How to solder and seal wiring

[rexazz2]

I found this and thought I would share because most of the electrical issues seen here could be avoided if an extra few minutes were taken when splicing wires

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z8CzB4BYJA&feature=related"]HOW TO: Solder wires with FLUX and heat shrink. - YouTube[/ame]

[eddie_93katana]

Great vid. I've never even heard of FLUX before, will definitely have to try it out.

[expvet]

Great post. I always used crimped on bullet connectors, but now I will solder when able instead.

[Slofuze]

Just curious Bill....... is that the same flux you'd use when sweating copper pipes?

[05RedKat600]

If you get Flux Core solder (which you should be using for electrical work), there is no need for extra flux. The reason plumbers use it is because they use a different type of solder that has no flux in it, and without the Flux their solder would not stick to the pipes.

[Nut-Nut]

Great vid. I've never even heard of FLUX before, will definitely have to try it out.

A cautionary note... when you get flux, make sure it is not "acid" based. If it is, you will be doing wiring repairs for the rest of your life as it will travel into the wire and corrode it from the inside out.

[rexazz2]

Just curious Bill....... is that the same flux you'd use when sweating copper pipes?

It does need to be acid free
I personally dont use flux paste when doing wire
I just use rosin core solder

[cintidude04]

[Wild-Bill]

A couple notes from a guy who's actually been trained on soldering, both by the military and by civilians:
1. Resin flux is for electrical work, acid flux is for plumbing. Don't confuse the two or try to substitute one for the other. Resin core solder isn't a substitute for flux. You can get by but using flux first makes things go much better and will be absolutely required if you're soldering anything bigger than about 16ga wire.
2. Don't dip your soldering iron in flux unless it's brand new and you're "tinning" it. A brand new soldering iron sometimes comes with a chrome coated tip. The chrome won't transfer heat very well so you remove it with a file, clean the tip and apply flux and some solder to the tip of the iron. If you've got a screwdriver-type tip like the one in the video, tin both sides. Do all this after the iron is fully heated since the tip will oxidize really fast once you remove the chrome and solder doesn't like sticking to an oxidized surface. That's where the flux comes in. It blocks oxygen from the surface.
3. There's other, stronger joints to use between wires but the one shown works fine for an in-line repair. If you're worried that the joint will be under frequent stress look up a "Western Union Splice". It's fantastically strong although it's a bit of a pain to do.
Edit: I was going to throw in a link to a photo of a Western Union Splice but what I found was a lot of sites calling exactly what that guy did a Western Union Splice. It's not what I was taught. What he did was just called an Inline Splice. OK, whatever. Call what I was taught a "Split Western Union Splice." What's in a name, right?
4. The sponge needs to be damp to keep it from burning and leaving a coat of burned stuff on the iron. Leave the sponge on the table and wipe the tip of the iron just before touching the solder to it.
5. Before shrink-wrapping, use a rag wet with rubbing alcohol to remove the remaining flux. The stuff works because it's corrosive, even the resin based stuff. You don't want it trapped against the wires.
6. As mentioned, solder doesn't like sticking to an oxidized surface. That includes old wires. If the wires aren't bright, shiny metal then pull them through a folded piece of 220 grit sandpaper to scrub off the corrosion before joining them together.

Maybe I should make my own video...

[expvet]

Please do. Nothing better than the right way!

[92GSX750]

Id like to see said video, Wilb bill. Because I do my joint a little bit different.

For a splice like in the above picture, I strip the insulation like normal. But I actually untwist the wires so they are all poking straight out. Then I push them together, so they are interlocked with each other, then twist.

After I soldering, I apply a dab of liquid electrical tape directly to the joint. Then add the heat shrink while the liquid electrical tape is still fluid. I know someone on here uses di-electric grease instead. The point is to keep moisture from the joint

[Wild-Bill]

The liquid electrical tape isn't a bad ideal at all until you need to revise the joint. At that point you're going to be saying a lot of bad words.

[92GSX750]

Hopefully that day never comes

Have you ever tried the tabasco sause trick? Someone was telling me the other day that it would eat the corrision of the copper wires. Never tried it myself, I always use emery cloth

[Slofuze]

Please do. Nothing better than the right way!

+1

[Wild-Bill]

Looks like I'll have to find a way to set up a camera and some time to play. Put my money where my mouth is.