Check out this Heat shrink tubing for DIY'ers!

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

If your a DIY'er and do your own elec. splicing look at this item ..... 3mm, 2:1 shrink ratio X 4.5 m for $ 3.99 @ Amazon ... ASIN # B098YFN4Z9 ..... This is the most common size for our type of wiring, which means you don't have to buy a lot of sizes you won't be likely to ever use ..... Mike

[UtahPete]

https://www.amazon.com/whiteeeen-3mm...s%2C346&sr=8-1

Good find, Mike

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

https://www.amazon.com/whiteeeen-3mm...s%2C346&sr=8-1

Good find, Mike

Thanks - I thought so .... I used to buy it on " Banggood.com " ( at a very good price ).... but they stopped selling it " by the size ", now they sell " kits " that include lots of sizes we won't normally use ..... Mike

[Eviltwin]

I've been using heat shrink for years. Another good local supplier is Harbor Freight (or Horror Fright, take your pick) where they sell an assortment of 9 pieces in 3 sizes for a buck fifty. https://www.harborfreight.com/9-piec...ent-96024.html

[2dogs]

Here's something I found Mike that may help in getting two of those small cracked or broken wires in tight places soldered back together. Over the years I struggled with reattaching wires in tight places where there's little or no slack in the wires, and adding extra wire is not practical and nearly no way to hold the wires, and a normal soldering gun is too big and useless,,,,,,,well you've been there I'm sure. Use a hemostat to hold it and now a onehanded soldering gun to solder it together, finally.

https://www.amazon.com/Saker-Solderi...er&s=hi&sr=1-5

[UtahPete]

Here's something I found Mike that may help in getting two of those small cracked or broken wires in tight places soldered back together. Over the years I struggled with reattaching wires in tight places where there's little or no slack in the wires, and adding extra wire is not practical and nearly no way to hold the wires, and a normal soldering gun is too big and useless,,,,,,,well you've been there I'm sure. Use a hemostat to hold it and now a onehanded soldering gun to solder it together, finally.

https://www.amazon.com/Saker-Solderi...er&s=hi&sr=1-5

Brilliant!

[2dogs]

Brilliant!

No, frankly it was just an accident but thanks anyway.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Here's something I found Mike that may help in getting two of those small cracked or broken wires in tight places soldered back together. Over the years I struggled with reattaching wires in tight places where there's little or no slack in the wires, and adding extra wire is not practical and nearly no way to hold the wires, and a normal soldering gun is too big and useless,,,,,,,well you've been there I'm sure. Use a hemostat to hold it and now a onehanded soldering gun to solder it together, finally.

https://www.amazon.com/Saker-Solderi...er&s=hi&sr=1-5

Thanks 2dogs, I read the Ad and it looks neat ... I have 3 soldering devices, one is super heavy duty, one is a Weller gun style and the other is a " pencil " style used for circuit board type soldering. I agree with " Eviltwin ", the stuff at H.F. is cost effect. .... Does anyone know how many mm's is 11/64th in. ????? ..... Mike

[EdMat]

Does anyone know how many mm's is 11/64th in. ????? ..... Mike

4.36 mm but my math may be slightly off

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

4.36 mm but my math may be slightly off

I googled an inch to mm chart ......and it was approx. 2.86 mm ...... The H.F. price was great ..... until I discovered it was almost $ 7.00 to ship it to me ..............Mike

[Woodenfish]

They make a shrink tube with solder and a sealant on both ends to make a weathertight connection. When making an electrical repair never coat the bare wires with RTV Silicone as it corrodes copper.

[2dogs]

4.36 mm but my math may be slightly off

No, you should be right on.

11/64″ to mm = 4.36563 millimeters

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

They make a shrink tube with solder and a sealant on both ends to make a weathertight connection. When making an electrical repair never coat the bare wires with RTV Silicone as it corrodes copper.

Interesting .... when I solder copper wires together .... there is no copper visible ..... but Thanks I'll keep this in mind ..... Mike

[2dogs]

They make a shrink tube with solder and a sealant on both ends to make a weathertight connection. When making an electrical repair never coat the bare wires with RTV Silicone as it corrodes copper.

Got some of those and if there's room for them and the heat doesn't bother anything else they work like a champ. I've used them before and they work well particularly if they're exposed to the weather. I never knew that about RTV silicone. Now I just gotta try it to see what it does and how long it takes. That's just me.........

[Eviltwin]

Got some of those and if there's room for them and the heat doesn't bother anything else they work like a champ. I've used them before and they work well particularly if they're exposed to the weather. I never knew that about RTV silicone. Now I just gotta try it to see what it does and how long it takes. That's just me.........

I got some of those a while back since they looked like a great idea. At least on the ones I got, it took a long time to get the solder to flow while the heat shrink part really shrivels up quickly. It seems like you can apply too much heat for the heat shrink while the solder takes it's time to melt.

[Navydad]

I buy heat shrink tubing by the rolls. Ten feet on a roll, but I use a lot of heat shrink tubing. Throw the tube of silicone away. It isn't good for wiring and it isn't good for some plastics, it makes them brittle. Buy a tube of dielectric grease to coat any splices you want to coat. Works great at keeping moisture out of the connectors as well. Like heat shrink I use this stuff a lot and not just for vehicle applications. I just replaced several outside lighting fixtures for a guy and all the connections got a coating and all the light bulbs got a coating on the base before they were screwed in to prevent corrosion. He won't have any issues with outside light fixtures for a long time.

[2dogs]

I got some of those a while back since they looked like a great idea. At least on the ones I got, it took a long time to get the solder to flow while the heat shrink part really shrivels up quickly. It seems like you can apply too much heat for the heat shrink while the solder takes it's time to melt.

Yea, I discovered the same thing. I only use them on totally exposed splices.

[woods]

+1 for dielectric grease! Apply some to every connector I open,trailer bulbs and plugs get yearly doses!

[woods]

Also ordered solder gun!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I buy heat shrink tubing at a local electronics parts dealer in individual sizes from 1/8" to 2" x 3' long.

I've had good luck using the heat shrink with solder pieces. Keep the heat low enough to not damage the tubing but high enough to melt the solder. Yes, it does take several seconds to get the solder to melt and run.

https://www.amazon.com/120PCS-Solder...s%2C183&sr=8-5

[Woodenfish]

Plastic melts at a lower temperature than solder so what you witnessed is normal. When I use this type of connection I first strip the wires the proper length so when the wire is inserted it just clears the solder ring. Never twist the two wires before inserting them in his way the stranded wire can intermingle and you get a better connection. Also, continue to hold your the newly soldered wires until the whole thing cools down. If you aren’t careful about that you could get some really interesting shapes in the shrink wrap.

[trikermutha]

If you want a good seal use the sealing type of shrink tube . Not all shrink tubing is worth buying.

[larryd]

If you want a good seal use the sealing type of shrink tube . Not all shrink tubing is worth buying.

The above is GOOD advise...

I only buy and use Adhesive-Lined Shrink Tubing...larryd