On 12/29/2013 10:33 AM, Ralph Mowery wrote:

"philo " wrote in message
...

Oh, we just used those for auxiliary contacts, I usually worked
with the 350AMP connectors where heating could be significant.

When soldering was mentioned, I was thinking for around # 12 wire or
smaller. I worked around everything from very small wire around # 26
to some of the 000 sizes. Never soldered anything. Had to use some
hydraulic crimping tools on the larger stuff. Hand tools just would
not do a good job. I doubt anyone would think of soldering the wires
that are over 1/4 of an inch or larger. There were some ground wires
that were cadwelded, but I don't count that as solder.

The place I worked for had thousands (maybe millions) of crimped or
wire nut connections. Almost never saw a crimp fail except when some
dummy tried to crimp solid wire. A few wire nut connections failed,
but I suspect they were not put on correcctly.

At one time around the house I did solder some of the molex
connectors that used from # 24 to # 12 wire. Not that I wanted to,
but because I did not have the proper crimp tool. Now I have the
tools, I don't solder.

The larger crimp connectors I've used on power cables have grease in
them to fight corrosion. Of course they are cu/al rated and the grease
in the connectors is oxide inhibiting compound for the aluminum wire but
it also helps the copper wire connections. ^_^

TDD

TDD