Connecting 6 guage wires

[MTFishGuy]

What are you fellows doing to connect 1 heavy guage wire to another (as in installing a bow mount trolling motor connector)? I found those plastic deals where you insert an end a smash it down with a plier to not be very effective. Comments please.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: Connecting 6 guage wires

You can sourch junction blocks. Or you can source butt connectors and crimp them. It sounds like you already crimped and found that it did not work. From the sounds of your description, you did not crimp the connector proerly. I hav enever had luck with a flat crimp like you would get from a pair of pliers. IF it were me, I would go to the parts store and get an uninsulated butt connector the proper size, some premium shrink tubing and solder the wire in the butt connector and then seal it with the heat shrinktubing. However, if you must crimp it together, I have had luck using a center punch or similar tool with a hammer to punch down the center of the connector during the crimping process. Check out some of the other posts to see pictures of swedging tools. Realgun's "How not to wire a bost" has some real good pictures. Look at the blue crimper and you will get an idea of how I used the center punch.<br />Of course, the best thing to do is to buy the proper length of cable and run one piece of cabel front to back. But that is not absolutley necessary. Regardless of how you make your connection, make sure to seal the connection wate tight. And electrical tape wont do the job.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Connecting 6 guage wires

use a 'split bolt' availiable at any hardware store.. for # 6 wire..

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Connecting 6 guage wires

Split bolts are too bulky, especially near the connector and not very pleasing to look at those large globs of electrical tape. Crimping using large butt connectors also requires a special crimping tool. Buy, rent, or borrow a large soldering iron, buy some rosin core solder and several lengths of shink tube. Strip about 5/8 inch of insullation from the two wires to be joined. Cut two or three pieces of shring tube about three inches long and slide them onto the longer of the wires well away from the splice. Next, fan the wires out slightly so you can slide then end-to-end into each other. With the iron good and hot, place it on the joint and hold it there, periodically touching solder to the joint until it melts. Feed solder into the joint until it fully covers all strands of the wire. Let the joint cool. Slide one length of heat shrink tube over the joint and using a match, shink it. Apply the second and third in the same manner. Repeat the process for the other wire. If you wish, wrap the spliced area neatly with electrical tape. You now have a safe, secure joint that looks presentable.

 

[MTFishGuy]

Re: Connecting 6 guage wires

Thanks for the good tips.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Connecting 6 guage wires

if your pulling a large current solder alone usually wont work. its also not quite legal in marine use. I tend to cheat. buy a #4 lug and cut off the ring end leaving a metal barrel. insert a wire from each end and crimp with a compound type crimper. most napa and other parts store will do it if you can take it to them. if you solder after crimping,wont hurt, then use a mini torch and a rosin core solder after using plenty of flux paste. most irons of less than 200 watts just wont heat that amount of copper to the proper tempreture for a good solder joint and you tend to end up with cold solder spots.<br /> I then use a double wrap of heatshirnk tubing with a heat activated epoxy liner. usually will get a few years out of it before the salt gets it.<br /> dont use black tape for sealing. it wont seal water out and will seal it in.

 

[jlinder]

Re: Connecting 6 guage wires

Upinsmoke,<br /><br />As it has been stated here a number of times solder shall not be the only means of joining wires. Also, soldering #6 wire is not all that easy to do right.<br /><br />Get the right crimps and tool, then cover with the adhesive coated heat shrink. A little extra effort now, but you should not have to look at it again for the next 20-30 years.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Connecting 6 guage wires

Jack - I didn't say that soldering was the only method of joining wires -- nor that it was the best. Would the other methods mentioned work? Certainly! Fishguy asked for ideas and I presented mine (which I actually use). By the way, Fishguy is in Montana. Not much salt water up there.