Tinning Wires

Multicore 60/40 0.7mm - small soldering iron and tin. After tinning cut back to leave desired length of tinned end. Bias the tip more to the end when soldering. Lead free solder requires a higher melting temp thus the suggestion of 60/40 multicore solder.

 

Hold the wire just where it leaves the insulation with a pair of pointed nose pliers, this will act as a heat sink and prevent the heat melting the insulation. (you might need 3 hands though!)

 

I have a Butane soldering iron, with interchangeable tips, and variable gas flow so as to be able to raise or lower the heat.
However though it is a requirement to protect fine stranded wires, this can be provided by a number of methods.
The simplest of which is to double over the exposed core and twist it round.
Another method is to use pin crimps, but the crimping tools are quite expensive.

 

Pliers work quite well on those if they're going under a screw terminal Spin.

 

Yes, I have some Knipex Pliers which indents specifically for pin crimps, though they are only usable on smaller sizes.

 

All excellent suggestions above, so absolutely try them first.

Kathekas, how long do you take to 'tin' each wire? It should take between one and two seconds for something that thin - 2 seconds max.

Twist the strands tightly, brace the wire so's it's held firmly leaving both your hands completely free. Wipe yer tip and tin the iron's end with a small touch of fresh solder. Apply, feed, and run it along the wire - it should be done in just over a second. The amount of insulation 'melt' should be minimum, although I do appreciate that some will be more susceptible thatn others.

 

I use one of these for soldering small wires:-

Helping Hands on E Bay

 

And above all ensure that the iron is really HOT. Some people think that having the iron at a lower temperature will cause less melting of the insulation but that's not the case because the iron will be there much longer.

 

I have never bothered tinning alarm cable wire. Why are you bothering? Nobody does it as far as I am aware.

 

I wouldn't bother either UP, in fact it's not really a good idea due to the "cold flow" effect is it. The solder being soft tends to crush under the pressure of the terminal screw and causes the wire to become loose. Not as much of a problem as when mains current is involved of course!

 

I haveN'T seen anyone, including alarm engineers, tin the ends. Twist and terminate. Simple.

 

#haven't, I reckon Lectrician means.
And I agree.

 

i did a lot of electronics in school which included making our own pcb and we also used vero board and as Sen says a nice hot iron with a small tip is what is needed here as you can get it on quickly

 

Honeywell V4073A's etc have tinned control wire ends, lovely for terminating into the control centre. However in the case of the stranded alarm cable ends, I wouldn't bother tinning them tbqh..just roll the stripped end with fingers and push into the terminal and ''nip down'' - nip down being the operative words.

 

The only "tinning" I ever bother to do these days is with Old Speckled Hen cans !
lol
RS

 

Nip down? Very technical jp. Personally I just twist, stick it in the terminal and tighten gently. Tighten gently being the operative words.

The tinned conductors on Honeywell valves are a far cry from tinning the purposely stranded conductors of an alarm cable.

 

I've always considered the tinning bit a part of the quality process with view to longevity. I know its debatable if its required, but does strengthen the connection up somewhat.

 

They type of terminals in alarm accessories are designed for stranded conductors. tinning them is more than a waste of time, and makes the connection no more resilient, probably less so, as there's no give.