# [EVDL] Anderson Connector - wire to tip connection?



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Sorry if this seems basic - but I want to install an Anderson Connector
between my charger (Elcon PFC 1500) and my batteries. I've not done one
before, and I don't know the proper way to connect the tips to the wires. 
Can I crimp them or must I solder them - or both? I'm thinking crimping
would mess up how the metal tips fit in the housing, but I wonder how strong
soldering alone would be to resist (granted it shouldn't be much, but you
never know) stress on the wires. Thanks - Dan. 



-----
Dan Gallagher
http://www.evalbum.com/3854

--
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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I have always soldered mine, and have had no problems.

-Tom



> Danpatgal <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > Sorry if this seems basic - but I want to install an Anderson Connector
> > between my charger (Elcon PFC 1500) and my batteries. I've not done one
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello Dan,

I may do both. It is a requirement in our electrical work, to do a
mechanical connection. If the cable has very fine wires, soldering
may crystalize these wires and make them brittle.

Installing these of wires in a set screw box lug connector or using a
crimper with only two crimp points may fracture the wires.

Sometimes we may slip a thin copper tubing made by the Thomas &
Betts Company over the stranded wires and then install it into a
crimp terminal which prevents the wires from damage.

It is best to use a crimper with a die that has six crimp points which 
completely surrounds the terminal barrel. This keep the terminal connection 
from bending when using a one or two point die.
After crimping the cable, notice entry point where the wire enters
barrel. A good barrel design is where it is flare out, so when you
crimp the cable, it does not fracture these wires at this point of
entry.

If your terminal barrel does not have flare out entry, then do not
crimp the barrel right at the end, stay back about 3/16 of a inch.

There are wire terminals design for soldering. These have a small
hole at the spade or connection end. This allows the solder to flow
through out the inside of the barrel.

Using a wire terminal without this relief hole, I just crimp the
wire connection and seal up the end with a low temperature solder.
Position the terminal barrel vertical and I seal the entry end. Hold the 
torch flame at other end of the barrel which may pull some of the solder 
through the barrel.

Do this same procedure using a solder type terminal. Hole the flame just 
above the hole and when the solder starts to drip out of the relief hole, 
than stop adding solder.

It was found by inspecting a cable connection using very fine wires,
where the wires was pre-tin first, and then inserted into the barrel and 
crimp, this may fracture the wires. This method work good for
just soldering the cables, because it took less torch heat to solder the 
connection and gave a better solder contact.

The rules for solder only connection was change, because the solder itself 
acted like a fuse which has burn down structures, so we must crimp first and 
than add solder if required.

There is still a weak point at the wire entry into the barrel. If you bend 
the cable too much in this area, you may start breaking some of the wires. 
Reinforce the entry point with a heavy duty heat shrink, do not use the thin 
type that will still bend at this junctions.

Roland



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Danpatgal" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 10:15 AM
Subject: [EVDL] Anderson Connector - wire to tip connection?


> Sorry if this seems basic - but I want to install an Anderson Connector
> between my charger (Elcon PFC 1500) and my batteries. I've not done one
> before, and I don't know the proper way to connect the tips to the wires.
> Can I crimp them or must I solder them - or both? I'm thinking crimping
> would mess up how the metal tips fit in the housing, but I wonder how 
> strong
> soldering alone would be to resist (granted it shouldn't be much, but you
> never know) stress on the wires. Thanks - Dan.
>
>
>
> -----
> Dan Gallagher
> http://www.evalbum.com/3854
>
> --
> View this message in context: 
> http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Anderson-Connector-wire-to-tip-connection-tp4634774.html
> Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at 
> Nabble.com.
>
> _______________________________________________
> | Moratorium on drag racing discussion is in effect.
> | Please take those discussions elsewhere. Thanks.
> |
> | REPLYING: address your message to [email protected] only.
> | Multiple-address or CCed messages may be rejected.
> | UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub
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> 

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Danpatgal wrote:
> 
> > Sorry if this seems basic - but I want to install an Anderson Connector
> > between my charger (Elcon PFC 1500) and my batteries. I've not done one
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Danpatgal<[email protected]> wrote:
> > Sorry if this seems basic - but I want to install an Anderson Connector
> > between my charger (Elcon PFC 1500) and my batteries. I've not done one
> > before, and I don't know the proper way to connect the tips to the wires.
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Thanks for all the comments - it's very helpful as usual!!!


Lee Hart wrote
> If you're going to crimp them, you need the right crimper. 

I have a pretty basic crimper which I've used for smaller wires (12-24 ga),
but not for the heavier 8-6ga (?) wires that come from the charger. When I
looked on the Anderson website for the tool - it was something like $200! 
Maybe I'll see if I can borrow one from someone ...

Thanks again - Dan


-----
Dan Gallagher
http://www.evalbum.com/3854

--
View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/Anderson-Connector-wire-to-tip-connection-tp4634774p4636683.html
Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Danpatgal <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > Sorry if this seems basic - but I want to install an Anderson Connector
> > between my charger (Elcon PFC 1500) and my batteries. I've not done one
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

On 5/15/2012 5:44 PM, Chris Tromley wrote:
>


> Danpatgal<[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Sorry if this seems basic - but I want to install an Anderson Connector
> >> between my charger (Elcon PFC 1500) and my batteries. I've not done one
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I like to crimp and then solder. I learned this as a volunteer firefighter
helping rewire a fire truck. They see very tough service and often had
wiring problems. The Fire Chief insisted all new connections be crimped and
soldered. After doing that on the engine, it worked remarkably well. The
difference was amazing. Lower voltage than our EV wiring, but still pretty
high currents on many circuits.

There is an old joke that you could lock a firefighter in a room with two
solid steel balls. Within an hour he/she would have lost one of them and
broken the other one.

Mike

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
> Behalf Of Lee Hart
> Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 1:38 PM
> To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [EVDL] Anderson Connector - wire to tip connection? 
> 
> You can solder them, or crimp them, or do both! 
> 
> If you're going to crimp them, you need the right crimper. A hammer, or
pair
> of pliers, or hardware store "univeral" crimper won't work. The wrong tool
is
> likely to produce a bad high-resistance crimp, and will distort the body
so the
> terminal won't fit in the connector body.
> 
> If you solder them, make sure there is *no* mechanical stress on the wire.
> Solder is very weak mechanically, and will crack and fail if there is
vibration or
> tension on the wire.
> 
> My preference is to crimp it, then solder it. If either connection isn't
perfect,
> the other backs it up.
> 
> --
> Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and
> looks like work. -- Thomas A. Edison
> --
> Lee A. Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, leeahart at earthlink.net
> 
> _______________________________________________
> | Moratorium on drag racing discussion is in effect.
> | Please take those discussions elsewhere. Thanks.
> |
> | REPLYING: address your message to [email protected] only.
> | Multiple-address or CCed messages may be rejected.
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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

When you crimp then solder, how does the solder get inside the lug? I
would expect that the crimp would take up all the space where the
solder would normally be.

Do you just apply heat to the lug and solder at the boundary between
the lug and the wire and let the solder leech down into the lug or up
the wire as it desires?

Also, assuming 2/0 or 4/0 wire and SB-350 or similar contacts, I'm
assuming you'd need a blow torch or similar flame to do the soldering,
but that isn't a problem.

-Morgan LaMoore

On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 12:54 AM, Mike Nickerson


> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > I like to crimp and then solder. I learned this as a volunteer firefig=
> hter
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

To apply solder to a crimp connection, you solder it like you solder copper 
pipe fittings. You hold the flame at the end of the connection end of the 
barrel. Do not place the flame at the wire insert end.

If the terminal lug is vertical with the cable end up, you can hold the 
flame point at any position at the connection end. If the terminal lug is 
horizontal, then hold the flame on the bottom side at the connection end.

The heat draws the solder to that end. If you do not see the solder being 
pull in any more, then remove the flame. If your solder job at the wire end 
is lumpy or spill over the barrel, wipe it smooth with a damp cotton or wool 
cloth just after you remove the flame.

In wire lugs that are design for soldering, they have a hole in the barrel 
at the connection end. When solder starts to come out of this hole, then 
remove the flame.

Roland




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Morgan LaMoore" <[email protected]>
To: "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 6:57 AM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Anderson Connector - wire to tip connection?


When you crimp then solder, how does the solder get inside the lug? I
would expect that the crimp would take up all the space where the
solder would normally be.

Do you just apply heat to the lug and solder at the boundary between
the lug and the wire and let the solder leech down into the lug or up
the wire as it desires?

Also, assuming 2/0 or 4/0 wire and SB-350 or similar contacts, I'm
assuming you'd need a blow torch or similar flame to do the soldering,
but that isn't a problem.

-Morgan LaMoore

On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 12:54 AM, Mike Nickerson


> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > I like to crimp and then solder. I learned this as a volunteer firefighter
> > helping rewire a fire truck. They see very tough service and often had
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Morgan LaMoore wrote:
> > When you crimp then solder, how does the solder get inside the lug? I
> > would expect that the crimp would take up all the space where the
> > solder would normally be.
> ...


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