Need suggestions for clean butt splice for electrical wires.

[Bart D. Hull]

I'm working on the firewall forward for my homebuilt.

I need to extend various wires to make it to their respective destinations.
(14 to 26 gauge wires.)

Any way to have a nice clean butt joint? I don't like the crimp butt joints
or twisting the wires together with the accompanying monster bulge.

What have y'all used for a central ground or central power point? I'm building
a composite so I can't use the airframe as a convenient ground.

Suggestions and/or pictures are appreciated.

Thanks

--
Bart D. Hull

Tempe, Arizona

Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/engine.html
for my Subaru Engine Conversion
Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/fuselage.html
for Tango II I'm building.

[Fred in Florida]

"Bart D. Hull" > wrote in message
...
> I'm working on the firewall forward for my homebuilt.
>
> I need to extend various wires to make it to their respective
destinations.
> (14 to 26 gauge wires.)
>
> Any way to have a nice clean butt joint? I don't like the crimp butt
joints
> or twisting the wires together with the accompanying monster bulge.
>
> What have y'all used for a central ground or central power point? I'm
building
> a composite so I can't use the airframe as a convenient ground.

Bart --

I'm using these from B&C on my composite project. Look about 1/3 to 1/2 way
down the page. Good luck.

http://www.bandc.biz/cgi-bin/ez-catalog/cat_display.cgi?26X358218

Fred in Florida

[Tarver Engineering]

"Bart D. Hull" > wrote in message
...
> I'm working on the firewall forward for my homebuilt.
>
> I need to extend various wires to make it to their respective
destinations.
> (14 to 26 gauge wires.)
>
> Any way to have a nice clean butt joint? I don't like the crimp butt
joints
> or twisting the wires together with the accompanying monster bulge.
>
> What have y'all used for a central ground or central power point? I'm
building
> a composite so I can't use the airframe as a convenient ground.
>
> Suggestions and/or pictures are appreciated.

Use a terminal block, or a Burndy block.

Do not solder the wires.

[Nathan Young]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 07:42:05 -0800, "Tarver Engineering"
> wrote:

>
>"Bart D. Hull" > wrote in message
...
>> I'm working on the firewall forward for my homebuilt.
>>
>> I need to extend various wires to make it to their respective
>destinations.
>> (14 to 26 gauge wires.)
>>
>> Any way to have a nice clean butt joint? I don't like the crimp butt
>joints
>> or twisting the wires together with the accompanying monster bulge.
>>
>> What have y'all used for a central ground or central power point? I'm
>building
>> a composite so I can't use the airframe as a convenient ground.
>>
>> Suggestions and/or pictures are appreciated.
>
>Use a terminal block, or a Burndy block.
>
>Do not solder the wires.

I've noticed this - why does aviation not solder wires? Is it a
reliability thing? Ie the solder joint would fracture after enough
vibration and time?

With my A&Ps guidance, I've done a bit of wiring under the panel of my
plane. One thing is for sure - I wouldn't want to be soldering under
there - you'd get a facefull of solder droplets. OUCH!

-Nathan

[Tarver Engineering]

"Nathan Young" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 07:42:05 -0800, "Tarver Engineering"
> > wrote:
>
> >
> >"Bart D. Hull" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> I'm working on the firewall forward for my homebuilt.
> >>
> >> I need to extend various wires to make it to their respective
> >destinations.
> >> (14 to 26 gauge wires.)
> >>
> >> Any way to have a nice clean butt joint? I don't like the crimp butt
> >joints
> >> or twisting the wires together with the accompanying monster bulge.
> >>
> >> What have y'all used for a central ground or central power point? I'm
> >building
> >> a composite so I can't use the airframe as a convenient ground.
> >>
> >> Suggestions and/or pictures are appreciated.
> >
> >Use a terminal block, or a Burndy block.
> >
> >Do not solder the wires.
>
> I've noticed this - why does aviation not solder wires? Is it a
> reliability thing? Ie the solder joint would fracture after enough
> vibration and time?

Solder melts and shorts other things out.

> With my A&Ps guidance, I've done a bit of wiring under the panel of my
> plane. One thing is for sure - I wouldn't want to be soldering under
> there - you'd get a facefull of solder droplets. OUCH!

The smell of bunig skin is usually your first indication; followed by
cutting your head up trying to escape. :)

[Mike Patterson]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:07:17 GMT, Nathan Young
> wrote:
<<SNIP>>
>>
>>Use a terminal block, or a Burndy block.
>>
>>Do not solder the wires.
>
>I've noticed this - why does aviation not solder wires? Is it a
>reliability thing? Ie the solder joint would fracture after enough
>vibration and time?

An A&P friend told me that the vibration/fracture answer is the
reason.

I helped him build a TEAM Minimax and every wire on that thing was
mechanically connected and strain-relieved at both ends somehow.

It amazed me how much time we spent doing all that to his
satisfaction, but I sure learned a lot.

Mike

>
>With my A&Ps guidance, I've done a bit of wiring under the panel of my
>plane. One thing is for sure - I wouldn't want to be soldering under
>there - you'd get a facefull of solder droplets. OUCH!
>
>-Nathan



Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.

[Roger Halstead]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:07:17 GMT, Nathan Young
> wrote:

>On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 07:42:05 -0800, "Tarver Engineering"
> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Bart D. Hull" > wrote in message
...
>>> I'm working on the firewall forward for my homebuilt.
>>>
>>> I need to extend various wires to make it to their respective
>>destinations.
>>> (14 to 26 gauge wires.)
>>>
>>> Any way to have a nice clean butt joint? I don't like the crimp butt
>>joints
>>> or twisting the wires together with the accompanying monster bulge.
>>>
>>> What have y'all used for a central ground or central power point? I'm
>>building
>>> a composite so I can't use the airframe as a convenient ground.
>>>
>>> Suggestions and/or pictures are appreciated.
>>
>>Use a terminal block, or a Burndy block.
>>
>>Do not solder the wires.
>
>I've noticed this - why does aviation not solder wires? Is it a
>reliability thing? Ie the solder joint would fracture after enough
>vibration and time?

Yes, for the short answer.

As a demonstration, take a piece of aviation wire and cut it in two.
Crimp a spade lug on the end of each piece. On one, solder the wire in
the connector.

Now, bend the wire back and forth.
The one soldered into the connector should break far sooner than the
one that is only crimped.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
>
>With my A&Ps guidance, I've done a bit of wiring under the panel of my
>plane. One thing is for sure - I wouldn't want to be soldering under
>there - you'd get a facefull of solder droplets. OUCH!
>
>-Nathan

[Rob Cherney]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 01:01:44 -0700, "Bart D. Hull"
> wrote:
>
>Any way to have a nice clean butt joint? I don't like the crimp butt joints
>or twisting the wires together with the accompanying monster bulge.

It's not a cheap solution, but this is a solder sleeve that meets your
requirements. As you can see from other posts, the conventional
wisdom is to avoid solder splicing, but this particular product
includes a controlled amount of solder to prevent wicking beyond the
sleeve. Be sure to use the part recommended for the application.

http://www.raychem.com/US/datasheets/1654025_Sec_8/8-6_8-11.pdf

Rob-
------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Cherney e-mail: rcherney(at)comcast(dot)net

[Tarver Engineering]

"Roger Halstead" > wrote in message
...

<snip>
> Now, bend the wire back and forth.
> The one soldered into the connector should break far sooner than the
> one that is only crimped.

Some people would just use a backshell. :)

Solder is OK as long as there is no way for it to short out other equipment.
BCAG uses soldered connector contacts.

[B2431]

>From: Roger Halstead
>Date: 1/29/2004 5:10 PM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:07:17 GMT, Nathan Young

>>On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 07:42:05 -0800, "Tarver Engineering"
> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>"Bart D. Hull" > wrote in message
...
>>>> I'm working on the firewall forward for my homebuilt.
>>>>
>>>> I need to extend various wires to make it to their respective
>>>destinations.
>>>> (14 to 26 gauge wires.)
>>>>
>>>> Any way to have a nice clean butt joint? I don't like the crimp butt
>>>joints
>>>> or twisting the wires together with the accompanying monster bulge.
>>>>
>>>> What have y'all used for a central ground or central power point? I'm
>>>building
>>>> a composite so I can't use the airframe as a convenient ground.
>>>>
>>>> Suggestions and/or pictures are appreciated.
>>>
>>>Use a terminal block, or a Burndy block.
>>>
>>>Do not solder the wires.
>>
>>I've noticed this - why does aviation not solder wires? Is it a
>>reliability thing? Ie the solder joint would fracture after enough
>>vibration and time?
>
>Yes, for the short answer.
>
>As a demonstration, take a piece of aviation wire and cut it in two.
>Crimp a spade lug on the end of each piece. On one, solder the wire in
>the connector.
>
>Now, bend the wire back and forth.
>The one soldered into the connector should break far sooner than the
>one that is only crimped.
>
>Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
>(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
>www.rogerhalstead.com
>>

A properly supported wire won't have that problem. Look at cannon plugs. I have
seen many cases in homebuilts where the builder has used far too little
support.
Having said that crimping makes for an easier and quicker assembly. In most
cases there's no reason not to crimp. If you crimp a splice or terminal in an
environment where corrosion is to be expected wrap it in silicone tape, use
heat shrink tubing or the like to prevent contamination of the crimp.

Dan, U,S. Air Force, retired