Joining really thick wires

[Guest]

Whenever I've tried to join 10 or 12 AWG wires together, the really high quality ones with millions of strands, the result has been extremely ugly, probably added a fatigue fracture point or two, and added 50g in solder weight.

A lap join doesn't seem sound, there's no mechanical join, and maybe there's a reduced conductive cross-sectional area in there too.

I've tried splaying the two ends and meshing them together, but the tiny filaments just knot themselves up and I can't get a good mesh. After soldering it's a right dog's dinner.

If I twisted the two ends together I'd need about an extra 2 inches of wire in there, and another bucket load of solder.

Is there any solution to this without introducing a (dis)connector?

[debrooker]

Could you not bullet them, then secure the bullet connection with heatshrink masking tape?

EDIT: Oooops must learn to read the whole post

[Guest]

Could you not bullet them, then secure the bullet connection with heatshrink masking tape?

Probably the neatest solution if resorting to connectors, I just wonder if there's a soldering technique, maybe there's some power industry approved joints?

Might use that idea ta. BTW does "heatshrink masking tape" really exist or was that a typo? I really want some now!

[debrooker]

my old man would suggest making a mechanical connection then soldering, but that will certainly look like a dogs breakfast.

yep, heatshrink masking tape was a typo => heatshrink / masking tape?

[PsiFox]

Google for "butt splice connectors"

[Guest]

Google for "butt splice connectors"

Ah brilliant, I could just dremel the end off a female bullet, stick a wire in each end, and solder to death! Maybe a small hole half way down to introduce solder..

Or uhm just use a female bullet without any dremelling.. dremel mad!

[PsiFox]

When I have used them they have just been crimped, either by hand or hydraulically, no solder?

[Guest]

Re: Joining really thick wires

Oh yeah sure, my crimping is worse than my soldering though I don't trust it!

[PsiFox]

Oh yeah sure, my crimping is worse than my soldering though I don't trust it!

Ah right then perhaps one replacement wire slightly longer than the two to be joined would be best?

[pgkevet]

How about a compromise? Tin the wire bundles with the solder then file a flat on each as a half-butt joint. Then find a peice of brass sleeving..tin the inside (or fill with solder and drill through to the wire diameter).. inseert wires until they overlap, crimp the ends and then remelt the solder. Finally cover the construct in conductive epoxy and heatshrink the whole thing.
If nothng else it'll keep you out of the pub for an hour or two....

[Guest]

Ah right then perhaps one replacement wire slightly longer than the two to be joined would be best?

I'll try stretching it first

How about a compromise? Tin the wire bundles with the solder then file a flat on each as a half-butt joint. Then find a peice of brass sleeving..tin the inside (or fill with solder and drill through to the wire diameter).. inseert wires until they overlap, crimp the ends and then remelt the solder. Finally cover the construct in conductive epoxy and heatshrink the whole thing.
If nothng else it'll keep you out of the pub for an hour or two....

Good work as always, I might try half of those actually Still waiting for the next Herriotesque story.. it's cold out there, why not sit back with a whiskey mac and prepare the next chapter

[pgkevet]

Good work as always, I might try half of those actually Still waiting for the next Herriotesque story.. it's cold out there, why not sit back with a whiskey mac and prepare the next chapter

A quickie just for you:

I slept very badly last night and woke up at 4.30am. After messing about on the computer and having breakfast and phoning my mum it was time to take the dogs for a walk. We went to middle field and up the hill and through the woods. We bumped into Glynn driving past the gate in his tractor and had a chat and then strolled down the steep wooded slope back for home.



I was feeling overtired and opted for an early sofa doze but beggar-me I couldn't nod off. Just when I finally thought I was drifting to sleep there was a knock at the door. I tried to ignore it but whoever it was was persistant. I gave up all attempts to catch up on lost sleep and went to find out who was calling. Off all options this guy was a door-to-door travelling salesman selling curtains and had a pile of sample books in his arms. I pointed out that despite the new works we didn't need any more curtains. He gave up the sales pitch and we chatted for a while. He was quite keen to see the new changes at the farm and particularly interested in my greenhouses.



I invited the fellow in and took him through the new sun room and down the steps into the garden. Here we did a sharp left and went down to the basement. That opens out into a wide corridor and mezzanine area. For some reason I took a left turn instead of the right and ended up feeling foolish by the janitorial cupboards. We backtracked and went right. I apologised as we walked because it shouldn't be far. It was just past my museum of egyptian antiquities and the art gallery as we came up to my botanical gardens that I remembered that i don't have a museum of egyptian artefacts and therefore I must be asleep.

So it was obviously time to wake up and get on with some work.

[Guest]

Re: Joining really thick wires

"A" whiskey mac means just *one*