Soldering that big ole wire

[jimbob669]

I have a 24 volt trolling motor on my jon boat. I don't believe in using those little cheap plugs so I always solder the 6 gauge wire together. I have only done it once before and the finished product was very sloppy and splotchy looking. It worked just fine but I didn't care for the looks of it. I just re-decked my boat so now it's time to reconnect the trolling motor. I have soldered smaller wire in the past with no problems. What is the secret to soldering the larger 6 ga wire?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Secret... A soldering gun with lots of power, like a Weller 8200. I've done it before and it came out nice. You have to use enough heat to get the solder joint done quickly, before the insulation melts all over the place.

You could probably use a propane torch too (with a low flame) but you would have to be on-off-on-off to make sure there wasn't too much heat applied.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Fisherdan with the winner! Use torches all the time for big wire, if you use heat shrink with heat activated glue to re-insulate it you will be good to go for a very very long time. Doesn't take much heat with a torch if the copper discolors that's too much heat

 

[Bondo]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

What is the secret to soldering the larger 6 ga wire?

Ayuh,... It's quite simple really,.... Use a Crimp connector.....

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Secret to any type of soldering is the proper amount of heat applied to the WIRE quickly. To solder properly you heat the wire to the melting point of the solder (not burning off the insulation) then apply the solder to the WIRE. Don't try to melt the solder onto cold wire. When done properly, the solder will be sucked into the wire stranding for a solid proper joint.

For 6ga wire you will need alot of heat. The typical soldering iron or gun will not produce enough heat quickly enough to properly solder. You will end up with what you described, a blobbed heap of solder sitting ON the wire. A poor solder joint.

 

[jimbob669]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Do they make crimp connectors for that big of a wire? Is it safe?

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Absolutely, you can buy crimp connectors to 1/0 from my experience and probably bigger but I have never used anything bigger then 1/0 so I dunno, If you have a Graybar they stock connectors for wire that big, that's where I go, the hardest part is finding a crimper for them, they can be expensive but I have seen crimpers that you use a hammer to crimp the connector while the crimp fixture holds the form of the connector in place for $50 or so. Wish you were closer I have a crimper for up to 2 gauge in my truck...

 

[keninaz]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Personally I like the Anderson Power Pole products.
I have been using them for years in other hobbies and applications. Very reliable, easy to unplug when you want to so you can clean as required.
They crimp, but I have also soldered after crimping in high amperage applications.
http://www.powerwerx.com/anderson-powerpoles/powerpole-sets/

 

[jimbob669]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

What about a butt splice? I found a splice kit at my local hardware store. Can I trust it? It a standard brass or copper (I can never tell the difference) tube with set screws and it also comes with one large piece of shrink tube to go over it. This would be so much simpler for me to do instead of soldering. Will it work?

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

I just don't think this is a very good solution for you, yes it will work but for how long, I would probably not even use the heat shrink tubing since it will hide the corrosion and give you a false sense of security. Just get your plumbing propane torch out and your plumbing solder, slide your heat shrink tubing over the wire and tin your ends, put both wires side by side add heat and just enough solder so that it doesn't drip off the joint. Remove the heat source and hold the new junction of wires steady until it cools, any movement in the junction at the wrong time will cause a cold solder joint and will be resistive. Your solder joint should be shiny not frosty. now once it cools slide your heat shrink over the solder joint and shrink it from the middle out so that any air is moved out of the joint and your heat activated glue gets a good seal throughout the joint. All told should take you a couple minutes. Invite me to your white tail dear lease and I will trade you for a professional solder joint including parts at no charge!!

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Use Flux inside the lug and on the wire...heat and the solder will suck up into the lug.

YD.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Use Flux inside the lug and on the wire...heat and the solder will suck up into the lug.

YD.

As an electrical engineer, I have done a lot of soldering on heavy connections. I agree with the flux. A couple of comments...

1. Do not use plumbing flux! It will rot your electrical connections very quickly.
2. Rosin flux will be slightly better. Solders easily, but the flux is still slightly acidic. If you use it, clean the connection after you solder using acetone or similar. Caution: I would personally not use rosin flux as it usually will wick up inside the insulation.
3. If you can get it, the best option is "no-clean" flux. Not acidic and will not eventually eat your wire away.
4. Most electrical solder has flux inside the solder. it will say no-clean or rosin flux on it.
5. Don't use plumbing solder. Try to avoid lead-free electrical solder. It is much harder to get a good solder joint with lead-free solder. First choice is SN63 solder (63 % tin, 37% lead), second choice is SN60 (60% tin, 40% lead).

As far as the torch, practice it first. I personally cannot get a good connection with a torch, but it should be possible to do it. Keep the torch a cool as possible.

TerryMSU

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Another way I have done it is to get a bare compression butt splice, slide on your heat shrink first then crimp on your butt splice, then solder to finish the connection, this is easier since it secures the two wires before you add heat and the connection is as solid as can be, still possible to get a cold solder joint but if you don't have 6 hands its easier then trying to solder two wires together loose. some will say its over kill but ok I'm anal.

 

[jimbob669]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Do I need to intertwine or twist the wires together? I have only soldered smaller wire in the past with the one exception of this. One of you mentioned to hold the wires side by side while soldering. Which do I need to do?

 

[John_S]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

I've used the same type connector (type toward bottom of page) with no issue. Used propane torch on low, and electrical solder. It drew the solder up fine. On those type connectors, the wire has to be trimed the same length on both sides, and pins need to be oriented correctly so they lock back into the connector.

I even have a set of these on my transom trolling motor which has aligator clips. I have boats that are pre-wired with CB, and others that don't.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

side by side is fine, but I try to twist the two wires together to prevent them from moving while cooling

 

[jimbob669]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

I don't actually plan on doing this procedure for another couple of weeks, so in the meantime I have been practicing on scrap wire. I made three seperate "braids" and then wound it into one. The flux was sucking some of the solder down like it should but it didn't last long. It was either rolling off the wire or sticking on top in a ball. Plus my wire was browning a little too much. Was I using too much heat? I was also using plumbing flux and plumbing solid solder. I plan on getting flux core solder but just haven't gotten around to it yet. Will this solve my problems and should my wire brown like that?

 

[ONERCBOATER]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

you could always use a piece of copper tubing from hardware store ...the soft kind sold by the foot... get your heat shrink tubing on 1st and far enough away it wont shrink in wrong spot, put the wire in the copper tubing (only need 1-2" of it) crimp with pliers to hold wires... apply heat to the tubing only with propane/mapp torch, feed solder into wires from one or both ends with flux... easier with flux core solder... better with wires 1st treated with no clean flux.... doesnt take long heats really fast, heat transfers from tubing to solder to wire... it will give you a good joint, then you can heat shrink it.

personally i would just slide on heat shrink, lay wires together and solder... but i have a very large powerful soldering gun.

Sean

 

[jimbob669]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Originally I tried a large gun but it wouldn't heat the wire enough. I am using a torch now. Could that be the problem?

 

[rickryder]

Re: Soldering that big ole wire

Low heat from the torch...good cleaned and fluxed wires and connector and it should work fine.