How to do a Basic Wire Splice

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Great tip about the liquid tape; I'll use that in my future wire splice projects. I have a Weller butane soldering tool; it heats up fast and is easy to handle since there is no cord or need for electricity. It is kind of pricy at $30 but once you use one of these you won't go back to a corded unit if you're working under the dash or an enclosed space. It is also good for shrinking the heat shrink.
 
Nice writeup, Karl. Thanks.
 
I found the heat shrink with sealer inside at my local Harbor Freight. It came in an assortment pack packaged in a clear plastic bin box. They're approx. 5" lengths and the sizes covered from 20ga. up to the 1/0 battery cable I used on my battery to trunk conversion. Price was quite cheap. Let the splice cool completely before handling because the sealer stays liquid for awhile before setting up.
 
rapom65 said:
I found the heat shrink with sealer inside at my local Harbor Freight. It came in an assortment pack packaged in a clear plastic bin box. They're approx. 5" lengths and the sizes covered from 20ga. up to the 1/0 battery cable I used on my battery to trunk conversion. Price was quite cheap. Let the splice cool completely before handling because the sealer stays liquid for awhile before setting up.
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Really? I guess I'll have to look next time I stop in.
 
I'll try to post a pic of it today for reference. I didn't even know it had a sealer inside when I bought it. After my first splice I saw this goo oozing out and of course stuck my finger in it to see what it was. It's like grease, spreads to everything you touch thereafter. Let it cool!

They also had some pinkish tinted clear butt connectors that were heat shrink with the sealer. Kind of neat. I used some in my dash wiring for splicing in my gauges.
 
Here is the kit I mentioned. Used all my butt connectors so no pic of those. Oh, they're 3 1/2" lengths not 5".

Wire Splice 39-1.jpg



Wire Splice 39-2.jpg
 
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When I tried to start one of the boats this spring it was no go! I started checking and found no power from the console to the outboard motor itself. Further checking revealed that the main "bulkhead" connector at the motor housing was badly corroded and crumbled apart in my hands. I started looking for replacement harnesses or the connectors and found that Yamaha is VERY proud of their parts! Like around a grand proud! Nothing was showing up used for the 115 four stroke either. So I got out the soldering gun and heat shrink tubing and went to work. It took a couple of hours to strip and splice everything, but now everything on the boat works fine. You'd have to look very close to notice the repair. I wasn't able to stagger the splices and it looks a bit like a knocked up snake but, it still fits nicely in the space the connector was in.
 
Nice write up on soldering!!

I use a fireplace/long lighter for the heat shrink, it allows more reach in confined areas and keeps your knuckle hairs from getting singed.

Also, do not forget to clean the solder tip w/wet sponge and re-tin before storing. Greatly helps extend life and quality of tip..
 
I personally only use crimp splices, but no matter how you do it, use adhesive lined heat shrink to keep moisture out of the splice. And get yourself a heat gun, the results are a lot better than a lighter or blow torch. You have much better control with a heat gun.
 
You can get the clear self sealing heat shrink tubing from places like Wurth USA, Kimball-Midwest or SOSMetal. I think Grainger sells it too. I think it works the best but it ain't cheap!
You can buy it on-line from Kimball-Midwest.com. It comes in all sizes & seals up really nice when heated & shrunk.

A well explained & thoughtful thread! Good job!
 
Thanks for all the positive comments and tips guys & gals.
 
TrailBeast said:
I do mine almost exactly the same way except with multiple strand wire I interlace, flux, then solder like this.

If I have enough bare wire I twist the interlaced part, then solder.
And of course heatshrink and even double heatshrink sometimes in areas with high abrasion possibilities.

I HATE lumps in wires. :)

Thanks for the info.
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I've never heard of interlacing, but I like that it doesn't have the "lumps". How do you get the wires interlaced?
 
Its not exactly interlaced. Not twisted though. Spread strands pushed together like pushing 2 brushes together.
When stranded wire is tightly twisted the same few strands cover the outer contacting surface. Solder may not flow all through it.
If you are repairing a broken wire in a group of wires like automotive harness. Keep the splice short as possible. If you strip and overlap a lot of wire length that wire ends up that much shorter than the others. Closer to a harness connector you are the more stress applied at that terminal.
 
krazykuda said:
Awesome!

You the man.... :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Thanks, just trying to share when I find something that works especially when it's affordable. Don't find that combo much these days. While your at HF pick up a cheap heat gun, under $10, it works much better (and safer) than an open flame device to shrink the tubing. Lots of well thought out suggestions in this thread.
 
All good advice. I use a "paint stripper" electric heat gun. Works very well, light, and fairly inexpensive. I always double heat-shrink. For critical wet areas like underneath use "adhesive heat shrink" which has a gummy glue inside and seals, but is very expensive. I never use butt crimps. Those seem the mark of an amateur, but usually what you see from repair shops.
 
BillGrissom said:
All good advice. I use a "paint stripper" electric heat gun. Works very well, light, and fairly inexpensive. I always double heat-shrink. For critical wet areas like underneath use "adhesive heat shrink" which has a gummy glue inside and seals, but is very expensive. I never use butt crimps. Those seem the mark of an amateur, but usually what you see from repair shops.
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Those of us whose work is approved by the FAA, American boat and yacht council, etc. have to use butt connectors, because solder splices are not approved. That may be the mark of an amateur, but there's not a single OEM vehicle manufacturer (including riding lawn mowers) that solder splice wiring.
 
skykeith said:
Those of us whose work is approved by the FAA, American boat and yacht council, etc. have to use butt connectors, because solder splices are not approved. That may be the mark of an amateur, but there's not a single OEM vehicle manufacturer (including riding lawn mowers) that solder splice wiring.
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Interesting. A former co-worker who worked as a railroad design engineer said they considered crimps equal to solder as regards corrosion. I have seen that claim from terminal manufacturers too. If you get a very tight crimp, it can stay oxygen-free at the interface, so no copper oxide forms. However, soldered joints are probably good for corrosion resistance too since traces on circuit boards are "tinned" with solder to keep the copper from turning green. In humid environments, even better to spray a polymer "conformal mapping" on the circuit board. Adhesive heat shrink is likely similar. If you use RTV, don't use the normal type that smells like vinegar. The acetic acid can cause corrosion.

Not sure why soldered splices aren't allowed some places. Perhaps it has to do with more variability in quality than a butt crimp and more difficult to inspect. If the butt crimp also grabs the wire insulation, that adds to durability. They sure take more space and look clumsy too.
 
Thanks, KrazyCuda. I am getting to be a pretty good welder, but for some reason, soldering escapes me. I will try this soon.
 
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