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Had to cut wiring loom to fly bridge for transport across US. What would be the best way to connect back? I was thinking to soder the splice together and then liquid wire tape with final shrink wrap. Any better way ? Don't need any problems and want to do best way possible.
The best way would be to home run new wires, end to end.
The real risk is that water will travel down the top wire section, enter the interior of the insulation at the splice, then capillary action will wick the water through the remaining run, destroying the wire.
Sealing w/ adhesive heat shrink or liquid tape will never be as good as a new home run.
If you are going to splice the wires, then stagger the joints, so the finished cable doesn't have a huge bulge at one point.
Had to cut wiring loom to fly bridge for transport across US. What would be the best way to connect back? I was thinking to soder the splice together and then liquid wire tape with final shrink wrap. Any better way ? Don't need any problems and want to do best way possible.
Other than replacing the wires, the best way to splice them is with quality adhesive lined heat shrink crimp connectors. Be sure to use the appropriate sized connectors for the wire and the appropriate crimping tool and die size.
Soldering wires on a boat is not good practice except for very small data wires. If someone convinces you to solder the wires anyway, put adhesive lined heat shrink tubing over the solder joint, not "liquid electric tape". If you're not really good at soldering, you really should stick to the crimp connectors.
Or you could set up labeled & protected terminal boards and properly crimped-on quality ring terminals with dielectric grease and heat shrink insulation so that problem would be easy to contend with if ever needed in the future, even individual cable replacement. Too bad the cables were cut instead of backed off, but sometimes you "gotta do what you gotta do".
I would recommend either terminal strips and heat shrinkable crimp on connectors with anti corrosion coating like ttaxi suggested, Or Deutsch connectors.
Otherwise Id recommend heat shrinkable butt connectors over solder and heat shrink.
Or you could set up labeled & protected terminal boards and properly crimped-on quality ring terminals with dielectric grease and heat shrink insulation so that problem would be easy to contend with if ever needed in the future, even individual cable replacement. Too bad the cables were cut instead of backed off, but sometimes you "gotta do what you gotta do".
I have to agree here that two splices outside (one on each end) would be better than one that you can't get to later!!
One I saw last year was a GPS antenna wired to it's power harness using little pieces of epoxy putty smashed around each wire splice....
You ever worked on any tugboats? I have seen some realy scary stuff on the ones Ive worked on.
ie one of the best ones was a alternator positive output wired to the engine block. They were complaining that the alternators were going out as fast as they could put them on
Good set of crimpers and Marine grade butt connects. The good ones have shrink wrap for a covering around it and you use heat to shrink it on after you crimp the connector to the wire. The male and female are made so that the connection is underneath the shrink when pluged together. You can find them at a good marine supply house.
thanks greg,
I'm installing a new system. Just one question will be able to lite my cigar off it too.
__________________ A quote by Zane Grey after Big Game Fishing.
"I am tired, my arms ache,my head boils, my feet are cold but I am not aware of any weakness"
Cabo 31
OK, a point has been made that a splice is inappropriate in an area that cannot be accessed later on (just like in commercial or residential electrical wiring).
That's a valid point so if it will not be possible to access the splices after the flybridge is reattached, another plan should be instituted. Running new continuous wires is a plan, cutting an access opening to access the splices is another, and shortening one end of the wires to an accessible location and running new wires for the remainder is a third plan.
The best way would be to home run new wires, end to end.
The real risk is that water will travel down the top wire section, enter the interior of the insulation at the splice, then capillary action will wick the water through the remaining run, destroying the wire.
Sealing w/ adhesive heat shrink or liquid tape will never be as good as a new home run.
If you are going to splice the wires, then stagger the joints, so the finished cable doesn't have a huge bulge at one point.
If the wires are going to be spliced, then one of my favorite splices is the Western Union splice. This would then be covered w/ adhesive lined shrink tubing and the joints staggered.
Choosing to run new wire will eliminate any future problems. you'll have to snake something through the pipe to pull new wires so a good thing to do is run a piece of strong line like parachute cord down the length of the run and make it twice as long as the run, keeping the extra in a bundle on either end. That way if you decied to run more wiring in the future you have something strong to pull the new wire through and you don't have to snake through the tube when its got wiring in it already.
Best way to splice wires? 
........Yes, I would use the tape..don't want no fires in there..you know what they say about lettin the magic smoke out.... 
