Need help: no power after ammeter bypass

I learned years ago never to use butt connectors. All I do is strip about 1/2" off the wire ends slide on some shrink sleeve, lay the bare ends over each other. Then heat them up, solder them together then slide the sleeve over them and heat it up and shrink it. It's the most permanent way and seals it completely. That's actually the same way the factory did it.