[fridge]

Been fiddling around trying to wire my Trailtech Vapor into the existing loom, come to the conclusion there's no easy way and that I need to cut some wires then connect to the Vapor.

Problem is I want to find a neat way of splicing two wires. The Trailtech has some neat mini-crimp ferrules which when covered with heatshrink look cool.... can't find anything similar at maplin/RS/farnell

Soldering is tricky, getting pissed off with my soldering iron being crap which doesn't help.

Anyone found a neat way to connect two small wires? Not those big clicky car connector thingys, they look pants; hmmm

 

[anton88]

Ive used small bullet connectors for this sort of thing - cut wires and stip ends - crimp them into each bullet and then solder them as well, finally a length of shrink tubing, then bang them together - shrink the tubing with a heat gun and jobs done

 

[stanbloke]

Been fiddling around trying to wire my Trailtech Vapor into the existing loom, come to the conclusion there's no easy way and that I need to cut some wires then connect to the Vapor.

Problem is I want to find a neat way of splicing two wires. The Trailtech has some neat mini-crimp ferrules which when covered with heatshrink look cool.... can't find anything similar at maplin/RS/farnell

Soldering is tricky, getting pissed off with my soldering iron being crap which doesn't help.

Anyone found a neat way to connect two small wires? Not those big clicky car connector thingys, they look pants; hmmm

Get a new s/iron !!

Solder it and them slide the heatshrink over. it looks mega professional.
Don't bodge it , this is your pride and joy

 

[fridge]

Ive used small bullet connectors for this sort of thing - cut wires and stip ends - crimp them into each bullet and then solder them as well, finally a length of shrink tubing, then bang them together - shrink the tubing with a heat gun and jobs done

Good idea. Will look into small bullets, added advantage of being dismantleable (if that's a word)

Thinking about it that's probably a better idea than a permanent crimp... ebay here I come!

Cheers

 

[fridge]

Get a new s/iron !!

Solder it and them slide the heatshrink over. it looks mega professional.
Don't bodge it , this is your pride and joy

I know, I know. Thought I'd bought a good one but it's 70w and quite big so whilst I thought that would mean it heated up well it doesn't seem to work like that. Any pointers on soldering irons? Would a temperature controlled one be a lot better, they seem about 3 times the price??

 

[Jenna]

i'd say buy a better soldering iron as crimp terminals are a quick way to endless bad earths and constant bad connections.... we bought a cheapy from maplin as a test and for the couple of quid it cost its done well.

maplin does heatshrink but its dear there is a guy on ebay thats much much cheaper and sells 10 times more sizes and colours.

 

[fridge]

Do you do a 'Western Union' splice before soldering? Is there a right and wrong way??

(Think a WU splice is winding each wire around the other in line rather than ending up with a twist at right angles to the wire)

 

[Stormforce8]

I've used this company quite a lot for all my wiring projects - great service & great product range for what I needed.

Vehicle Wiring Products

 

[fridge]

I've used this company quite a lot for all my wiring projects - great service & great product range for what I needed.

Vehicle Wiring Products

Nice one. I really hope the 9-way 2.8mm mini-connector isn't a match for the Honda one I worried about cutting off for weeks and then cut off tonight.....

Guess I'll just have to order one and see.

Cheers

 

[FatFergie]

I used to get stuff from a great company called Merv Plastics but can't find them any more.
loads of motorcycle style connectors and insulators, anyone know where they went?

 

[Dee Dub]

I agree with Jenna about bullet connectors (sorry). That's storing up lots of problems once the damp weather closes in and/or mud and dust fly around.
:clock:

 

[davsato]

hi fridge,
those little butt joiners with the heat shrink on are great but expensive. more cost effective and satisfying to get a decent soldering iron? they dont cost a lot these days, i assume from your thread you have a maplins nearby, they do loads of different ones

 

[Mr NiceGuy]

Go with the soldering iron. Maplins do a gas version which I find easier to use than an electric one.

 

[davsato]

and you can take it with you on your travels (if you must, though thats going a bit OTT? lol)

i got one thats got a load of little ends to clip on, including a handy blowtorch. excellent

 

[Jenna]

I've used this company quite a lot for all my wiring projects - great service & great product range for what I needed.

Vehicle Wiring Products

yep stormforce, VWP are suppling all the 'lectric wire, connectors, hd plugs, relays, relay carriers, switches etc etc etc for the project XTZ build, so far the service has been fast and reliable and all the parts top quality makes... cant fault these guys so far. :thumbleft:

 

[RickSkye]

I do wiring for MOD stuff, crimps are the prefered method (no bullet connectors ever ) but you can get heatshrink sleeves with solder inside and a small amount of glue at each end that are totally waterproof. Realy need a heat gun but I have fitted them with a portable gas soldering iron with its small blowlamp attachment.

 

[fridge]

I do wiring for MOD stuff, crimps are the prefered method (no bullet connectors ever ) but you can get heatshrink sleeves with solder inside and a small amount of glue at each end that are totally waterproof. Realy need a heat gun but I have fitted them with a portable gas soldering iron with its small blowlamp attachment.

Rick, what sort of crimps do you use?

It's my understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, that a good crimp ensuring metal to metal contact (probably needing expensive tooling) is better than soldering; solder not being an especially good conductor??

Cheers

 

[Lumiya]

Rick, what sort of crimps do you use?

It's my understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, that a good crimp ensuring metal to metal contact (probably needing expensive tooling) is better than soldering; solder not being an especially good conductor??

Cheers

Excuse me whilst I pick myself up off the floor where I've just been in fits of laughter for the last ten minutes!!!##

Fridge, ever wondered why all professional wiring looms, electrical equipment and everything else that connects two wires together that doesn't need seperating in the future use solder, if they do need to be seperated then they use a decent quality plug.

Think of it as cheese on your hamburger...put it on when the meat is cold it can be pulled straight off, heat it up a bit and there's no way of easily removing that cheese. The same with metal to metal contacts, a crimp will only contact less than 25% of the surface due to irregular surface area, where as Solder is 90%+

One thing that really should be pointed out is that soldering is a skill. Get it wrong and you might have well just twisted the two wires together. Get it right and that joint will be 200% better than any expensive connector.

Make sure that both sides to be joined are clean, if it's two wires then twist together. When applying solder firstly heat up the area to be soldered making sure that both sides are heated, then apply the solder (not too much) to the area and not to the soldering iron. You'll see the solder flow across the joint if everything is OK. Now the important final step which most people get wrong. When removing the soldering iron do NOT allow the soldered joint to move until it has solidified. If you do then it's a good possibility you'll create what people refer to as a dry joint (not electrically sound and prone to cracking.) The finished soldered area should have a bright shiny appearance and should not be dull in any way.

One other thing is flux, never use the flux that you get for plumbing, even if it does give you a fantasticly good joint. Plumbig flux is acid based (which is why it works so well) and once you put an electrical current through it the acid will react and slowly eat exposed metal.

Kymmy

PS..if anyone is wondering if I know what I'm talking about I spent 5 years out of my 15 in IT doing component level repairs on electrical equipment

 

[fridge]

Kymmy,

Thanks for putting me straight. Have probably been confused by reading too many hi-fi forums where they bang on about esoteric connectors etc.

Can you give me any advice regarding buying a suitable soldering iron for bike wiring repairs? I bought a big one several years ago but it seems to not get hot enough and I have a hell of a job getting the solder to flow, think it may have too big a tip even though it's 70w. Is it worth spending any more money for a temperature controlled iron or even a solder station (probably secondhand)??

Cheers
David

 

[Lumiya]

Can you give me any advice regarding buying a suitable soldering iron for bike wiring repairs? I bought a big one several years ago but it seems to not get hot enough and I have a hell of a job getting the solder to flow, think it may have too big a tip even though it's 70w. Is it worth spending any more money for a temperature controlled iron or even a solder station (probably secondhand)??

A 70w iron should be fine, problem with bike loom repairs is that most of the time the wires slightly corroded hence the solder doesn't flow or the tip isn't cleaned and tinned properly. Either way make sure that the bit is clean and the part to solder is clean metal.

Kymmy