Differences between amateur and professional wiring? Options

[Tdskip]

OK guys - we have some very talented people here and I'm hoping to bring my wiring skills up a level.

What separates amateur wiring from a pro level? One item that comes to mind - no use of Harbor Freight connectors (which I am guilt of).

What else comes to mind?

[Tom]

Simply put, crimps are better if you don't know what you are doing with solder! This argument will probably go on forever, but my experience says solder is better.

A solder joint is always better electrically and vibration will not be an issue if the harness is routed and supported correctly. Solder weeping up a copper wire is controlled by PROPER soldering techniques. Placing the heat in the right place and using a wire heat sink will prevent solder from creeping up the wire. I was taught to NASA standards in a Naval shipyard and worked to exacting standards on wiring and connectors for nuclear instrumentation on nuclear powered naval ships. I have done a lot of soldering from circuit cards to large power carrying wires. One thing most folks overlook when soldering is cleanliness of the parts to be soldered! Dirty wire and connectors cause bad solder joints. We examined completed solder joints under a microscope for holes due to dirt. If there were holes, solder came off/out and re-cleaned and re-soldered until it passed inspection.
Soldered connections remove the chance of corrosion from interfering with the wire to connector connection. There are other ways to help keep corrosion away from the connector to wire joint such as heat shrink connectors using a PROPER crimping tool and heat gun. One area I worked in had a large drawer full of crimpers, in excess of 50, for different size and application. We had engineering provide the type and size of crimper, wire, and connector to use for each connection type.
I could go on all day with stories of wiring and connectors and how they interact with the end use and environment they are subjected to in engine rooms. Think of heat, humidity, oils, and vibration.
Tom
PS: If you are going to do a lot of soldering, do it in a well ventilated area with a fan blowing gently to move the vapors away from you. The lead in solder can cause problems with your health.