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I got a good sized bag of these:
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/31818/A0951-ND/172790

then use a Channel Lock #909 to make the crimps.

Then heatshrink tubing over all of it. Digikey also has heatshrink for MUCH cheaper than any parts store.

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3. Hook wires together, then twist/wrap excess ends around itself.

Step 3 is the most important.

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Ive used all of the answers.I prefer to twist the wires together and solder,shrink wrap.My hands are bad now so I get my son to twist them together.He can get them so good there is basically no bulge and they are so tight you cant pull them apart.Proper soldering is the important thing.Rocky

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I do not agree with the j hook style connection. I ideally want little or no increase in wire cross section. If soldered correctly, the mechanical aspect of the connection adds almost nothing. The problem with an oversized mechanical connection, is the abrupt added stiffness, added to by soldering, which makes the connection a prime location a vibration/flexing induced stress fracture. Additionally, any connection that needs heat shrink, should have 2 layers, both different colors to visibly indicate future abrasion, and 2 different lengths of HS to spread out any added wire stiffness from HS, based on my first point.

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The "J", hook, and twist method is called the Western Union splice.

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I didn't know that.

How fast did western Union run?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Union_splice

This source says developed for mainly wires under stress/tension (western union telegraph?), solid rather stranded, originally was not intended to be soldered, only notes testing on 22 and 16g, and makes no note of vibration induced failures.

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The step everyone omits is a cleaning after the solder connection

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not sure if I mentioned it, but this is all for the bulkhead/alternator bypass like the MADD article.

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alright I missed that your ran the alt directly to the starter relay. I was thinking that you just (only) did Nacho's bulkhead bypass so yes what you have circled is less critical than it would have been but I'd sure try to move the loom down so I could solder it & if not make the crimps TIGHT

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Yes you should be fine but the fusible link comment opens another can of worms goggle it read about the downsides

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Just an FYI, dielectric grease does NOT conduct electricity, nor should you ever use a grease that conducts electricity in an automotive application. I would recommend that you look into using flux instead of dialectic grease for your connections. I am sure the dialectic may perform like a flux but a flux is more in line with what you are doing.

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What's the best way to splice two wires together?? Do you guys prefer to use bare butt splice connectors, then solder them, and insulate with a wrap of electrical tape and some heat shrink?

Or is it better to just twist the stripped wires together and solder them WITHOUT using a butt splice connector, and give them a wrap of tape and some heat shrink???

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Dielectric grease is great for connections that don't have solder (i.e. a pin to pin connection that is just metal to metal.) From what it sounded like, you were planning on greasing up a pair of wires and then soldering. The purpose of flux is to prevent oxidization of the wires while they are heated yet not covered by solder yet. Corrosion increases at hot temperatures and will prevent good flow of solder. I like what the avionics guy mentioned about cleaning the connection. Properly heat shrinking a (clean) connection prevents future water and atmosphere exposure. The junction should not corrode any longer; application of dialectic grease is unnecessary at a soldered junction.

On an aside, but related to the conversation, I solidly prescribe to the butt connection, solder, and shrink wrap methodology. Defiantly get the klein 1005 tool. From my understanding in aviation, they rarely if ever solder a connection for fatigue purposes. With that being said, they are using several hundred dollar crimping tools that can get the perfect pressure. I would rather suffer from fatigue (inside of heat wrap) several thousands of miles down the road than suffer from an improper crimp parting 2 miles down the road. A really good crimp should have a pull test and then a soldering.

As far as a soldered joint heating up causing the solder to melt... the wire insulation would melt before the solder would ever melt. If a junction/ terminal is doing this, it was improperly designed or created (with or without solder). I am not buying what is being sold. Whilst I am not a wire engineer, I think you will find that the solder decreases the locations resistance as current carrying material fills in all the voids. It will also increase the tensile strength of the junction.

Fatigue issues can be mitigated by proper support of the wire...

If for any reason you want to discuss these concepts, I would talk to Mark at MAD Electrical. The guy can talk your ear off about the smallest details.

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