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@dreadbolt12 I use a sharp craft knife … cut through the circumference of the the insulation all the way around taking care not to cut too deeply so as to damage the actual conductors. Repeat this, making another cut around the circumference about half an inch away. Then simply make a single half-inch cut along the length of the cable between the two cuts you made around the cable and remove the section of insulation.
@Knightlore10 If there’s no open end you can’t use heat shrink tube. You could use something like 3M type 43 self amalgamating rubber tape or you could cut the wire to give you a free end then solder all three together and cover with heat shrink.
Perhaps I’m not getting this. Surely in practice you can’t slide the heat shrink over the joint because there’s no open end. How do you get the heat shrink in place under these circumstances?
@fisherboizz you may be able to wire some 12 volt automotive type LEDs into the 12 Volt supply of the computer but you would need to consider how much current the LEDs consume so as to not overload the computer power supply. If you can point me to the LEDs you’re considering I may be able to give some better information.
@photoandy Thanks for the help. im also wondering um well this may sound stupid lol but iv never done any wiring but i want to wire led lights to my computers desktop case and im just wondering is there a online guide that i could read? im capable to doing this if i have a source. if i can take apart my pc and upgrade it i think i could do basic wiring. at least thats what i think. so any help or sources would be great. also i plan on wiring the leds to the computers power suply.
@fisherboizz It would work but possibly not permanently. In my experience plastic type electrical tape deteriorates after a while and unwraps or comes loose. This is particularly true if the tape is subjected to any temperature extremes … which either causes the sticky stuff to fail or the tape to go hard and a bit brittle. If you use electrical tape try to get decent quality stuff. Rubber (self-amalgamating rubber tape) would be better but it’s unfortunately not cheap.
@photoandy Oh, really? Well thanks for the information! I’m just not very skilled with wiring, so I figured that would be the best bet for me. That’s actually a really good idea; putting a cable tie over the T-taps. What I usually do is after I T-tap a wire I wrap it with electrical tape at both ends, so they don’t come loose. That seems to work for me. But your way seems to be more reliable,
@caseymyhro My experience with the insulation displacement types of connectors such as T-Tap has not been very positive. They are quick and convenient but they always seems to eventually come loose. You can try putting a cable tie over the plastic clip to stop it popping open … but to be honest, I still don’t think these connectors are particularly reliable in the long term.
@d4ler1
I use a pair of side cutters to nick the outer insulation in a couple of places then it’s generally quite easy to remove the insulation. It takes a bit of practice though … you don’t want to cut in too deep and cut the wire strands. You can also use a sharp knife … but it’s a bit too easy to cut yourself. Most hardware, tool shops and electrical suppliers sell purpose-made wire strippers. These are inexpensive, adjustable to suit different wire sizes and are very easy to use.
Hi Garion670. If you don’t have a free end to slip heat shrink over the cable you can use a “rubber” tape instead. You’ll find this is most electrical suppliers. Ask for “self amalgamating” or “rubber” tape. You stretch it and wind it on like regular insulating tape and it binds together after a while leaving you with a continuous rubber covering … waterproof, corrosion proof etc. If you wish you can cover the rubber tape with a layer of regular tape for extra abrasion resistance.
Hi, great vid, just what I was looking for. Just one question. I noticed that in-order to fit the shrink wrap you simple slipped it over the free end of the wire being spliced to (hope that makes sense), what would you suggest if both ends are fixed? I need to splice a new wire to one on my motorbike, To release one of the ends to slip the shrink wrap tube over would be problematic at best.
@JC71693
It would be a low reliability joint if the wires are simply twisted together. Mechanical movement and oxidation would probably mean that eventually the connection will fail. Better to do a proper job and either solder the wires or use some sort of terminal … an auto-electrician should be able to advise and supply a suitable terminal.
Wires just twisted together may corrode/oxidise. Without soldering joint will have no mechanical strength & would be unreliable.
Can use a match/cig lighter to shrink if you’re careful and not close to anything flammable. Preferabe to use a heat gun. Some gas-powered portable soldering irons have a little attachment made specially for shrinking.
Best to match size and colour of wires if possible. Colour not so important but size is important. Don’t use smaller gauge wire.
a) Why do you even need the solder bit after you’ve wrapped a wire tight on the other?
b) In the video you didn’t shrink the ‘heat-shrink’ (because just demonstrating) but if you wanted to shrink, how is it done?
c) If broken wires in my car engine bay wouldn’t reach each other… where do I buy a run of extra wire to use? Is auto wiring practically all the same thickness and function? Would it matter if the insulation sheath on extension piece was different colour?
Very nice information Andy! Just a question, I bought a water temperature gauge for my car and plan on installing them. However, there’s 4 wires needing to be grounded. I figured I’d join all the wires together into one strand and ground it once instead of grounding it at 4 different locations. Do you recommend me solder 3 of the 4 wires together to the 4th wire, and then use the end of the 4th wire to ground? Thanks!
Hi MaxDadaAK,
Tinning the soldering iron makes for a more efficient heat transfer to the workpiece. A nice clean tip covered with a thin layer of molten solder will heat the work faster and better than a tip covered in old, burned flux or other contaminants. The tip should appear “shiny”.
The XV250 is quite a nice easy bike to work on … you’ll have no problems!
#1 by CD30Video on December 21, 2011 - 5:57 am
Great video just the solution now my lazy attempt at scotchloks failed miserably. :S
#2 by Knightlore10 on December 21, 2011 - 6:21 am
Hi thanks for feedback and the video was good for research. Just fitted a motorcycle alarm and loaded up the video. cheers.
#3 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 6:36 am
@dreadbolt12 I use a sharp craft knife … cut through the circumference of the the insulation all the way around taking care not to cut too deeply so as to damage the actual conductors. Repeat this, making another cut around the circumference about half an inch away. Then simply make a single half-inch cut along the length of the cable between the two cuts you made around the cable and remove the section of insulation.
#4 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 6:46 am
@Knightlore10 If there’s no open end you can’t use heat shrink tube. You could use something like 3M type 43 self amalgamating rubber tape or you could cut the wire to give you a free end then solder all three together and cover with heat shrink.
#5 by dreadbolt12 on December 21, 2011 - 7:30 am
hey i know this sounds stupid but how did you take off just a section of insulation with out damaging the wire????
#6 by Knightlore10 on December 21, 2011 - 8:25 am
Perhaps I’m not getting this. Surely in practice you can’t slide the heat shrink over the joint because there’s no open end. How do you get the heat shrink in place under these circumstances?
#7 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 9:02 am
@fisherboizz you may be able to wire some 12 volt automotive type LEDs into the 12 Volt supply of the computer but you would need to consider how much current the LEDs consume so as to not overload the computer power supply. If you can point me to the LEDs you’re considering I may be able to give some better information.
#8 by fisherboizz on December 21, 2011 - 9:42 am
@photoandy Thanks for the help. im also wondering um well this may sound stupid lol but iv never done any wiring but i want to wire led lights to my computers desktop case and im just wondering is there a online guide that i could read? im capable to doing this if i have a source. if i can take apart my pc and upgrade it i think i could do basic wiring. at least thats what i think. so any help or sources would be great. also i plan on wiring the leds to the computers power suply.
#9 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 9:54 am
@fisherboizz It would work but possibly not permanently. In my experience plastic type electrical tape deteriorates after a while and unwraps or comes loose. This is particularly true if the tape is subjected to any temperature extremes … which either causes the sticky stuff to fail or the tape to go hard and a bit brittle. If you use electrical tape try to get decent quality stuff. Rubber (self-amalgamating rubber tape) would be better but it’s unfortunately not cheap.
#10 by fisherboizz on December 21, 2011 - 9:59 am
hey im just wondering since im cheap lol would electrical tape work?
#11 by caseymyhro on December 21, 2011 - 10:58 am
@photoandy Oh, really? Well thanks for the information! I’m just not very skilled with wiring, so I figured that would be the best bet for me. That’s actually a really good idea; putting a cable tie over the T-taps. What I usually do is after I T-tap a wire I wrap it with electrical tape at both ends, so they don’t come loose. That seems to work for me. But your way seems to be more reliable,
#12 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 11:04 am
@caseymyhro My experience with the insulation displacement types of connectors such as T-Tap has not been very positive. They are quick and convenient but they always seems to eventually come loose. You can try putting a cable tie over the plastic clip to stop it popping open … but to be honest, I still don’t think these connectors are particularly reliable in the long term.
#13 by caseymyhro on December 21, 2011 - 11:49 am
Would using T-tap connectors work as well?
#14 by martinfretwell on December 21, 2011 - 12:08 pm
do you need to use flu
#15 by MrStark117 on December 21, 2011 - 1:00 pm
Great video, simple and to the point. Thank you!
#16 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 1:53 pm
@d4ler1
I use a pair of side cutters to nick the outer insulation in a couple of places then it’s generally quite easy to remove the insulation. It takes a bit of practice though … you don’t want to cut in too deep and cut the wire strands. You can also use a sharp knife … but it’s a bit too easy to cut yourself. Most hardware, tool shops and electrical suppliers sell purpose-made wire strippers. These are inexpensive, adjustable to suit different wire sizes and are very easy to use.
#17 by d4ler1 on December 21, 2011 - 2:36 pm
Hey great video! i was wondering, how did you strip the insulation from the center of the wire?
#18 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 2:48 pm
Hi Garion670. If you don’t have a free end to slip heat shrink over the cable you can use a “rubber” tape instead. You’ll find this is most electrical suppliers. Ask for “self amalgamating” or “rubber” tape. You stretch it and wind it on like regular insulating tape and it binds together after a while leaving you with a continuous rubber covering … waterproof, corrosion proof etc. If you wish you can cover the rubber tape with a layer of regular tape for extra abrasion resistance.
#19 by Garion670 on December 21, 2011 - 3:22 pm
Hi, great vid, just what I was looking for. Just one question. I noticed that in-order to fit the shrink wrap you simple slipped it over the free end of the wire being spliced to (hope that makes sense), what would you suggest if both ends are fixed? I need to splice a new wire to one on my motorbike, To release one of the ends to slip the shrink wrap tube over would be problematic at best.
Thanks.
#20 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 4:02 pm
@JC71693
It would be a low reliability joint if the wires are simply twisted together. Mechanical movement and oxidation would probably mean that eventually the connection will fail. Better to do a proper job and either solder the wires or use some sort of terminal … an auto-electrician should be able to advise and supply a suitable terminal.
#21 by Stoutcrotch on December 21, 2011 - 4:44 pm
Thanks a lot for this, nothing like seeing someone do it for it to make sense.
#22 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 4:45 pm
Wires just twisted together may corrode/oxidise. Without soldering joint will have no mechanical strength & would be unreliable.
Can use a match/cig lighter to shrink if you’re careful and not close to anything flammable. Preferabe to use a heat gun. Some gas-powered portable soldering irons have a little attachment made specially for shrinking.
Best to match size and colour of wires if possible. Colour not so important but size is important. Don’t use smaller gauge wire.
#23 by straydoggio on December 21, 2011 - 5:42 pm
Dumb qus from me:
a) Why do you even need the solder bit after you’ve wrapped a wire tight on the other?
b) In the video you didn’t shrink the ‘heat-shrink’ (because just demonstrating) but if you wanted to shrink, how is it done?
c) If broken wires in my car engine bay wouldn’t reach each other… where do I buy a run of extra wire to use? Is auto wiring practically all the same thickness and function? Would it matter if the insulation sheath on extension piece was different colour?
Thx
#24 by faYte0607 on December 21, 2011 - 5:46 pm
Very nice information Andy! Just a question, I bought a water temperature gauge for my car and plan on installing them. However, there’s 4 wires needing to be grounded. I figured I’d join all the wires together into one strand and ground it once instead of grounding it at 4 different locations. Do you recommend me solder 3 of the 4 wires together to the 4th wire, and then use the end of the 4th wire to ground? Thanks!
#25 by photoandy on December 21, 2011 - 6:45 pm
Hi MaxDadaAK,
Tinning the soldering iron makes for a more efficient heat transfer to the workpiece. A nice clean tip covered with a thin layer of molten solder will heat the work faster and better than a tip covered in old, burned flux or other contaminants. The tip should appear “shiny”.
The XV250 is quite a nice easy bike to work on … you’ll have no problems!