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Date:         Fri, 30 Nov 2001 18:41:10 -0800
Reply-To:     sg <sg@SUNSETWINONA.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         sg <sg@SUNSETWINONA.COM>
Subject:      Re: wire splicing
Comments: cc: Julian Burden <jburden@CONSULTANT.COM>

I essentially posted this mesage before, but the way I posted it didnt really make clear the distinction between the original message and what i had replied (just a small portion ! ;), so i wanted to clean it up ...

****** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julian Burden" <jburden@CONSULTANT.COM>

> 2. Solder is not as good a conductor as copper, there should be minimal distance between copper strands as possible >(the strands should be touching). "Tinning" the wires (applying solder before the wires are joined) means the wires >cannot be twisted around each other and that there is a relatively thick layer of solder between the two wires (when >joining one wire to a clip etc is another story). Ideally the wires would conduct current and hold together without the >solder - the solder's job is to hold the wires in place and stop impurities getting between the strands. *******

I wrote:

this seems ultimately very true, but unless you have a poorly done joint, the added resistence of a well done, but not especially 'tight' joint may be of very slight impact in this situation ...

****** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julian Burden" <jburden@CONSULTANT.COM> > 3. Solder should never be applied to the iron and then taken to the wires - the flux evaporates before the joint is made >you do want the flux out of there, but only after it has done its job), and the copper is not as hot as it should be when >he solder is applied. ******

I wrote:

ya. seems like the best way is to heat the wire, and then apply the solder to the heated wire ...

****** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julian Burden" <jburden@CONSULTANT.COM>

> 3. Strip at least 1/2" of the insulation of each wire (longer for thicker wire). > 4. (This is hard to describe without a diagram, sorry . . .) make an X with the wires so that the centre of the stripped wire is at the intersection of the X (the insulation should be about 1/4" away from the intersection). Tightly twist the wires around each other so that each free end is wrapped towards the insulation of the other wire - you should NOT end up with a T shape, imagine a single wire with 1/2" of the insulation stripped off the centre of the wire. > 5. Heat the wire with the iron. Once the wire is HOT, apply the solder to the wire rather than the iron (really close to the iron) - the copper should suck up the solder.

****** I wrote:

the above sounds like a REALLY good method. it also, incidentally, solves some of the inherent awkwardness of soldering ...

Also, I wanted to add, that people have done, and probably continue to do, Masters/PhD thesis on how to get good solder joints. But, maybe the ultra technical points arent so important for a home fix it guy, like most of us probably are ...

-steve and buster


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