When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have found that the little "T-taps" (Butt connectors that allow you to tap into the source of a wire in a "T" shaped fashion), are pretty darned handy.
However, while talking to a car-stereo installer at one of the big-box stores the other day, he mentioned that they are not allowed to use T-taps anymore because of safety issues. They instead soldier and seal all of the wiring they do, which is admittedly better, but much more time consuming...
Has anyone heard of any endemic safety issues surrounding these "T-taps?"
My expreience is the wires either corrode or stress againt the metal spike. Eventually the connection goes bad and easily pulls apart, then you have a hanging wire. Stick with a good solder joint.
T-taps rank right up there with 'scotch-locks'. Whoever invented those little nightmares deserves a good swift kick in the pants (preferrably the front side). Vehicles don't have vibration so these little squeeze-on things never fall off. Vehicles never see any moisture so corrosion is never a problem where the insulation is sliced on the wire. Same goes with those ever-handy butt-connectors and other easy-to-install crimp-on connections.
Yep, solder and heat-shrink tubing are the only way to go. Working on at least one electrical problem a day caused by poor connections due to these little rascals kind of makes you not like them......oh well, they pay the bills!