Strange wiring connector

[tapkaJohnD]

I have a Brian James trailer, and I've bought a replacement rubber rear light stalk for it - I knocked the old one off falling over it.

The light unit comes ready wired, and the end of the wire is sealed with a plastic cap, obvious;y permanent. Strange.
Then I dismantle the rear light cluster, and find this - see pic. The lead to the light stalk is spliced to the lead to the rear lamp by a connector that looks like a sophisticated version of a Scotchlok, those inventions of the Beelzebub. It's about 2cms long by 1cm square, and made of black and blue plastic, if that helps.

I've never seen one of these before, nor can I find it on t'Net. I need to know how to split it apart and rejoin without damage, and what they are called in case I do damage it. Can anyone help, please?

I'd call Brian James, but of course it's saturday PM and they're closed. I'd like to get this done this weekend.

Thanks!
John

[Auntieroll]

They are called Cr*** ,a vague copy of Scotchlok ,if I were you I would remove remove it and do the splice properly with heat shrink and a soldering iron.

[Oldred_V8S]

Auntieroll said:

They are called Cr*** ,a vague copy of Scotchlok ,if I were you I would remove remove it and do the splice properly with heat shrink and a soldering iron.

What this man said, seriously never use anything that breaks through the insulation.

I'll admit to using these things in the past, but we are all young and naive once. Strip the insulation, solder the leads together and use shrink tube.

Edited by Oldred_V8S on Tuesday 1st April 09:48

[dbfan]

Or, if you need to pull the lead off, use bullet connectors (I prefer to solder and crimp "uninsulated" ones rather than crimp the insulated ones).

I think the original versions of those terminals were called "Amplocks" - Amp being the manufacturer - and made in the mid 70s. As others have said, these sort of things aren't really the best idea for a number of reasons - though the Amplock was handier as you put the wires in individually so they were easier to work with in tight spaces than a "Scotchlock" - the original version - when the "free" lead could slip out while you "crimped" the thing together.