Preferred method for soldering clusterfucked wiring?

[Commuter_Tim]

What's the best method for reconnecting headlight wiring to a near professional standard?

When I bought the Bandit a previous owner fitted heated grips and the likes.
Problem is that the method they used was pretty much to chew the wires until they disconnected, then cellotape 3 wires wrapped around each other.
I immediately restripped the wires and chock-blocked, greased, then electrical taped it all up.

I want to do a proper job now but my only experience is soldering components like capacitors on PCB.
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The above post is most likely nonsensical.

I ride a Bandit 600... badly.

[cresad]

Hi

The best way to sort it properly would be to get hold of some small 3.9mm bullet connectors , similar to these - https://goo.gl/TUiDDs
tin the end of the wires then crimp the connectors onto the appropiate wires using the covers or heatshrink to keep water out. I've just fitted an LED headlight to my Suzuki attaching the unit to the original plug wiring using the above method.

Adam

[ThatDippyTwat]

If you're soldering - Flux beforehand, and Clean flux afterwards.

Twist wire neatly. Apply Flux. Put iron on wire. Put solder on wire. The solder and iron should not touch. The heat will travel through the wire and melt the solder, it also helps ensure you don't get a dry/cold joint. Make sure wire is properly coated in solder.

Repeat for other wire.

Put wires together, and apply iron so it melts both. Hold together until firm. You usually need a third hand for this.

Clean flux, heatshrink, enjoy.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[c_dug]

Proper old leaded solder makes a much better job of things if you can get your hands on some.

If you can do a decent job of PCB soldering you'll do a good enough job of wiring. The theory is similar.

Use heatshrink to finish the job.

Remember to put the heatshrink on the wires before soldering them together - it's a pain in the arse having to undo and redo!
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[MCN]

Soldiering iron from marlin.
Lead free flux inside solder.
Heat shrink sleeve.
Prepare the joint.
Cut enough heat shrink to cover the joint and about 10mm over insulation on either side.
(Push the sleeve over one side of the joint as far away as possible so it is not shrunk by the soldering step.)

'Tin' the tip of the iron (touch with solder to put a bead on it).
Touch the tip of the iron to the middle of the joint.
Touch the solder the middle of the joint.
The flux core will melt and run into the joint
The solder will follow as the heat transfered to the joint.
When solid pull on the joint to make sure it is good.
Slide the sleeve over the joint.
Warm the sleeve with then iron.
Job done.
Flux in cored solder is not as corrosive. As other types so it is not always necessary to clean it off.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[WD Forte]

Even if soldering, stagger the joints if possible to avoid a thick clump in the harness.
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bikers smell of wee

[chris-red]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

[temeluchus]

chinese lead solder with a flux core is your friend!
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[ADSrox0r]

All good advice. But practise. Practise is what you need to do to get it 'good'.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[MCN]

[MarJay]

I thought you weren't supposed to use solder on vehicles because they aren't very good at handling vibration?

Crimping is the best method, and It's what i've always used. I just buy multi way waterproof automotive connectors from Ebay and crimp on the pins. I did this on my YPVS and on my Buell and both are perfectly fine. You can add a little solder to the crimp if you want for belt and braces, but solder on its own can break from what I understand.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[cb1rocket]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[chris-red]

[chris-red]

[Polarbear]

[stinkwheel]

Solder is ok for totally stationary (so say a loop going from one point in a fuse box to another) or totally flexible (re-joining a wire in a loom that's been cut) wiring.

It shouldn't be used for something that is semi-stationary (ie, one end is stationary and the wire attaches to it. Like a bulb holder, chassis earth etc.).

The reason being, when you solder a cable, unless you are VERY prescice, the solder tracks along the cable a bit. Where the solder is is hard, the cable immediately below it is soft, softer than the rest because the heat has annealed the copper. This causes a stress point to form immediately below the solder.

If the cable starts to bend/flex, the copper flexes then work hardens directly below the tinned portion and eventually breaks inside the insulation.

ANY wiring on a motorcycle should also have stress relief incorporating and sealing closed the insulation. So that can be adhesive filled heat shrink or a crimp with a double crimp, one of which grips the cable, the other grips the insulation. If you don't seal the insulation, water will track along the insulation and corrode the cable.

In fairness, while I find the non-insulated crimps with simicone sleves more aesthetically pleasing, the plastic pre-insulated ones get a better hold. Both need to be correctly crimped using an appropriate crimping die. Both need a crimp on the cable and a carimp on the insulation. The pre-insulated plastic ones do come as a butt crimp. This requires a total of 4 crimps.

You als get butt crimps with solder and heat shrink incorporated in them, you stick the wires in the ends and heat the whole thing. I thought these looked rather neat but have never used them.

EDIT: You can easily flow solder into a non-insulated crimp after crimping it if you want. This would be much better than trying to crimp the pre-tinned end of a cable.
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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.

[MCN]

If you want to get into 'reliabilty' options then you open up a completely different Can of Worims.

Even with 'connectors' there are good and bad.

For the most part you must decide what you need the connection to do and what your budget and patience can stand.

The most commonly used vehicular connector is the Duetsch make/type.
These are weather-proof, and structurally able to deal with normal, and in some cases severe, mechanical loading. Very compact size. Very reliable connection and very simple to assemble after some instruction.
They do need specific tools to assemble (and disassemble) either extortionately expensive branded or cheaper not-nearly-as-good imperfect clones that are not too bad.

https://www.te.com/usa-en/products/connectors/automotive-connectors/intersection/deutsch-dt-series-connectors.html?tab=pgp-story&variant=b

You can also use less robust/reliable spade or bullet crimp connectors.

But we were asking about soldering the connections.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[bamt]

[stinkwheel]

We may have been asking about soldering but the correct answer may well be "Don't solder, crimp them instead.". Which naturally leads to a discussion about what sort of crimp.

In the same way as a thread about which brand of adjustable spanner is best for doing up my cam cap bolts should lead to a discussion about sockets and torque wrenches.
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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.

[WD Forte]

I know the subject is abut soldering/repair but sometimes
(if possible/not a complete arse ache)
I've found laying in new cable a neater method as ign switch wiring runs close to the headstock on most bikes
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bikers smell of wee

[stinkwheel]

[grr666]

I use these. And they are reusable. I've had my Parrot kit in and out of about 6 different vehicles. I leave one of these
on the end of each of the main power wires. Pricey but worth it. Robust, easy to use. I got a mixed box in Maplins a long
time ago, I'm deeply aggrieved if I have to leave one in a vehicle, they are easily as strong as an unbroken wire so movement
isn't an issue, Where I've needed a more watertight connection then a bit a dot of clear silicone in the ends first then heatshrink
over the top has done the job, most recently fitting the Stebel Nautilus to the Sprinter, just behind the grille, so watertight was
important. Also completely idiot proof requiring no more skill than it takes to unscrew a lid and put it back on again which
I find very handy.

https://www.posi-products.com/posilock.html

Heres some on Ebay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/POSI-LOCK-PL1416-Connectors/222691295736?hash=item33d96f81f8:m:m4W1_hpARvy-06o-XD6rwiQ
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