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Another New Trick for the old dog

June 14, 2020, 05:44:55 pm

Occasionally I run into a new tool or method that I havn't ever seen.

Here is another:

I have this collection of heat shrink,  crimp connectors, tools etc. for working with electrical wiring.
I learned early from the boating days that connections had to be water tight and really snug in order to withstand constant motion. Kinda like RVing.  I wanted then soldered and shrink wrapped if possible.

I just ran across the coolest set of butt connectors (if butts can be cool).

120PCS Solder Seal Wire Connectors - Sopoby Heat Shrink Solder Connectors -...

I don't know when they came out but I have not seen them before.

I've been splicing wires all over the place.
Only works on splicing two of the same size wire but take a look

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #1 – June 14, 2020, 06:10:10 pm

Very nice. I'll order thanks

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #2 – June 14, 2020, 06:18:28 pm

Looks outstanding. And inexpensive too. Going to order a set before my ADHD brain for...look a chicken!

If the wires are not super clean, dip and stir in a vinegar and salt solution until they look like new and then dip and stir in a baking soda solution for a perfect solder joint.

Lots of the solder/seal joints on ebay, in fact, so many that it's tough to decide.

Pierce

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #3 – June 14, 2020, 06:23:36 pm

These connectors are quite handy to use and saves time in presoldering the joints first. Also, what I like to do to help prevent abrasion is to use another shrink wrap to cover this one to provide an extra layer in places exposed to elements and other wires. Just have to remember to put on the second sleeve before joining and keep it far enough out of the flow of the heat gun when making the initial joint and then cooled enough to slide it over the joint to shrink the second layer, I have forgotten once or twice. They are nice to have for tight areas but also you have to be careful one wire does not accidentally slide out while heating. You can make up a small jig with 2 alligator clamps fastened on either side of a small and light piece of wood or better a thin aluminum bar, allow 3" between the alligator clamps, to hold the wires firmly in place. It helps prevent your fingers from getting over heated in tight areas as too I found out the hard way and is easy to remove after the joint has been heated enough for the solder to melt. You do have to actually keep the heat on it for a while to get the solder to melt into the wires to form a good bond or they will pull apart. It is best to practice on one or two to get the hang of doing it in tight areas to know what you need for time and please check the joint afterwards by tugging on it a bit for safety. Don't want a live wire end floating around looking for a place to short!

John

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #4 – June 14, 2020, 07:33:09 pm

Order placed, THANKS!

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #5 – June 14, 2020, 07:52:50 pm

And if (when) you forget to put the shrink tubing on before making the connection you can always use silicone self fusing tape.

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #6 – June 14, 2020, 07:57:56 pm

Silicone fusion tape covered with nylon abrasion tape with ends tied closed with tie cord. Too much work shrink tube with environmental glue.
Scott

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #7 – June 14, 2020, 08:08:24 pm

I bought some of those a couple years ago. Tried a couple test ones and couldn't seem to get it to work right. Of course like Pierce said my ADD may have taken me somewhere else.

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #8 – June 14, 2020, 09:41:08 pm

Got em coming.... Thanks for the heads up.

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #9 – June 15, 2020, 08:28:28 am

Well shoot.  As usual, I'm the contrarian.  This looks like you are creating the textbook version of a cold solder joint. 

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #10 – June 15, 2020, 09:39:07 am

I use clear Polyolefin 2:1 heat shrink tubing over labels on cables for identification. It is not adhesive lined, it does not appear that the solder butt connectors are either.  This tubing type is very easy to overheat.  The HD Ancor 3:1 adhesive lined tubing I use on cable ends is much thicker and almost impossible to overheat.

There are a lot of places where I have made connections on my coach where getting heat gun in there would have been impossible. Hard enough just getting a crimping tool in there.  These probably work great if you have the technique down and the room to do it correctly.  I have a variety of connectors and spare wire to fit the situation.

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #11 – June 16, 2020, 04:55:26 pm

From what I remember when I did the couple tests the ones I had I thought had adhesive. And I remember the tubing burning before the solder got hot enough to really get melted.

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #12 – June 17, 2020, 03:28:32 pm

I've seen these, but I'm very skeptical. I just can't get my head around having enough heat from a heat gun to melt the solder? And without melting the heat sink away?

I've done my fair share of soldering, (was trained in the Western Union Splice method) including making some cold solder joints along the way...LOL Unless this some new-fangled magic solder, (or maybe not solder at all) . The good practice is to heat the surface first, then apply solder, kinda like sweating a plumbing joint.

Let us know how this works out, but I'm letting someone else be the test pilot...thanks.

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #13 – June 17, 2020, 03:34:03 pm

My guru buddy made a good living fixing Marathon Prevosts with soldered wiring.  Brittle. Wire flexes, breaks at the solder area.  Mechanical supported crimp and shrink tubing? 

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #14 – June 17, 2020, 04:19:20 pm

I've used these type connections when I changed over to LED lights thru the coach. Worked great. I have a good heat gun. It is variable heat from cool to "can light charcoal briquetts" , or so they claim, haven't tried. Where I used them, I had ample room, so it is a consideration, but none has failed in 2 years since I did the first ones.

Larry

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #15 – June 21, 2020, 10:19:00 am

https://youtu.be/Em33_LSpeko

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #16 – June 22, 2020, 08:52:08 pm

Back when you could actually pick up hitch hikers I found one alongside the road in Oklahoma. He had just gotten out of the Queen's Navy, and had come to check out the colonies. I took him home, fed him breakfast, and BS'd for a while. I was working on getting an old Suzuki motorcycle working again and was down to the wiring. My guest showed me how to do a "Royal Navy solder job".

He would take the two wires, strip them back a half inch, then split the wires into halves. He then twisted each half of each wire, then matched it to it's counterpart, twisted them together, and folded one towards the originating wire, the other towards the new wire. He would then wrap that with black electrical tape.

Worked great, and I found out later (when I discovered shrink tubing) that once spliced that way, you would break the wire before you ever pulled the splice apart.

If you really want a bullet proof splice, go ahead and solder it.

I have paid for that ride and breakfast a hundred times by what I learned from it.

Len

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Re: Another New Trick for the old dog

Reply #17 – June 23, 2020, 11:29:07 am

This is one of the items my father had from Jr High school, along with a folder full great drafting work.
John

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