How should I replace this connector?

[tight fart]

The heater fan resistor keeps falling in my Fiat camper, common fault, looking for a replacement I notice a lot are listed with a complete new connector. This prompted me to look closer at the connector at the loom and that’s burning out.




So I need to cut that out but what’s a simple but effective way to splice the new wires together?

[BritishBlitz87]

A ratchet crimping tool and some bullet connectors should do the job, much more effective than farting around with a soldering iron and heat shrink.

[Spare tyre]

If you are not desperate to have an oem plug the other posters method of butt connectors is a good shout (make sure the side supplying the volts is the female side to reduce risk of short circuit)

I’d also be tempted to give the wago type connectors a go

[BritishBlitz87]

Spare tyre said:

If you are not desperate to have an oem plug the other posters method of butt connectors is a good shout (make sure the side supplying the volts is the female side to reduce risk of short circuit)

I’d also be tempted to give the wago type connectors a go

Wago connectors are indeed a shout, even easier but expensive and somewhat less reliable than a good crimp.

Realistically the best choice depends on how hard it is to access this connector and whether you expect to remove it at some point in the future.

[Thats What She Said]

Snip the wires and connect the new connector using these solder connectors.

Use a heat gun to shrink the connector and let the solder flow across the joined wires. Very simple to use and effective

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kuject-Connectors-Waterpr...

[E-bmw]

Obviously, I can only see what you have pictured but my take on that would be.

The damage to the plug has been caused by heat in a poor connection or one that is not suitable for the current that it is actually taking.

If at all possible, I would split the plug into 2 & use bigger connections for those with bigger wires to make it more future proof.

[Glassman]

I'd want to investigate why it's burning first. Then, rather than cutting/joining/splicing, surely unpin and re-pin to a new plug is best imo.

[tight fart]

I have got wago connectors in the garage, I don’t think I’d get a heat gun where I’d need it under the dash for the others.

[paintman]

Common issue on Peugeot 307 as well.
Peugeot did a replacement loom end with new connector with some alteration to the plug wires, case of cutting the old connector off & connecting the new wires to the old.

You could solder & cover each join with heatshrink or use suitable crimp connectors.

Used the Peugeot one on Mrsp's 307.
Lasted about 18 months before it went the same way.
Replaced the connector with one off ebay which claimed to use uprated plastic & so far - several years - it's been fine. Periodic checks show no change.

Edited by paintman on Monday 7th October 20:22

[FMOB]

Thats What She Said said:

Snip the wires and connect the new connector using these solder connectors.

Use a heat gun to shrink the connector and let the solder flow across the joined wires. Very simple to use and effective

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kuject-Connectors-Waterpr...

Hmm, absolutely no info on rated current for each splice size, considering the current draw of a heater at 12v will be high I wouldn't touch these low temp solder splices.

As others have said the heat generated that has melted the plastic housing is down to poor contact in the connector. Do you know the current draw through the connector?

Simplest solution is to solder the wires direct, if you know the current draw then identifying an alternative solution is possible, without knowing the current flowing you might unintentionally put something worse in there.

[GreenV8S]

FMOB said:

considering the current draw of a heater at 12v will be high I wouldn't touch these low temp solder splices.

Solder splice connectors are fine for high current repairs too. The rating of the wire and the amount of heat coming from the resister is the limiting factor. If the wires are getting hot enough to melt the solder, no other repair would last either.

These resisters are designed to be cooled by the air flow from the fan. It's quite common on some cars for the fan motor and wiring to degrade so that the motor doesn't produce as much as flow as it it is designed for. That causes the heater motor speed control resisters to overheat, damaging the wiring and eventually causing these problems. Replacing or eliminating the connector will get you going again, but you need to fix the root cause too.

[Jakg]

Glassman said:

I'd want to investigate why it's burning first. Then, rather than cutting/joining/splicing, surely unpin and re-pin to a new plug is best imo.

^ this ^

I wouldn't want to be adding more joints (and resistance) on something that's already melted once.

[Belle427]

Crap quality resistors can cause it too, if the fan turns freely and airflow over the resistor seems good you cant do much else.

[E-bmw]

Jakg said:

Glassman said:

I'd want to investigate why it's burning first. Then, rather than cutting/joining/splicing, surely unpin and re-pin to a new plug is best imo.

^ this ^

I wouldn't want to be adding more joints (and resistance) on something that's already melted once.

Not the way forward for me as there is obviously heat damage to the cable also, so there IS the need for an additional joint & for security and (as you say) not wanting to add additional joints (crimps) soldering is definitely the way to do it for me.

Then (going back to your good point about checking it out) you will be able to see if there is actual heating of the cable/connector or if that has stopped it, then the connector was likely the weak point.