 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Soldering wiring together |
 
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| The Boy Member Since: 28 Aug 2008 Location: East Northants Posts: 1459   
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They can be so bad that it is easy to believe that they are made by Lucas PofD |
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7th Feb 2012 6:43pm |
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| derbywill Member Since: 25 Mar 2010 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 559  
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I work in a garage and hate the scotch locks (tap conectors) the problem with them is they cut the main cable and if used outside of a cabin area are soon to go green and rot. no one in our workshop use these as they cause so many problems, wherever possible we heatshrink and solder the wires
Will 2005 90 XS 1954 86'' Series 1 tilt 1968 88” 2A 200tdi 2002 110 Hardtop |
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7th Feb 2012 6:49pm |
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| The Boy Member Since: 28 Aug 2008 Location: East Northants Posts: 1459
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Derbywill I think has nailed it.
I know they are quick but it is better to solder it youself TBH. Not that I am any expert just trying to pass on what I have learned. (early 1990's, a series 2A and a lot of swearing sorting it all out after I bought it  ) |
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7th Feb 2012 7:02pm |
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| derbywill Member Since: 25 Mar 2010 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 559
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Yeah they cause no end of problems and can lead you down the garden path they you realise theres a scotchlock in there! my other pet hate it LED test lights but thats a different matter Will 2005 90 XS 1954 86'' Series 1 tilt 1968 88” 2A 200tdi 2002 110 Hardtop |
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7th Feb 2012 7:15pm |
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| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015  
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First step will be to bin that sorry excuse for a soldering iron!!
This in my weapon of choice and has survived just over 3 years now:  It includes soldering tips (small, medium and large). Hot knife..... Quite handy for cutting out switch recesses in plastic. Heat tip and heat deflector....... for heat shrink. From what I recall it cost me about 120. But I have used it sooooo much it is unbelievable. Main bonuses: - Don't need electricity so you can put it in the truck and take it everywhere with you. - Because you don't have electricity you don't have the annoying cable that always gets in your way. - The heat can be adjusted so one minute you can use it on a cuircuit board, and then the next minute you are soldering battery terminals. ......... But if you aren't going to use it much and find 100+ too steep, maybe try one of these sets from Maplin: http://www.maplin.co.uk/search?criteria=iroda I used these before the snap-on and found them OK.... but my work demands way more than it could handle. As for soldering- I find the best technique is to twist the wires and then solder. If they are really thin wires you can tin them first- but you have no hope of twisting larger wires around each other once tinned. Heat shrink can be done in many ways like mentioned before...... Hold the soldering iron close to it, use a lighter etc..... But please remember- When heat shrink is heated too much (burnt) it give of toxic gasses. If I didn't have a heat gun I would consider doing all the soldering needed and then quickly borrow the missuses hair drier- stick it on full heat and low flow and that will be more than enough heat to shrink it. I am a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to solder/ flux- I was taught using separate flux to solder.... but a good quality flux core solder is worth its weight in gold. Don't buy cheap solder as it doesn't melt properly and makes a simple job a lot of hassle. I also found that double/ triple flux cores were too much flux and not enough solder 
As for Tap connectors/ Scotch blocks/ scotch locks/ Chock blocks or whatever you want to call them......... They are AWESOME.......if used correctly. As mentioned above- don't ever use them outside the cabin- they corrode faster than Land Rover wing mirror arms. Also don't use loads of them- if you need to make many connectors solder them- otherwise- if you try to fault find and there are 15 blue blocks in front of you there will be no easy answer. Just my 2c. Glyn   |
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7th Feb 2012 7:22pm |
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| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015
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Holly  they make LED test lights...... I have never came across one...... Is it from the same store that sells chocolate tea pots and fire guards?
Glyn |
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7th Feb 2012 7:24pm |
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| derbywill Member Since: 25 Mar 2010 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 559
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Yeah they do all the big tool vans supply them!! not one in my toolbox tho other than a 12v and 24v test light with good old bulbs in them! oh and also bit of twin core with a bulb holder on it when i need to put some good old load on the wiring! The gas soldering iron in the pic is made for snap on /blue point by portasol and they are the best ones out ive found i use mine on a daily basis and i think there on offer at the mo in the snap on leaflet Will 2005 90 XS 1954 86'' Series 1 tilt 1968 88” 2A 200tdi 2002 110 Hardtop |
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7th Feb 2012 7:32pm |
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| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015
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If n offer I might have to buy another for when this one dies- I would say mine gets between 2-3 hours of 'on' time a day at the moment. I think mine will die soon as I have dropped it too many times
Glyn |
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7th Feb 2012 7:35pm |
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| RRUK Site Supporter Member Since: 31 Mar 2010 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 2025
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Not bad for my first attempt.
Click image to enlarge 2016 D4 HSE 1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF 1982 Series 3 SWB Petrol |
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7th Feb 2012 7:48pm |
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| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015
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Looks spot on. But the true test is how good it is under the heat shrink 
Glyn |
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7th Feb 2012 7:56pm |
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| derbywill Member Since: 25 Mar 2010 Location: Derbyshire Posts: 559
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Yeah looks neat enough, the more practice you have with soldering the better (like anything really) trick is to make sure the wire is nice and clean so the solder can take to it and if the soldering iron has a variable temp not to have it too high, get some spare and practice if not to confident, mind i must admit it can be tricky soldering wires on a truck to repair parts of looms they always rub and chaff in the most awkward place!
Good luck! Will 2005 90 XS 1954 86'' Series 1 tilt 1968 88” 2A 200tdi 2002 110 Hardtop |
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7th Feb 2012 9:08pm |
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| RRUK Site Supporter Member Since: 31 Mar 2010 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 2025
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You'll have to trust me that the solder connection was strong and neatly done.
I can see the benefit of the gas torch version, maybe I need to do a little more with the one I have before I start buying more kit. At last I now have the confidence to tackle some electrical work and if I find any blue scotchlocks, to replace them with a proper soldered connection. It will almost be fun! 2016 D4 HSE 1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF 1982 Series 3 SWB Petrol |
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7th Feb 2012 10:20pm |
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| RRUK Site Supporter Member Since: 31 Mar 2010 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 2025
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Ok, having used my Wickes 25W plug in iron to do all the stereo connections I can see the limitations, so I bought myself an Iroda gas torch version from Maplin yesterday and just tried it.
It's so small and easy to use, brilliant. I would say the only negative point is that in order to do the heat-shrinking you have to wait for the tip to cool first before you can swap it out, and I'm an impatient man! 2016 D4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF 1982 Series 3 SWB Petrol |
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23rd Feb 2012 10:28am |
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| bpman Member Since: 21 May 2008 Location: Oslo Posts: 8069 
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I use mrs bpmans hair dryer or her mini blow torch for shrink wrapping
(don't tell her) |
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23rd Feb 2012 1:58pm |
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