3 Yellow Wire soldering

2873 Views 46 Replies 19 Participants Last post by gpif, Apr 17, 2013

MikeBen

Discussion Starter · Apr 13, 2013

Ok, after reading quite a few threads, , i know i have to do the three yellow wire thing, and like a few guys said, ive always crimped everything, as i am a HORRIBLE soldering guy, no clue when theres to much, not enough heat, that being said, there is a product out there called liquid solder, or industrial glue, has anyone ever heard of these being used? i have not seen any threads about this, i simply cannot solder, tried, big blobs all over the place, i know most stuff, like jb weld, is non conductive, so i would have to find a conductive kind, but any opinions on this? how about crimping and liquid soldering? lol, just trying to think of ways to do this.

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Gravygrabber

· #2 · Apr 13, 2013

I just looked on mine and found it has the original connector still and hasn't been modified. It didn't want to come apart so I'm assuming it's burnt inside.

When I worked at Harley I installed a bunch of electrical accessories and when soldering two wires together I would twist the ends and loop the ends together then solder them. I would have heat shrink already over one end of the wire then slide it down and heat it up to seal the connection. You can use a coat hanger and solder two alligator clips to each end to make a wire holder so you can focus on the wiring not holding the wire.
The main thing is getting the material (wire) hot then adding the solder. Sometimes I use paste flux which will make it way easier to get the solder to flow onto the material. Once it flows all over the material remove the heat and let it "dry" and you should be good to go.
You really need a good soldering iron. The pistol types suck honestly. I use a Hakko adjustable heat pen style.

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Gravygrabber

· #3 · Apr 13, 2013

Here's the inside of my connector,

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Guess what I'm doing next....

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CaptainMidnight85

· #4 · Apr 13, 2013

MikeBen said:
Ok, after reading quite a few threads, , i know i have to do the three yellow wire thing, and like a few guys said, ive always crimped everything, as i am a HORRIBLE soldering guy, no clue when theres to much, not enough heat, that being said, there is a product out there called liquid solder, or industrial glue, has anyone ever heard of these being used? i have not seen any threads about this, i simply cannot solder, tried, big blobs all over the place, i know most stuff, like jb weld, is non conductive, so i would have to find a conductive kind, but any opinions on this? how about crimping and liquid soldering? lol, just trying to think of ways to do this.

Solder the wires.

Use the correct solder and its a no brainer.

Almost impossible to not get a good connection if using rosin-core solder. Not enough heat can be circumvented by giving it too much heat, so shoot for too much. How much is too much? When the yellow sheathing of the wires starts to cook and smoke, then you're at too much heat ...and a job well done.

Don't waste your time in doing anything else.

ALEX BERECZKY

· #5 · Apr 13, 2013

CaptainMidnight85 said:
Solder the wires.

Use the correct solder and its a no brainer.

Almost impossible to not get a good connection if using rosin-core solder. Not enough heat can be circumvented by giving it too much heat, so shoot for too much. How much is too much? When the yellow sheathing of the wires starts to cook and smoke, then you're at too much heat ...and a job well done.

Don't waste your time in doing anything else.

+1... Buy the biggest (highest Wattage) solder iron you can, some Electronics Solder (with Rosin core), Shrink Tape (preforable Adhesive Lined), and a Hot Air gun.

I just did hundreds of joints on my restored truck... easy!

dizzy

· #6 · Apr 13, 2013

Sometimes those AC gen wires are pretty far along corroded when you get them stripped. That does make soldering them not as easy and pretty when you're done but you can still do it. Good materials, soldering iron, plenty of heat and patience are the key.

UbarW

· #7 · Apr 13, 2013

I strip about three quarters of an inch of wire, on both sides. Wrap them around each other in such a way that they do NOT form a T, but are still parallel. once you overlap, wrap, and solder, you will have less than three quarters of an inch to seal up.

CM85 is right, more heat is going to help you. Remember that the heat needs to penetrate the wires, not just the solder. Once you get the wires up in temp, the solder should flow around the wires, even without flux. Too cold and the solder will blob.

Too much heat is when the insulation melts or bubbles.

Check the pic out...

Get some shrink tubing from your hardware store, put it on the wire before you solder. Use the inline, and you can slide the shrinktube in place when done. Heat and it will shrink to fit if you choose the right size.

There is a whole 'instructable' on this.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Master-a-perfect-inline-wire-splice-everytime/

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Bike...and Dennis

· #8 · Apr 13, 2013

A friend had an '84 which a PO had used wire nuts to replace the plug.
It was that way when he got it, and it was that way when he sold it.
He never had any stator trouble.

roscoepc

· #9 · Apr 13, 2013

Sorry guy's but I'm gonna differ from the "Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor" approach and suggest that wire prep, soldering technique, patience, and PRACTICE is what's needed here instead of a 10,000 watt soldering iron.....

Wire Prep - As was stated strip the wires to be soldered at least 3/4" to 1.5". A "Western Union" style splice would be prefered as it'll take up less space. After the wires are spliced, wash the area to be soldered with alcohol. Regular rubbing alcohol from your medicine cabinet is fine. Doing this will remove any dirt or oil from the joint and help with solder flow.

On a side note a paste or liquid rosin can be used to coat the joint before soldering. This will prevent the copper from oxydising during soldering and make for easier solder flow.

Soldering Technique: A proper sized iron is important: About 25-50 watts should be what you want.

Plug the iron in and while it's heating, fold a paper towel 4-5 times, wet it and wring the water out so you wind up with a damp pad. This is gonna be used to clean/cool the iron's tip before use. Once the iron is up to temp place the tip on the wet pad and draw it to you, rolling it a bit to clean the tip and touch a bit of solder to the tip to prevent the tip from burning.

OK, Now we're ready to solder!! Place the iron against the bottom center of the area to be soldered and at the area of tip contact with the wire, feed some solder into that contact area. If the iron is up to proper temp you should see solder start to "wick" into the wire forming a solder "bridge" from the tip to the wire. This is important because this bridge is how the heat is transfered from the tip to the wire being soldered!!!!!! Once the solder bridge is made start moving the tip from the center to one side and then the other stopping short of the insulation, feeding solder to the wire as you go. Once you witness solder in the areas you want it to be in remove the tip, wipe/roll it across the damp pad, apply some solder to the tip to prevent it from burning, crack a beer open and pat yourself on the back cuz you just made a good solder joint!!!!

Practice - This is what you need to do to get a good soldered joint!!! Just get some wire and follow the instructions provided and be Patient!!! You'll get there!!

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glhonda

· #10 · Apr 13, 2013

roscoepc said:
Sorry guy's but I'm gonna differ from the "Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor" approach and suggest that wire prep, soldering technique, patience, and PRACTICE is what's needed here instead of a 10,000 watt soldering iron.....

Wire Prep - As was stated strip the wires to be soldered at least 3/4" to 1.5". A "Western Union" style splice would be prefered as it'll take up less space. After the wires are spliced, wash the area to be soldered with alcohol. Regular rubbing alcohol from your medicine cabinet is fine. Doing this will remove any dirt or oil from the joint and help with solder flow.

On a side note a paste or liquid rosin can be used to coat the joint before soldering. This will prevent the copper from oxydising during soldering and make for easier solder flow.

Soldering Technique: A proper sized iron is important: About 25-50 watts should be what you want.

Plug the iron in and while it's heating, fold a paper towel 4-5 times, wet it and wring the water out so you wind up with a damp pad. This is gonna be used to clean/cool the iron's tip before use. Once the iron is up to temp place the tip on the wet pad and draw it to you, rolling it a bit to clean the tip and touch a bit of solder to the tip to prevent the tip from burning.

OK, Now we're ready to solder!! Place the iron against the bottom center of the area to be soldered and at the area of tip contact with the wire, feed some solder into that contact area. If the iron is up to proper temp you should see solder start to "wick" into the wire forming a solder "bridge" from the tip to the wire. This is important because this bridge is how the heat is transfered from the tip to the wire being soldered!!!!!! Once the solder bridge is made start moving the tip from the center to one side and then the other stopping short of the insulation, feeding solder to the wire as you go. Once you witness solder in the areas you want it to be in remove the tip, wipe/roll it across the damp pad, apply some solder to the tip to prevent it from burning, crack a beer open and pat yourself on the back cuz you just made a good solder joint!!!!

Practice - This is what you need to do to get a good soldered joint!!! Just get some wire and follow the instructions provided and be Patient!!! You'll get there!!

+2 (me and Harvey)
Nice write up roscoe.:claps:
Sure beats the way I do it. (I melt the solder in a bucket and throw it at the wires. Sometimes I get lucky.)

Biker John

· #11 · Apr 13, 2013

Gravygrabber said:
Here's the inside of my connector,

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Guess what I'm doing next....

Stick a fork in it, that ones done. :shock:

wilmo

· #12 · Apr 13, 2013

That picture is too familiar-just what mine looked like. I actually had a friend who wanted to order the same plug to replace his???? I showed him the error of his ways (and Honda's) and taught him how to solder. Turned him into a monster-now everything he has is soldered. You can handle it.

neoracer

· #13 · Apr 13, 2013

my system is somewhat different in that i use uninsulated butt connectors which i put flux inside before crimping the wires together(having already slid a piece of heatshrink on one wire.....then i heat that butt connector up with a soldering iron enough so that solder flows onto and into the connector,all followed up with shrinking the heatshrink

Gravygrabber

· #14 · Apr 13, 2013

I'm going to do mine later today I will try and take pictures.

CaptainMidnight85

· #15 · Apr 14, 2013

neoracer said:
my system is somewhat different in that i use uninsulated butt connectors which i put flux inside before crimping the wires together(having already slid a piece of heatshrink on one wire.....then i heat that butt connector up with a soldering iron enough so that solder flows onto and into the connector,all followed up with shrinking the heatshrink

A solid crimp like that is as good as a soldered joint.

jobe05

· #16 · Apr 14, 2013

roscoepc said:
Sorry guy's but I'm gonna differ from the "Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor" approach and suggest that wire prep, soldering technique, patience, and PRACTICE is what's needed here instead of a 10,000 watt soldering iron.....

Wire Prep - As was stated strip the wires to be soldered at least 3/4" to 1.5". A "Western Union" style splice would be prefered as it'll take up less space. After the wires are spliced, wash the area to be soldered with alcohol. Regular rubbing alcohol from your medicine cabinet is fine. Doing this will remove any dirt or oil from the joint and help with solder flow.

On a side note a paste or liquid rosin can be used to coat the joint before soldering. This will prevent the copper from oxydising during soldering and make for easier solder flow.

Soldering Technique: A proper sized iron is important: About 25-50 watts should be what you want.

Plug the iron in and while it's heating, fold a paper towel 4-5 times, wet it and wring the water out so you wind up with a damp pad. This is gonna be used to clean/cool the iron's tip before use. Once the iron is up to temp place the tip on the wet pad and draw it to you, rolling it a bit to clean the tip and touch a bit of solder to the tip to prevent the tip from burning.

OK, Now we're ready to solder!! Place the iron against the bottom center of the area to be soldered and at the area of tip contact with the wire, feed some solder into that contact area. If the iron is up to proper temp you should see solder start to "wick" into the wire forming a solder "bridge" from the tip to the wire. This is important because this bridge is how the heat is transfered from the tip to the wire being soldered!!!!!! Once the solder bridge is made start moving the tip from the center to one side and then the other stopping short of the insulation, feeding solder to the wire as you go. Once you witness solder in the areas you want it to be in remove the tip, wipe/roll it across the damp pad, apply some solder to the tip to prevent it from burning, crack a beer open and pat yourself on the back cuz you just made a good solder joint!!!!

Practice - This is what you need to do to get a good soldered joint!!! Just get some wire and follow the instructions provided and be Patient!!! You'll get there!!

I can attest that this method works! Roscopc did several joints on my 85 LTD, leaving me with the knowledge to to the top connectors. Doing it how he showed me, I completed the task with a $12 Harbor Freight Soldering gun. This is truly a case of technique is more important than the tools used.

glhonda

· #17 · Apr 14, 2013

jobe05 said:
This is truly a case of technique is more important than the tools used.

Harrumphh!:readit:

JerryH

· #18 · Apr 14, 2013

Wire nuts can actually work, as can crimp connectors. But they can also corrode or come loose. I recommend soldering the wires. However, if you are not GOOD at soldering, have someone who is do it. This is not a place to mess up. I have been soldering since I was about 13, when I started building radios. Then I got into the A/C business and started soldering the big stuff, including copper refrigerant lines. It is not hard to learn, but you will not get it right the first few times. You will need a decent soldering iron/gun to solder those wires. A 25 watt iron is not going to do it. I have a cheap Weller 140/100 watt gun, and used the 140 setting. Worked fine. I had to solder 6 joints, because after cutting out all the damaged stuff, the wires were to short, and I had to splice in more wire. Use the same gauge wire as the yellow wires.

Again if you are not really good at soldering, a crimped connection covered in heat shrink wrap is probably better

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groutby

· #19 · Apr 14, 2013

Solder, heastshrink and little metal wiring clips for each wire that I got from an auto electrical store which fits over both outer plastic sheathings to make the joint strong and rigid..while your'e at it, check the connections up at the regulator too, just in case.
Cheers,
Peter.

JerryH

· #20 · Apr 14, 2013

Not everybody can solder. It is not something that many people ever have occasion to do. I have seen a ridiculous number of people trying to solder wires by heating the solder and letting it drip down on the cold wires. Soldering is like welding (but easier), most people can learn it, but it doesn't happen the first time you try. Like riding, it's one of those skills that continue to develop with time and experience.

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