Best wire connection/splice method

Greetings all,

I'm installing a crimestopper RS2011 on my 94 Legend and was wondering what you guys thought was the best way to splice into the harness. I am considering using soldered connections with heat shrink tubing but if there is a better and faster way to do this I'm all ears. Also, since the vehicle has a multiplex control for some of the features (dome light dimmer, etc.) would it be wise to isolate the vehicle wiring harness upstream of the connections with diodes? Or am I just being paraniod?

Thanks, Larzo

   I use a linesman's knot to splice into ignition harness wires for alarms&remote starters. I do one better by then soldering and using a heat-sensitive "shrink tape". It looks like rubber, very sticky, and works like heatshrink tubing. This works well for me as it makes a strong electrical connection and can easily be returned to stock - useful on leased vehicles.

   I use solder connections almost exclusively. The only exception is for a customer who is very adamant about having stock wiring when they return a leased vehicle. For them I use ScotchLoks, but I hate them.

   Wire functions are wire functions, plain and simple. use a DMM on the wire to verify it's the correct lead and tap it as you would any other wire. The only wires you should avoid are data cables. I've never seen a data cable in a Legend.

   A diode properly installed won't do any harm to your car or alarm install, so if you feel the need to use them go ahead. I don't think they're necessary for your application. A Legend should be a pretty straightforward install job.

   Dave

   CT Mobile Media

Dave,

You Rule! Thanks for confirming soldered connections with heat shrink was the way to go... It's Wifely"s car and the LAST thing I want is the car breakin' down because of my screw up.

One Question, I'm not Hip to the linesman's knot thing (and, believe it or not, I'm an Eagle Scout). Usually, I twist the wires before soldering or strip the insulation from the "splicee" and wrap the wire of the "splicor" around it(although, I can be a bitch to strip the insulation without cutting the wire). I know it's a real basic question, but, what's a linesman's knot? Is it like square knot?

Thanks, Larzo

   OK, simplest explanation. You put a slit completely through the larger of the 2 wires getting spliced. Strip some insulation from the smaller wire. Insert the smaller wire through the slit , then bring it back out and around. Now hold the two wires running parallel. wrap the smaller wire one turn around the 2 wires, then  tuck it under the smaller wire and around the larger one.

   The idea behind the knot is that as tension is applied to either wire the knot gets tighter. It achieves this without severing any OEM wires thereby making the installation totally reversible.

   Do yourself a favor and mount the remote starter module to a wire harness with zipties. This will minimize vibration damage to the starter unit's circuit board.

   Dave

   CT Mobile Media

self vulcanizing tape is the way to go.  we use that in UG cable connections (that we're not supposed to make, yet they supply this tape) in the catv install world.