HOW- TO SPLICE AND SOLDER AN ELECTRICAL

WIRE

What you will need

 Wire strippers
 Heat shrinking tube
 Safety glasses
 Heat gun
 Alligator clips (2)
 Rosin flux
 Solder wire
 Soldering iron
 Silicone paste

Step 1
Strip 1 in (2.5 cm) of the insulation off the end of each wire. Secure the jaws
of a wire stripper, 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the end of one of the wires you’re splicing
together. Squeeze the handles together firmly together and pull the jaws toward
the end of the wire to remove the insulation. Repeat the process on the end of the
other wire you’re splicing as well

STEP 2
Slide a piece of heat shrinking tube onto one of the wires. Get heat-shrink
tubing that’s a gauge larger than the wire you’re using so you can easily slide it on.
Cut a piece of tubing that’s at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) long so it’s able to cover the
splice and some of the insulation later on. Slide the heat-shrink tubing onto one of
the wires and move it at least 1 foot (30 cm) away from the exposed end.

STEP 3
Twist the ends of the wires together to combine them. Line up the centers of
the exposed wires so they form an X-shape. Bend one of the wires down to twist
it around the other wire as tightly as you can so it has a firm connection. Make sure
the end of the wire doesn’t stick up or point away from the splice or else you won’t
have as firm of a connection. Repeat the process with the other wire so your splice
looks even on both sides.

STEP 4
Clamp the wires in alligator clips to keep them off of your work
surface. Alligator clips are small metal grips that work well for holding wires in
place without them moving around. Place the alligator clips vertically on a flat work
surface so the jaws face up. Secure each of the wires into 1 alligator clip so the
splice is supported off the work surface between them.

STEP 5
Put rosin flux on the spliced wire to help the solder adhere better. Rosin flux
is a compound that helps clean the wires and allows the solder to stick to them.
Put a bead-sized amount of rosin flux on your finger and rub it over the exposed
wires. Try to coat the wires as evenly as possible so there’s a thin layer of flux on
them. Wipe any excess flux off of the wires with your finger or a paper towel.

STEP 6
Get 63/37 leaded solder for the easiest material to work with. Solder is usually
made with a combination of metals that melt at a low temperature, like tin or lead.
63/37 solder is made of 63% tin and 37% lead, and it turns right from a solid to a
liquid as soon as it reaches 361 °F (183 °C). aim for for 63/37 solder when you’re
working with electronics so you can connect the wires together easily.

Step 7
Melt solder on the tip of your soldering iron to prevent oxidation. Put on a
pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes. Turn on your soldering iron and let it
heat up completely, which should only take a few minutes. Hold the end of your
solder directly on the end of the iron so a thin layer of it melts onto the iron.
Continue putting solder on the iron until it has a shiny appearance.
STEP 8
Hold the soldering iron against the bottom of the splice to heat the flux. Keep
the soldering iron turned on and place it on the bottom side of the wire splice. The
heat will transfer from the iron and into the wires so the flux turns into a liquid. Once
the flux starts bubbling, you can begin adding solder to the splice.

STEP 9
Run the tip of the solder on top of the wire so it melts into the wires. Keep
the soldering iron on the bottom of the wire to continue heating it. Tap the end of
the 63/37 solder on top of the wire splice so the solder melts down into the wires.
Run the solder over the entire splice so it can melt and travel into the gaps between
the wires. Continue melting the solder until there’s a thin layer of solder covering
all of the exposed wire.
STEP 10
Let the solder cool for about 1-2 minutes so it solidifies. Once you’re finished,
pull the solder and iron away from the splice so it has a chance to cool. Don’t touch
or disturb the wire while it’s drying since you could loosen the connection between
them. After about 1-2 minutes, the solder will solidify and you can handle it again.

STEP 11

Rub silicone paste on the soldered wire to make it waterproof. Silicone paste,
also known as dielectric grease, prevents the metal wires from rusting and makes
your splice completely waterproof. Use a bead-sized amount of silicone paste and
spread it over the soldered wire with your finger. Make sure the wire has a thin,
even layer of the silicone paste so it stays protected.
STEP 12
Slide the heat-shrink tubing over the exposed wires. Take the heat-shrink
tubing that you put on the wire earlier and move it back over the soldered wire.
Make sure the edges of the heat-shrink tubing go over the insulation by at
least 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) so there isn’t any exposed wire showing through.

STEP 13
Use a heat gun to shrink the tubing over the soldered wires. Hold a heat gun
so it’s about 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) away from the tubing. Turn the heat gun onto
the lowest setting and start applying heat to the center of the tubing. Work around
the entire circumference of the wire, heating from the center to the edges so excess
silicone paste oozes out of the sides. Once the heat-shrink tubing is tight on the
wire, you can stop applying heat.
STEP 14
Wipe off any excess silicone paste with a paper towel. There will be some
silicone paste that leaks out the sides of the tubing as it shrinks. Once the wire and
tubing are cool to the touch, use a piece of paper towel to wipe the silicone off of
the wires so they’re clean. Once you remove the silicone paste, your wires are
finished!