Just wired up my first LED streelight (pictures below). My question is how do folks prepare the very thin wires for soldering/connecting??I scraped the wire with a scalpel then tinned it quickly but what a job!! Anybody got any tips?? Thanks Ron
Hi Ron, I would not even have scraped the wires ...... Straight to tinning then fuse together. The scraping would only make it better by raking any potential dirt or oxidisation off the wires but maybe not strictly necessary. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't think to could really do much better though. I stand to be corrected though. Pukka job.
Many of these "streetlamp" wires are enamelled as a form of insulation as they are so fine to go up inside the posts, and they wouldn't fit up the posts if pvc insulation were used, especially in "00" gauge. They can be a pain to clean enough to tin and manage not to break, I know 'cos I have quite a lot on my layout, and I don't know an easier way unless there is a solvent (a mild acid perhaps?) to dip wire ends in sufficient to remove enough enamel to tin. Sorry I can't offer any better suggestions Ron, anyone else any ideas??? Keith.
Ron a iron set at 245' and tin with solder , rosin core works for me, then solder to a section of PC board or conecting harness The enamelled coating burns of and the small amount of solder takes its place Link to a friends youtube clinic on soldering tiny led's and shows the enamel wire https://youtu.be/xhe7voGfzpg
Aw - there was me waiting for a light - sorry flame show Still reckon my would have worked Toto - who needs a hammer to cause mayhem
All the things you learn here ! The lamps that I purchased some time ago had plastic insulation and a very small amount of bare wire protruding. Ron, can you post a pic of one of your lamps prior to installation. I'd like to see the difference between the plastic and enameled insulation. Cheers, Gary. ps, your bus has moved in the pictures above, but those town folk aren't getting too far...
I read something the other week about using a lighter or match to melt the plastic insulation off of the end of small thin wires. I think it was regarding decoder wires which are a similar sort of size, but I can't find the link at present. Not a great deal different (although maybe slightly less drastic) than Paul's blowtorch Ed PS I haven't tried it
It works Ed, used a match and it burnt of the plastic and left the thin wire exposed and ready to solder, result!!
Spoil sports the lot of you For enameled solid copper wire, see hobbycraft, they do coloured enameled wire in various diameters for jewelry making. http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/salix-black-copper-wire-06-mm-10-m/562700-1000 http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/coloured-copper-wire-03-mm-black-by-salix/562707-1000 Would have to check the insulation properties, but could be useful for hand rails, pipes etc. etc. Paul
