Wire terminals

[wv109323]

My experience with melting pots is that the wire terminals are a constant problem. They oxidize or become loose from heating and cooling. They loose their clamping tension.
What is a high quality wire terminal that stands up to the enviorment of a heating pot? Brand name and supplier?

[Mk42gunner]

While I haven't had that particular problem with my casting pots, yet. (I probably will next time I plug one in now).

If you are using aluminum crimp on connectors, look around for some copper or brass ones. May help, may not. I don't like using aluminum for AC connections.

Robert

[georgerkahn]

I do not recall the brand name of what I used to fix (I took the thermostat out of circuit) my old Lyman Mould Master. I cleaned the wire ends well -- the Lyman used stranded wire in (just guessing here!) an asbestos (maybe?) type jacket. Too flimsy for a wirenut, plus -- they're made of plastic.
Instead, I took a couple of .22 long cases, put the twisted with my wire ends in, and squeshed it with a pair of wire-crimping pliers. To be OCD, and minimize oxidation I then mixed up some DevCon Hi-Temp Epoxy and used a toothpick as a "spoon" to fill up the .22 case openings.
Gosh -- it has to be 15 years -- and still functions as well as the day I tried it! I used Scotch #88 tape as an insulator. Taking a peak it looks as if it all melted/fused as one glob through the years -- but also has been trouble-free.
What *I* did....
geo

[fc60]

Greetings,

I cannot recall the Brand Name; but, at my local hardware store they have a small selection of stainless high temperature connectors.

The packages are specifically marked "high temp".

These are crimp on connectors.

Cheers,

Dave

[farmbif]

https://www.zoro.com/3m-scotchlok-bu...cx/i/G2381994/

ive never had one of these fail, just remember to put a piece of sealant type shrink tube over the wire before connecting them. they take solder real well if you want to be double sure of the connection

[jsizemore]

SUPCO high temp solderless connectors. I pick mine up at the appliance parts store. Solder won't handle the temp nor the heat shrink. Look at the connectors on the elements of an oven.

Something like this:

https://supco.com/web/supco_live/products/T1111.html

You'll notice that any connector that's rated to 900degF doesn't have a plastic insulator.

The ones you commonly see are only rated to 200degF. They ain't gonna survive very long.

[jim147]

Ceramic wire nuts are used on oven and furnace igniters.

[Kraschenbirn]

K-S brass tubing from a craft or hobby shop. Select tube size with ID nearest to OD of wire(s), cut to length, and crimp in place. Used this method to keep an old Saeco pot going for several years until, finally, the heating element itself failed. (Unfortunately, that failure occured about a year before someone on this forum posted a 'how to' on replacing the elements and thermostats in those old Saecos and I'd given mine away by that time.)

Bill

[stinjie]

soldering worked perfect on my Lyman Big Dipper.

[Mal Paso]

If the temperature of the joint will stay below the melting point of solder, clean the wires and solder them. The solder will stop the oxidation that ruins the connection.

Otherwise Ceramic Wire Nuts and all metal connectors as mentioned above.

High Temperature increases the oxidation of the heating element connection point forming scale, it's better if you can keep the oxygen away from the joint.

[Jim22]

I learned about soldering connections when replacing diodes in an alternator. The originals are either crimped or welded. Alternators easily produce enough heat to melt solder. It is the heat that kills the diodes so iff you are losing diodes your alternator is running hot.

Jim

[murf205]

Greetings,

I cannot recall the Brand Name; but, at my local hardware store they have a small selection of stainless high temperature connectors.

The packages are specifically marked "high temp".

These are crimp on connectors.

Cheers,

Dave

Sta-Kon is the brand I used for 44 years and never had one fail.

[Scrounge]

I do not recall the brand name of what I used to fix (I took the thermostat out of circuit) my old Lyman Mould Master. I cleaned the wire ends well -- the Lyman used stranded wire in (just guessing here!) an asbestos (maybe?) type jacket. Too flimsy for a wirenut, plus -- they're made of plastic.
Instead, I took a couple of .22 long cases, put the twisted with my wire ends in, and squeshed it with a pair of wire-crimping pliers. To be OCD, and minimize oxidation I then mixed up some DevCon Hi-Temp Epoxy and used a toothpick as a "spoon" to fill up the .22 case openings.
Gosh -- it has to be 15 years -- and still functions as well as the day I tried it! I used Scotch #88 tape as an insulator. Taking a peak it looks as if it all melted/fused as one glob through the years -- but also has been trouble-free.
What *I* did....
geo

I used to do small appliance repair as a teen for my Dad's appliance repair business. I used Monel crimp connectors for keeping a toaster or heater running for another year or two. Not sure where you'd find them now. Not seeing anything like that in a quick search, but these are nickel-plated steel: https://www.elecdirect.com/crimp-wir...wire-terminals and not ferociously expensive.

Bill

[samari46]

Have an old lyman 10lb pot. Somewhere along the way I lost the cord. What I was thinking on doing was get a couple copper swage on terminals and after threading the old posts double nut them after I swage the wires on. Sort of like the copper terminals or lugs you'd find on a riding lawn mower. Frank