Soldering Wires On The Bike

[Steve B]

I have moved my Autocom unit from behind the tank to the tool tray today. Had a problem with the live wire that is hard wired into the fuse box. I couldn't get the wire out to re-route it into the tool tray so have cut the wire with the intention of soldering the two ends. Question is, can I solder the wires together in situ or do I have to disconnect the battery to prevent it getting b*ggered up by my ignorance?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ravenbyrne]

I have never disconnected the battery..........

Mind you I always use a gas soldering iron.

I guess so long as the ignition is switched off there shouldn't be a problem

 

[ianboydsnr]

no need to remove battery to solder

 

[Colban]

Unless you can be sure there isn't voltage there (meter ?),disconnect the battery or at least pull any fuse supplying the unit.
May get a bit sparky otherwise.

 

[Steve B]

I have never disconnected the battery..........

Mind you I always use a gas soldering iron.

I guess so long as the ignition is switched off there shouldn't be a problem

Thanks chaps
I have a mains plugged soldering iron but was wondering if the wires when joined together before soldering will become live. Although I'm an electricary numpty I would assume that if there is a problem then the fuse the wire is connected to will blow. Just concerned that I may do more damage than I have an understanding for by not disconnecting the battery. Think I'll remove the fuse anyway.

Steve

 

[alimey4u2]

Don't solder, use crimp lugs, an unsupported soldered joint will "eventually" cause the wire to fail due to V -I- B- R -A -T -I -O N

 

[Steve B]

Don't solder, use crimp lugs, an unsupported soldered joint will "eventually" cause the wire to fail due to V -I- B- R -A -T -I -O N

T-H-A-N-K-S F-O-R T-H-E I-N-F-O

I'll nip out to Halfrauds tommorrow to get some. It'll give me a reason to look for a decent torque wrench.

 

[brassmonkey001]

Use a pair of grips to hold the wire being soldered to act as a heat sink.
Oh, don't forget to put some heatshrink on your wire before soldering it together. Not that I've ever done anything so silly. Oh no.

 

[AndyT]

I personally would solder them together if you have a soldering iron and some solder handy. I would also make sure the cable isn't live (which you mention is a live feed) as its less risky of touching something to earth on the bike. Sounds like the CopperChimp is a secret auto electrician with his fancy heat shrink and hair drier tools
If you are worried you could always use a piece of terminal block then easy to disconnect if required

 

[Myke Rocks]

re solder joints

I have never come across a solder joint breaking down due to vibration,
but I have seen many crimped joints fail due to corrosion, a problem which does not occur with a soldered, shrunkwrapped joint.
Always do a married joint, where the conductors are meshed through one another & then twisted.. Never lay two wires side by side & solder them together.
If using standard blue, yelow or red automotive crimps, this is a particular problem, since the majority of crimp tools are poor.
Proper non insulated crimps installed with their dedicated crimp tools are an excellent joint, but, on automotive applications, they should be sprayed afterwards with a suitable anticorrosion liquid.
If using non insulated crimps, shrinkwrap over the connector afterwards.
Myke.

 

[alimey4u2]

I have never come across a solder joint breaking down due to vibration,

Sadly I have....

If you do solder, "support" the joint amply at both ends with shrink wrap. Solder renders a multicore cable as one ( becomes single core.) It then becomes sympathetically resonant to "a" descrete frequency, causing work hardening of the copper, leading to fracture. Tis one of the reasons manufacturers use twisted multicore wire in flexible/ high vibration applications.