V1 install question--vampire connector

[woohoo]

Hello all. I've hardwired my V1 but am having problems keeping the power steady to the unit. The problem seems to come when the clamp is not at a certain angle to the green/blue wire. Did I not clamp it hard enough? :dunno:

Somethine else perhaps?

TIA!

[KrisL]

Well, it's either one wire or the other :). If the ground is securely connected, then yes, sounds like your clamp on the green/blue isn't hard enough to make good contact.

[woohoo]

OK, I clamped it with a little more "effort" and is works a little bit better. I stuffed all the wires back and situated the connection so it will remain snuggly at the right angle. :)

Thanks!

[Kaz]

Scotchlocks suck. I never use them.

[woohoo]

Scotchlocks suck. I never use them.

What do you do instead?

[Terry Kennedy]

Hello all. I've hardwired my V1 but am having problems keeping the power steady to the unit. The problem seems to come when the clamp is not at a certain angle to the green/blue wire. Did I not clamp it hard enough? :dunno: You tapped the UGDO connector per the DIY? The crimp-on connector that V1 supplies is for a much heavier wire and won't connect reliably to the UGDO harness. I wound up soldering mine and then taping it. If I didn't have a UGDO, I probably would have purchased the mating connector and plugged the V1 into the UGDO connector to avoid messing with the harness.

[listener]

Scotchlocks suck. I never use them.


:thumbup: I was a car stereo installer in a previous life and I would NEVER use them. They fail far too often, and damage the wire you connect them to in many cases. BAD news. You are better off stripping the wire back and twisting/taping or soldering/taping instead.

[woohoo]

:thumbup: I was a car stereo installer in a previous life and I would NEVER use them. They fail far too often, and damage the wire you connect them to in many cases. BAD news. You are better off stripping the wire back and twisting/taping or soldering/taping instead.

Yeah, I think I would have stripped and soldered the wire too given the problem I just had.

[doeboy]

:thumbup: I was a car stereo installer in a previous life and I would NEVER use them. They fail far too often, and damage the wire you connect them to in many cases. BAD news. You are better off stripping the wire back and twisting/taping or soldering/taping instead.

Yep... that's exactly why when Kaz and I hardwired my V1 and we installed my StealthOne (which also uses a scotchlock for the Kbus connection) We avoided using the Scotchlocks completely. Took a bit more time but it was still an interesting "alternative" install project.

Some people don't understand why I am so against using scotchlocks and the reasons you mention are exactly why. Using them is common because they are easy and fast, but that's about it IMO.

[CWolfey]

What do you do instead?

T-Taps, Scotchlocks eventually fail, You should always strip the wire back & punch a hole through the wire then push your wire through it and wrap and tape, you could solder if you want but not neccesary.