soldering tips??
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Fort Wayne, in
0_0 do yourself a favor and grab a cheap 25 watt iron and keep big mamba for the bigger jobs. 
The 60/40 you have will work, check to see if there is a light colored residue covering the outside of the solder from oxidation over the years. I've used solder in this condition and it worked okay for me, just slightly harder to work with.
The 60/40 you have will work, check to see if there is a light colored residue covering the outside of the solder from oxidation over the years. I've used solder in this condition and it worked okay for me, just slightly harder to work with.
i figured using something that big would be like bringing a machine gun to a knife fight lol there looks to be a little oxidation on the outside, but the 60-40 wire was in a plastic cylinder with only about 2 inches sticking out. the rest looks pretty good.
now the really thick wire, what would i use something like that for? its almost like a 4 guage wire thickness.
has anyone on here ever done the conversion before? i just want an honest estimate of time needed. ive read anywhere from 6 hours to a weekend. lol i dont mind either one, but just wanna plan.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
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From: MD
Hmm any time I've done that big of wire I've done copper crimp joints plus wire. For them you need a tool you put the wire and crimp in then whack with a hammer though. I don't know if just soldering wire that large would do it, maybe these guys have tried.
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From: USA
The more correct way would be to crimp wire onto terminals and snap them into the connector rather than splicing into the wire before the connector (every additional splice adds resistance,) as Austin stated.
Believe it or not, crimp connections is more reliable in vibration prone environments when done right than soldered joints, due to the fact that solder is rigid and weak point(s) are created before (if spliced) and after the soldered joint where the copper is allowed to move where the stiff solder cannot.
This is more of a cause of concern when too much solder is used and/or the connections are not secured in vibration prone environments, such as vehicles. Think of it as using solid core copper in a vehicle, it's rigid and gets angry when used in applications that move and vibrate.
Generally speaking, solder is only intended to be the electrical connection between components, NOT the mechanical backbone of the connection, although it is often used in that way. Think of it as two 8 gauge wires soldered together, only using enough solder applied to make a good electrical connection, may break given enough time and circumstances such as a battery terminal connection when not mechanically crimped together first.
Believe it or not, crimp connections is more reliable in vibration prone environments when done right than soldered joints, due to the fact that solder is rigid and weak point(s) are created before (if spliced) and after the soldered joint where the copper is allowed to move where the stiff solder cannot.
This is more of a cause of concern when too much solder is used and/or the connections are not secured in vibration prone environments, such as vehicles. Think of it as using solid core copper in a vehicle, it's rigid and gets angry when used in applications that move and vibrate.
Generally speaking, solder is only intended to be the electrical connection between components, NOT the mechanical backbone of the connection, although it is often used in that way. Think of it as two 8 gauge wires soldered together, only using enough solder applied to make a good electrical connection, may break given enough time and circumstances such as a battery terminal connection when not mechanically crimped together first.
Last edited by bluecar5556; Oct 18, 2011 at 04:28 PM.
Thread Starter
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From: Fort Wayne, in
Originally Posted by bluecar5556
The more correct way would be to crimp wire onto terminals and snap them into the connector rather than splicing into the wire before the connector (every additional splice adds resistance,) as Austin stated.
Believe it or not, crimp connections is more reliable in vibration prone environments when done right than soldered joints, due to the fact that solder is rigid and weak point(s) are created before (if spliced) and after the soldered joint where the copper is allowed to move where the stiff solder cannot.
This is more of a cause of concern when too much solder is used and/or the connections are not secured in vibration prone environments, such as vehicles. Think of it as using solid core copper in a vehicle, it's rigid and gets angry when used in applications that move and vibrate.
Generally speaking, solder is only intended to be the electrical connection between components, NOT the mechanical backbone of the connection, although it is often used in that way. Think of it as two 8 gauge wires soldered together, only using enough solder applied to make a good electrical connection, may break given enough time and circumstances such as a battery terminal connection when not mechanically crimped together first.
Believe it or not, crimp connections is more reliable in vibration prone environments when done right than soldered joints, due to the fact that solder is rigid and weak point(s) are created before (if spliced) and after the soldered joint where the copper is allowed to move where the stiff solder cannot.
This is more of a cause of concern when too much solder is used and/or the connections are not secured in vibration prone environments, such as vehicles. Think of it as using solid core copper in a vehicle, it's rigid and gets angry when used in applications that move and vibrate.
Generally speaking, solder is only intended to be the electrical connection between components, NOT the mechanical backbone of the connection, although it is often used in that way. Think of it as two 8 gauge wires soldered together, only using enough solder applied to make a good electrical connection, may break given enough time and circumstances such as a battery terminal connection when not mechanically crimped together first.
Old Bastard
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 587
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From: Macomb, IL
The solid wire analogy above is why we choose stranded wire instead but does not apply to the connections. Yes, you can flex the connection enough to break it, but it would have to be stressed at the connection. Any vibration in the wire will be absorbed by the stranded wire.
Good quality crimp connectors (The kind you can't buy at the Auto Parts Store) are a very good idea when you are connecting 2 large diameter wires, but as Blue said, it is best not to have to connect 2.
BTW, Make some practice solder joints and pull them apart. The wire should fail before the connection does, if you've done a good job.
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From: USA
The point i'm trying to make is solder has higher continuity than copper does and by not mechanically fastening the components together, such as twisting two wires together until very tight with finger nails or tweezers, the joint will technically have more resistance than one that has a solid copper connection before the addition of solder. Take a piece of solder and bend it between the fingers, it's easy to see that it is not the most reliable mechanical connection, especially in the harsh environments vehicles are exposed to.
What i'm getting at is it's generally not a good idea to lay two wires side by side and solder them, relying on the solder to bridge the gap instead of copper, regardless of the diameter of wire. When speaking about sensor wiring, any tangible added resistance should not be tolerated for satisfactory results, especially if the wire shielding is not connected properly where needed on sensor wires. By not doing so, the ignition system voltage can and will induce into the wires and can make for one hell of a diagnosis, for sure.
Last edited by bluecar5556; Oct 19, 2011 at 02:00 AM.
Old Bastard
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 587
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From: Macomb, IL
What i'm getting at is it's generally not a good idea to lay two wires side by side and solder them, relying on the solder to bridge the gap instead of copper, regardless of the diameter of wire. When speaking about sensor wiring, any tangible added resistance should not be tolerated for satisfactory results, especially if the wire shielding is not connected properly where needed on sensor wires. By not doing so, the ignition system voltage can and will induce into the wires and can make for one hell of a diagnosis, for sure.