what's up with Installers and installs these days?
06-09-2006, 11:28 AM
#1
what's up with Installers and installs these days?
I happen to be at a car stereo install shop.
The installer (apperantly been doing this for decades) was crimping
power cables to end lugs.
It was funny to watch, I acctually started to scratch my head thinking wtf is this guy doing.
To top it off he is highly recomended.
Doesn't anyone solder anymore?
I know that anyone can solder but it takes some talent to get it right so it doesn't look like a mess.
Anyway this guy is a nice guy yet has alot to learn about how to install.
I saw that he was overwelmed with work so I offered to assist him with some installs (at no cost to him). He turns and starts ranting how there are no real workers in Canada etc....
What an idiot. !!!!
Obviously he does not know what i'm capable of doing. This is my passion as some of the other members on this forum.
Anyway I need to still be nice to him as he has tons of old stock amps still brand new (so he says) that I'm trying to buy yet it's been over 3 months and I call him twice a month. Same story comes up ... too busy to bring the amps.
Enough from me.....
So has anyone else crimp 8, 4, or 1 gauge cables out there?
I solder everything.....
The installer (apperantly been doing this for decades) was crimping
power cables to end lugs.
It was funny to watch, I acctually started to scratch my head thinking wtf is this guy doing.
To top it off he is highly recomended.
Doesn't anyone solder anymore?
I know that anyone can solder but it takes some talent to get it right so it doesn't look like a mess.
Anyway this guy is a nice guy yet has alot to learn about how to install.
I saw that he was overwelmed with work so I offered to assist him with some installs (at no cost to him). He turns and starts ranting how there are no real workers in Canada etc....
What an idiot. !!!!
Obviously he does not know what i'm capable of doing. This is my passion as some of the other members on this forum.
Anyway I need to still be nice to him as he has tons of old stock amps still brand new (so he says) that I'm trying to buy yet it's been over 3 months and I call him twice a month. Same story comes up ... too busy to bring the amps.
Enough from me.....
So has anyone else crimp 8, 4, or 1 gauge cables out there?
I solder everything.....
06-09-2006, 11:42 AM
#3
Whenever I'm using larger cables, like 4 ga. or larger, it's usually at the battery so I will use a terminal that has a set screw and then heat shrink over the cable and terminal. At the other end it goes to a power distribution block so again, a set screw and it's done. Once in 1993 I was too cheap to buy nice terminals so the welding supply house I got the cable from, I got end lugs as well and the guy soldered them on for me free. Did a nice job too.
I'll receive some kind of shame and quiet shun I'm sure, but I rarely if ever solder.
I like mechanical connections like a good ole butt connector for joining small wires or (gasp!) bullet connectors for when I need to connect/remove a wire from another often.
I'll receive some kind of shame and quiet shun I'm sure, but I rarely if ever solder.
I like mechanical connections like a good ole butt connector for joining small wires or (gasp!) bullet connectors for when I need to connect/remove a wire from another often.
06-09-2006, 11:46 AM
#4
re crimping.
I guess it's the way i was trained, yet there are alot of new items on the market for end connections with screws.
I still like solder the best.
Put on a nice end connection and solder it baby!!!
hehe
I still like solder the best.
Put on a nice end connection and solder it baby!!!
hehe
06-09-2006, 12:21 PM
#5
In engine bays all of my ends are crimped and then soldered. UNLESS the customer is not paying for the extra time. Remember that the customer gets they pay for. If they are paying for basic install, a crimp connection is what they are going to get. I leave this choice up to the customer, this allows them to make an educated and informed decision. Personally I would love to do a above average job on every install I have come through the shop, sadly, that is not what some people want to pay for. Cost is a factor here from the business standpoint. I now have to pay the installer extra time to solder the connections, he uses more butane in the soldering iron and add on more solder. Now in one install you may think that this is not too much and I agree which is why we recommend it. However, over the course of a month or a years worth of business, this adds up to quite a bit of loot that you just cannot have the work done for free. Allow the customer the choice for solder and heatshrink and all the finer touches of what makes a custom install really happen.
06-09-2006, 12:56 PM
#6
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3
solder or not?
I have seen solder connections go bad as well as crimps and at the end of the day if what you do works then I don’t see a problem. That said we solder everything and never have to warranty a connection. I have worked at many shops that use crimps and see allot of warranty due to bad crimps.
Just my 2 bits...
Just my 2 bits...
06-09-2006, 12:59 PM
#7
Good point, customer's get what they pay for.
Yes everything costs money I'll also agree with that.
At least you are giving your customer's the option.
Maybe this is what has happened in my case.
Yes everything costs money I'll also agree with that.
At least you are giving your customer's the option.
Maybe this is what has happened in my case.
06-09-2006, 01:06 PM
#8
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 34
Originally Posted by MR2NR
In engine bays all of my ends are crimped and then soldered. UNLESS the customer is not paying for the extra time. Remember that the customer gets they pay for. If they are paying for basic install, a crimp connection is what they are going to get. I leave this choice up to the customer, this allows them to make an educated and informed decision. Personally I would love to do a above average job on every install I have come through the shop, sadly, that is not what some people want to pay for. Cost is a factor here from the business standpoint. I now have to pay the installer extra time to solder the connections, he uses more butane in the soldering iron and add on more solder. Now in one install you may think that this is not too much and I agree which is why we recommend it. However, over the course of a month or a years worth of business, this adds up to quite a bit of loot that you just cannot have the work done for free. Allow the customer the choice for solder and heatshrink and all the finer touches of what makes a custom install really happen.
+1... especially 4 gauge and up. It takes quite a bit of butane and solder to do the connections properly. Obviously a soldered connection is superiror in electrical reguards.
Almost anything I do when it comes to engine management is soldered, I get a little lazy and only solder speaker terminations on my stereo stuff and use screw downs for big power wire.
06-09-2006, 03:13 PM
#9
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 31
I either crimp or twist and wrap to start then when I know everything is up and running I do it over again and soder it. Nothing is worse then sodering then realizing its not right, better off test and then finish, even if its completely obvious. no mater how easy it is I always test it first
