To Grease Or Not To Grease?

[capt-couillon]

Boy am I gonna get a load of grief for this one
Myself I do not trust, and do not use straight crimp connections for high current connections such as starter or windless circuits. It has been my observation and experience that crimp only connections in a marine environment degrade quickly due to internal oxidation, leading to high resistance and the associated increase in temperature.

My standard method for making up a high current terminal is to tin the wire (if not already tinned), tin the interior of the crimp on connector, coat both components with a light covering of rosin based flux. Slide a 3-4" piece of heat shrink over the wire (well back from the joint) and lightly crimp the connector in place making sure you have a half inch or so of bare wire between the connector and the wire insulation. Lightly clamp a pair of vice-grips on the exposed wire to act as a heat sink.

Get out the propane torch and a spool of 60/40 rosin core solder. Heat the connector until the solder melts when you touch the exposed wire in front of your heat sink (not when you touch it to the connector). Flood the connector cavity with solder till full. When it cools, slide the heat shrink down over the insulation and connector cavity and shrink into place.

Takes a few minutes, but no air, no water, and in 40 years of doing it this way, no failed connections.

Let the rants begin

Oh, and a bit of Lanocoat smeared on the connections after you make them up to the windless solenoid will keep them from "greening up" as well.

Your mileage may vary