How to do a solder splice

[Guest Montrealer]

Okay, haven't got around to the bike part yet but thought of sharing a little bit of knowledge. The basic 'How To Do A Splice' pictoral guide:

click images for full size

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/soldier/VFR1.JPG[/img]

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/soldier/VFR2.JPG[/img]

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/soldier/VFR3.JPG[/img]

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/soldier/VFR5.JPG[/img]

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/soldier/VFR6.JPG[/img]

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/soldier/VFR7.JPG[/img]

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/soldier/TUBING1.JPG [/img]

Protective tubing

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/soldier/TUBING2.JPG [/img]

Protective tubing

[HispanicSlammer]

Nice how to, you know if you get hot soldier burns on your wifes placemats she is gonna kill you! ?:D

[Guest plastics]

That is a nice set of instructions. Now I know how to splice wires together.

What I usually do..(like most people) is to just twist the bare wires together and put some electical tape around it....and a few months later, it would work itself lose and the parts don't work etc..

Thanks for the pictorial....I'll try that next time

Plastics

[Guest Drizzt]

I found this website. Is this a good method? It seems a bit tedious...

Here is another method, seems simpler, but weaker.

HELP!!! I am so confused.... :unsure:

[solman244]

I found this website.  Is this a good method?  It seems a bit tedious...

Here is another method, seems simpler, but weaker.

HELP!!!  I am so confused....  :unsure:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Both of the those methods are close to what was outlined on this post before the pics went missing. I would ignore the "thin wire" wrapping. It's a pain, and pretty useless. The side-by-side method, which has the virtue of looking easy is deceptivly so. Holding the two wires parallel while working the iron and the solder requires 4 hands. I never have 4 hands available. Do this: Get the heat shrink wrapping. Prepare the two wires to be spliced by stripping and twisting them. Place the shrink wrapping on the wire and slide it out of the way. Place the two stripped ends side by side (like seen in the second method above). Now twist them together. If you had enough wire stripped out, it should hold it's self together. Grab the iron and solder. Heat and wick the solder in to the wire wrap so it gets between the wire twists. Let cool. Slide the wrap over top and heat. I tend to layer vinyl tape over top of the completed splice, but that is personal preferance.

[Guest Drizzt]

Well, it's official: I SUCK AT SOLDERING!!!! <_<

I think I need a beer...

[dutchinterceptor]

OK, so how many times have you made a beautiful solder joint only to realize you forgot to slip the heat shrink on first??

I hate when I do that!!

[HispanicSlammer]

fixed photos and deleted comments on such -

photos are clickable for larger versions (shrunk to fit the screen)

[Guest Drizzt]

Thanks HS! :thumbsup:

(I still suck at this, even after the pics came back. Think more beer is required)

[Guest Viffed]

A good method, much better than the 'ol twist-and-tape! I myself have used every method presented here many times. I probably use the lap splice the most, just because it's usually the easiest way to go for me.

Chris

[KanadianKen]

Just a suggestion, you should never twist the threads of wore toghether before soldering, with your BARE fingers. ANy salt, persperation on your fingers is now transferred to the wire and you've set in place the beginnings of corrosion.

USe a good pair of wire strippers, and insert the wires into each other - never twist them together unless you have clean gloves on.

OTher than that - good stuff!!!

[Guest WaterMan]

As an electrical tech/foreman for Poma ski lifts, we had to solder quite a bit of the componantry due to vibration. A few hints: the quality of solder wire is HUGE -get LEAD/TIN solder. Electrical rosin core 63% Tin 37% Lead Dia: .032" I had a hell of a time when I started, then found out that they had the Leadless solder (OSHA likes it due to Pb poisoning concerns. - I guess some idiot out there must have eaten some! duh :goofy: ) Once I got some real solder, presto blammo! all was well.

Once you've mated the two wires, coil the solder wire around them for the length of the splice. That way, you don't have to use one hand to feed solder wire and one hand to used the gun. Don't forget to tin your tip; that is, to clean the tip on a moist sponge, then melt some solder on the tip of the gun to get a good flow.

Don't overcook the solder! If it's brown or bubbly, it got too hot and will crack evertually.

Solder is cheap. Practice on old wires; use a vise to hold your work so that you can pivot the gun hand on the other hand. Or, be sure your gun hand is firmly braced -

Oh, yeah, since those ARE lead fumes you see :o , get in the habit of gently blowing/exhailing whilst you heat the solder - it'll blow the smoke away from you, and it will usually steady your hand. Don't blow hard, it'll prematurely cool the solder.

[enzed_viffer]

One more tip - don't use a match on the heatshrink. Use a hot air gun, or the shank of the soldering iron above the tip (it's hot, but not as hot as the tip).

I found the method where you wrap thin solder around the splice to be a good one for large gauge wires, as it holds them together better, and you get solder more evenly distributed around and through the join.

Cleanliness is very important: the tip of the soldering iron, and the wires to be joined must be free of grease and/or corrosion or you're wasting your time.

If the wires are hard to join before you solder them, use a crimp first to join the wires, then heat the crimp with the iron before applying solder to it.