Great video, for Stranded wire. The "Western Union or Lineman splice" for Solid wire is good as well. I like using the lineman splice on stranded wire with shrink wrap, it seems like a stronger connection. Thank you for videos and stuff you showcase on your channel.
That's actually fairly close to the NASA method. In theirs you twist each end to a small hook and twist them back around each other and crimp so you have something like a super tight chain link, you then solder the whole thing. It makes for a very strong bond as well as a perfectly good connection.
I bought a soldering station last year. It changed my whole view on soldering. It never takes that long to heat up, and it is amazing how easy it is to solder now. Also, always use small solder. It heats up and melts faster and makes life easier. Great video as always.
@@Globerson Yes Matt, the L isn't silent and in case you too want to be able to speak English correctly the O as in 'so'. I just can't understand how you've managed to muck up our language the way you have since 1607. I mean look at 'aloooominum'......!
@@richardd3663 You can't give the yanks a hard time when we are just as bad at our own language. Go to Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Edinburgh, Newcastle etc. and tell me their accents are easier to understand than an american.
As a soldering pro I very much approve of this. Your method is pretty much foolproof. A tip: have some molten solder on the soldering iron tip to act as a heat conductor. That way you avoid the long heat up times like you had in your example.
You “tin” the tip of your iron to help avoid corrosion when not in use. You also tin the tip to improve heat conductivity. You’ll notice the difference when applying solder to a non-tinned tip vs a tinned one. The joining of the wire in this video was perfect technique, which I’m totally stealing. The reason it was taking so long for the flux to activate was that the wire was conducting away the heat from the solder gun. The point where the two objects being soldered meet is called a “joint”. You should apply heat to the joint, and apply solder to where the solder gun and the joint meet. This technique will help transfer heat to the joint faster, getting ahead of the heat dissipation the wires introduce. Great video. Thank you for making it.
@@michaelkuhn6619 hey that was soldering wire or solder for short! One of the most commonly used ones is 60/40 meaning 60% tin and 40% lead alloy solder. So basically he twists the wires, anchoring them and then heats the twisted wires using the soldering iron bringing them up to the temperature that would melt the solder wire. He then applies that solder wire to that join, which has now heated to the point of being able to melt the solder. The solder melts nicely over the joint and fuses it together. The paste he applied at the start the rosin is used to remove any corrosion and impurities from the surface of the wires so that solder will cling nicely on to the joint.
for me as someone who has never done anything in life in terms of electronics this is a very important video for me to watch at 4 am instead of sleeping yes :)
I like the reference to your grandfather. I’m out in the shop tonight soldering some wires and thought I’d just do a RUclips search to see what other guys are doing. I’m actually using my grandfather’s old Weller gun and I use the exact same method as you. Great video for those who are attempting to solder wires for the first time!
I've had terrible luck soldering wires together, and after watching this video, I can see why I've failed !! Thank you very much for taking the time to make it. VERY informative and well done. Bob in Grand Rapids, MI
The only issue is that while many of grandpas solution are viable, many are no longer relevant. That is why many people do stupid things while work8ng on cars. Stuff was made differently
Clay Willoughby I've done this enough to know better now. There's nothing more aggravating than forgetting to put it on and realizing that perfect soldering job you just completed was for nothing.
If you’re going to solder wires in a car or truck, just be sure it isn’t in a harness with any movement at all, since soldering makes the wire end more brittle right near the joint. You’ll notice almost all wire connections are crimped from the factory in an automobile because of vibration, for this reason.
Nice joint! And, thanks for suggesting the dielectric silicon grease. It should be noted that quite often, the joint will be made between either two long pieces of wire or two wires that may already be joined to something at the other ends, so the shrink tubing can't be slipped on easily or at all, after the soldering is done. There are two ways to address this: One way is to put an appropriate length of shrink tubing onto one of the wires before soldering, but it should be slid well away from the site of the soldering or it will shrink and not slide over the joint. The other way is to get some self-fusing electrical tape to wrap around the joint after the soldering is done. This may not always be the best method, but sometimes may be the method of choice... especially if one is simply soldering a wire to a connector of some sort, or "oops! I forgot to put the shrink tubing on before applying the solder.". Best wishes.
Have to agree with some of the comments below. Although Cody has done an excellent job connecting two wires, and one that, for most purposes, will be quite serviceable, there is no mechanical connection. I was a certified in the Air Force for high reliability soldering, and the first rule for soldering anything is to ensure a strong mechanical connection, since solder has very little physical strength to it. The linesman splice is preferable. Good job Cody!
Yep, and it’s very difficult with high amperage wire that runs directly to the battery. Even 25A wire running to a motorcycle battery is quite difficult
If you want to solder faster use wet tip (wet with solder), it will eliminate micro gap and transfer the heat faster onto the wire. That way you wont melt the wire.
As a mechanic I really like that you are using information passed down to you from your granddad, it is really cool to know that this information is legit because of that
I do agree with you on how to heat shrink tube. I have very close friends of mine that are Master mechanics and they even have some sort of special certificate for automotive wiring. When a solder a connection and put a piece of shrink tube on all of them use a cigarette lighter. I tried that a few times and it never worked out well for me. Also you do the same thing that I do before shrinking a tube around it. We just use different brands of dielectric grease. I'm definitely going to pick up a bottle of what you were using. I have the shop size dielectric grease it comes in a tube. that brush that you have I buy them and big bags from harbor freight. I'm glad to see that you use the soldering iron that you did. I have the same sort of one as yours and really never figured out how to use it correctly. It was my father's and it's almost as old as I am and that's saying something. I never did ask him to show me how to use it. I always had a cheap one from radio shack. I enjoyed your video and look forward to watching other ones.
@Loli4lyf it’s cute that you think I care about a random person’s opinion about my profile picture which I don’t want to change because I don’t have to
What you just did will work perfectly fine for most applications. But if you're interested in real strong splices, bare back the wires an inch or so, meet them, bend them 90 degrees, then twist them together in opposite directions. It's called a western union splice, the harder you pull on it the tighter it gets (until it breaks). Also the preferred spot to add solder is directly between the iron and the wire. And soldering wires together you don't really need paste flux as long as you use flux core (AKA rosin core) solder. And you don't want solder to flow into the insulation of the wire. But I was taught mil-spec soldering you don't need to get that fancy for general purpose stuff :)
@@dwaynemcallister7231 2 year old comment wow haha. That could be true. I'm not sure. We used it for stranded in school. But either way it works :). The main thing I was taught is that it doesn't really matter what form of splice you use, it has to be inspectable. Meaning you have to be able to see the adhesion of the solder joint and not just a blob of solder, and if the solder wicks up into the insulation it's no longer inspectable.
I don’t use a fancy new gun, I have my grandfathers soldering iron kit, with the old stile wands that look like a wood burner. A fine tipped one and a bulky one. He was a master electrician and used them for decades, now I use them, both still work great.
This is a great tutorial, much better than what I found when looked around during my time learning to solder! So one thing that I must chime in on is that you ARE supposed to touch the solder to the iron tip whilst contacting the wire you are jointing. The point is to create a puddle to dip the wire into then move the solder throughout the joint, bridging from the hot tip to the bare copper/silver stranded wire, thus tinning the wire and forming a nice soldered joint quickly. Flux paste is there to help heat up your solder joint and additionally helps to transfer the melted solder flow in and around the strands. It is much more efficient and what has always worked best in my experience, not to mention it will keep you from melting the protective coating on those stranded wires! It is also how cold solder joints can be formed! Bad habit of mine when I was new to soldering. dielectric grease is always a great idea, especially under heat shrink! High quality tools for electrical work is key, there is potentially lots of risk involved. Klein is one of my go to brands for just about anything, Milwaukee also makes an excellent M12 soldering iron (12 volt battery powered, great for automotive or travel) And one more thing is Weller makes a great kit with tip tinner, flux paste, and a tip cleaner. Thanks for dropping some knowledge, keep it flowing for all to see😁
Tinning actually involves applying solder to the work area then wicking it off prior to performing the repair. What this does is remove surface oxidation that could prevent solder from flowing and aid in heat transfer. Adding solder to the tip of the iron is technically called "seasoning." This should be performed after each use of the iron to prevent the tip from oxidizing and extending its life. ...I taught high reliability soldering for the Navy. 😆
@@Eric-xh9ee of course he isn't a pro, he doesn't even know why he is putting solder on the tip before soldering, nor does he have proper soldering equipment that's the wannabe do it all the "it's not dumb if it works"
Ikr? I'm watching this in December. So, now I have to ask Santa🎅 for a Soldering kit🤷♀️🤣 *sigh* That'll be the perfect 🎁 gift for me this year🤗🤪 Then, I'll have to find some wires that need soldering...now, if I can only get my friend to walk away from his car🚗, with the hood up & battery out, of course......🤫*snip! Snip! SNIP!*✂️...🤭...🤔Hmmmm....It seems that my friend was not aware that he had some cut wires here😲! Well, as his friend, it is my duty to solder them back together🦸♀️ Thank Heavens that I watched this video!!!😁
I worked as an electrician and this method is so time consuming and, in 99.9% of the jobs, unwarranted that titling it "Like a pro" is pretty funny. More like: "How to solder wires like a control freak". I'd recommend a pen style soldering tool, they are easier to handle, lighter and less likely to break than a big solder gun, they are wireless too so you aren't limited by cable lengths. Also, shrink tubes are enough to insulate the wire most of the times, unless they are gonna be directly exposed and you live in an area really damp and with frequent winds that rattle the cable all day, and if you leave the wire in those conditions, that silicone won't do anything anyways. Also, we just used a plain old lighter to shrink them, no need to add yet another tool when you're trying to solder hundreds of wires, it just takes time and costs even more than just something you can put in your pocket.
For love nor money, there’s no way I could solder properly even with tin solder containing flux. This video is a godsend and I’m well on my way to finishing my new Corvette Head Unit connections. Thank you so very much!
Great job, lots of patience in your explanations and the video was nice and clear. Basically, add the shrink tube prior to soldering and keep it far enough away so it doesn’t start to shrink from the work being done..then slide it into place later.
I spent a semester in MIL-spec soldering. You never untwist stranded wire. Tin both ends, bend a hook in each end, hook them on each other, flow some solder. Far stronger than this mess in the video. If you really want something awesome, get some 63/37 eutectic solder and you’ll be in heaven.
The reason you tin the iron before touching the connection is so the heat can transfer better to the wires that you are soldering. There’s the potential of way more hot surface area (to melt the solder on top of the wires) when the solder is on the iron as opposed to just having the solderless iron try and heat up the wires
I've been a subscriber from early on and you are a very good teacher of things,very good instruction, to the point, well spoken.very informative and helpful. Great job
If the other ends of the wires are permanently attached to devices, don't forget, step 1 is to thread the shrink tubing on first. If you have to cut apart your tediously soldered wiring harness once you won't likely forget again. The silicone is a great idea I wasn't aware of.
I enjoyed this video a lot. I am 72 and 50 years ago I was rebuilding these small block engines. Its nice to see I was doing it right and you still are.
Solid! I just wanted to share with you somthing because you helped me and this might help you! I seen your video before but I could never get the solder to work because I couldn't find the proper flux. Turns out I had this old masters flux for stained glass windows. I thought about it, then said to myself "wires are copper and stained glass windows are fused from using copper" sure enough it worked and held the tires perfect! I know because as you said plumbers flux won't work and I tried that, so in this case at least it will either work or not! Thiers no inbetween! Cheers hope this might help!
Another tip, is to use silicone insulated wire when ever you can. Plastic insulated wires can melt while you're soldering or using the heat gun (especially true with very thin wires). Plus, the waterproofing and general heft between silicone and shrink tubing is much better than with plastic. Wire splicing is my arch nemesis. I mostly deal with very thin wires (I build drones), and I hate splicing. Your method with splaying the strands of both wires was an eye opener for me! I usually wet both ends first, then lie them next to each other or butt-solder them. This is *much* better.
You said to not touch the solder to the iron. When I’ve seen people put the solder on the iron first, then put it on the wire and heat it, but can’t remember if they used flux or not. This is so confusing. Your way seemed good though. I’m just a perfectionist so until I understand the exact science of why to do it one way over the other I cannot commit on any single method. The way you joined the wires together before soldering though is definitely the best way. Thank you.
That's a really great way to ensure joins won't break, but unfortunately it's a bit unrealistic in a lot of scenarios wherethe length of this solder joints is sometimes the whole wire length we have to work. In those cases what i do is try to peel the cables around the same length, make a cross, and twist them in opposite directions, which makes for a pretty solid joint as well in very tight spaces. I'd like to try and apply what was shown here though.
Wow! Put ten people in a room and ask them to demonstrate their method of joining two wires and you'll probably get any number of variations covering from one end of the spectrum to the other. The only constant will be that each person is convinced that their way is the "right way". Sometimes, it boils down to simply making a repair with what you have and where you are at the time of needed repair and sometimes you are in your shop with the tools and time to make a better job of it. Cody simply showed you a decent way that works - be glad!
Not too shabby for an amateur. Here are a few tips for beginners: Since the other ends of the wires are likely connected to something, you may want to slip the heat shrink material down one wire before soldering. WS was lucky and had an open end to do this with. Flux isn't always needed, but is helpful to promote good solder flow. Good quality solder is a plus. Steer away from solder that has an acid base. That is a specialized type and not used for normal solder jobs.
U did a great job. I was unfamiliar with how to solder electrical wires for my headlight on my silverado. Your demonstration was very clear and precise. Thank u.
You can find heat shrink tubing that has glue on the inside. It oozes out and seals at the edge. Also I like to get a high shrink ratio so its more versatile, such as soldering two wires on one side to a single wire on the other. That way a larger tube can shrink around the single wire, yet be large enough to slide over the two wires.
we are watching you live in the waiting room, thank you for creative commons and one of my viewers actually knows you. now i am subbed, will check out more!
A 20+ yr Electronics Tech that solders 300 pin micro connectors for the F18 reviewed my solder job following your video and said "your solder joint looks d@#n good!". Thanks, it had been a couple decades since i tried last and so was hesitant. I bought a little helping hands with alligator hands and magnifier at #harborfreight for dirt cheap like 5$ i think. I ended up adding the shrink tube on the alligator clips after the 1st round because they do bite into the wire that was a great idea. Thank you to you and your granddad who took time to teach you things in life
We live on an ocean going sailboat so all of my electrical connections exist in the worst possible connections! Thanks for the tips. I’ve been using the heat shrink connectors from Anchor and they usually hold up for a few years, but I’m always looking to improve my technique 😎
I agree with the way you are doing it. I have seen so many other ways to do it but end up with a big bump in the wire. If you are making a joint and tape it and put it in a loom the smaller the better. Spent 17 years building looms.
Very well rounded information Fun Fact During manufacturing the cans have been Tempered Hardened for durability A soldering iron can’t produce the temperature to melt the hardened tin hence the need to Tin prior to Soldering
You can also use the side of the soldering iron (gun in your case) to shrink the tubing. That is what I use and it works just fine. Just rub it over the top of the tubing - yup, rub it.
It's actually a good idea to touch the soldering iron tip so there is a thermal connection between the wire and the soldering iron. After there is a good thermal connection feed the solder into the wire and the solder will wick through the wire. For the rest it's a good video, I like the silicone trick
People need to be wary of any youtube video that declares itself as 'how to do something like a Pro', because 99% are not done by pros, always check the comments for an outcry. Speaking as a Pro, that was pretty good, except most QA instructions will instruct you to twist the wire or do a lineman's splice, what you are doing there has no mechanical integrity. Well done on adding dielectric grease, that's essential. Just to add, you can also use adhesive lined heatshrink for extra sealing, and most solder has a flux core already.
Actually adding the dielectric grease helps retain the tube’s 99.99% seal around the bare wires before they were stripped. using heat shrink alone wouldnt be enough to maintain that seal as there would still be possible air gaps.. i wont explain what the dangers of air gaps are since you seem to “think” you know better..
It's refreshing to see someone who obviously knows what they are doing. Tapping the solder to the gun's wire is to "tin" the wire for good heat-conduction to the wire. Ideally, the solder should have rosin flux applied to the solder before applying it to the gun's wire and the heating of the wire and application of solder should follow immediately!
Most heat shrink tubing is thinner than the original wire insulation so I would recommend doing two layers of heat shrink and don't over heat it so the middle doesn't gets brittle. Thanks for the video.
Nice tip about speeding the fibers. It is much smaller joint than the "Western Union Joint" I usually use. By "tinning" it, allows more heat flow from the iron to the wires.
Let me explain a few things... 1. Tinning the tip of the iron is done for a couple of reasons. First is because as the iron remains heated, corrosion forms on the surface of the hot solder. Second is to tin it so you have extra solder to wipe off the corroded solder just like he very poorly wiped it on the sponge. Corroded solder should have come off onto the sponge leaving freshsolder behind. Third, you need a proper amount of solder for sufficient heat transfer. His wires took so long to heat up because he didnt have enough solder on his iron. By having a larger fluid surface, you come into more contact with the wires surface faster than pressing just the iron. Notice how once he started adding more solder it wicked up the wires and how once it was 90% coated he was able to reflow it super fast? Proper amount of solder makes for faster heat transfer. 2. Joining method doesnt matter as much as how well the solder flows into the wires. If the wires are properly soldered (regardless of joining method) they will be very difficult to pull apart. If they pull apart easy, its likely a cold solder joint or not enough solder/flowed solder. 3. The flux he used is 100%unnecessary if the wires are clean and the solder already has a flux core. However if youre having difficulty creating a good flow of solder, the flux will help tremendously.
Cody, in practice any application where there is a chance for wire movement it is better to use crimp connectors. In the marine and aircraft industry soldering wires is not allowed unless the wire is supported and not allowed to move. There is no doubt that a solder connection provides the best connection. It come down to the movement of the wires. Also if you are using core solder there is no need to use paste on the wires. Never use acid core solder on electrical connections either
Crimping is NOT better for splicing wires; solder is preferred method. If you have enough movement in the wire that solder is going to break, the wire is going to break anyway. Signed UH-1H crewchief!
It is not allowed in the NEC either. Current will heat the solder and it will fail. If you use in automotive I don't think it would be a problem if the conductor is large enough and your current is limited by a small amp fuse.
Terry Pendergrass - I've just looked at the FFA's Aircraft Electrical Wiring Interconnect System (EWIS) Best Practices, and it says nothing about soldering being a preferred splice method. What published standards do UH-1H crews work to?
You don’t need the silicone paste with shrink tubing. It keeps the glue from tubing from sealing properly. Only use silicone on stuff not shrink tubed. Like spade but connectors
As a little note, clean off the rosin flux with rubbing alcohol before you put the shrink tubing on. The rosin is acidic and will eventually eat through the wires.
While not wrong in cases where load on wire is not a big concern this is fine. Ford actually foregoes solder and just uses shrink wrap. Their thought process being its easier and faster to replace shrink wrap than the whole soldering process or so I guess. For context sake remember that in a car it's suppose to last multiple repairs with today's electronics.
fun fact: It took roughly 60 years for wire splice technology to go from simple WU splices, to soldered WU splice, "shotgun" twist sleeves, to the Nicopress sleeves , developed just before WWII, to be eclipsed by IDC connectors used today, such as B-connectors, UG/UY/UR, Picabond/TelSplice... Much of the innovation can be traced directly to Bell Labs research, and the telephone industry looking for the lowest loss/easiest/cheapest way to join two wires together.
Not the worst way. Cyanoacrylate has good tensile (pulling) strength but a bunch have poor shear/modulous (flex). For prototype electronics its fine. But something that is inside an engine or say phone charger cable; probably not so much.
Hey Cody, while it can't hurt, the use of flux paste with rosin core solder in this type of soldering is redundant. Flux paste should be used when existing connections are re-exposed to heat, such as in the case of soldering adjacent connectors, etc. Flux inhibits oxidation at the site of heating, which results in better connections. Also, flux should be removed following soldering so as to minimize corrosion. A lint-free cloth and isopropyl alcohol are adequate for this application. Dielectric grease is a corrosion inhibitor, so it's great for exposed electrical connections. Especially the mechanical type, such as a lug and bolt. Properly applied, hear shrink tubing will seal connections, and it's also optional in this application. It should be noted that solder and flux are available for specialized purposed, and that plumbing flux and solder should not be used to solder electrical connections. Lastly, do not directly touch solder to the iron. This is the reason why it took so long to initially heat the conductors. Heat the leads, then touch the solder to the leads to "flow" solder across the connection. Wipe any flux and solder residue from the tip of the iron, and repeat. Great video, as usual. Keep up the great work.
As I understand it, Cody was right to want to tin the iron. Though he ended up keeping a blob of solder on the iron. To tin, he needed to apply the solder then flick excess off, thus keeping a thin layer on iron only.
I know you should use proper flux for the proper job but I've used an old tin can (or steel? not sure) of nokorode that's been in the family since my great grandfather, and while there's still flux left in there we probably won't buy anything new because it does the job and it does it really well, provided you clean up afterwards (isopropyl and a nail brush). The only issue with it is the fact the binder is a really nasty thick grease, but honestly I'd rather take that over the horrible liquid flux that's really popular, I should also say I would probably get real electronics flux paste if it was sold where I live, but it isn't so no luck on that front.
The silicone paste is a great idea. Very good demonstration. Now do one while laying on your back, working above your face, under a dashboard. LoL Agree that using the crimp connections is not ideal but in many automotive applications, you don't really have much choice.
if it takes too long, you just gotta have the solder touch the wire and the iron and as soon as the solder melts, drag it back ontop. You will conduct heat way better that way.
Yeah it's not perfect but this is way better than crimp connectors. What would you change/improve? Do you do that "NASA splice" where the two wires are bent into U's and then hooked and twisted around each other before solder is applied?
@@CassidyHansen Fraying wires is a big no-no on contacts, splices, solder, everything. Flux is not necessary unless you busted out a roll of solder from 1980 or you're dealing with something like 8 awg wire. Also ditch the sealing slime and get some shrink sleeves with glue already within, or splice covers that have the little seals at both ends. As for what I use at home, the lineman splice would be my go-to, but I also have access to M81824/1-2s and crimp tools from work. :)
That's because Aircraft wires are subject to the Fuselage expanding and compressing during Flight and a more secure method is needed. With this method on an Aircraft..the twisted wires could Pull apart or Solder Joints could crack during flight and actually CAUSE a Critical System to FAIL!.. So You are Absolutely Correct in your statement.. However in avg home applications this method should be Fine.
@@kayfluff His way is perfect for us guitarists, except for the flux and sealer. Our guitar cavities have limited space and we don't want large knots (as I have seen) or any kind of connectors.
1. Live in a pool (create a flow of solder and keep it liquid) 2. Solder will travel to the heat once the pool is formed 3. Don't use too much heat 4. Don't get the solder in the insulation from using too much solder (check by bending the wire, you'll know if it's stiff).
You can melt some solder on the tip of the gun. Some molted on the tip makes it heat up the wire quicker. Just be sure that the wire gets hot enough to melt the solder. When I started using shrink tube I used a hair dryer to shrink it. Was adequate until I got a heat gun! Harbor Freight has a Drill Master heat gun that is reasonably priced and works well. The only Drill Master thing I've found worth buying.
I've had an instant Weller since 1969....... 1. You're using the 'edge', not the face of the tip [90 degree wrong] 2. You DO wet the tip with solder - massively increases heat transfer, to the work 3. Took far to long to do it - 5 seconds about right
Chuck A's reply hit it on the head. Use the Lineman's Splice and do it to NASA specs and you'll have a good mechanical joint that is secured with the solder. Cody, your joint is depending on the solder to hold it together which could fail.
Lineman Splice is for solid wire. It is much weaker on a stranded wire than on a solid core. The weak point isn't the bind, obviously, it's the stranded wire itself. It's an overkill. Entirely valid and a fantastic bind, but overkill nonetheless
Oh I know, but it doesn't change the fact that weak point becomes the untinned stranded part, making it redundant. The tension resistance of stranded wire is less than what the actual splice will give you. Making a bulky solid splice may sometimes do more harm than good if you think about it (automotive comes to mind) Don't get me wrong, I think mastering the Nasa spec splice is a wonderfull skill to have. I would definitly encourage anyone to master it. I guess my main point is that Cody did a pretty solid splice that will last and do the intended job it's meant to do.
I'd love you to find someone that tins wires for a car or trailer, I've done hundreds or remote start/ alarms as well as other automotive installations and I can tell you that I've never had a single vehicle come back because of a solder issue, you people mentioning NASA like your building something for space.... give me a break ps using the right solder for electrical work makes all the difference in the world
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Great video, for Stranded wire. The "Western Union or Lineman splice" for Solid wire is good as well. I like using the lineman splice on stranded wire with shrink wrap, it seems like a stronger connection. Thank you for videos and stuff you showcase on your channel.
That's actually fairly close to the NASA method. In theirs you twist each end to a small hook and twist them back around each other and crimp so you have something like a super tight chain link, you then solder the whole thing. It makes for a very strong bond as well as a perfectly good connection.
Slip the shrink tube on before you make the connection in case you can’t slide it over an end of the wire! Just a tip!
can you put your belt up on the store?
Great video.. I myself switched to using the self silicone shrink tube.. It works great with one less step.. Peace!!
For me the hardest part of wire soldering is to remember put shrink tube before soldering those two wires.
AND keep it far enough away from the soldering job that it doesn't shrink up before you can use it...! >_
@@simonbelanger3923 ⛪
Been there brother.
Ha ha, I’ve done that a few times myself...very annoying.
@@simonbelanger3923 Exactly, and normally you don´t solder a black wire ( - ) together with a red wire (+) ... :)
I bought a soldering station last year. It changed my whole view on soldering. It never takes that long to heat up, and it is amazing how easy it is to solder now. Also, always use small solder. It heats up and melts faster and makes life easier. Great video as always.
Always connect black and red wires. Can never go wrong.
That is correct
kaboom
Ofcourse
Looks like an led trailer light plug/harness so it wouldn't matter
Lol thats pro
I must not be the only one disturbed by a tutorial showing a red and black wire being soldered together
Haha awesome 👏 didn’t even notice, I’m sure it’s for demonstration purpose, since it’s a soldering tutorial not a wiring tutorial
That's not what bothers me the most, it's the way you Yanks pronounce 'sodder' and still call your language English!
@@Globerson Yes Matt, the L isn't silent and in case you too want to be able to speak English correctly the O as in 'so'. I just can't understand how you've managed to muck up our language the way you have since 1607. I mean look at 'aloooominum'......!
you son of a bi---
@@richardd3663 You can't give the yanks a hard time when we are just as bad at our own language. Go to Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Edinburgh, Newcastle etc. and tell me their accents are easier to understand than an american.
As a soldering pro I very much approve of this. Your method is pretty much foolproof. A tip: have some molten solder on the soldering iron tip to act as a heat conductor. That way you avoid the long heat up times like you had in your example.
3:44
"grand dad said" then mumble..... Tin it. Is all.i got
You “tin” the tip of your iron to help avoid corrosion when not in use.
You also tin the tip to improve heat conductivity. You’ll notice the difference when applying solder to a non-tinned tip vs a tinned one.
The joining of the wire in this video was perfect technique, which I’m totally stealing.
The reason it was taking so long for the flux to activate was that the wire was conducting away the heat from the solder gun.
The point where the two objects being soldered meet is called a “joint”.
You should apply heat to the joint, and apply solder to where the solder gun and the joint meet. This technique will help transfer heat to the joint faster, getting ahead of the heat dissipation the wires introduce.
Great video. Thank you for making it.
Do you know what the black strand he was holding over the wires? Was he melting something into it?
@@michaelkuhn6619 hey that was soldering wire or solder for short! One of the most commonly used ones is 60/40 meaning 60% tin and 40% lead alloy solder. So basically he twists the wires, anchoring them and then heats the twisted wires using the soldering iron bringing them up to the temperature that would melt the solder wire. He then applies that solder wire to that join, which has now heated to the point of being able to melt the solder. The solder melts nicely over the joint and fuses it together.
The paste he applied at the start the rosin is used to remove any corrosion and impurities from the surface of the wires so that solder will cling nicely on to the joint.
for me as someone who has never done anything in life in terms of electronics this is a very important video for me to watch at 4 am instead of sleeping yes :)
Same, because you never know, amirite?💫
@@Fgbjdhdbccvx we are all subject to the algorithm
I am literally watching this at 4:36 am after coming home drunk from a party in a dormitory
4:15 am ... so close
this info is useful for fixing copper pipes, too
I like the reference to your grandfather. I’m out in the shop tonight soldering some wires and thought I’d just do a RUclips search to see what other guys are doing. I’m actually using my grandfather’s old Weller gun and I use the exact same method as you. Great video for those who are attempting to solder wires for the first time!
I've had terrible luck soldering wires together, and after watching this video, I can see why I've failed !! Thank you very much for taking the time to make it. VERY informative and well done. Bob in Grand Rapids, MI
After 50+ years in electronics including ham radio I learned some valuable techniques....many thanks!
With you bud👍🏻😉😊 🇬🇧
Like what exactly...?
Like how not to solder wires together.
@@ehtcom
What was wrong with what he did?
I appreciate how often you take a moment to say "thats always how grand dad did it" it reminds me of my own grandpa teaching me skills like this.
The only issue is that while many of grandpas solution are viable, many are no longer relevant. That is why many people do stupid things while work8ng on cars. Stuff was made differently
I mean they meet up somewhere
Don't forget to put the shrink tube on the wires before you solder if you can't slide them on whenever you're done soldering.
I've done that more than I'd care to admit lol
Looks like i'm not the only one
Clay Willoughby I've done this enough to know better now. There's nothing more aggravating than forgetting to put it on and realizing that perfect soldering job you just completed was for nothing.
Was anyone worried that he was soldering a red wire to a black wire...?
Viktor Orban In the USA, Black is Live and White is Neutral.
If you’re going to solder wires in a car or truck, just be sure it isn’t in a harness with any movement at all, since soldering makes the wire end more brittle right near the joint. You’ll notice almost all wire connections are crimped from the factory in an automobile because of vibration, for this reason.
The dab on your iron helps to transfer heat and also cleans your iron a little with the rosin.
Double wall heat shrink will really seal it up.
Tinning the iron does the double duty of transferring the heat faster and it protects the tip from corrosion while it's hot.
Without it, I tend to melt some insulation by the time the solder flows through.
Great tips! I couldn't tell you how many times I've forgotten to put the shrink tubing on first 😂
Nice joint! And, thanks for suggesting the dielectric silicon grease.
It should be noted that quite often, the joint will be made between either two long pieces of wire or two wires that may already be joined to something at the other ends, so the shrink tubing can't be slipped on easily or at all, after the soldering is done.
There are two ways to address this:
One way is to put an appropriate length of shrink tubing onto one of the wires before soldering, but it should be slid well away from the site of the soldering or it will shrink and not slide over the joint.
The other way is to get some self-fusing electrical tape to wrap around the joint after the soldering is done. This may not always be the best method, but sometimes may be the method of choice... especially if one is simply soldering a wire to a connector of some sort, or "oops! I forgot to put the shrink tubing on before applying the solder.".
Best wishes.
Have to agree with some of the comments below. Although Cody has done an excellent job connecting two wires, and one that, for most purposes, will be quite serviceable, there is no mechanical connection. I was a certified in the Air Force for high reliability soldering, and the first rule for soldering anything is to ensure a strong mechanical connection, since solder has very little physical strength to it. The linesman splice is preferable. Good job Cody!
Is it true that the lineman splice or Western Union slice is designed for solid wire?
Its easy to twist wires when they are detached like that, its a different story when they are actually attached to something and in tight spot :D
Yep, and it’s very difficult with high amperage wire that runs directly to the battery. Even 25A wire running to a motorcycle battery is quite difficult
So true! I always seem to end up with a twisted up mess!
I'm with you, everything is easy on the bench with clamps... hardly real world
Just means you didn't take enough things off to make it not so tight!
Amazing the direction this dude has gone since this video
The heat shrink on the alligator clamps is genius.
If you want to solder faster use wet tip (wet with solder), it will eliminate micro gap and transfer the heat faster onto the wire. That way you wont melt the wire.
Use a mini butane torch and it’s three times faster
I've never used flux before, but recently when soldering wires together, the solder just wouldn't flow and stick, now i know why, great tips thanks.
As a mechanic I really like that you are using information passed down to you from your granddad, it is really cool to know that this information is legit because of that
LOL - this made me chuckle 😂
Heat from the bottom was the best bit I learned from this. Thanks for the pro tip
I do agree with you on how to heat shrink tube. I have very close friends of mine that are Master mechanics and they even have some sort of special certificate for automotive wiring. When a solder a connection and put a piece of shrink tube on all of them use a cigarette lighter. I tried that a few times and it never worked out well for me. Also you do the same thing that I do before shrinking a tube around it. We just use different brands of dielectric grease. I'm definitely going to pick up a bottle of what you were using. I have the shop size dielectric grease it comes in a tube. that brush that you have I buy them and big bags from harbor freight. I'm glad to see that you use the soldering iron that you did. I have the same sort of one as yours and really never figured out how to use it correctly. It was my father's and it's almost as old as I am and that's saying something. I never did ask him to show me how to use it. I always had a cheap one from radio shack. I enjoyed your video and look forward to watching other ones.
me who uses teeth as a wire cutter/striper and fingers like a soldering iron: thats cute
While the thing is still on
@@MS-fe3vo XD yes
It’s cute that you think anyone cares
@Loli4lyf it’s cute that you think I care about a random person’s opinion about my profile picture which I don’t want to change because I don’t have to
What you just did will work perfectly fine for most applications.
But if you're interested in real strong splices, bare back the wires an inch or so, meet them, bend them 90 degrees, then twist them together in opposite directions. It's called a western union splice, the harder you pull on it the tighter it gets (until it breaks). Also the preferred spot to add solder is directly between the iron and the wire. And soldering wires together you don't really need paste flux as long as you use flux core (AKA rosin core) solder. And you don't want solder to flow into the insulation of the wire. But I was taught mil-spec soldering you don't need to get that fancy for general purpose stuff :)
I understand the Western Union splice was designed for solid wire but not stranded wire, is this correct?
@@dwaynemcallister7231 2 year old comment wow haha. That could be true. I'm not sure. We used it for stranded in school. But either way it works :). The main thing I was taught is that it doesn't really matter what form of splice you use, it has to be inspectable. Meaning you have to be able to see the adhesion of the solder joint and not just a blob of solder, and if the solder wicks up into the insulation it's no longer inspectable.
When soldering, I LIVE by the mantra "skrink tubing hides a lot of sins"
I don’t use a fancy new gun, I have my grandfathers soldering iron kit, with the old stile wands that look like a wood burner. A fine tipped one and a bulky one. He was a master electrician and used them for decades, now I use them, both still work great.
This is a great tutorial, much better than what I found when looked around during my time learning to solder!
So one thing that I must chime in on is that you ARE supposed to touch the solder to the iron tip whilst contacting the wire you are jointing. The point is to create a puddle to dip the wire into then move the solder throughout the joint, bridging from the hot tip to the bare copper/silver stranded wire, thus tinning the wire and forming a nice soldered joint quickly.
Flux paste is there to help heat up your solder joint and additionally helps to transfer the melted solder flow in and around the strands.
It is much more efficient and what has always worked best in my experience, not to mention it will keep you from melting the protective coating on those stranded wires! It is also how cold solder joints can be formed! Bad habit of mine when I was new to soldering.
dielectric grease is always a great idea, especially under heat shrink!
High quality tools for electrical work is key, there is potentially lots of risk involved.
Klein is one of my go to brands for just about anything, Milwaukee also makes an excellent M12 soldering iron (12 volt battery powered, great for automotive or travel)
And one more thing is Weller makes a great kit with tip tinner, flux paste, and a tip cleaner.
Thanks for dropping some knowledge, keep it flowing for all to see😁
Tinning the tip? It's for improved heat transfer.
see how this made you into a pro, wow!
Tinning actually involves applying solder to the work area then wicking it off prior to performing the repair. What this does is remove surface oxidation that could prevent solder from flowing and aid in heat transfer. Adding solder to the tip of the iron is technically called "seasoning." This should be performed after each use of the iron to prevent the tip from oxidizing and extending its life. ...I taught high reliability soldering for the Navy. 😆
@@EenChristJesus yeah I only watched a couple of seconds of the video but the guy definitely doesn't seem like a pro
@@Eric-xh9ee of course he isn't a pro, he doesn't even know why he is putting solder on the tip before soldering, nor does he have proper soldering equipment
that's the wannabe do it all
the "it's not dumb if it works"
Learned more then I've ever learned from my electric class, in this 1 video, thank you so much really appreciate it, keep it up
Ikr? I'm watching this in December. So, now I have to ask Santa🎅 for a Soldering kit🤷♀️🤣 *sigh* That'll be the perfect 🎁 gift for me this year🤗🤪 Then, I'll have to find some wires that need soldering...now, if I can only get my friend to walk away from his car🚗, with the hood up & battery out, of course......🤫*snip! Snip! SNIP!*✂️...🤭...🤔Hmmmm....It seems that my friend was not aware that he had some cut wires here😲! Well, as his friend, it is my duty to solder them back together🦸♀️ Thank Heavens that I watched this video!!!😁
I worked as an electrician and this method is so time consuming and, in 99.9% of the jobs, unwarranted that titling it "Like a pro" is pretty funny. More like: "How to solder wires like a control freak".
I'd recommend a pen style soldering tool, they are easier to handle, lighter and less likely to break than a big solder gun, they are wireless too so you aren't limited by cable lengths. Also, shrink tubes are enough to insulate the wire most of the times, unless they are gonna be directly exposed and you live in an area really damp and with frequent winds that rattle the cable all day, and if you leave the wire in those conditions, that silicone won't do anything anyways. Also, we just used a plain old lighter to shrink them, no need to add yet another tool when you're trying to solder hundreds of wires, it just takes time and costs even more than just something you can put in your pocket.
For love nor money, there’s no way I could solder properly even with tin solder containing flux. This video is a godsend and I’m well on my way to finishing my new Corvette Head Unit connections. Thank you so very much!
Great job, lots of patience in your explanations and the video was nice and clear. Basically, add the shrink tube prior to soldering and keep it far enough away so it doesn’t start to shrink from the work being done..then slide it into place later.
I spent a semester in MIL-spec soldering. You never untwist stranded wire. Tin both ends, bend a hook in each end, hook them on each other, flow some solder. Far stronger than this mess in the video. If you really want something awesome, get some 63/37 eutectic solder and you’ll be in heaven.
Make a video
Mil spec soldering... I'll be dammmmd
The reason you tin the iron before touching the connection is so the heat can transfer better to the wires that you are soldering. There’s the potential of way more hot surface area (to melt the solder on top of the wires) when the solder is on the iron as opposed to just having the solderless iron try and heat up the wires
"That's gonna be your best connection"
Lineman splice: "Bruh"
@@restopesto9448 saaame, it's amazing, never had an issue with it.
Thanks four the easy end simple explenation 👌
I've been a subscriber from early on and you are a very good teacher of things,very good instruction, to the point, well spoken.very informative and helpful. Great job
Boss: fix that wiring join them back together
Me: ok
10 minutes later
Boss: WHY IT TAKE 10 MINUTES
"Why it take ten minutes ?"
Guessing you work for "angry Asian".
I used this technique for my Line 6 power chord and it worked beautifully thanks to your video! Thank you!
4:08 "Woah, that took a long time to... heat up, there."
7:15 *Dragon-laughs icicles...*
Good Stuff! Wish I'd seen this a week ago when I was re-wiring some lights on my Harley :)
You have more things to worry about then wires shaking loose. 🤣😂🤣
I have to say, quite frankly, that was one of the most beautiful videos I have ever seen.
If the other ends of the wires are permanently attached to devices, don't forget, step 1 is to thread the shrink tubing on first. If you have to cut apart your tediously soldered wiring harness once you won't likely forget again. The silicone is a great idea I wasn't aware of.
I about passed on this because I thought I knew how to solder. This is a really cool technique. Will definitely be using this!
I thought this was how everyone was taught to solder, how were you doing it?
Same... don't know how strong the joint would be, but it does seems marginally better than just spinning them normally
I enjoyed this video a lot. I am 72 and 50 years ago I was rebuilding these small block engines. Its nice to see I was doing it right and you still are.
Solid! I just wanted to share with you somthing because you helped me and this might help you! I seen your video before but I could never get the solder to work because I couldn't find the proper flux. Turns out I had this old masters flux for stained glass windows. I thought about it, then said to myself "wires are copper and stained glass windows are fused from using copper" sure enough it worked and held the tires perfect! I know because as you said plumbers flux won't work and I tried that, so in this case at least it will either work or not! Thiers no inbetween! Cheers hope this might help!
Didn’t even realize it was a wranglestar video till he showed his face. Best videos on RUclips!
Another tip, is to use silicone insulated wire when ever you can. Plastic insulated wires can melt while you're soldering or using the heat gun (especially true with very thin wires). Plus, the waterproofing and general heft between silicone and shrink tubing is much better than with plastic.
Wire splicing is my arch nemesis. I mostly deal with very thin wires (I build drones), and I hate splicing. Your method with splaying the strands of both wires was an eye opener for me! I usually wet both ends first, then lie them next to each other or butt-solder them. This is *much* better.
Anybody else get the feeling this guy learns something and, 20 minutes later, makes a video 'teaching" others?
Pretty sure that's the basis of his entire channel haha.
@@Andy-im3kj Yep - and why not? Seems to be working. Might motivate those with higher skills to do a proper instructional.
Wheres your video on soldering? " cricket ,, cricket "
Let's see how many likes you get on you cricket remark. Friggin' fanboys.
he does not have a clue!
Putting a small amount on the iron helps the heat transfer (tinning)
He did. lol
Freefallpilot65 you do it while heating the wire it useless the way he did it
Absolutely correct. That puddle on the tip helps transfer the heat to the joint. It also helps to put the flat part of the tip on the joint.
Indeed, increases heat transfer. Makes solder flow faster and avoids burning things up.
absolutely, and the wire is probably bare tinned copper no need for flux
been soldering for a long time but it was still a pleasure to watch you vids. thx.
You said to not touch the solder to the iron. When I’ve seen people put the solder on the iron first, then put it on the wire and heat it, but can’t remember if they used flux or not.
This is so confusing. Your way seemed good though.
I’m just a perfectionist so until I understand the exact science of why to do it one way over the other I cannot commit on any single method.
The way you joined the wires together before soldering though is definitely the best way. Thank you.
That's a really great way to ensure joins won't break, but unfortunately it's a bit unrealistic in a lot of scenarios wherethe length of this solder joints is sometimes the whole wire length we have to work. In those cases what i do is try to peel the cables around the same length, make a cross, and twist them in opposite directions, which makes for a pretty solid joint as well in very tight spaces. I'd like to try and apply what was shown here though.
Wow! Put ten people in a room and ask them to demonstrate their method of joining two wires and you'll probably get any number of variations covering from one end of the spectrum to the other. The only constant will be that each person is convinced that their way is the "right way". Sometimes, it boils down to simply making a repair with what you have and where you are at the time of needed repair and sometimes you are in your shop with the tools and time to make a better job of it. Cody simply showed you a decent way that works - be glad!
Robert
Yes, but he said "like a pro"
Not too shabby for an amateur.
Here are a few tips for beginners:
Since the other ends of the wires are likely connected to something, you may want to slip the heat shrink material down one wire before soldering. WS was lucky and had an open end to do this with.
Flux isn't always needed, but is helpful to promote good solder flow. Good quality solder is a plus.
Steer away from solder that has an acid base. That is a specialized type and not used for normal solder jobs.
Free WiFi
Really clear, to the point video , especially for beginners, greetings from Egypt
U did a great job. I was unfamiliar with how to solder electrical wires for my headlight on my silverado. Your demonstration was very clear and precise. Thank u.
Thanks man... Found this useful... I'm hopeless at soldering.. Hopefully will help.... From Australia.
You can find heat shrink tubing that has glue on the inside. It oozes out and seals at the edge. Also I like to get a high shrink ratio so its more versatile, such as soldering two wires on one side to a single wire on the other. That way a larger tube can shrink around the single wire, yet be large enough to slide over the two wires.
Hello there👋👋,how are you doing today?hope you’re doing well?God bless you!!❤
The 3-1 marine type heat shrink works well. It also hardens afterwards, good for some applications not so for others.
I appreciate the silicone advice, will use that in the future.
we are watching you live in the waiting room, thank you for creative commons and one of my viewers actually knows you. now i am subbed, will check out more!
A 20+ yr Electronics Tech that solders 300 pin micro connectors for the F18 reviewed my solder job following your video and said "your solder joint looks d@#n good!". Thanks, it had been a couple decades since i tried last and so was hesitant. I bought a little helping hands with alligator hands and magnifier at #harborfreight for dirt cheap like 5$ i think. I ended up adding the shrink tube on the alligator clips after the 1st round because they do bite into the wire that was a great idea. Thank you to you and your granddad who took time to teach you things in life
Despite some of the comments below I appreciate this video and learned some things. Thank you. Have a great day!.
yea soldering 2 different colours together
We live on an ocean going sailboat so all of my electrical connections exist in the worst possible connections! Thanks for the tips. I’ve been using the heat shrink connectors from Anchor and they usually hold up for a few years, but I’m always looking to improve my technique 😎
You have data out there in the pacific blue???!
Who's your service provider? I might consider switching over
What I do is I use shrink tubing with inner hot glue coating. With this, your wire connections will last till the end of time
True! 3:1 shrink tube with adhesive is my favorite!
I agree with the way you are doing it. I have seen so many other ways to do it but end up with a big bump in the wire. If you are making a joint and tape it and put it in a loom the smaller the better. Spent 17 years building looms.
Very well rounded information
Fun Fact During manufacturing the cans have been Tempered Hardened for durability
A soldering iron can’t produce the temperature to melt the hardened tin hence the need to Tin prior to Soldering
You can also use the side of the soldering iron (gun in your case) to shrink the tubing. That is what I use and it works just fine. Just rub it over the top of the tubing - yup, rub it.
underneath gives a better spread
It's actually a good idea to touch the soldering iron tip so there is a thermal connection between the wire and the soldering iron. After there is a good thermal connection feed the solder into the wire and the solder will wick through the wire. For the rest it's a good video, I like the silicone trick
People need to be wary of any youtube video that declares itself as 'how to do something like a Pro', because 99% are not done by pros, always check the comments for an outcry. Speaking as a Pro, that was pretty good, except most QA instructions will instruct you to twist the wire or do a lineman's splice, what you are doing there has no mechanical integrity. Well done on adding dielectric grease, that's essential.
Just to add, you can also use adhesive lined heatshrink for extra sealing, and most solder has a flux core already.
Actually adding the dielectric grease helps retain the tube’s 99.99% seal around the bare wires before they were stripped. using heat shrink alone wouldnt be enough to maintain that seal as there would still be possible air gaps.. i wont explain what the dangers of air gaps are since you seem to “think” you know better..
Where did I suggest 'using heat shrink alone' ? - your point is unclear
My thought exactly!! I cringed at the wire joining method... Then he wondered why the heat wouldn't transfer..
very professional, clean looking solder job. better than 99.9% out there.
It's refreshing to see someone who obviously knows what they are doing. Tapping the solder to the gun's wire is to "tin" the wire for good heat-conduction to the wire. Ideally, the solder should have rosin flux applied to the solder before applying it to the gun's wire and the heating of the wire and application of solder should follow immediately!
You can also buy special heat shrink that have adhesive on the ends so there's no need for the silicone
Hot glue, to be precise, yes.
This is the definition of breaking a butterfly on a wheel ^^
Most heat shrink tubing is thinner than the original wire insulation so I would recommend doing two layers of heat shrink and don't over heat it so the middle doesn't gets brittle. Thanks for the video.
Nice tip about speeding the fibers. It is much smaller joint than the "Western Union Joint" I usually use.
By "tinning" it, allows more heat flow from the iron to the wires.
Yep you can tin the bare wire when joining to solder pads ECT and also should run the tip, him wiping it on a cloth is not tining anything lol
Let me explain a few things...
1. Tinning the tip of the iron is done for a couple of reasons. First is because as the iron remains heated, corrosion forms on the surface of the hot solder. Second is to tin it so you have extra solder to wipe off the corroded solder just like he very poorly wiped it on the sponge. Corroded solder should have come off onto the sponge leaving freshsolder behind. Third, you need a proper amount of solder for sufficient heat transfer. His wires took so long to heat up because he didnt have enough solder on his iron. By having a larger fluid surface, you come into more contact with the wires surface faster than pressing just the iron. Notice how once he started adding more solder it wicked up the wires and how once it was 90% coated he was able to reflow it super fast? Proper amount of solder makes for faster heat transfer.
2. Joining method doesnt matter as much as how well the solder flows into the wires. If the wires are properly soldered (regardless of joining method) they will be very difficult to pull apart. If they pull apart easy, its likely a cold solder joint or not enough solder/flowed solder.
3. The flux he used is 100%unnecessary if the wires are clean and the solder already has a flux core. However if youre having difficulty creating a good flow of solder, the flux will help tremendously.
Beautiful video! Genius use of the m3 silicon grease! Never thought of using it like that
Cody, in practice any application where there is a chance for wire movement it is better to use crimp connectors. In the marine and aircraft industry soldering wires is not allowed unless the wire is supported and not allowed to move.
There is no doubt that a solder connection provides the best connection. It come down to the movement of the wires.
Also if you are using core solder there is no need to use paste on the wires. Never use acid core solder on electrical connections either
Dave White stfu no one cares.
Crimping is NOT better for splicing wires; solder is preferred method. If you have enough movement in the wire that solder is going to break, the wire is going to break anyway. Signed UH-1H crewchief!
It is not allowed in the NEC either. Current will heat the solder and it will fail. If you use in automotive I don't think it would be a problem if the conductor is large enough and your current is limited by a small amp fuse.
He's obviously talking for 12v applications, he did say trailer.....
Terry Pendergrass - I've just looked at the FFA's Aircraft Electrical Wiring Interconnect System (EWIS) Best Practices, and it says nothing about soldering being a preferred splice method. What published standards do UH-1H crews work to?
Thank God I read the comments before wasting my time.
Well that was certainly a worthwhile comment. Sometimes just because your brain thinks it doesn't mean your mouth needs to repeat it.
You don’t need the silicone paste with shrink tubing. It keeps the glue from tubing from sealing properly. Only use silicone on stuff not shrink tubed. Like spade but connectors
Not all shrink has glue
Thank you so much for showing me how to solder. I have always been skeptical of trying it, but now i feel confident.
Your kidding, right?
As a little note, clean off the rosin flux with rubbing alcohol before you put the shrink tubing on. The rosin is acidic and will eventually eat through the wires.
Lineman Splice is better in my opinion
While not wrong in cases where load on wire is not a big concern this is fine. Ford actually foregoes solder and just uses shrink wrap. Their thought process being its easier and faster to replace shrink wrap than the whole soldering process or so I guess. For context sake remember that in a car it's suppose to last multiple repairs with today's electronics.
What world do you live in where you western union splice stranded wires?
Almost any wire can be lineman/western union spliced
fun fact: It took roughly 60 years for wire splice technology to go from simple WU splices, to soldered WU splice, "shotgun" twist sleeves, to the Nicopress sleeves , developed just before WWII, to be eclipsed by IDC connectors used today, such as B-connectors, UG/UY/UR, Picabond/TelSplice...
Much of the innovation can be traced directly to Bell Labs research, and the telephone industry looking for the lowest loss/easiest/cheapest way to join two wires together.
It can be finicky doing a lineman splice with stranded wire, like the ones in this video.
ok, so to be clear, you don't put loctite on the wires to keep them from coming apart?
rjtumble only put on the loctite when you are using an arc welder °F4000 and a Helium shield.
god damnit! lol
LOL 😆 👋 to the Welder !
Not the worst way. Cyanoacrylate has good tensile (pulling) strength but a bunch have poor shear/modulous (flex). For prototype electronics its fine. But something that is inside an engine or say phone charger cable; probably not so much.
In this particular situation, I would recommend taking a swig of loctite prior to the challenge.
Hey Cody, while it can't hurt, the use of flux paste with rosin core solder in this type of soldering is redundant. Flux paste should be used when existing connections are re-exposed to heat, such as in the case of soldering adjacent connectors, etc.
Flux inhibits oxidation at the site of heating, which results in better connections.
Also, flux should be removed following soldering so as to minimize corrosion. A lint-free cloth and isopropyl alcohol are adequate for this application.
Dielectric grease is a corrosion inhibitor, so it's great for exposed electrical connections. Especially the mechanical type, such as a lug and bolt.
Properly applied, hear shrink tubing will seal connections, and it's also optional in this application.
It should be noted that solder and flux are available for specialized purposed, and that plumbing flux and solder should not be used to solder electrical connections.
Lastly, do not directly touch solder to the iron. This is the reason why it took so long to initially heat the conductors. Heat the leads, then touch the solder to the leads to "flow" solder across the connection. Wipe any flux and solder residue from the tip of the iron, and repeat.
Great video, as usual. Keep up the great work.
As I understand it, Cody was right to want to tin the iron. Though he ended up keeping a blob of solder on the iron. To tin, he needed to apply the solder then flick excess off, thus keeping a thin layer on iron only.
I know you should use proper flux for the proper job but I've used an old tin can (or steel? not sure) of nokorode that's been in the family since my great grandfather, and while there's still flux left in there we probably won't buy anything new because it does the job and it does it really well, provided you clean up afterwards (isopropyl and a nail brush). The only issue with it is the fact the binder is a really nasty thick grease, but honestly I'd rather take that over the horrible liquid flux that's really popular, I should also say I would probably get real electronics flux paste if it was sold where I live, but it isn't so no luck on that front.
Hey buddy where can i get electrical flux
From a Flux Capacitor,maybe?
@@samborez8089 true
The silicone paste is a great idea. Very good demonstration. Now do one while laying on your back, working above your face, under a dashboard. LoL Agree that using the crimp connections is not ideal but in many automotive applications, you don't really have much choice.
I’ve had those Channel Lock crimpers for 20 years. They still rock
4:09 - literally everyone at some point in their soldering adventures lmao.
I was thinking the same thing, I saw the edit and I know what was happening!
if it takes too long, you just gotta have the solder touch the wire and the iron and as soon as the solder melts, drag it back ontop. You will conduct heat way better that way.
I dunno about professional, but as someone with 10+ years in aircraft cable assembly, that solder splice would absolutely get me fired.
Yeah it's not perfect but this is way better than crimp connectors. What would you change/improve? Do you do that "NASA splice" where the two wires are bent into U's and then hooked and twisted around each other before solder is applied?
@@CassidyHansen Fraying wires is a big no-no on contacts, splices, solder, everything. Flux is not necessary unless you busted out a roll of solder from 1980 or you're dealing with something like 8 awg wire. Also ditch the sealing slime and get some shrink sleeves with glue already within, or splice covers that have the little seals at both ends. As for what I use at home, the lineman splice would be my go-to, but I also have access to M81824/1-2s and crimp tools from work. :)
That's because Aircraft wires are subject to the Fuselage expanding and compressing during Flight and a more secure method is needed. With this method on an Aircraft..the twisted wires could Pull apart or Solder Joints could crack during flight and actually CAUSE a Critical System to FAIL!.. So You are Absolutely Correct in your statement.. However in avg home applications this method should be Fine.
@@kayfluff His way is perfect for us guitarists, except for the flux and sealer. Our guitar cavities have limited space and we don't want large knots (as I have seen) or any kind of connectors.
Lmao
1. Live in a pool (create a flow of solder and keep it liquid)
2. Solder will travel to the heat once the pool is formed
3. Don't use too much heat
4. Don't get the solder in the insulation from using too much solder (check by bending the wire, you'll know if it's stiff).
This didn't end up being quite what I needed to find, but was still fascinating and I watched through regardless.
You can melt some solder on the tip of the gun. Some molted on the tip makes it heat up the wire quicker. Just be sure that the wire gets hot enough to melt the solder. When I started using shrink tube I used a hair dryer to shrink it. Was adequate until I got a heat gun! Harbor Freight has a Drill Master heat gun that is reasonably priced and works well. The only Drill Master thing I've found worth buying.
I like the twist you made with the wires. Keeps it in line. But soldering takes to long. It needs to be faster 2-3 seconds. In and out.
I've had an instant Weller since 1969....... 1. You're using the 'edge', not the face of the tip [90 degree wrong] 2. You DO wet the tip with solder - massively increases heat transfer, to the work 3. Took far to long to do it - 5 seconds about right
Chuck A's reply hit it on the head. Use the Lineman's Splice and do it to NASA specs and you'll have a good mechanical joint that is secured with the solder. Cody, your joint is depending on the solder to hold it together which could fail.
Lineman Splice is for solid wire. It is much weaker on a stranded wire than on a solid core. The weak point isn't the bind, obviously, it's the stranded wire itself. It's an overkill. Entirely valid and a fantastic bind, but overkill nonetheless
Maybe if you didn't think you were so smart you clearly see this is for automotive purposes..... Maybe spent less time being a sideline quarterback
Fred- The NASA splice calls for tinning the wire first so it is effectively a solid wire at the splice. ruclips.net/video/O-ymw7d_nYo/видео.html
Oh I know, but it doesn't change the fact that weak point becomes the untinned stranded part, making it redundant. The tension resistance of stranded wire is less than what the actual splice will give you. Making a bulky solid splice may sometimes do more harm than good if you think about it (automotive comes to mind)
Don't get me wrong, I think mastering the Nasa spec splice is a wonderfull skill to have. I would definitly encourage anyone to master it. I guess my main point is that Cody did a pretty solid splice that will last and do the intended job it's meant to do.
I'd love you to find someone that tins wires for a car or trailer, I've done hundreds or remote start/ alarms as well as other automotive installations and I can tell you that I've never had a single vehicle come back because of a solder issue, you people mentioning NASA like your building something for space.... give me a break ps using the right solder for electrical work makes all the difference in the world
Man I’ve seen your woodworking videos now I’m getting electrical advice. Thank you for your knowledge sir.