Soldering parallel wires tips

The below link demonstrates what parallel wire soldering. This is great when you have the right tools and room to work, but, on a boat, humbug.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRe2LI8fTps

1. strip a small wire (20-24 go) and bare about 4 inches and leave a insulation tag for wrap.
2. tack solder the stripped tin wire end to the wire to be spliced.
3. place large wires parallel and wrap with small stripped wire to hold big wires in place
4. saturate with solder. Remove tag.
5. no special tools needed.

Good deal Tom ... I like that idea ...

I've learned to clamp damp sponges to pre-soldered wires to keep from melting the cable insulation (and nearby parallel wire insulation) ...

It seems to help immensely when soldering parallel tiny xducer cable wires with "offset solder joints" ..

Rickie

There are places where soldering is invaluable. When done right it does away with the problems that can occur from conventional type connections . They make a heat sink paste that you can put on either side of the joint to contain the heat. Washes off with water when done. I always spray the joint with wd-40 when done and wipe...gets rid of any flux residue. A mini or micro torch is faster than a solder gun.

Doggone right! I also use dual wall heat shrink tubing. Seals the deal.

The "helping hands" tool is great for work stations soldering, but in most cases on location, it is not practical.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rnvinc

Good deal Tom ... I like that idea ...

I've learned to clamp damp sponges to pre-soldered wires to keep from melting the cable insulation (and nearby parallel wire insulation) ...

It seems to help immensely when soldering parallel tiny xducer cable wires with "offset solder joints" ..

Rickie

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Wet helps for sure. Made in china cables.

Boy I sure do wish you would have posted this tip back when I was redoing my rig!!!
Would have made my life a lot easier and few less choice words! lol

Thanks Tom, I truly enjoy your post.

Great idea. I took could have used this technique a while back. Thanks for sharing.

Spaceman, you work at Redstone? I worked some there during the Von Braun days. I worked mostly at the Cape. That was 50 years ago. CRS. I loved it though.

Cane Pole. I am a 29 year Army military retiree. Last seven years of active duty was on the Arsenal. Since retirement in 2013, I have worked on and off the Arsenal as a contractor.

Best two years of my life were spent at Redstone.....


Regards

I found a crimp splice that is encased in heat shrink tubing. It is really easy to use, especially in cramped conditions.
Just crimp the two ends and apply heat to seal it.

My crimp tool will not handle a 6 gauge wire spice. Most cheap crimpers won't. I know this fact from past experiences. I just like to caution folks about improper crimping. There is nothing wrong with crimping. I crimp a lot of stuff.

I use heat shrink type terminal lugs on my boat when I can find them. Small town boy here.

The ones I used were for small stuff like DF and aerator pump. I bought some copper crimps for the heavy wire and then didn't have a tool that would crimp them. I prefer solder in most all cases, but the crimps were easy to do inside the boat.

I understand completely.