electrical geniuses

[jbl_marshall21 10+ year member]

Of course ya are. Anyways I wonder how much power I would lose by soldering some powerwire together. Idk if u remember but I have my switch on my power wire and i'm just gonna put a switch on the remote wire now, so if u think it will be a significant amount of power loss (1 volt) then i'll go get some new power wire.

thanks, hope somebody cares and replies.

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[indosia 10+ year member]

You don't solder wires together. Use a distrobution block. Or just get some new wire. ANything over .5 volts is a lot to lose.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Several companies make butt splice connectors that use a set screw to hold the wire and then you just heat shrink the whole deal. Loss will be right next to zero and it's much cheaper than buying more wire.

 

[jbl_marshall21 10+ year member]

where is that at?

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Here's the 4ga version and there is a 1/0 on the site, too.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

this may sound dumb but couldn't you buy a fuse holder and fuse and connect the wires together like that?

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

If I REALLY needed to splice a power wire I'd probably just go to the local hardware store and try to find a big copper butt connector -- crimp it - heat shrink it - and tape it with 10 layers or more.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

and tape it with 10 layers or more.

Ewwwww!!!

Tape is a four letter word. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

If I was really worried about making sure nothing happened to the heat shrink I might put two layers of it on but I would not use tape //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/sick.gif.b1847c8dabbfeeddbcf1a78052249e10.gif You just can't rely on it to do anything other than get all gooey when it gets warm and then come undone.

 

[jbl_marshall21 10+ year member]

thanks, that will save some 30-40 bucks.

i appreciate ur guys help.

 

[taylor 10+ year member]

10 layers????? 1 wrap is good for 600 volts ac....1 is enough over heat shrink....

if a joint is done properly, you should see no voltage drop. voltage drop is really only dependant on the length of the wire. you may lower the ampacity if done badly, but if it's done with a big setscrew or crimp type connector you will see no losses of anykind.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

My concern with just a layer or two would be with wear.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

If you are running power wire in a place where you have to worry about wear, you aren't doing something right. Either you should reroute it or put it in split loom or pigtail wrap loom or both loom it and reroute it. If it will wear through the heatshrink, it will eventually wear through the wire jacket.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

I've seen wire get worn in locations I never expected it to. I figure better safe than sorry.

Then again - my car's 16 years old - maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

16 yrs worth of dirt in the carpet and it becomes sandpaper. I try to run cable behind trim panels for exactly that reason. No movement=no chance of wear.