Joining wires together

[wordie08]

Hi all

 

Which is the prefer method of joining wires together, i need to extend the wires on my Heljan class 37, i have used chocolate connectors, is there a better way to join the wires? as i find these rather large.

[johnb]

My way is to twist them together and solder them, only a small amount though! Before joining them I slip a length of heat shrink tube over one wire, join them together, then slide the heat shrink over the joint and warm it up. Job done for very little loss of space.

 

John

[DCB]

As above twist the wires and solder them.  Get a decent iron with a small pointed  tip, I like Antex as tips interchange easily but they are pricey so I am using a cheap and nasty Draper iron which even with a pointy tip is rubbish.  I use Templers flux but not essential, and some decent electrical solder.  Thin wire gauge solder on a reel is obviously better than thick gauge for small jobs. Generally older solder is better, EU regs compatible stuff has a higher melting point and doesn't work as well, and when my reel I have had for 30 years ran out I couldn't get anything as good until I got lucky with some old stuff off eBay.

Make sure your wire is at least as thick a gauge as the original, I melted a groove in a Lima class 37 when I used the wrong stuff. Plenty of high quality thin wires in old Desktop Computers (and motors and PSUs)