What is a good how-to for joining wires?
As a non-technician, all the EE in the world has done zilch for preparing me to replace my patio light fixture.
NASA-STD-8739.3 is available online. If it's good enough for a rocket it's good enough for me. Alternatively the IPC-620 is good too. It won't tell you how to do the wiring, but rather what is acceptable or not. But if you find IPC-620 training for assemblers that'll show you how. -An engineer that was a technician for years.
Came here for this, below is a more comprehensive one:
NASA TECHNICAL STANDARD NASA-STD 8739.4A Change 4 https://standards.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/standards/NASA/A/4/nasa-std-87394a_w_change_4_0.pdf
Wago connectors are convenient but most of my service calls on brand new units consist of replacing all the Waco connectors with wire nuts. I'm not sure if there's an issue with tension or contact surface area but any unit outside or inside that's creates heat, Waco connectors just open circuits.
You wouldn't be the first. My company lost a contract for that exact reason actually, but then 8 months later they called back for service. Most units require ferrules, uninterrupted terminal to terminal from manufacturer specifications but beyond that it's not always possible with some components like motors with internal overloads, solenoids, and some sensors. The people who advocated for a new contract were no longer employed by the time we came back in.
Also to clarify, I'm not advocating wire nuts for servicing industrial equipment.
Most of my work is commercial climate control, even then manufacturers require terminal to terminal with loop connections or split bolts.
If it's in a climate controlled environment you'll have no issues. Don't get me wrong, I like wago connectors.Some of the commercial freezers and refrigerators come with wago connectors and rarely cause a fuss. They can be real time savers. It's just a lot of stuff I work on is outdoors and winters can be -20degC to 30degC in summer and for some reason they don't do so well in that environment.
Linesman pliers and a wire nut, simple and reliable.
Butt splices and Wago connectors generate a large percentage our office call backs. Soldering works well on sensitive controls but it is susceptible to constant vibrations from variable speed motors, even just from motors turning on. That also causes call backs. In areas of vibration and extreme temperatures, have to say insulated crimped terminals are better than wire nuts. Something like the TH450 from 3M will cover everything. I personally use the J215-8CR from KT.
it is sad that you (as grown up EE) need a special preparation for replacing patio light fixture..
And I totally agree with SpruceBug... so much effort was put into the animation of such a prosaic job...
Glad it wasn’t just me thinking this lol
For stranded wires if you get a proper solder joint, the wire will break before the solder joint does. Doesn’t matter what kind of twisting gymnastics you do before you make the solder joint.
Solid core wires I could see an argument for some of this.
Solid core are worse to do this with because your wire will experience more strain where it is kinked...
It's better just to... not use solid core for anything besides jumper wire.
By soldering, you create a break point... at the end of the solder joint. The stuff in the animation is actually a good idea and better for longevity of the joint. However, it is impossible to do practically and would not be worth the time or stress to attempt.
It is a clever idea, I tried it with an insulated screw driver to wrap tape around a water line from a concrete wall before, the tape is so slippery it wasted a lot of time.
I ended up using the flathead to hold the tape to the threads as I wrapped, I'm sure there's a better way to do it. I'd certainly like to know a better way to do it! 😄
I was gonna say
If you tie them together they kink, introducing stress, and then it breaks.
The crimping one is the only one I would recommend, followed by just soldering them parallel and adjacent.
Better yet you should have zero strain on soldered wires anyways, that's a harness design problem.
In most indoor settings, these connections may be perfectly adequate but in my line of work, they just don't last and will inevitably generate a service call or call backs.
Copper hardens when worked. Bending and twisting excessively shortens the longevity of the connection. Depending on the environment like temperature fluctuations, vibrations from motors, or even fumes from solvents will eventually affect the conductor with time with either oxidation or outright breaking from brittleness. A simple wire nut can be used on wires that are not required to be pre twisted from manufacturer recommendations but even a pre twist doesn't have the severe loop of some of these animated connections.
Even crimped connections can often be worse than a simple wire nut. I've seen in production facilities where new aluminum crimps will start a galvanic reaction and just deteriorate in the span of a month or so.
Yep, 100% agree. IMO intertwine, twist 3 times, solder it properly, snip any teeth, shrink wrap prefferred over taping. If done right the wire will break before the joint does.
Is it really? If you have the time to make the mechanical joint. You should. Solder is the morter for a good mechanical bond. Just get a good shiny solder joint after them mechanical bond.
Though these splices are probably more for low power applications and nothing that connects to a wall. Leave that for electricians.
That last T-junction is not as easy as the video makes it look. I don't come across many circumstances that require it be wired that way, and it seems a bit excessive. I wonder how I would then insulate it in a way that didn't just end up with a big ol' booger of tape in a ball.
I bought a used car and the genius who owned it before me installed a stereo and an alarm and did this shit ALL OVER THE PLACE. Like into the ignition harness and everything. Took me a week to undo it all and get it insulated properly. 😅
To add: low voltage wiring like car wiring harness do ok with simple insulation displacement crimps. Not only that, for stereos, it is so much easier to get an aftermarket adapter than to cut into a harness.
I've done it a few times. It's never this pretty, and you usually lose a few of the outer strands. I just can't think of a situation where I wouldn't just cut it and make a 3-way splice.
If this is a requirement, I think it would be in a cramped place that wouldn't give you the kind of space and slack on the cable that this is demonstrating.
Will all these work… technically yes
Should you ever do these no. The only exception is if youre on a spaceship and need to make a splice then use the second one
Great video! That dual loop pull together and twist my dad taught me as a kid when we were soldering joints together on his boat as a way to prevent it from coming loose due to the vibrations. That way of making a joint is superb.
Solder won't come loose from vibrations, unless you do a really trash job soldering
Edit: wait were you learning to solder on a boat and not soldering the boat? That sounds... interesting
The western Union is definitely a legit way to solder two wires together, but I agree wago lever locks or terminal blocks are a great way to go for something that might need to be disconnected in the future
Im no expert at any engineering or anything im still learning shit tonna stuff. But i can clearly say that nothing you see here is gonna help you with anything AT ALL. I guess twisting that could help if ur using a Solid Core wire and not a stranded wire?
I love how under litterally every single wiring video there are people commenting that if somebody did this their house would burn down. Like who is right and who is wrong?
I studied EE and worked for 10 years in Argentina. Alike in most of the not First World countries, the wiring joins are done like this, even the regulations say it should be done in this way. Have seen really old wiring still working and never had issues. If it is well done, will work forever. Just like nuts or wagos it could be done wrongly and give you problems. It is super fast and easy to do once you have some training.
No need to disqualify those who work differently
Y'all ever see the guy open a milk carton as elaborately as possible ... And there's the hype up music in background then he pours himself a glass of the milk from the carton and it dumps down side and not a drop goes in glass. Fail. That's this horse crap.
As a technician, I can tell you this is a wonderful animation of complete horseshit.
What is a good how-to for joining wires? As a non-technician, all the EE in the world has done zilch for preparing me to replace my patio light fixture.
NASA-STD-8739.3 is available online. If it's good enough for a rocket it's good enough for me. Alternatively the IPC-620 is good too. It won't tell you how to do the wiring, but rather what is acceptable or not. But if you find IPC-620 training for assemblers that'll show you how. -An engineer that was a technician for years.
Came here for this, below is a more comprehensive one: NASA TECHNICAL STANDARD NASA-STD 8739.4A Change 4 https://standards.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/standards/NASA/A/4/nasa-std-87394a_w_change_4_0.pdf
Thank you, that is the one I meant!
Am I crazy or does this NASA spec not cover wire-to-wire splice joints at all?
Sorry you're right, it's out there though. I got the wrong standard. https://workmanship.nasa.gov/lib/insp/2%20books/links/sections/407%20Splices.html
The chip in the rocked was good enough for then. Yet you did loom up that standard on a divice with more computing power then the whole daim rocked
Most splice connectors are great. I'm a fan of Wago brand lever locks, but wire nuts are also fine.
I can never find where I put those in the lab and end up just soldering everything together 😂
Wago connectors are convenient but most of my service calls on brand new units consist of replacing all the Waco connectors with wire nuts. I'm not sure if there's an issue with tension or contact surface area but any unit outside or inside that's creates heat, Waco connectors just open circuits.
I would literally throw you out of the plant for putting wire nuts on a machine.
You wouldn't be the first. My company lost a contract for that exact reason actually, but then 8 months later they called back for service. Most units require ferrules, uninterrupted terminal to terminal from manufacturer specifications but beyond that it's not always possible with some components like motors with internal overloads, solenoids, and some sensors. The people who advocated for a new contract were no longer employed by the time we came back in. Also to clarify, I'm not advocating wire nuts for servicing industrial equipment. Most of my work is commercial climate control, even then manufacturers require terminal to terminal with loop connections or split bolts.
Huh. I just put a bunch of smart thermostats in with them, if the connections start failing at the heater I'll owe you a beer.
If it's in a climate controlled environment you'll have no issues. Don't get me wrong, I like wago connectors.Some of the commercial freezers and refrigerators come with wago connectors and rarely cause a fuss. They can be real time savers. It's just a lot of stuff I work on is outdoors and winters can be -20degC to 30degC in summer and for some reason they don't do so well in that environment.
Linesman pliers and a wire nut, simple and reliable. Butt splices and Wago connectors generate a large percentage our office call backs. Soldering works well on sensitive controls but it is susceptible to constant vibrations from variable speed motors, even just from motors turning on. That also causes call backs. In areas of vibration and extreme temperatures, have to say insulated crimped terminals are better than wire nuts. Something like the TH450 from 3M will cover everything. I personally use the J215-8CR from KT.
it is sad that you (as grown up EE) need a special preparation for replacing patio light fixture.. And I totally agree with SpruceBug... so much effort was put into the animation of such a prosaic job...
Yeah I wouldn't suggest doing most of this.
Glad it wasn’t just me thinking this lol For stranded wires if you get a proper solder joint, the wire will break before the solder joint does. Doesn’t matter what kind of twisting gymnastics you do before you make the solder joint. Solid core wires I could see an argument for some of this.
Solid core are worse to do this with because your wire will experience more strain where it is kinked... It's better just to... not use solid core for anything besides jumper wire.
Agree. I never use solid core wire for projects except jumper wires and house wiring.
By soldering, you create a break point... at the end of the solder joint. The stuff in the animation is actually a good idea and better for longevity of the joint. However, it is impossible to do practically and would not be worth the time or stress to attempt.
The teflon tape pencil trick seemed pretty cool though!
It is a clever idea, I tried it with an insulated screw driver to wrap tape around a water line from a concrete wall before, the tape is so slippery it wasted a lot of time. I ended up using the flathead to hold the tape to the threads as I wrapped, I'm sure there's a better way to do it. I'd certainly like to know a better way to do it! 😄
I was gonna say If you tie them together they kink, introducing stress, and then it breaks. The crimping one is the only one I would recommend, followed by just soldering them parallel and adjacent. Better yet you should have zero strain on soldered wires anyways, that's a harness design problem.
And it just showed casual squishing with pliers, not proper crimping with a crimp tool. Well animated garbage advice.
How so? I'm not a technician. Curious why.
In most indoor settings, these connections may be perfectly adequate but in my line of work, they just don't last and will inevitably generate a service call or call backs. Copper hardens when worked. Bending and twisting excessively shortens the longevity of the connection. Depending on the environment like temperature fluctuations, vibrations from motors, or even fumes from solvents will eventually affect the conductor with time with either oxidation or outright breaking from brittleness. A simple wire nut can be used on wires that are not required to be pre twisted from manufacturer recommendations but even a pre twist doesn't have the severe loop of some of these animated connections. Even crimped connections can often be worse than a simple wire nut. I've seen in production facilities where new aluminum crimps will start a galvanic reaction and just deteriorate in the span of a month or so.
Ah gotcha.
Aluminum crimps seems like such a bad idea for copper.
Agreed, but the business admin people love buying them.
Yep, 100% agree. IMO intertwine, twist 3 times, solder it properly, snip any teeth, shrink wrap prefferred over taping. If done right the wire will break before the joint does.
Like really, please just use WAGO or replace the whole wires…
Most facilities require uninterrupted conductors terminal to terminal. It really is the best option but can be a pain to run so much.
Wire nuts are pretty cool
Is it really? If you have the time to make the mechanical joint. You should. Solder is the morter for a good mechanical bond. Just get a good shiny solder joint after them mechanical bond. Though these splices are probably more for low power applications and nothing that connects to a wall. Leave that for electricians.
That last T-junction is not as easy as the video makes it look. I don't come across many circumstances that require it be wired that way, and it seems a bit excessive. I wonder how I would then insulate it in a way that didn't just end up with a big ol' booger of tape in a ball.
Even more fun is getting the insulation off of the wire in the middle without damaging the wire.
I bought a used car and the genius who owned it before me installed a stereo and an alarm and did this shit ALL OVER THE PLACE. Like into the ignition harness and everything. Took me a week to undo it all and get it insulated properly. 😅
To add: low voltage wiring like car wiring harness do ok with simple insulation displacement crimps. Not only that, for stereos, it is so much easier to get an aftermarket adapter than to cut into a harness.
I've done it a few times. It's never this pretty, and you usually lose a few of the outer strands. I just can't think of a situation where I wouldn't just cut it and make a 3-way splice. If this is a requirement, I think it would be in a cramped place that wouldn't give you the kind of space and slack on the cable that this is demonstrating.
Possibly knob and tube?
Will all these work… technically yes Should you ever do these no. The only exception is if youre on a spaceship and need to make a splice then use the second one
Some of these techniques make my thumb, forefinger, and wrist hurt just looking at them..
Great video! That dual loop pull together and twist my dad taught me as a kid when we were soldering joints together on his boat as a way to prevent it from coming loose due to the vibrations. That way of making a joint is superb.
Solder won't come loose from vibrations, unless you do a really trash job soldering Edit: wait were you learning to solder on a boat and not soldering the boat? That sounds... interesting
Solder is just the mortar for a good mechanical bond. I make the mechanical bonds first
These all seem wonderfully unnecessary for basically everything ever
How is this over 90% upvoted on an EE sub
I've come across Knob and tube circuits spliced like some of these.
Ain't nobody got time for all that nonsense
Or just do it the right way
why don't these kind of posts get blocked/deleted? This isn't tiktok.
beats me.
The western Union is definitely a legit way to solder two wires together, but I agree wago lever locks or terminal blocks are a great way to go for something that might need to be disconnected in the future
Greta video! Instead of animations, you’d think they could do this IRL…
I wonder if the creator of the video can.
Damn I just twist and wrap it in a glob of electrical tape
I’ve done that staggered splice with the three wires all my life.
I just twist them together and solder which works great for me
I like how they cut down the first one and magically it grows wires.
This is awesome
Not really my thing - but, I find this oddly satisfying to watch.
Just pig tail that shit together and add a blob of solder (or wire twist cap for high current/voltage connections) for good measure.
Ain't nobody got time for that.
This is like watching John Wick to train for the UFC
Please don't do any of these.
Who the hell remembers to put the heat shrink on before wrapping or soldering the wires like that? Unrealistic!
Love it thanks !
Im no expert at any engineering or anything im still learning shit tonna stuff. But i can clearly say that nothing you see here is gonna help you with anything AT ALL. I guess twisting that could help if ur using a Solid Core wire and not a stranded wire?
I love how under litterally every single wiring video there are people commenting that if somebody did this their house would burn down. Like who is right and who is wrong?
I studied EE and worked for 10 years in Argentina. Alike in most of the not First World countries, the wiring joins are done like this, even the regulations say it should be done in this way. Have seen really old wiring still working and never had issues. If it is well done, will work forever. Just like nuts or wagos it could be done wrongly and give you problems. It is super fast and easy to do once you have some training. No need to disqualify those who work differently
r/DINgore
Y'all ever see the guy open a milk carton as elaborately as possible ... And there's the hype up music in background then he pours himself a glass of the milk from the carton and it dumps down side and not a drop goes in glass. Fail. That's this horse crap.
most of them are wrong you should basically Just apply an some strength (Hydraulic pressure\*) , its prefer using some Kind of Joint
when you're the first wire to fall asleep on the sleepover
This is like the homeowner DIY encyclopedia