situation though.
potato3732842 2y ago
The internet hand wringing and pearl clutching about solder and fatigue is mostly baseless. There are two situations where it will matter: First is high dollar, highly engineered things. In these cases it's a non issue because you should be figuring out what will work and then doing it. That's kind of the point of expending the engineering effort. Second is some ghetto "made with what I had" abomination where an Arduino is dangling by its wires from whatever vibrating machinery it is acting as a controller for because the nature of the situation made the wasted expense of even a single zip tie inappropriate. In those cases failure doesn't really matter. If it breaks you just fix it and move on. The expansive middle ground where you care but don't care enough to waste a bunch of effort figuring out how to build it to within an inch of it's life the solution is going to be to secure the component and strain relieve the wiring near the joint well enough that it doesn't really matter how you connect things because the connection sees basically no force. That said, crimping is the superior method of fastening in 99.9% of situations.
- johnwalkr 2y ago
  I don’t disagree with you. My only point is, once you’ve crimped a connector, do not add solder. It will make the reliability worse, not better.

deleted 2y ago

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eknkc 2y ago

I built some hobby projects using these connectors and I did not have a crimper so.. solder it is. Never had a problem but the connections were pretty solid in enclosures so no movement after assembling things. I agree that "do it how it's supposed to be done" is a good advice in any situation though.

potato3732842 2y ago

The internet hand wringing and pearl clutching about solder and fatigue is mostly baseless. There are two situations where it will matter: First is high dollar, highly engineered things. In these cases it's a non issue because you should be figuring out what will work and then doing it. That's kind of the point of expending the engineering effort. Second is some ghetto "made with what I had" abomination where an Arduino is dangling by its wires from whatever vibrating machinery it is acting as a controller for because the nature of the situation made the wasted expense of even a single zip tie inappropriate. In those cases failure doesn't really matter. If it breaks you just fix it and move on. The expansive middle ground where you care but don't care enough to waste a bunch of effort figuring out how to build it to within an inch of it's life the solution is going to be to secure the component and strain relieve the wiring near the joint well enough that it doesn't really matter how you connect things because the connection sees basically no force. That said, crimping is the superior method of fastening in 99.9% of situations.

johnwalkr 2y ago
I don’t disagree with you. My only point is, once you’ve crimped a connector, do not add solder. It will make the reliability worse, not better.