TSX757

Whats going on everyone,

Have been a guest of these forums for a long time but never registered.

I have a 2010 TSX that I just purchased and I'm in the market for an aftermarket alarm with remote start. I actually like the Acura factory remote start, but it doesn't come with an alarm (and yes it is overpriced).

I've been looking at a few Viper systems, but my concern is really the manner in which they install the systems. To be frank...I wish all aftermarket systems were Plug n Play because I just don't want ANYONE hacking into any harnesses. But since I don't have much of a choice if I want Aftermarket...please help me pick my poison:

Do I go with the guy who solders connections or the one that crimps (Assuming all things equal such as skill level)?

Your opinions are appreciated!

blutsx

Solder! Solder is when they join the two pieces of wire together with melted metal. When you crimp you simply crush the two wires together. With a soldered connection is is strong and it will not pull apart or become loose. However, if the installer doesn't do a great job at crimping then the wires can possibly become loose of unconnected over time.

Some people say they crimping is just as good a solder, and sometimes even better. IMO I think that solder is better than crimping, especially if you don't crimp the wires hard enough. Solder is just a safe bet, because if it's executed properly then it should be as strong/ if not stronger than the existing wire.

TSX757

Thanks for the reply.
Yea familiar with the 2 as I have a bit of an electrical background...I guess that's what scares me lol. I've seen more bad solders than bad crimps (although I've certainly seen bad crimps).

When I said all things being equal like experience level - I'm a pessimist when it comes to someone working on my car...so I assume average skills until I can find someone who I really trust. And I'm not a DIYer

BaoZZeR

I prefer crimp because I don't have an extension cord lol. I think crimping the 2 wires together and electrical tap is just as effective and time saving

JR_Rider

I would solder. With an alarm system there are going to be a number of connections and they all need to be solid to function correctly. Crimping is cool but if you have the tools just take the extra time to solder.

TSX757

OK. Had it done. He told me they mostly use crimps but MAY solder data connections. I forgot to ask after installation whether anything was soldered. WIll have to do that soon.

Happy thusfar with the system (Viper 5704V).

mercman

This is one of those discussions that will go on forever.
Every wire in your car is crimped; every wire in your house is a form of crimping. In order to crimp you have to have the correct tool for the connector and know how to use it. If you use a pair of channel locks you won’t get a good crimp. To test a crimp the wire is pulled until the wire or the connector fails, the crimp will not fail.
Soldering is good for pipes and PC boards and connectors designed for soldering.
The biggest drawback to crimping is having the right tool, hand crimpers run from about $20 to several thousand dollars.
The biggest drawback to soldering is the burn marks in you rug and all the electrical tape to cover the work.
My advice is to ask the crimper guy what type of connector they use and what tool they use to crimp it. Ask the solder guy to show you his work.
Jeff

TSX757

Thanks Merc

gonzo08452

I usually don't like anything tapped into the factory harness. I had problems on my old 09 Maxima because of the stupid dealer installed alarm that is preloaded into all their cars. I never purchased it but it was still there. They simply pulled the 'brain' or 'chip' out. Once, the car would not start (push button start) even though there was power to all accesories. I had the car towed to the selling dealer and the tech knew exactly what it was....brake switch not getting signal causing car not to start. He removed the alarm and voila! car fired right up. Don't know if it was due to the install but I did speak w/ the tech who said the alarm interfered w/ the brake switch. I am clueless when it comes to these things so I really don't know who did what to what that caused the no-start condition.