Association Forum - Electrical Connections

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Electrical Connections

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Bortiquai
1st Mate

Member Avatar

88 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/02/2009 : 20:31:11

What is the best way to seal up all my electrical wire connections?

I'm mostly using butt connectors to join two wires. I don't ever want to have to do this electrical work again. Well, at least a good long time.

Someone said liquid tape, which sounds messy, and I see those heat-shrink tubes. I also think I read by Don Casey to dip the ends in Vaseline.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2009 : 21:39:47

I generally shrink-wrap butt-connections. Friends of mine solder and then shrink-wrap them. Rather than vaseline, if extra sealer is desired (such as for exterior connections), I'd suggest dielectric silicone compound, which you can get from West and others. Maybe vaseline is adequate, but it's not dielectric (it's an insulator) and it will flow out of any available void. But who am I to contradict Don Casey?

Edited by - on

Bortiquai
1st Mate

Members Avatar

88 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2009 : 22:10:25

I saw those shrink butt connectors at WM, and was curious how well they work. Good to know. I'll look for the dielectric next time I'm over there. Besides, I don't think Vaseline costs enough to go on a boat :)

Thanks for the input.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3473 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2009 : 22:28:44

I believe the ones at West Marine are also similar to the ones at Home Depot. They are basically rubber or plastic and when heated shrink up nicely around the wires. The key to having a real snug fit is to get the right sized shrink wrap connector. The package indicates the sizes they are to be used for but this is considering you have one wire of that size. If you have two wires in the shrink wrap, it will work but you have to obviously size it appropriately. I use a small butane soldering torch and hold it a bit away from the wrap and work around the connector until it is snug tight all the way around. Works very well !

Just wanted to add this note - It should be obvious but maybe not to all - The heat shrink wrap takes the place of electrical tape or other type sealing methods. But the wires are first soldered together. The crimp type fittings appeal to many because they join wires together without the use of a soldering gun/torch and sort of provide sealing as well. However, soldering and then using the heat shrink wrap provides improved sealing from the environment.

Edited by - OLarryR on 01/03/2009 06:50:54

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/03/2009 : 01:39:10

I use heat shrink with hot melt glue (available in any electronics store). If you use this stuff you don't have to use vaseline or anything else like that, the hot melt glue seals the connections as you make them. If you buy it at an electronics place, you can buy 4' long tubes of it for about 1/5 or less what you'll pay at WM.

Definitely use a ratcheting crimper (about $15 at Harbor Freight, $45 pretty much anywhere else). They make a superior crimp to any regular plier type of crimper.

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

Members Avatar

844 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2009 : 13:54:43

If you've already made the connections, then heat shrink won't work for you, since it needs to be slid onto the wire before you make the connections (and you said you didn't want to do that anymore!

).

The dielectric grease is for use on the metal parts of the connectors to maintain contact between the wire and the connector(s).

Liquid 'Lectric tape is a fine solution for you, and yes, unless you're careful it can be messy, but so are refueling, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, and spaghetti & meatballs.

Heat shrink directly over soldered connections is questionable. The "preferred" method is connectors done with ratcheting crimpers and heat shrink or connectors with solder and heat shrink. I've been using properly crimped connectors with LLT (no solder) for over 10 years with no problems, except for larger battery cables which I use heat shrink. Your boat, your choice.

Edited by - Stu Jackson C34 on 01/05/2009 13:59:27

Bortiquai
1st Mate

Members Avatar

88 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2009 : 20:01:03

I decided to go with the dielectric silicone compound and the butt connectors with the heat shrink built in. So far it seems to be working well. We'll see after it's been weathered for a while.

Thanks for the help!

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 01/07/2009 : 21:45:59

David (delliotg)...How are you using the hotglue and shrinkwrap to seal your splices? Do you apply the hotglue and then slide the shrinkwap over it before applying heat?

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/08/2009 : 00:34:11

Gerry & Leslie,
Actually the heat shrink tubing has hot melt glue pre-applied on the inside, it's made that way. Heating it up shrinks and seals it at the same time. You can buy the same stuff from WM if you don't mind paying the extra cost, you can also buy connectors with hot melt/heat shrink (HMHS), but I don't see the point. Water can get in through any connector simply because the metal has to exit the plastic at some point to connect to the buss bar or whatever. That doesn't stop me from adding a length of HMHS on my connectors, I just can't see paying for someone else to do it for me. I do buy butt connectors with HMHS because that makes a waterproof joint, but I buy them from the electronics shop, not WM. My local electronics place sells HMHS in the 48" tubes I mentioned for a pretty reasonable price, roughly $0.80/foot or so depending on diameter.

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 01/09/2009 : 09:11:03

Good tip, thanks. I'll have to look online. Fry's or similar big box store has not yet found VT.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

Members Avatar

USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 01/09/2009 : 12:56:28

Try here: http://cableorganizer.com/heat-shrink/

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.