# To crimp or to solder battery lugs

**URL:** <https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156>\
**Category:** Do It Yourself (DIY)\
**Created:** [April 1, 2009, 8:33am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156 "2009-04-01T08:33:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![darvex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@darvex](https://community.electricforum.com/u/darvex)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 8:33am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156/1 "2009-04-01T08:33:23Z")

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What is your opinion? Will there be less resistance if I solder the battery lugs onto the cables or should I crimp them. Which will run cooler?

Thanks for your help.

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**Author:** ![new\_dawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ad7895/32.png) [@new\_dawn](https://community.electricforum.com/u/new_dawn)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 9:53am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156/2 "2009-04-01T09:53:13Z")

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You need to crimp the lugs then you can sodder them. if they get hot a soddered connection can fail. Thus you crimp the connection, If you want the added contact you can sodder the connection.🆒  
new dawn, as in the dawning of a new era

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**Author:** ![Engineer\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@Engineer\_Bill](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Engineer_Bill)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156/3 "2009-04-08T13:16:07Z")

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We’ve had this discussion before crimp then solder. The crimp is a mechanical connection the solder prevents corrosion and makes a good contact, jsut don’t use excessive amount that wicks up the wire, that can make a flex point where the solder ends.

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**Author:** ![new\_dawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ad7895/32.png) [@new\_dawn](https://community.electricforum.com/u/new_dawn)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 9:34am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156/4 "2009-04-09T09:34:22Z")

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Don’t forget to use shrink wrap on the conndetions also use the kind that has a sealer on it to make a water tight connection.:rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![arb](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.electricforum.com/arb/32/359_2.png) [@arb](https://community.electricforum.com/u/arb)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 11:08am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156/5 "2009-04-09T11:08:50Z")

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Although they give the best electrical connection and they are sealed against corrosion, there is one risk that needs to be blocked. The point where the solder wicked into the cable is a stress raiser. The copper will crack there and the cable will fail if you do not secure the cable from movement (vibration) Crimping the cable ends allows more movement of the copper with vibration, but I don’t want the connections to slowly corrode. So, I’ll secure all of them.

Here’s my diesel and at some point EV / diesel conversion project. You can see the results of liquid tape. [http://vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=15633&start=225](http://vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=15633&start=225)

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**Author:** ![Engineer\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@Engineer\_Bill](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Engineer_Bill)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156/6 "2009-04-10T17:16:42Z")

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yes wicking is a risk, dont use more solder than you need, and keep the heat on the connector not the wire. Then use a good layer of heat shrink to protect from corrosion and reduce flexing at the connection.

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**Author:** ![Lectruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@Lectruck](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Lectruck)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/to-crimp-or-to-solder-battery-lugs/1156/7 "2009-04-12T02:32:36Z")

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Crimp and the seal the wire from rust by any means possible, I have seen shrink wrap, electrical tape and I really like the liquid tape.

🙂