Proper Wiring Connections

Sinkhole · September 4, 2009

Hello all. I've seen a lot of talk about remote starts and alarms. As an installer most of the issues I see are due to poor installs and bad wiring connections. I just thought I post a quick little tutorial on how to make proper wiring connection for those that are not sure. The type of connection I recommend to use, for splicing into another wire, is called a "needle and thread connection". Many will say a soldered connection is better, but this connection has a few very important advantages over solder joints. First is a needle and thread connection can be undone easily if you choose to remove the equipment from the vehicle. Second you are not working with a high heat source in a confined area, thus there is no risk of accidently melting the insulation on another wire. Also this connection is as reliable and strong as a solder connection if done properly.

Here are the tools you are going to need.

• Side cut wire strippers

• Small diagonal cutters

• Small pick tool or awl

• 4" zip ties

• 3M electrical tape

Once you have identified the wire you need to tap into, you strip the insulation with your wire strippers.

The next step is to use your pick tool to separate the individual conductors. Make a fairly wide loop in the conductors.

Sinkhole · September 4, 2009

Your next step will be to strip the insulation from the end of the wire to be connected back about ¾" and twist the wire end tight. Then insert it through the eye loop you made in the other wire at a 90 degree angle.

Now squeeze the eye loop closed and wrap the wire around the main wire.

EDIT: At this point you can solder the joint if you prefer but it is not necessary and you will lose the ability to un-do the connection easily.

Next step is to fold your connected wire down along side the ire you are connecting to and insulate the connection with your 3M electrical tape.

The last step is to use one of the 4" zip ties to secure the connection. Make sure the zip tie over laps the end of the tape this will help keep it in place.

That pretty much does it.

Sinkhole · September 4, 2009

If you need to make multiple connections on the same wire I recommend leaving about 2" between you connections and follow the same procedure for the next connection.

Don't be afraid to use plenty of zip ties, they are your friend, and will help keep everything tight and secure. The last thing you may or may not what to do, is dress your wires. Get your self some split loom that will fit over your harness. After installing the split loom wrap it in electrical for that factory look. Try to keep it tight and over lap the tape ¼ to ½ way over the previous wrap. It will look awesome.

I hope this helps some of you out there with your installs.

jf781 · September 4, 2009

Great write up! Will definitely come in hand down the road

jf781 · September 4, 2009

..............dbl post. fml

C. Charles Hahn · September 4, 2009

Those connections look freaking CLEAN! I'm impressed

I've always been addicted to those tap splice connectors myself, but they take up a lot more space....

brims · September 4, 2009

I prefer to cut, strip, crimp, solder, then heat shrink my connections. I've never been a fan of twist and tape.

Sinkhole · September 5, 2009

I prefer to cut, strip, crimp, solder, then heat shrink my connections. I've never been a fan of twist and tape.

This is not the traditional twist and tape that you are thinking of. If you like a solder connection better then simlpy solder the joint before you wrap in in tape. I always solder and shrink wrap when the wires are end to end. But when doing a remote start it is totaly unrealistic to cut your ignition wire, constant wire, etc. and try to solder and shrink wrap them back together. Butt connectors are also out in my book. I only use them when I absolutely have to. Even when crimped correctly they don't provide a 100% secure connection. Not to mention they will slightly increase the resistance on the line. If you are doing and end to end and can not solder the connection, a crimp cap is a more secure connection than a butt connector.

Sinkhole · September 5, 2009

Those connections look freaking CLEAN! I'm impressed

I've always been addicted to those tap splice connectors myself, but they take up a lot more space....

The problem with those is they actually break the conductors in the wire, and you can actually cut the wire almost all the way through. I've removed them before to find a wire being held together by 3 or 4 of the original 20 or so conductors.

brims · September 5, 2009

I prefer to cut, strip, crimp, solder, then heat shrink my connections. I've never been a fan of twist and tape.

This is not the traditional twist and tape that you are thinking of. If you like a solder connection better then simlpy solder the joint before you wrap in in tape. I always solder and shrink wrap when the wires are end to end. But when doing a remote start it is totaly unrealistic to cut your ignition wire, constant wire, etc. and try to solder and shrink wrap them back together. Butt connectors are also out in my book. I only use them when I absolutely have to. Even when crimped correctly they don't provide a 100% secure connection. Not to mention they will slightly increase the resistance on the line. If you are doing and end to end and can not solder the connection, a crimp cap is a more secure connection than a butt connector.

I disagree, I've never had an issue with a butt splice being insecure. If you have the proper tools you can crimp a butt splice and it will not come apart. And those tools aren't expensive. $10-$20 crimper works fine.

Tape falls off which leaves the connection exposed.

I had no problem cutting my wires and putting a splice in there. They look factory.

If you're working in lab conditions the resitance you see may be an issue.

Take a look at a crimp cap, it is a butt splice. A tube that you crush.

Sinkhole · September 5, 2009

I prefer to cut, strip, crimp, solder, then heat shrink my connections. I've never been a fan of twist and tape.

This is not the traditional twist and tape that you are thinking of. If you like a solder connection better then simlpy solder the joint before you wrap in in tape. I always solder and shrink wrap when the wires are end to end. But when doing a remote start it is totaly unrealistic to cut your ignition wire, constant wire, etc. and try to solder and shrink wrap them back together. Butt connectors are also out in my book. I only use them when I absolutely have to. Even when crimped correctly they don't provide a 100% secure connection. Not to mention they will slightly increase the resistance on the line. If you are doing and end to end and can not solder the connection, a crimp cap is a more secure connection than a butt connector.

I disagree, I've never had an issue with a butt splice being insecure. If you have the proper tools you can crimp a butt splice and it will not come apart. And those tools aren't expensive. $10-$20 crimper works fine.

Tape falls off which leaves the connection exposed.

I had no problem cutting my wires and putting a splice in there. They look factory.

If you're working in lab conditions the resitance you see may be an issue.

Take a look at a crimp cap, it is a butt splice. A tube that you crush.

You are obviously not the kind of person who would benefit from this. You obviously have a solid understanding how to make a proper connection. I do agree that butt connectors will rarely fail if crimped correctly. However I have seen them fail even when done properly.

You are right, left to its own tape will usually come off. That is why need to secure the end with a zip tie.

I recently upgraded a customer’s remote start with keyless entry, because both remotes finally failed. It was less expensive to install a new remote start system with keyless entry, than buy 2 new remotes. I had originally installed system back in 2004. I used the same type of connection back then. None of the tape had come loose, and I was able to easily remove the old system and install the new one with out having to cut anything more than a few zip ties and some tape. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying your way will not work, it will. But in the 16 years I’ve been installing I have not had this type of connection fail, ever, and it is still possible to remove the installed system cleanly and neatly for either and upgrade or to move it to the customer’s new vehicle.

C. Charles Hahn · September 5, 2009

Those connections look freaking CLEAN! I'm impressed

I've always been addicted to those tap splice connectors myself, but they take up a lot more space....

The problem with those is they actually break the conductors in the wire, and you can actually cut the wire almost all the way through. I've removed them before to find a wire being held together by 3 or 4 of the original 20 or so conductors.

True. I think most of the time that happens if you use a splice that is too small for the gauge of wire you're working with, which is why I always make sure to use the biggest one that will still get enough "bite" into the wire to make solid contact. Rarely have I ever had one cut a wire on me to the point of having to splice it back together.