opinions on posi taps

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=121077
Printed Date: April 29, 2024 at 1:03 AM

Topic: opinions on posi taps

Posted By: sean11901
Subject: opinions on posi taps
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 11:36 AM

as the tite states, what is your opinion on the sole use of posi taps while installing a car alarm or remote start system?

is it a safe & reliable method?

do you have any exerience with them?

and would you rather reccomend the cut and wrap method (with or without soldering)?

thank you!

Replies:

Posted By: sean11901
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 11:47 AM

anyone?

Posted By: howie ll
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 12:07 PM

If they are what is normally known as IDC (=insulation displacement connectors), A.K.A. Scotchloks, not to be used under any circumstances.
AWAYS SOLDER and INSULATE.

Posted By: t&t tech
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 12:49 PM

sean11901 wrote:

anyone?

This topic has been scorched so many times most may have gotten tired of replying, lol! Always solder and insulate, no two ways about it!

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COMMIT YOUR WAY TO JEHOVAH AND HE WILL ACT IN YOUR BEHALF. PSALMS 37:5

Posted By: tedmond
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 1:53 PM

posi taps are crap. strip solder and tape or tape with scotch 33

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Ted
2nd Year Tier 1 Medical School
Still installing as a hobby...pays for groceries
Compustar Expert

Posted By: howie ll
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 4:03 PM

To t&t, you ain't me yet Darren, I'd have said "scotched" OK now I've said it, sorry posted_image

Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 6:45 PM

I'll drink to that! x3

Posted By: mike08401
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 7:17 PM

Don't use it I used one and it broke rite when I twisted alitle too hard...solder and scotch tape work much better (wasted $20 for a pack of Junk)

Posted By: sean11901
Date Posted: March 30, 2010 at 7:33 PM

thanks everyone!

Posted By: t&t tech
Date Posted: March 31, 2010 at 3:47 PM

howie ll wrote:

To t&t, you ain't me yet Darren, I'd have said "scotched" OK now I've said it, sorry

Why didn't I think of that? posted_image

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COMMIT YOUR WAY TO JEHOVAH AND HE WILL ACT IN YOUR BEHALF. PSALMS 37:5

Posted By: icarus_icarus
Date Posted: March 31, 2010 at 8:01 PM

I'm not an installer and have seen this subject come up a few times now in my time on the boards. I was hoping some of you experienced guys could clear up my confusion as to which connector(s) are the wrong ones to use.

I see both Scotchlok and Positaps mentioned in most of these posts.

Scotchloks:

posted_image

Positaps:

posted_image

Now I know that soldering is the best, but which of these are the ones that we should not use at all (or both?)

Is there any connectors that are considered ok to use?

Thanks :)

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posted_image

Posted By: tedmond
Date Posted: March 31, 2010 at 8:10 PM

you shouldnt use either at all. but if you were desperate then i think the positaps would be a better route over scotchlocks.

i find that any form of connector are unrelaible. after soldering nothing can really come close.

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Ted
2nd Year Tier 1 Medical School
Still installing as a hobby...pays for groceries
Compustar Expert

Posted By: sneakycyber
Date Posted: March 31, 2010 at 11:08 PM

Scotch locks are the WORST to use IMO. I USE T-tap for the occasional hard to reach wire. There made by 3M You can google search to find them. I think I ordered mine from Mp3 car a while back. I ordered allot so I am not sure where the best place to order from would be now.

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Posted By: icarus_icarus
Date Posted: April 01, 2010 at 12:10 AM

sneakycyber wrote:

Scotch locks are the WORST to use IMO. I USE T-tap for the occasional hard to reach wire. There made by 3M You can google search to find them. I think I ordered mine from Mp3 car a while back. I ordered allot so I am not sure where the best place to order from would be now.

I thought Scotchloks and T-taps were the same, and made by 3M? I know Swenco makes the Positaps.

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posted_image

Posted By: howie ll
Date Posted: April 01, 2010 at 12:30 AM

Sneakycyber there is no such thing as a hard to reach wire. Keep convincing yourself till God Forbid you get Peugeots or Smart Coupes in the US. Then like me you'll be strapped up and living on pain killers and wishing you'd used knee pads all the time, and hadn't spent so many years using the flat of your hands to push in door panels, seats etc.

Posted By: sneakycyber
Date Posted: April 01, 2010 at 2:41 AM

@ Icarus Yes they are both made by 3M but I believe that they somewhat improved on the design with the T-tap in that the male spade connector that plugs into the T-tap keeps the T-tap connected. @ Howie I am sure T-taps will come back to bite me in the A** eventually but since I am not doing a high volume the 300 or so that I have done I have had no complaints..

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Posted By: icarus_icarus
Date Posted: April 01, 2010 at 5:52 AM

3M doesn't make Posi-taps, Swenco does sneakycyber. Read my other post again...

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posted_image

Posted By: alarep5
Date Posted: April 01, 2010 at 8:53 AM

common sense,

which is better, to attach two pieces of steel together using a screw or weld?

same basic principal for wires

scotch locks are the "lazy mans" fastener

I think they were introduced to the market as a "temporary" fastener for stationary machines, the original designer probably intended them to be replaced by solder eventually.

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OLDSCHOOL - If the wire is there,...use it.

Posted By: t&t tech
Date Posted: April 01, 2010 at 8:31 PM

alarep5 wrote:

common sense,
which is better, to attach two pieces of steel together using a screw or weld?
same basic principal for wires

Like the illustration! posted_image

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COMMIT YOUR WAY TO JEHOVAH AND HE WILL ACT IN YOUR BEHALF. PSALMS 37:5

Posted By: icarus_icarus
Date Posted: April 09, 2010 at 4:21 PM

Thanks for the insight guys, any more input from anyone would be great :)

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posted_image

Posted By: icearrow6
Date Posted: April 09, 2010 at 5:36 PM

If you wanna redo the alarm a few months down the road use Scotchloks.

If you wanna do it once, Strip, Weld, Insulate.

Nuff Said.

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Posted By: kreg357
Date Posted: April 09, 2010 at 8:30 PM

Not to stir things up but...

How about these on wire end to wire end connections?

https://www.cleevetech.com/documents/CTI_Catalogue_Sect_7.pdf

Bottom of page 7-96, ThermaFix Solder Splice. Make a WesternUnion connection then solder, heat shrink insulate and seal, all with a match. I believe they are only $1.25 each.

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Soldering is fun!

Posted By: itsyuk
Date Posted: June 06, 2010 at 3:48 AM

scotchloks wouldnt be so bad if they came with a flashlight, a fire extinguisher and roadside assistance.

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yuk
quiet rural missouri, near KC.
If your system moves you physically and not emotionally, you have wasted your money.

Posted By: jim hunter
Date Posted: June 07, 2010 at 10:29 PM

if solder is not available or out of your abilities, military splice and tape your connections, theyre solid and secure

Posted By: icarus_icarus
Date Posted: June 27, 2010 at 2:03 PM

jim hunter wrote:

if solder is not available or out of your abilities, military splice and tape your connections, theyre solid and secure

Do you have any documentation of this procedure? I've heard of it but never seen how it's done as I can't find any info on the net about it... I also find it hard to believe the miltary would allow a splice in a circuit without anything 'bonding' the wire like solder or metal from a crimp connector, is this just something some guy that used to be the miltary made up?

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posted_image

Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: June 27, 2010 at 7:33 PM

I doubt that the military would ALWAYS go to the trouble of soldering AND carrying the equipment required.

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