Electric taping or wire crimps? which are better? Wire Crimping seems a bit harder.

 

Electrical tape works great.... until the first warm day Never use electrical tape alone. It loses it's adhesion quickly, especially when in hot and cold conditions. If you must use electrical tape, like after soldering, after wrapping the electrical tape, put a zip-tie around the connection. The tape will insulate, the zip-tie will keep the tape in place.

Crimps are always best if you're doing the simple twist together type work and not using a soldering iron. Try using connectors that use only one crimp, like a Crimp Cap. Butt connectors need 2 crimps. Each crimp is a possible loss of connections. The more splices/crimps, the more loss of current you'll have in the circuit.

 

Sodering and heatshrink is the best and techinically proper/correct way to do it. Takes a bit longer, on high-end installs is where these are found.

Easiest way and most practical on basic install are crimp caps. Typically I can have a car jsut for a new HU and using crimp caps have the car in and out in 10-15 minutes completely done.

Worst way is T-taps. Don't ever use these. Period.

O and I wrap al my wiring harnesses completely in electrical tape to keep all the wires together, makes it look 100% factory and ALOT cleaner IMO. But I pretty much got the taping technique down to where it won't come loose in heat (I live in FL, trust me lol).

 

Definitely agree soldering / heat shrink is the way to go, it is a bit of a pain though (especially when someone comes in yelling and you let go of the iron then try to catch it by the tip, bad times...) If you are using electrical tape for anything make sure to use decent tape, the cheap stuff barely even sticks to itself most of the time.

 

i use solder first then wrap with electircal tape then melt the tape on with a hot air gun... but that is only when im not working within the dash... But most likely if i had the shrinkwrap stuff i would use that all the time... its sooo much nicer and easier well at least I think so... Never use E tape alone especially because of heat conditions. I used to use twist caps exclusively but now if i am forced to use them i tape over the caps to keep them secure...

 

How do you "melt" electrical tape in a useful way. When you apply heat to tape it doesn't shrink like heat shrink does, it just melts the adhesive and it gets all gooey and starts falling off. I've never seen heat help tape stick.

 

Solder and shrink tube, then wrap with electrical tape so that it looks completely stock.
Also, there are a dozen or more grades of electrical tape. Buy quality tape and it won't fall off or get gross and sticky.

Shrink tube is sooooo kewl.

 

Give it a try... I use a solderin gun on it and literally fuse the tape together... it definitely works... and never had a problem