Determining which terminal is best for your particular application is often a difficult task. One of the most confusing parts is the wide variety in insulation types. There are non-insulated terminals, vinyl insulated terminals, nylon insulated terminals, and heat shrink insulated terminals. To make matters worse, within the heat shrink terminals there are crimp seal, solder seal and crimp & solder seal options. In hopes of making things simpler, here are some pros and cons of each. Think we missed something? Please let us know!
-
Non Insulated Terminals:
Pros:
- Usually the least expensive option
- High temp options can handle up to 900° F
- Crimp point is visible so you can see if you made a good connection
- Installers can also solder or add heat shrink to create a better or sealed connection
Cons:
- No insulation so they should not be used in places where they could short
- Some of the high temp or heavy duty options require significant force or special tools to crimp
- Not a sealed connection so they can be prone to corrosion
- If only crimped, they can be prone to wires pulling out
See our selection of Non Insulated Terminals HERE
-
Vinyl Insulated Terminals:
Pros:
- Usually the cheapest insulated option
- Commonly available
- Wide selection of options
- Easy crimp on installation
Cons:
- Crimp area is not visible, so it can be hard to determine if you achieved a good crimp
- Not a sealed connection so they can be prone to corrosion
- Wires can be prone to pulling out
See our selection of Vinyl Terminals HERE
-
Nylon Insulated Terminals:
Pros:
- Semi-Translucent insulation makes it easier to see if you’ve made a good connection
- Most can be 'double-crimped' on the wire and the insulation, providing a stronger connection.
- Nylon insulation is more flexible and less prone to cracking than Vinyl
- More chemical resistant than vinyl
- Wide selection of options
- Easy crimp on installation
Cons:
- More expensive than vinyl
- Not a sealed connection so they can be prone to corrosion
- Wires can be prone to pulling out
See our selection of Nylon Terminals HERE
-
Heat Shrink Crimp Seal Terminals:
Pros:
- Most common heat shrink terminal
- Translucent insulation makes it easier to see if you’ve made a good connection
- Heat shrink insulation is more flexible and abrasion resistant than vinyl or nylon
- Heat shrink insulation provides a sealed connection to prevent corrosion
- Heat shrink insulation with adhesive lining creates a connection that does not just rely on the crimp for strength, reducing the likelihood of wire pull out
Cons:
- More expensive than nylon or vinyl terminals
- Requires either a heat gun or butane torch to install properly
See our selection of Heat Shrink Crimp Seal Terminals HERE
-
Heat Shrink Solder Seal Terminals: 
Pros:
- Solder creates a stronger connection than crimp
- Solder reduces or eliminates voltage drop across the connection
- Can sometimes be used in tight situations where there is no room for a crimp tool
- Translucent insulation makes it easier to see if you’ve made a good connection
- Heat shrink insulation is more flexible and abrasion resistant than vinyl or nylon
- Heat shrink insulation provides a sealed connection to prevent corrosion
- Heat shrink insulation with adhesive lining creates a connection that does not just rely on the crimp for strength, reducing the likelihood of wire pull out
Cons:
- More expensive than nylon or vinyl terminals
- More difficult to use than crimp seal terminals
- Requires either a heat gun or butane torch to install properly
See our selection of Heat Shrink Solder Seal Terminals HERE
-
Heat Shrink Crimp & Solder Seal Terminals:
Pros:
- Crimp & Solder creates a stronger connection than just crimp
- Reduces or eliminates voltage drop – good for voltage sensitive sensor connections
- Translucent insulation makes it easier to see if you’ve made a good connection
- Heat shrink insulation is more flexible and abrasion resistant than vinyl or nylon
- Heat shrink insulation provides a sealed connection to prevent corrosion
- The combination of crimp, solder, and adhesive lined insulation makes a connection that is stronger than the wire itself. No risk of wire pull out.
- Creates a permanent fix
Cons:
- More expensive than regular heat shrink terminals
- More difficult to use than crimp seal terminals
- Requires either a heat gun or butane torch to install properly
- Limited options available
See our selection of Heat Shrink Crimp & Solder Seal Terminals HERE