Wire terminals with free shipping?

[kshansen]

Working on my 1978 XS650 and thought someone here might make use of this offer. Never bought from this place before but was in need of some connectors and stumbled on this outfit.

http://www.vintageconnections.com/Products/Terminals

One of the problems often with small parts is the shipping costs as much as the parts. I ordered some of the male and female connectors in two different sizes. 40 wire ends for all of $9.00. Offer only good till end of March.

When they come in I'll try to remember to stop back and give review of them.

 

[grizld1]

I've bought from Vintage Connections for years. It's a one man shop run the right way. You'll get the good stuff--same K.S. F-crimp connectors that the professional shops use. That's a great sale, thanks for posting.

A couple of tips for folks who haven't used OE-type F-crimp connectors before. First off, practice a bit with some salvage wire before you go to work on your harness. You'll use up a few connectors that way, but it's a one-time investment in training, and you'll be happier with the results when you install connectors for real. Second, the strain relief crimp on 4 mm. bullet connectors tends to fit a little loose on most of the wires on an XS650. A bit of shrink tube over the insulation will give the strain relief crimp a much better grip.

 

[kshansen]

I noticed he said he only ships out orders three days a week so figured it was not some large multi-national corporation!

That's not a problem for me as I'm lucky to have the ambition to work on this bike more than a few days a week.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Vintage Connections has been purchased, and is now operated by Sparck Moto, LLC.

Hopefully, this will be a very good thing for our hobby.

 

[willis]

I too have bought supplies from vintage connections in the past. Great product that really made rewiring my bike easier. I intentionally made a lot of my components removable by using a couple extra bullet connectors. They even sell stock style connector blocks. I highly recommend buying a crimp tool from them as well. A quality unit at a decent price. Listen to Griz and practice to get it down. I also applied a dab of dielectric grease to the wire before crimping the terminals on. I guess that’s just the ocd in me though.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I also applied a dab of dielectric grease to the wire before crimping the terminals on. I guess that’s just the ocd in me though.

Why would you put an insulating compound under a crimp connection? You're asking for trouble, using dielectric grease that way.

 

[kshansen]

Not willis here , but I don't think the dielectric grease is going to "insulate" the connection. The crimping action will force it away from the contact area. But in any of the gaps it will help control moisture getting in and causing corrosion.

Any of the electronic experts here feel free to agree or disagree with that idea.

It has been a common procedure for me for a few years when it is available to use dielectric grease on things like light bulbs in signals and tail lights where corrosion could be a problem.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Any of the electronic experts here feel free to agree or disagree with that idea.

I teach aircraft electrical systems at a FAR part 147 school. Does that give me any credibility? That dielectric grease is hell to get off. Don't get it near my bike.

 

[willis]

Interesting, I never thought about it like that Marty. In my dysfunctional mind I thought I was adding a protective layer from moisture/corrosion. It will be interesting to see if it causes issues. Fortunately it is a very stripped down harness so it should be easy to trouble shoot if I do run into issues.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Deoxit is a good option to keep corrosion at bay.

 

[DogBunny]

You can buy open barrel terminals directly from China at a fraction of the cost on eBay. Yes, you are buying Chinese, but doubtless that's what Vintage Connections is selling too. Just one example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/100x6-3mm-...leeve-22AWG-/182567907324?hash=item2a81e52ffc

 

[gggGary]

yeah Ihated to rain on the parade I've gone thought one batch of bullets from banggood ordered three more slightly different.
https://www.banggood.com/50-Sets-3_...p-1168383.html?rmmds=myorder&cur_warehouse=CN
And this crimping pliers is great
https://www.banggood.com/0_5-6mm2-A...p-1035788.html?rmmds=myorder&cur_warehouse=CN
this head is for bare terminals and for me that's the only way to do them. I do prebend the tangs a bit with a needle nose then finish in the crimpers for most consistent action. If it's a connection I'm going to use a lot I solder the wire to the terminal also.

 

[5twins]

I have a couple of the Vintage Connections kits and their crimping tool but also packs of connectors from eBay/China that DB linked to. The quality isn't as good on those cheap eBay ones but they have worked fine so far. I bought them mostly for the plastic insulator sleeves they come with. I also have some noninsulated crimps I got from McMaster-Carr which I like. These don't have the locking tab for use in connector blocks so I use them on single wires .....

.... and add the plastic insulator sleeve from the cheap China crimps if needed .....

I also have a really good crimper I use on them like this .....

 

[jetmechmarty]

Guys,
Go to proskit.com and buy a crimper frame.

Buy the dies for whatever you need. It's a professional grade tool. They have the die for open barrel connectors.

Gary,
Make a proper crimp. Do not solder it. Solder connections break, especially on vibrating equipment. Crimp connections are much more reliable if you're doing it correctly.

5Twins,
Your crimper is fine for those uninsulated terminals. I have one of my own. I do prefer the ratcheting tool.

 

[xjwmx]

Make a proper crimp. Do not solder it. Solder connections break, especially on vibrating equipment. Crimp connections are much more reliable if you're doing it correctly.

Ditto that, BUT if solder a spot below the crimp, it might not help, but it at least won't hurt. The problem comes where the solder wicking ends in the wire. The wire is fragile at that place. Some good crimps do go bad, it might take them 30 years and it might only affect low current circuits, a touch of solder in the right place might prevent that. Two more gotchas -- use the right size connector barrel for the wire, they do come in sizes, and avoid like the plague the tool that's sold in dollar store pacs as a crimper. I have no idea what that tool is really for but we are flooded with them You know the tool I mean.

 

[nj1639]

Di-electric grease.
Used in the cable systems where two dissimilar metals that have any type of voltage running through them, micro volts in the cable system, to prevent welding (corrosion). For instance, the taps and tap ports at the pole are pot metal and the cable connector is plated brass.

 

[gggGary]

Marty I knew you or Jim would howl about the solder! Yet I have pretty good luck with a 25 watt pencil just touching the ferrule so the solder doesn't wick up the wire. Specially handy with the really thin wire Pete uses on the Pamco's Back it up with shrink wrap...

 

[Jim]

Marty I knew you or Jim would howl about the solder!

I'm a bit of a contrarian... I know the FAA's official policy is "solder is bad"... and that's what I had to teach, but it's not the first time I've disagreed with em. I'm old enough to remember soldering connectors and relays on F-4C's and Huey's. And we never had any more wires break on them than we did on crimp type connections. I solder my terminals too Gary
And I dare say.... Huey's shook just as bad as an XS does...

 

[5twins]

I usually don't solder my crimps, but I do occasionally. For instance, I just replaced the crimp on the end of a neutral switch wire. I looked at an original and saw that the factory crimped AND soldered it, so I did the same.

 

[xjwmx]

Maybe not coincidentally that connector breaks off. Mine did anyway.