solder vs wire connector

[peterlandis]

I have a relay switch with small pins on it.  My question is do I solder the wire onto the relay switch pins or do I crimp the wire and pin together, or is here some other way to connect the wires together.  What I'm looking at is the most reliable method with least chance to falling apart and providing the best connectivity.

[mwester]

Those pins are designed to be soldered - specifically to a circuit board.  For reliable operations, you'll want to solder wires to those pins, especially if the circuit could be exposed to humidity (indoors or outside) where corrosion might make a crimped connection unreliable very quickly.

 

An alternative means might be the use of crimping pliers and the crimp connectors (commonly sold for use with automotive wiring) -- but I'm always a bit concerned about those because one has to use a LOT of force, and that has a tendency to pull pins out of the device itself if one isn't careful.  A crimp connector differs from a simple "twist" connection of wires even if the twisting is done by pliers; a crimp actually results in deformation of the metal and areas of metal-to-metal contact where oxygen cannot get in between -- and that requires a lot of mechanical force relative to the size of the wire.

[Techman]

I have a relay switch with small pins on it.  My question is do I solder the wire onto the relay switch pins or do I crimp the wire and pin together, or is here some other way to connect the wires together.  What I'm looking at is the most reliable method with least chance to falling apart and providing the best connectivity.

 

when soldering you have to be careful not to apply too much heat as you can damage the relay case and the relay.

I normally use an IC socket, solder to the pins on the socket then plug in the relay, or if you're inclined to solder directly to the relay pins then use a heat sink between the relay and your solder joint

[jtara92101]

Not what you want to hear, but the only reliable connection for those pins is the one it was designed for - soldered-down to a circuit board.

 

With the relay soldered-down to the board, and flat bottom for support, it would be very stable.

 

Whether in free air or glued-down legs-up like a dead bug, anything you might jury-rig is going to be unstable. Solder would be best, until the thing is mechanically disturbed, then the solder joints are GOING to eventually break, as you will only be able to tack-solder wire s to them. (Not really enough room there to twist a wire around the pins.)

 

What is it that you are mis-using that relay for?

 

SRSLY, it would be useful to know what you are using it for, and how you plan on mounting it.

 

I would get a relay that is more suitable for your usage and mounting arrangements.

 

For a PROTOTYPE circuit, you could stick it down to a pref-board, if the hole pattern permits, inserting the pins through the holes in the board, and glue down for good measure. Solder wires on the back side of the board. Probably #30 "wire-wrap" wire. Then EXPECT it to fall apart. Which is no big deal, if it is a PROTOTYPE circuit.

 

Why not make a circuit board? It's easy enough today to make a design and send it off on the Internets to have a professional circuit board shipped to you. (I wouldn't recommend screwing-around with any do-it-yourself circuit board scheme you might find at Fry's etc.) If you will have multiple of these, and perhaps some additional components, connector(s) etc. you can incorporate all of it.

Edited August 19, 2016 by jtara92101

[larryllix]

Before soldering always make sure you have a good mechanical connection and hopefully a good mechanical connection. If the wiring moves against the relay you can have solder tearing and broken solder joints,

 

Solder is not a good conductor where any current is concerned but in micro electronics the effects are negligible.

 

The automotive industry never solders connections which become become a hermetically sealed connection after the metal flows during the crimp and will outlast a solder joint anyday.

 

In your case, you will have to solder and be quick about it or the holding plastic will melt. Don' try to use leadless solder! That is asking for problems. Cover with clear heatshrink, when done, to mechanically reinforce the joint.