> >>After comparing prices and features, I bought some of the GM

Weather Pack

     connectors.  The first
     > >>thing I will say about them is that they are BIG.  The 6-pin

connector (flat,

     in-line) is about 2"
     > >>wide, and the two ends connected are about 2 3/4" long.  Also

they are made for

     automotive wiring
     > >>with the thick insulation, so the wire entrance seals won't seal

around anything

     less than about
     > >>#16 wire with Tefzel insulation.  They make a #22 wire look tiny.
     > >>
     > >>But they will work; they are about half the cost of the more

compact round

     connectors, and they
     > >>have removable pins (an important feature for me because I'll

need to take some

     connectors off
     > >>again after the dyno run to feed them through the firewall).
     > >>
     > >>For a small number of these you can do the wire crimping with a

needle nose pliers.

     For small
     > >>gauge wires you'll want to solder as well.
     > >>
     > >>When you buy the connectors, they come carded with the seals and

pins included.

     Very convenient
     > >>packaging
     > >>
     > >>Al

     > Al,
     >
     > There's a big red flag in the post above. Crimping a connector with

anything

     > other than the tool designed for that connector will likely get you

a failure at

     > the worst possible moment.
     >
     > I have no desire to start a flame war about the merits of crimp vs.

solder, but

     > please, if you don't want to invest in the tool, solder everything.
     >
     > Charlie England (electronics tech in a former life)

     Good point.  With skill and care you can make a good crimp with a

needlenose, but not

     likely as good as with the specific crimper.  I also did a very

careful solder job on

     every lead making sure it didn't wick up the wire.  The pins have a

crimp that goes

     around the end of the insulation as well, and then the seals are

behind that; so the

     wires are well supported.

     Al

Maybe I am just inept at soldering and crimping, being a novice, but
building the RMI micro encoder and monitor, building the RST Marker reciever
and audio pannel and all the other wiring in the plane..  here is my .01  -
every time I tried to use the crimpers on anything smaller than 16G I ALWAYS
ruined the pin.  With practice I feel I make good crimps with a pair of
small needle nose.  Don't forget to trim the excess metal on the pins for
small wires.

JMHO
Dave Leonard

The secret to soldering is a the right size iron and tip cleanliness.

Paul Lamar
 
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