I'm just in the process of extending out my bike loom and soldering in a sections and re-routing it to all the right places. So far I've joined most of the wires together so that I end up with kind of a T-shape. As in the wire is straight but the join is sticking out. This seems to give a really strong mechanical joint but the problem some when I heat shrink or wrap the wires, I am worried that bending it flat could possibly snap the wires over time??

The other way would be to join them head on but that doesn't seem to be very mechanically strong?

I've watched a few so called "professional" soldering videos on the web but they seem to show it both ways??

[Edited on 26/10/08 by eznfrank]

it shouldnt matter which way you do it as long as you do it right.

I personally would go for the straight through method as it saves space but other than that all is good.

YQUSTA

mine were placed head to head , inter wound and then soldered, no problem with bending them ( yet!!)

My technique is:

1. Put a bit of heat-shrink over one of the wires and slide it well away from the join, ready for later on (I usually forget to do this at least once in a wiring session!)

2. Strip about 10 - 12 mm off each wire - make sure that the exposed copper is bright and shiny.

3. Put the 2 wires together, exposed bits side-by-side. Twist the 2 together - you'll find that they'll stay together better if you twist one way rather than the other, due to the way the individual wires are twisted in the sleeving.

4. Put a freshly tinned soldering iron tip to the underside of the bare wires, and your solder to the top - when the wires are hot enough the solder will flow through the joint.

5. Let the joint cool a little, then slide the sleeving over and heat-shrink it.

BTW: Be generous with the length of the heat-shrink sleeving - it'll help to prevent fractures where the solder runs into the bare wire.

yupsz...

best bet is to turn one wire into the other so that it looks like the wire is only stripped and not soldered... remember that copper has a lower resistance then solder so the more they touch each other the better...

you should get an extended wire then with not funny shapes...

in my opinion is a T bad because all the energy takes the shortest route and so its better to strip both wires and pushe them together head on head and twist them like they where one wire...

its also wise to add a bit of solder to the tip of the iron before touching the wires because it dramaticlly speeds up the process of adding heat..

Tks

We used nice we jobbies in work, a length of heat shrink but thicker than usual with a ring of solder in the middle..

just need to bare both wires slide the shrink over one stick two wires together pull shrink over it so solder is over the join and use aheat gun or lighter to melt it..

once you get the knack of melting the solder first then shrinking the rest without using too much heat then there best thing I've came across. You can even get ones with 2 rubber rings to give added protection to keep moisture out.

and they're a good enough join to pass the test for the pet reg test.

I always tin the wires to be soldered before putting them together, means they are heaps easier to solder and use alot less heat. Also use lots of flux (but make sure you remove it before covering it up as it is usually corrosive)

After tinning the wires I make a small hook in each, hook them together (end on), add a bit of heat and a small amount of solder, and bingo you should have a neat, strong, shiny solder fillet.

Then cover to suit with heat shrink etc

Avoid:
Too much solder
Dry Joints
Flux left on joint after soldering
Pitting etc
Dull fillets (caused by too much heat)
Burning Insulation

quote:

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Originally posted by nz_climber
I always tin the wires to be soldered before putting them together, means they are heaps easier to solder and use alot less heat.

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I still put hooks on each wire to provide mechanical support, so pressure is not on the solder joint