can someone please tell me what is the right way to tap in to wires....t-tap? sodder?

i am going to be install a lot of stuff next weekend and i want to do everything the right way..

thanks for the help

 

Solder and tape...and not just any tape. 3M #233 or better if you want the tape to stay on and not dry out or unravel.

 

a little cheaper way is quality butt connectors...just my .02

 

Cheap does not equal "right". He asked about the "right way"

Especially if the wire is going to be exposed to the elements; the metal in a butt connector will corrode and the connection will corrode right with it.

Soldered wire is 4X physically stronger than the stranded wire, also.

 

the best way i can recommend is the web page right here. its the way ive been doing it for years and has never failed. the part you're going to want to read about is a lil more then halfway down the page and is called "tap soldering." (its very time consuming but will never fail if done properly. its also good if you ever want to remove the wire u tapped on.)
http://www.mmxpress.com/technical/connections.htm

 

DONE !

 

NEVER EVER EVER use those Scotch-Locks shown above. They're the worst possible way to tap a wire. Not only do they corrode & lose contact, they actually DAMAGE the source wire by cutting many of the strands. If you have no OTHER way of tapping a wire, do without it. Don't use those.

The best way I've seen for a temporary tap is to skin ~1/4" of the insulation off, then put a probe thru the center of the wire to separate the strands. Insert ~1/2" of stripped wire thru that hole & wrap it around to pull the strands back together. Tape it securely & put a zip-tie around the 2 wires AND the end of the tape to hold it all together for as long as you need. You can find photos & diagrams on the Bulldog Security website.

 

DONE !

 

I'm going to agree 100% with SSCULLY on this one. The T-TAps are a safe and effective method of tapping into a wire if you're not up to soldering. I actually go one step further that the instructions though. I fill the inside of the tap with Dielectric Grease before crimping it on. I also fill the Male Spade connector that slips into it with the same grease. If I'm really feeling frisky, I also grease the bare wire end before I crimp the Male Spade connector onto it. This grease keeps air from getting to the bare copper wires and corroding them. In all of the installations I've done using this method in the last 5 years, none have failed - and I live in a pretty harsh environment!

RP - did you use this method? One the one hand, I hope so. On the other hand, I'm not sure I'm ready for 27 posts on how many cc's of grease to use and where!

 

Regardless of the specific shape (T or parallel), they work just like Scotch-Locks, so I applied the term generically.

And no; connectors that are suitable for wiring in a building are NOT necessarily suitable, acceptable, OR safe for vehicles. Wire nuts work fine in buildings, but not nearly so well in cars. Personally, I wouldn't allow scotch-locks to be used in a building, either.

No, I didn't copy/paste. I typed from memory. I read about that ~5 years ago & I've used the technique a few times since then; including yesterday.

Yes - I think NO solution is better than an unsafe one. If his brakes went out & the ONLY thing he had was a stick to drag out the window, I'd recommend NOT driving as opposed to using "the best fix available". Same thing with those connectors: don't use them no matter what.

 

DONE !

 

My logic is fine - you're just misinterpreting the POINT I'm trying (apparently ineffectively) to make.

I wasn't comparing wire nuts to Scotchloks; I was only addressing YOUR logic of "a connector that works in a building lighting application works in cars".

If ANYONE had documentation that Scotchloks were unsafe, they wouldn't even exist. But the fact that they exist does NOT prove that they're safe, or even good, for automotive applications. Engine honey & magnets that go around fuel lines exist, and are marketed for vehicles - that doesn't mean they're good, effective, or safe for that application. I've never seen an OLD Scotchlok connection that was still working on a car. Have you? I'm talking about in an automotive application, and I'm talking about one installed by the typical BBS user; not by you, me, or a professional.

Read this page & give me your (revised) opinion on the proper nomenclature for the object in your photo above.

Also, I wasn't talking about allowing them in ANY building - obviously, I have no control over what was used in every building. I was only referring to those building whose construction I supervised. I was a commercial construction foreman & site supervisor for several years. Fortunately, none of my electrical subs ever brought them onto a job site, or I'd have kicked him off it.

Increasing the resistance in a circuit (ANY circuit) DECREASES the load on it. Basic physics & electrical engineering. But it also decreases the EFFICIENCY.

Not that that really matters since any standard approved connection that's installed properly according to code doesn't significantly add resistance to the circuit, if the circuit itself was designed properly.

Scotchloks are used for speed - no other reason. In some applications, they're effective & that increase in speed is justified. In cars, it's a shortcut that's not worth the risk.

The brake metaphor was NOT a direct comparison. It was "hyperbole" - a literary tool using exaggeration to emphasize a point. Obviously, not used effectively (again), but that's why I don't try to make a living as a writer.

Your logic is choppy at best, so please stop attributing it to me. How did you get any vibration/abrasion of your wires AFTER you zip-tied them together? That's one reason for binding wires together - so they DON'T abrade each other.

 

Solder/tape is the best way, period. Sometimes, space/location of the wires doesn't allow that, T-taps work okay in that case, they just look kinda sloppy IMO. Scotch connectors do suck, avoid those if you can.

 

ill just put in my .02 i haveto agree with Steve83. theres no point in doing something if your not gunna do it right. those connectors are the WORST. they frequently lose contact if wiggled the right way or even if you hit the right bump. there junk period. the best way to tap a wire is to actually cut it, put shrink tube over one side, join the wires together and solder. then heat the shrink wrap over it. tape is a no no.

 

DONE !