Need to try and 'iron' out a few electric wiring headaches.

[Whosthedaddy]

After an hour or so pulling my hair out due to connectors breaking or coming loose I have decided to try the option of soldering the wires together as I have cut and amended, cut and amended... leaving the wires getting shorter and shorter!

I don't have electric in the garage so a hand held gas soldering iron would be the best bet. I'm not that tight that I would begrudge the £20 that Maplins have them advertised for, but are there any other cheaper options?

Can you melt the solder with a lighter flame?
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[MattEMulsion]

I do believe that you can get some good gas soldering 'guns' but I've always prefered the electric ones. They just seem easier to use and more predictable.

If you don't want to solder them why not join them with some decent electrical connectors, such as crimped butt connectors. Done properly they are fine.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[Whosthedaddy]

The bullet crimp connectors were a tad bit fiddly today and no matter how hard they were crimped they would keep breaking or coming undone.

I managed to get through a dozen or so for one reason or another and was well and truly pee'd off in the end. All this for a new set of indicators as the last ones had rusted through.

So, maybe a little solder would hold them more secure if not look a little more bodged.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[TheShaggyDA]

I'd go for the 12V iron instead, as the gas ones tend to be bulky :-

https://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?MenuNo=11798&MenuName=12V+Soldering+Irons&FromMenu=y&doy=Search

Tandy used to do a tape solder that would melt with a match, but I haven't been able to find any for years
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[Whosthedaddy]

Nice one Shaggy never see them.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[stinkwheel]

4" nail + Pliers + Camping stove = soldering iron.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[MattEMulsion]

[Whosthedaddy]

[Sparks!]

You are crimping wrong.. for starters, I bet you're using a pair of pliers or a crappy plier style crimp tool from Poundland?

Secondly... with a lot of bike wiring you need to double the ends over to go into red crimps else they'll just pull out.

I've fixed many a bike wiring with crimps using a PROPER ratchet crimp tool and decent red crimps. Double the ends over so it fits proper tight in the crimp before you even crimp it and it will be fine.


Only pic I can find of a semi-decent crimp tool

https://n36sx.wheelsup.org/electric/crimptool.jpg

if you have one of them cheap plier type ones please throw it in the bin fuckin hate them
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[Whosthedaddy]

Double the end over. I must admit that I didn't do this as the wires were quite thin and as soon as you mentioned it I could see the error of my ways.

Not sure about the crimper, got it ages ago to be honest but has been abused many a time so probably not as effective as it should have been.

I have 2 minds to throw away and start from scratch as a half arsed job is going to annoy me or come back and bit me in the future I'm sure.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[kawakid]

To be honest, I've made similar mistakes with cheap crimps.

I've now seen the error of my ways and always solder.

If you don't have electrics in the garage, what about just lobbing a 10metre cable from the house to outside and doing outside.

I'm actually a bit sad and have rigged the garage up with internal 500W spot lights, because I find it helps soo much at night when working on the bikes.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Whosthedaddy]

I'm off on some hols at the weekend and have a few spare days when I get back so I will probably start from scratch and try and measure twice, three times before cutting. Although its a little belt and braces, because the wires are open and loose under the pillion seat and the disc lock gets bounced around in there I may solder and crimp.

I suppose you live and learn.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy