bigdad
Platinum Member
Thank you Builder....... I thought that I may have been rambling a bit too much.
Big Tex follow up
- Thread starter Propjob
- Start date
- Views: 8428
WantedWolf
Gold Member
Joel,
Don't forget to put your shrink tube on first.
Best piece of advice... Maybe ever
Its fresh in my mind, but I thought Id never forget again (last time I forgot)
Soundguy
Old Timer
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- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
One other tidbit... flux is your friend.. the more the better.. I like rosin paste flux in a tube for this type of application.
makes the solder flow and tin better after heating the joint.
soundguy
makes the solder flow and tin better after heating the joint.
soundguy
WantedWolf
Gold Member
You guys arnt using Acid core solder are you?
The tin/lead rosin core I use works great without flux paste
I only use acid core and paste on pipe joints
Soundguy
Old Timer
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Acid core.. yucky!
flux core solder is good.. extra flux is better.. helps clean the joint and get the solder flowing before it's own flux has migrated much.
soundguy
flux core solder is good.. extra flux is better.. helps clean the joint and get the solder flowing before it's own flux has migrated much.
soundguy
OP
Propjob
Bronze Member
Hi All:
Great replies. I will say that possibly the trailer could have been damaged at the dealer and repaired. It's amazing they (Big Tex never responded to my email.....Shame .
I will add that if you have to splice with Butts, fill them with a silicone dialectric, than tape, mastic and tape again.. Solder is, however, the best way. Get a few pieces of wire and Rosin core solder and a Proper GUN and practice. Most solder problems are because people use inadequate guna and irons for the job. A word of advice to new solderers, Heat the work before applying the flux and solder and allow the solder to flow into the splice. A good solder joint will be shiny, whereas a cold joint will be dull and grainy. Then tape, mastic and tape. Propjob
Great replies. I will say that possibly the trailer could have been damaged at the dealer and repaired. It's amazing they (Big Tex never responded to my email.....Shame .
I will add that if you have to splice with Butts, fill them with a silicone dialectric, than tape, mastic and tape again.. Solder is, however, the best way. Get a few pieces of wire and Rosin core solder and a Proper GUN and practice. Most solder problems are because people use inadequate guna and irons for the job. A word of advice to new solderers, Heat the work before applying the flux and solder and allow the solder to flow into the splice. A good solder joint will be shiny, whereas a cold joint will be dull and grainy. Then tape, mastic and tape. Propjob
CurlyDave
Elite Member
Solder and heat shrink.
About 30 years ago, I worked on a project with Peterbuilt Truck on an electrical accessory. At that time their electrical engineers told me that their best practices involved never soldering stranded wiring. The same is true for Amtrak.
The reason is that solder wicks up the strands and creates a very rigid section, which abruptly transitions to the more flexible stranded wire at the end of the solder wick section. This means there is a stress concentration right at the end of the solder wick and the wire will always break there in a high vibration environment.
While butt splices are difficult to apply properly, the best splice for any high vibration environment is a properly applied, non-insulated splice with heat shrink over it both for insulation and for stress grading.
The only reason anyone gets away with soldering is that trailers are used for very low hours compared to trucks (a million miles) or trains (many million miles).
About 30 years ago, I worked on a project with Peterbuilt Truck on an electrical accessory. At that time their electrical engineers told me that their best practices involved never soldering stranded wiring. The same is true for Amtrak.
The reason is that solder wicks up the strands and creates a very rigid section, which abruptly transitions to the more flexible stranded wire at the end of the solder wick section. This means there is a stress concentration right at the end of the solder wick and the wire will always break there in a high vibration environment.
While butt splices are difficult to apply properly, the best splice for any high vibration environment is a properly applied, non-insulated splice with heat shrink over it both for insulation and for stress grading.
The only reason anyone gets away with soldering is that trailers are used for very low hours compared to trucks (a million miles) or trains (many million miles).
Soundguy
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Ideally.. there are no unions in wires and that all contacts are made at wireing points like barrier strips.. etc. When you do have to make unions.. like repairs.. I DO reccomend solder over butt splices. solder makes an airless union.. butt splices let air and corrosion in.
A proper solder splice that is then sealed and strain reliefed will hold up MUCH better than a but splices...
soundguy
A proper solder splice that is then sealed and strain reliefed will hold up MUCH better than a but splices...
soundguy
bigdad
Platinum Member
CurlyDave.... speaks the truth. 100%
Considering the poor quality of wire/insulation, routing and ease of access, I still have to go with the solder/heatshrink program on my trailers. My luck has been holding with good strain relief.
Guns/Irons: High Wattage. Has anyone priced a Weller Gun lately? Gasp!
Considering the poor quality of wire/insulation, routing and ease of access, I still have to go with the solder/heatshrink program on my trailers. My luck has been holding with good strain relief.
Guns/Irons: High Wattage. Has anyone priced a Weller Gun lately? Gasp!
Diamondpilot
Super Star Member
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Ok, stayed out of it until now. If you ever get a chance to look into a commercial airliner with its guts out you will see 1000's of butt splices. I guess the difference is they are in a sealed environment where as a trailer is out in the muck.
I agree soldering is a much better way. Just kind of scary to think the butt splices are used in aviation. I have been flying commercially as my primary job since 1996 and have accrued about 7,000 hours in the air. 5,500 of these hours are in jet aircraft. I am sure many of the squawks I have given to the mechanics were due to the butt spice failures but can only think of one that was serious and lead to me shutting down the left engine. Anyway got feed back it was a bad connection in a wiring loom and the direct cause was a bad butt splice.
Chris
I agree soldering is a much better way. Just kind of scary to think the butt splices are used in aviation. I have been flying commercially as my primary job since 1996 and have accrued about 7,000 hours in the air. 5,500 of these hours are in jet aircraft. I am sure many of the squawks I have given to the mechanics were due to the butt spice failures but can only think of one that was serious and lead to me shutting down the left engine. Anyway got feed back it was a bad connection in a wiring loom and the direct cause was a bad butt splice.
Chris
