Electrical Connections

[Angus McBagpipe]

I get stuck on details. Such is my nature. I'm looking for some inspiration to get me past this road block.
I'm finally getting back to my TD project.
I was/am struggling with the electrical. Not so much the technical aspects but the physical aspects of executing the electrical system.
Soldered connections versus the mechanical plugin connections?
Butt connectors vs Tab connectors.
What is the best/easiest way to physically run a circuit with multiply devices on it?
I could drive myself crazy with this stuff.

[Ottsville]

I get stuck on details. Such is my nature. I'm looking for some inspiration to get me past this road block.
I'm finally getting back to my TD project.
I was/am struggling with the electrical. Not so much the technical aspects but the physical aspects of executing the electrical system.
Soldered connections versus the mechanical plugin connections?
Butt connectors vs Tab connectors.
What is the best/easiest way to physically run a circuit with multiply devices on it?
I could drive myself crazy with this stuff.

The best is often not the easiest. Soldered connections with heat shrink are most always my preferred. Run dedicated ground wires. Easily accessible junction boxes, grommets where wires run through metal....

[tony.latham]

Get a marine fuse box such as this one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000THQ0CQ?aaxitk=9kM.FAYpUm8JSwWKWss-pQ&pd_rd_i=B000THQ0CQ&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=5582544217303223519&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=marine+fuse+block&hsa_cr_id=4969047430301

Buy enough two-wire 14 or 16GA red/black cable (I may have gotten mine off of eBay):



Black to the ground bar and red to the hot side of course.



Run the cable from the fuse block to each electrical device. Use 12 ga wire from your battery to the fuse block and put an inline fuse near the battery to protect that main line.

Solder or crimp connectors? There's a reason aircraft mechanics have to crimp electrical connectors: It's the only way it's legal. Grab a ticket to Hawaii and you'll be flying over that big blue on a bird that's been done with crimps. (You'll find a lot of people that swear by soldering too –but it's not allowed upstairs. And besides, it takes much more labor.)

Just make sure you get a decent crimper and avoid a $5.99 tool. (And I dab my wire into dielectric grease before crimping to make sure it doesn't corrode five years down the road and fail.)



Tony