high current scotchlocks

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ink313

Member - Posts: 12

Joined: November 05, 2005

Location: United States

Posted: May 26, 2007 at 7:33 PM / IP Logged

Is it safe to use yellow scothlocks on ignition wires when installing a remote start? I don't care if it's not reliable. I just want to know if it's safe in theory as in risk of fire. I know this topic has been beaten to death but I've searched the forums and haven't found an answer.

KarTuneMan

Platinum - Posts: 7,056

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Joined: December 14, 2004

Location: Isle Of Man

Posted: May 26, 2007 at 8:26 PM / IP Logged

They are not designed for high current. And yes the topic has been beaten to death

https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=81970&KW=t%2Dtaps

https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=78137&KW=t%2Dtaps

https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=68852&KW=t%2Dtaps

In my opinion t-taps suck, and are pretty much a joke to ever real installer i've talked to...only the rush em in rush em out shops use t-taps and scotch locks...

I use my strippers, expose the wire, take my test light and poke a hole in the wire..feed wire from alarm into target wire, wrap around a few times, tape, zip tie over it...works great.

Some installers do this method and even solder over the tap and heat shrink tube it...even better...actually that's the only "right" way.

P.S. no the test light isn't clipped to anything like ground or constant when i poke through the wire, i get asked that so much, dunno why, thought i'd clear that up.

I could find you more, but "why"......

KPierson

Platinum - Posts: 3,527

Joined: April 14, 2005

Location: Ohio, United States

Posted: May 27, 2007 at 8:40 AM / IP Logged

They are great for other install shops, thats about it.

We had one of those 'rush them in, rush them out' shops right next to one of the Circuit Citys I used to work at.

The other shop was so bad that they wouldn't even fix their own installs (they would schedule them for 2-3 weeks in the future) so a lot of their customers came to us. We made a LOT of money replacing scotchlocks.

Kevin Pierson

KPierson

Platinum - Posts: 3,527

Joined: April 14, 2005

Location: Ohio, United States

Posted: May 27, 2007 at 8:43 AM / IP Logged

As far as safe, I would say no.

They don't make a constant connection, and can back out over time. as the connection point gets smaller the junctions resistance increases. The increase in resistance leads to heat, heat leads to fire.

One thing most people don't understand is that even a properly fused wire can become a fire hazard in a case like this. You will basically be pulling 20-25 amps though a connection that has the cross section area of a 22 awg wire (this is theoretical, but the 22awg wire cross section could represent the poor connection).

Whenever you pull more current through a wire then the wire is designed to handle IT CAN BECOME A FIRE HAZARD even if you fuse it.

Kevin Pierson

natsys

Copper - Posts: 87

Joined: October 11, 2002

Location: United States

Posted: May 27, 2007 at 7:46 PM / IP Logged

And if you're careless enough to be using steel pliers when you squeeze the tap AND happen to be holding those steel pliers against vehicle ground AND one of the wires you're tapping into is HOT you may have a hard time finding a blown fuse. Ask me how I know--I don't use them anymore, haven't for a long time. Strip, solder, zip tie and tape is the only way I'll do high current connections. I've learned alot on this forum.

KarTuneMan

Platinum - Posts: 7,056

Joined: December 14, 2004

Location: Isle Of Man

Posted: May 27, 2007 at 9:39 PM / IP Logged

Ask me how I know--I don't use them anymore, haven't for a long time.

You got a free arc welding lesson... ? high current scotchlocks -- posted image.

howie ll

Pot Metal - Posts: 16,466

Joined: January 09, 2007

Location: United Kingdom

Posted: May 28, 2007 at 4:13 AM / IP Logged

DONT DONT DONT!!!

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high current scotchlocks

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