[TR] Soldered Wire Connections in Cars

[MMoore8425 at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/11/2008 11:06:14 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
Brian.L.Jones at gsk.com writes:

Is this  urban myth, or is there truth to it?

I was a keen touring motorcyclist  and added a great deal of electrical 
componentry to my motorcycle via an  Autocom control system to 'manage' to 
in-helmet speakers with each of CB,  Cellphone, Music/Radio, Radar 
detector, and GPS. The protocol for joining  wires among the motorcycle 
groups I knew (online and in-person) was to  solder and protect with 
heat-shrink wrapping around the joint. My memory  of riding tells me that 
motorcycles are subject to more vibration than  cars (a wider range and 
greater intensity). I don't recall a well-soldered  joint in wiring failing 
on my motorcycle.

Having been 'up close and  personal' with my car's voltage control box 
recently, I noted there were  several soldered joints in that unit. They 
should vibrate more than a  loosely held  wire.

Brian
_______________________________________________


The only mechanic who ever told me tha soldered wires would  fatigue, after I 
found a new regulator with twisted wires instead of  soldered, tended to take 
sort cuts.
Also, I worked several years at a NASA Lab, and I promise you that none of  
our spacecraft ever had twisted wires. They were soldered. I attended a class  
directed towards making sure the solder did not become a structural joint.
When I installed a brand new wiring harness in my Jaguar when I restored  it, 
several of the connector ends came off when I pulled the connection  apart. 
The mfg solution was to solder the ends on. Noneof my cars have had  a wiring 
connection fail because the joint was soldered.
Mike Moore 



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