How to solder wiring in the house

Soldering wires with a soldering iron: how to do it right

One of the most reliable methods of connecting wires is soldering. This is a process in which the space between two conductors is filled with molten solder. In this case, the melting temperature of the solder must be lower than the melting temperature of the metals being joined. At home, soldering is most often used with a soldering iron - a small device powered by electricity. For normal operation, the power of the soldering iron must be at least 80-100 W.  

What you need for soldering with a soldering iron

In addition to the soldering iron itself, you will need solders, rosin or fluxes; it is advisable to have a stand. While working, you may need a small file and small pliers.

Most often you have to solder copper wires, for example, on headphones, when repairing household appliances, etc.

Rosin and fluxes

To get a good connection between the wires, it is necessary to clean them of contaminants, including oxide film. While mono-cores can still be cleaned manually, multi-core conductors cannot be cleaned properly. They are usually treated with rosin or flux - active substances that dissolve contaminants, including oxide film.

Both rosin and fluxes work well, but fluxes are easier to use - you can dip a brush into the solution and quickly process the wires. You need to put a conductor in rosin, then heat it with a soldering iron so that the molten substance envelops the entire surface of the metal. The disadvantage of using fluxes is that if they remain on the wires (and they do), they gradually corrode the adjacent sheath. To prevent this from happening, all soldering areas must be treated - the remaining flux must be washed off with alcohol.

Solders and fluxes for soldering copper wires with a soldering iron

Rosin is considered a universal remedy, and fluxes can be selected depending on the metal you are going to solder. In the case of wires, this is copper or aluminum. For copper and aluminum wires, use LTI-120 flux or borax.

A homemade flux made from rosin and denatured alcohol (1 to 5) works very well, and it’s also easy to make with your own hands. Add rosin to the alcohol (preferably dust or very small pieces of it) and shake until dissolved.

Then this composition can be used to treat conductors and strands before soldering.

Solders for soldering copper wires with a soldering iron use POS 60, POS 50 or POS 40 - tin-lead. For aluminum, zinc-based compounds are more suitable. The most common are TsO-12 and P250A (made of tin and zinc), grade A (zinc and tin with the addition of copper), TsA-15 (zinc with aluminum).

Convenient to use solder with rosin

It is very convenient to use solders that contain rosin (POS 61). In this case, there is no need to pre-treat each conductor in rosin separately. But for high-quality soldering, you must have a powerful soldering iron - 80-100 W, which can quickly heat the soldering area to the required temperatures.

Auxiliary materials

In order to properly solder wires with a soldering iron, you also need:

• Stand. It may be completely made of metal or have metal holders for a soldering iron attached to a wooden/plastic stand. It is also convenient if you have a small metal box for rosin. Soldering with a soldering iron is more convenient with a homemade or factory-made stand - not very important
• File. Before work, sharpen the tip of the soldering iron. It should be smooth and clean without traces of soot. Then it is easy to solder. This is how you need to sharpen the soldering iron tip
• Pliers. It is difficult to hold the wires with your fingers while soldering - copper and aluminum have high thermal conductivity, which leads to rapid heating of nearby areas. Therefore, it is more convenient to solder wires with a soldering iron if you hold them with pliers. The only thing is that the tool should be miniature, with thin handles and jaws. In principle, you can use tweezers, but it is advisable to put a heat-shrink tube on the top of it (where you hold it with your fingers) - the steel also heats up quickly. Pliers - to hold the wires

Alcohol may be required to wash off the flux, and electrical tape or heat-shrinkable tubes of various diameters for insulation. These are all the materials and tools without which soldering wires with a soldering iron is impossible.

The entire technology of soldering wires with a soldering iron can be divided into several successive stages. All of them are repeated in a certain sequence:

• Training of conductors. When soldering wires, they are freed from insulation. After this, the oxide film is removed from them mechanically. You can use a small piece of fine-grit sandpaper. The metal should shine and be light.
• Tinning. Heat the soldering iron to the melting temperature of the rosin (it begins to actively melt when touched). Take a conductor, bring it to a piece of rosin, heat it with a soldering iron so that the entire stripped part of the wire is immersed in rosin. Then take a drop of solder onto the soldering iron tip and spread it over the treated part of the conductor. The solder spreads quickly, covering the wire with a thin layer. To make it distributed faster and more evenly, the wire is turned slightly. After tinning, copper conductors lose their redness and become silvery. This is how all wires that need to be soldered are processed. Tinning the wires
•  The tinned conductors are folded together, straightening them with your fingers so that they fit snugly against each other. If the soldering needs to be long, you can twist it. Holding the conductors, take solder onto the tip, press it to the soldering site, applying some force. At the same time, the soldering area heats up, the rosin begins to boil, and the solder spreads. When it covers the entire area and flows between the conductors, we can consider that soldering the conductors with a soldering iron is completed. They are held motionless for some time - until the solder cools down (to speed up the process, they blow on this place).

That's all. In the same way, you can solder two or more wires, you can solder a wire to some contact pad (for example, when soldering headphones, you can solder the wire to a plug or to a pad on a headphone), etc.

After you have finished soldering the wires with a soldering iron and they have cooled down, the connection must be insulated. You can wrap electrical tape, put it on, and then heat up the heat shrink tube. When it comes to electrical wiring, it is usually recommended to first screw on a few turns of electrical tape, and then put a heat-shrinkable tube on top, which is heated.

Differences in technology when using flux

If active flux is used rather than rosin, the tinning process changes. The cleaned conductor is lubricated with the compound, and then heated with a soldering iron with a small amount of solder. Further everything is as described.

Soldering twists with flux - faster and easier

There are also differences when soldering twists with flux. In this case, you can not tin each wire, but twist it, then treat it with flux and immediately start soldering. The conductors don’t even need to be cleaned—the active compounds corrode the oxide film. But instead, you will have to wipe the soldering areas with alcohol to wash away the remnants of chemically aggressive substances.

Features of soldering stranded wires

The soldering technology described above is suitable for monocores. If the wire is multi-core, there are nuances: before tinning, the wires are untwisted so that everything can be dipped in rosin. When applying solder, you need to make sure that each wire is covered with a thin layer of solder. After cooling, the wires are twisted into one bundle again, then you can solder with a soldering iron as described above - dipping the tip into solder, heating the soldering area and applying tin.

When tinning, multi-core wires must be “fluffed”

Is it possible to solder copper wire to aluminum

Aluminum cannot be combined directly with other chemically active metals. Since copper is a chemically active material, copper and aluminum are not joined or soldered. The point is too different thermal conductivity and different current conductivity.

When current passes, aluminum heats up more and expands more. Copper heats up and expands much less.

Constant expansion/constriction to varying degrees leads to the fact that even the best contact is broken, a non-conducting film is formed, and everything stops working. That's why copper and aluminum are not soldered.

If there is such a need to connect copper and aluminum conductors, make a bolted connection. Take a bolt with a suitable nut and three washers. At the ends of the connected wires, rings are formed according to the size of the bolt. Take a bolt, put on one washer, then a conductor, another washer - the next conductor, a third washer on top and secure everything with a nut.

Aluminum and copper conductors cannot be soldered

There are several other ways to connect aluminum and copper lines, but soldering is not one of them. You can read about other methods here, but bolted is the simplest and most reliable.

Source: https://stroychik.ru/elektrika/pajka-provodov-payalnikom

What kind of solder to solder copper wires - Metalworker's Guide

One of the most reliable methods of connecting wires is soldering. This is a process in which the space between two conductors is filled with molten solder. In this case, the melting temperature of the solder must be lower than the melting temperature of the metals being joined. At home, soldering is most often used with a soldering iron - a small device powered by electricity. For normal operation, the power of the soldering iron must be at least 80-100 W.  

Let's figure out how to solder wires - two methods and recommendations for the soldering process

• 1. Soldering methods
• 2. Recommendations
• 3. Conclusion on the topic

The process of soldering wires may seem simple, and in fact it is. But not everyone succeeds in connecting two wires to each other in a high-quality manner. Why? Because there are certain requirements for the soldering iron itself, as well as for the soldering process. So, let's consider the question of how to solder wires?

Let's start with the tool itself - the soldering iron. Before soldering, you need to prepare the soldering iron. What do I need to do?

• Clean his sting. To do this, you can use a file or sandpaper. It is important to remove any remaining tin and dirt from the file tip, that is, the main thing is to get to the copper from which the soldering iron is made.
• Now we plug the soldering tool into a 220 volt outlet. We begin to heat it up.
• Now we periodically touch the tip of the tip to either rosin or solder. We do this several times. Our task is to uniformly cover the working surface of the tool with solder.

So, the soldering iron is ready, you can move on to the question of how to properly solder wires with a soldering iron.

Soldering methods

Before moving on to the main question of the topic of the article, how to solder two ends together, I would like to give some tips on how to properly carry out soldering.

Firstly, it should be noted that the soldering iron itself only plays the role of a heating element. With its help, the wire is heated, which itself melts the solder. And this is exactly how you need to act, and not the other way around, the solder is heated by the soldering iron and sticks to the wire. This is not true.

Secondly, the solder adheres to the conductors at the molecular level. This is not just a layer of metal stuck under temperature, it is a strong molecular connection that makes two metals one.

Thirdly, apply the soldering iron to the heated element over the entire plane of the tip. This increases the heat transfer of the tool.

Fourthly, the process itself must be carried out quickly.

Attention! If soldering does not work out the first time, you should not start the process right away. You need to let the wires cool down and then try again.

Fifthly, soldering time is determined only experimentally, so to speak, at random. If you carry out the process too quickly, the wire may not warm up. Please note that flux must be applied only before soldering so that it does not evaporate.

Sixth, a high-quality soldering process is visible to the naked eye: the solder layer is shiny, it is laid evenly without bumps or dents.

So, our soldering iron is ready, we now know the requirements, we can move on to the main process. What is its sequence?

• First of all, preparation is necessary. If it is a multi-core cable, then the insulation must be removed from it and twisted so that the small veins become a single whole.
• Next, you need to take a little solder on the tip of the soldering iron, place the wire in rosin and begin to melt it, applying solder evenly to the bare wire. This is called tinning. We do the same with the other end.
• Now everything is simple, you need to lay the two ends of the wire next to each other, press them and solder them, that is, heat them with a soldering iron with solder applied to the tip. Again, please note that the top layer of solder should be shiny and evenly applied.
• There is another way. To do this, the two tinned ends must be twisted together, and after that the connection must be soldered. But it is better to carry out twist soldering in a manner similar to the tinning process. That is, you dip it in rosin, heat the latter with a soldering iron and apply solder inside the rosin.

Recommendations

Some useful tips have already been given, but I would like to highlight some additional recommendations. For example, how much solder is needed for the soldering to work properly. It’s impossible to say for sure here, but if there is not enough solder, then there will not be enough to cover the entire joint. If there is a lot of it, the soldering will end up in the form of a drop, which is also unacceptable, especially in a gasket system (in a bundle).

The same applies to the temperature of the soldering iron. If it is low or too high, then the soldering turns out to be unshiny and loose with low quality indicators. This fully applies to the amount of rosin and solder. If there is more rosin than solder, then the former will boil and splatter, which is very bad for adjacent connections and contacts.

If all of the above is normal, then the solder itself will be evenly distributed over the connection. The shape of the solder and its strength will form by itself. And one more point: soldering copper wires (quality) means preparing them, that is, tinning. Without this, the connection process cannot be carried out, because pure copper wires can be connected either by riveting or welding.

Beginners can be advised to first determine how long it takes for a soldering iron to overheat. If it takes ten to fifteen minutes, then it is better to purchase an additional transformer with smooth voltage regulation or an electronic thermostat.

By the way, you can determine that the tip of the soldering iron is overheated very simply - the solder has flown off the tip of the tip, which has turned black (oxidized). Of course, you don’t have to buy additional devices, then during the soldering process the tool will have to be periodically disconnected from the network.

Although this method is not the best, because it is almost impossible to control the temperature in such a situation.

Attention! Rosin is consumed ten times less than solder. You should not dip the entire soldering iron into the flux (meaning the tip), you just need to touch it.

And the last piece of advice in our article is to never artificially cool the soldering area. Cooling should occur naturally. Do not blow on the connection or apply wet objects to it.

Conclusion on the topic

So, we tried to answer in this article the question of how to solder the ends of the wires together? Useful tips and recommendations on the process were given, and your attention was drawn to some of the nuances that make it high quality. And, of course, we described two methods of joining and fastening.

As you can see, in order to solder wires you need to know some things regarding the temperature of the process and the amount of materials needed. In addition, let’s say that experts recommend soldering wires correctly using POS-1 brand solder; 40 or 50, as well as flux based on an alcohol solution of rosin.

Since soldering wires is not difficult, you can begin the process immediately after studying this information.

Source: https://onlineelektrik.ru/paika/kak-payat-provoda-dva-sposoba-i-rekomendacii-k-payachnomu-processu.html

Types of connection of electrical wires in a junction box

In a field such as electricity, all work must be carried out strictly, accurately and without a single mistake. Some people want to figure out such work on their own, not trusting third parties to carry out a responsible mission. Today we will talk about how to properly connect wires in a junction box. The work must be done efficiently, because not only the performance of electrical appliances in the house, but also the fire safety of the premises depends on it.

About the distribution box

In an apartment or house, wires from the electrical panel are routed to different rooms. There are usually several connection points: switch, sockets, and so on. In order for all the wires to be collected in one place, distribution boxes were created. They carry wiring from sockets, switches and are connected in a hollow housing.

So that during repairs you do not have to look for where the wires are hidden in the walls, electrical wiring is laid on the basis of special rules prescribed in the PUE (Electrical Installation Rules).

The main recommendation is that all connections are made in the junction box.

Distribution boxes are classified according to the type of fastening. So, there are boxes for external installation and internal installation. For the second option, you need to prepare a hole in the wall into which the box will be inserted. As a result, the box lid is located flush with the wall. Often the cover is hidden with wallpaper or plastic during repairs. As a last resort, an outer box is used, which is attached directly to the wall.

There are round or rectangular junction boxes. In any case, there will be at least 4 exits. Each outlet has a fitting or thread to which a corrugated tube is attached. This is done to quickly replace the wire. The old wire is pulled out and new wiring is laid. It is not recommended to lay the cable in a groove on the wall. If the electrical wiring burns out, you will have to dig into the wall and disturb the finish in order to carry out repair work.

What are distribution boxes for?

There are many factors that speak in favor of the existence of junction boxes:

• The power system can be repaired in a matter of hours. All connections are accessible, you can easily find the area where the wires have burned out. If the cable was laid in special channels (corrugated tube, for example), then the failed cable can be replaced in an hour;
• Connections can be inspected at any time. As a rule, wiring problems occur at the connection points. If the socket or switch does not work, but there is voltage in the network, first check the quality of the connection in the junction box;
• the highest level of fire safety is created. It is believed that dangerous places are connections. Using a box will keep them in one place.
• minimal time and financial costs when repairing wiring. There is no need to look for broken wires in the walls.

Connecting the wires in the box

There are several ways in which conductor connections can be made in junction boxes. Note that there are simple and complex methods, however, if executed correctly, all options will ensure the reliability of the electrical wiring.

Method number 1. Twisting method

It is believed that the twisting method is used by amateurs. At the same time, this is one of the most reliable and proven options. PUE do not recommend using twisting, since the contact between the wires is unreliable. As a result, the conductors may overheat, putting the room at risk of fire. However, twisting can be used as a temporary measure, for example, when testing an assembled circuit.

Source: https://www.bazaznaniyst.ru/sem-sposobov-soedineniya-provodov/

Soldering wires and cables with connectors

A soldering iron is a must-have for every home DIYer. With its help, with minimal knowledge of electrical engineering, you can independently eliminate most minor and visually visible breakdowns of household electrical appliances.

We'll tell you how to solder wires. In addition, we will describe how to restore functionality if cables are damaged, using the most common connector standards.

The progress of soldering from start to finish

In this chapter, we will describe the entire process in detail, taking into account both significant points and seemingly simple, but no less important, subtleties.

What is needed for work

Electrician tools

The set of tools and materials for work is not very large; all this can be easily purchased in specialized stores. The price for all this is small.

We will need:

• A soldering iron with a stand, and do not choose a powerful model with a thick tip, 15-40 W with a tip with a diameter of about 5 mm is enough;
• For solder, you should also not take thick rods; it is convenient to work with wire 2-3 mm thick;
• Rosin - in addition to it, it is advisable to additionally have both liquid flux and a brush for applying it;
• Tweezers;
• Assembly cutters;
• Pliers;
• Knife;
• File for sharpening and straightening the soldering iron tip;
• Sandpaper, file or needle file with a fine notch to remove oxides and enamels.

Advice! Tubular solder with rosin inside is very convenient.

This is a sufficient set - sometimes you can do without some tools, for example, sandpaper or tweezers, but it is advisable to have everything at hand. Additionally, you may need a tester or probe (if you need to connect a cable of several wires that are not marked with different colors).

There may also be a “third hand” problem when you need to hold two wires or a wire and a connector, but the hand is occupied with a soldering iron. To solve this, you can use a clamp or any suitable clamp.

If you need to connect contaminated wires, then you need to additionally use an alcohol-gasoline mixture, gasoline or some other degreasing agent.

Getting the soldering iron ready

Sharpened soldering iron tip

The soldering iron tip must be sharpened at an angle of 45° and have no defects on the surface. We sharpen it, if necessary, remove excess metal until a smooth surface is obtained.

With a new soldering iron, even after sharpening, the tip becomes tinned. To do this, heat it, dip it in rosin and then touch the solder so that it covers the entire surface of the beveled working area.

Soldering wires

connecting wires by soldering: an example of high-quality work

Soldering wires is carried out in several operations, and they depend on their type and insulation. In addition, we are only talking about copper or brass conductors; if they are aluminum, then a soldering iron will not help us (although this can be done with special fluxes) - they are connected with twists or special clamps (see Terminal blocks for connecting wires).

The thickness does not affect the sequence of operations; soldering a thick wire is no different, except that if the diameter is excessively large, it will not warm up. In this case, you just need to take a more powerful soldering iron.

Attention! According to the current operating rules for electrical installations (PEU) and GOST, soldering of copper wires on power, grounding and neutral lines of electrical equipment is prohibited. In an emergency, they can become very hot and the solder will drain. Special clamps are used for connection.

If we solder single-core wires without insulation, we need:

• Remove oxides from the surface - we do this with sandpaper, a fine file or just a knife. You can also pull the wire between the jaws of the nippers several times, turning to clean the entire surface but without squeezing the handles too hard so as not to bite. We do not clean the entire wire, but only the section that we will connect.
• Cover the surface with flux - heat the wire, pressing it against the rosin, it should be completely covered with it. You can also apply liquid flux with a brush.
• Tin - take a little (no need to be greedy) solder on the tip (it should not be a drop, but a small dome, up to 1 mm high, on the working surface of the tip). Then, we touch the soldering iron to the wire and heat it. The solder should cover the surface itself, there is no need to make rubbing movements, just heat it up. If you need to tin a long length of wire, then touch it in several places.
• We connect the wires together , not end-to-end, but lay them parallel to each other for a length of at least 15-20 diameters (this will ensure the mechanical strength of the connection). Better yet, twist the wires.
• Cover the surface with flux again.
• We solder, just like when tinning, we take a little solder and simply warm up the connected wires. It is important that during the process and for some time after the soldering iron is removed (until the solder cools down), they do not move relative to each other.

Source: https://Elektrik-a.su/kabeli-i-provoda/dlya-prokladki/pajka-provodov-239

Soldering wires with a soldering iron - electrician tips - Electro Genius

One of the most reliable methods of connecting wires is soldering. This is a process in which the space between two conductors is filled with molten solder.

In this case, the melting temperature of the solder must be lower than the melting temperature of the metals being joined. At home, soldering is most often used with a soldering iron - a small device powered by electricity.

For normal operation, the power of the soldering iron must be at least 80-100 W. 

Soldering copper wiring

There is wiring in every house. And the correct connection of wires is part of the safety of the electrical network and its trouble-free operation.

Installation of electrical wiring in an apartment or cottage involves connecting the wires of distribution boxes and switchboards. The safety of the electrical network and its trouble-free operation depend on how correctly and efficiently all connections are made.

Correct connection of electrical wires

 
Methods for connecting electrical wires

Electricians use the following methods for connecting wires:

• twisted;
• soldering;
• using terminal blocks;
• crimping;
• with bolts;
• plastic PPE;
• “Wago” – spring terminals;
• "nuts" made of plastic.

The choice depends:

• from the material of the wire (cable) cores;
• on the operating conditions of the electrical network (external or internal wiring, hidden or laid openly);
• from the cross-section of the connected conductors;
• on the number of cores in one connection.

The connection of the distribution box wires must be made in such a way as to ensure reliable contact and avoid heating the wires. Here is an overview of the above methods for connecting current-carrying conductors.

 
Features of using terminal blocks to connect electrical wires

 
The terminal block consists of a plastic housing, a brass or copper bushing with threads and screws located on both sides.

This device allows you to:

• save on electrical equipment: the terminal block is cheaper than other connectors;
• connect the wires securely;
• connect cores of dissimilar metals (copper with aluminum);
• reduce installation time.

Disadvantages of terminal connectors:

• unsuitability for connecting more than two conductors;
• difficulties when connecting aluminum conductors: if the screw is over-tightened, the metal may break;
• unsuitable for use with multi-core wires.

The connection of electrical wires in the terminal block is carried out as follows.

The outer insulation is partially removed from the cables and the cores are exposed. The length of the bare conductor depends on the size of the terminal.

The length of the wire section without insulation is checked, for which you need to unscrew the terminal screw and insert the core completely into the hole. The excess is cut off with side cutters.

To improve contact, the copper wire is tinned. The connected cores are inserted into the terminals one by one and clamped with screws in several stages.

The reliability of the connection is checked.

Tip: in order to remove the insulation without damaging the core, it is recommended to use a special tool. If this is not available, only the surface layer of insulation is cut in a circle with a sharp knife, after which the wire should be bent along the cut line. After breaking, the insulation is removed with a light movement of pliers.

 
We use spring terminals to connect electrical wires

The connection of conductors with spring terminals is carried out using springs that press the contact plate to the metal of the core. The mechanism is driven by a special lever.

Wago type terminal connector

The Wago technology has a number of advantages over other installation methods:

• allows you to connect aluminum wires with copper;
• can be used to connect more than two wires;
• allow you to switch wires in small junction boxes;
• installation is carried out efficiently and in the shortest possible time;
• conductor cores are not damaged;
• After installation, it is possible to check the continuity of the circuit using a device probe or indicator through a hole in the housing.

In order to connect the wires using Wago terminals, it is necessary to remove the insulation so that the exposed wires are not visible, then insert the wires into the connector sockets and press the levers until they stop.

Note: Wago spring terminals are available in reusable and disposable versions. The latter, if it is necessary to repair the connection, are cut off, after which new connectors are installed.

Connecting conductors using PPE caps

The PPE cap is screwed onto the connection clockwise

The abbreviation PPE means “connecting insulating clamps”. The connector is designed as a spring located in a plastic housing. The spring securely holds the wires together, which creates reliable contact. Advantages of this method:

• the ability to mark wires using colored caps: the “phase” conductors connect red PPE, “zero” – blue or white, “ground” – yellow or green;
• fire protection: connector bodies are made of non-flammable plastic.

Important: connecting copper and aluminum wires using PPE is not allowed.

Crimping with sleeves

Connecting conductor cores with sleeves

The method consists of putting a metal tube (sleeve) on the cores freed from insulation, which is crimped with press pliers. As a result, the conductors are tightly connected to each other. The connection point is isolated.

Important: connections of aluminum and copper conductors may only be made using sleeves specially designed for this purpose.

Welding or soldering technology allows you to obtain a reliable connection of wires

The disadvantage of this method is the inability to monitor the integrity of the network after installation and isolation, as well as the non-repairability of such a connection. Additionally, a DIY soldering torch is dangerous to use.

An alternative to soldering wires is to weld them. The process involves the use of a welding machine.

 
Wire welding technology

When connecting copper wires this way, it is recommended that you try out a DIY copper wire soldering transformer before you begin. It is important to know that copper is smelted at a temperature of 1080 °C, but above 300 °C this metal becomes brittle.

In the absence of a special soldering device, use a conventional inverter welding machine. The step-by-step process of welding wires is as follows.

Up to 10 cm of insulation is removed from the ends of the wires.
The cores of the connected wires are tightly twisted together. The result should be twists approximately 5 cm long.

The ground cable of the inverter apparatus is connected to the twist closer to its beginning.
The current adjustment knob is set in the position from 30 to 90 A (at a voltage of 12 - 36 V): the value is selected depending on the cross-section of the wire and their number.

The carbon electrode of the welding machine briefly (no more than 2 s) touches the twist so that an arc is formed. As a result, a welded monolithic joint is formed at the tip of the twist. After complete cooling, the connection is insulated with heat shrink tubing or adhesive tape.

At the ends of the cores connected by welding, a monolithic alloy is formed

Connecting electrical wires by soldering

Soldering copper wires is an old, proven method that allows you to obtain a reliable electrical connection. The technology allows the installation of monolithic and stranded wires of various sections. There can be several conductors in one connection.

The work is performed using the following technology.

The insulation is removed from the ends of the connected conductors using a special device (approximately 5 cm).
The strands are tightly twisted together manually or using pliers (depending on the number of strands and their sections).

The twist is treated with flux or rosin.
This is necessary to improve the quality of soldering. On an open fire (using a gas burner or a gasoline blowtorch), a cup soldering iron (futorka) is heated red-hot. The cup of the futor is filled to the brim with tin-lead solder grade POS 30, POS 40 or POS 61.

The solder is heated to the point of fluidity.
The twist is briefly (up to 1 second) completely dipped into the futor cup, as a result of which the solder should completely cover the exposed wires.

After natural cooling, the twist is insulated with PVC adhesive tape or a plastic cap.
Important: soldering of wires should be done with safety glasses and tarpaulin gloves. During work, fire safety rules must be observed.

Soldering copper wires is performed as shown in the video.

Connecting wires with simple twisting

Wire connection diagrams in a distribution box for low-power electrical networks can be implemented by simple twisting without the use of additional fixing means. In this case, it is important that the twisting step is as small as possible, and its length is at least 20 mm. Only cores made of homogeneous metals are connected in this way: copper - with copper, aluminum - with aluminum.

It is not allowed to use this installation method in damp rooms and in wooden houses.

After twisting, the wire connection should look as shown in the photo

Walnut clamp

For connecting wires with a cross-section of 4 square meters. mm and it is more convenient to use a “walnut” clamp. It consists of a pair of specially shaped plates that are pressed together with screws at the corners. Advantages of the method:

• ease of connection;
• the ability to connect copper conductors with aluminum ones;
• comparative cheapness of materials.

Important: the “walnut” clamp is not used in distribution boxes (dimensions do not allow). To ensure reliable contact, the screws must be tightened from time to time.

Using a bolted connection to connect electrical wires
To connect large cross-section wires, as well as to install grounding elements in an electrical panel, a bolted connection is used. The ends of the wires, freed from insulation, are screwed onto the bolt threads in a clockwise direction. The connection is pressed with a washer with an engraver and a nut, after which the bolt is isolated.

Source: https://1000eletric.com/payka-mednoy-provodki/

How to properly solder wires with a soldering iron

Proper soldering of wires is reliable, durable and beautiful in appearance. To properly solder copper wires, you need to select solder, flux, and prepare the wire cores. The article discusses the question of how to properly solder copper wires of different sections with an electric soldering iron.

Tools and materials for soldering copper wires

Preparing a soldering iron for soldering wires

The choice of soldering iron power depends on the cross-section of the wires. For thin single-core and stranded copper wires and printed circuit board tracks, a soldering iron with a 3 mm tip and a power of 25 W is suitable. For wire sections of 2 mm or more, you need a 60 W soldering iron, and for massive parts, use a 200 W hammer soldering iron.

The soldering iron tip must be clean, without shells. To align the soldering iron tip, use a fine file. After processing the sting, it is tinned so that the copper does not oxidize. Another important element when soldering is the soldering iron stand. If you want to efficiently solder small wires and electronic board elements, you need to have a soldering iron tip temperature regulator.

With this regulator you can accurately set the temperature of the soldering iron for solders of different brands. The best option for a soldering iron tip temperature controller would be a device with a temperature sensor that is installed on the soldering iron tip. The set tip temperature will not depend on changes in the mains voltage.

Temperature regulator for soldering iron

Since soldering with an electric soldering iron produces toxic solder fumes and smoke from rosin, the workplace must be equipped with good exhaust ventilation. Workplace lighting should not be dim. To make it easier to repair electronic boards, you can purchase a special board holder with a lens and backlight.

You can make a simple temperature controller for a soldering iron with your own hands

Choosing flux and solder for soldering wires

Depending on the type of soldering, the brand of solder is selected. The most common brand of solder is POS-61. Tin-lead solder with a tin content of 61%. Its melting point is 190 C, and it is suitable for any soldering iron. This solder is used where there is no stress on the connection.

Solder characteristics

If the connection of the wires must be strong, choose POS 40 or POS 30 brand solder. It is convenient to use POS-61 solder in the form of a rod wound on a reel. Solder diameter is from 1 to 3 mm. Sometimes there is hollow solder with rosin poured inside.

Also, depending on the type of wire soldering, there are various fluxes, gels, and rosin. Flux is necessary when soldering wires, as it removes oxides from the surface of the wires being soldered, and also reduces the surface tension of the solder, which allows the solder to easily spread over the surfaces being welded.

Fluxes also degrease surfaces well. Another advantage of fluxes is the protection of heated surfaces from oxides. Without fluxes, soldering copper wires with a soldering iron would be difficult. Many fluxes contain active substances such as acids and solvents. These active substances remain on the surface of the wire and in the solder.

Over time, they destroy wire connections. Therefore, the PUE prohibits the use of active fluxes for soldering connections when installing electrical wiring, in electrical panels. These fluxes are also prohibited in the electronics industry, but many electricians use them, after all, not for themselves.

Rosin-based fluxes for soldering with an electric soldering iron

I don’t argue that such fluxes provide quick, convenient and even beautiful soldering, but no one thinks about the consequences. There is a rosin-based flux that has high performance when soldering wires with a soldering iron. The solderings are beautiful, durable and reliable.

This flux is also used when soldering electronic circuit boards. It's pretty easy to make. Usually they take a piece of rosin, break it into powder and dissolve it in any 90% alcohol in a ratio of 50% to 50%, by volume. Rosin dissolves easily in alcohol. To work with rosin, use a brush.

How to solder copper wires with a soldering iron

The first point of soldering is to clean the wires from the oxide film. Not only aluminum, but also copper is coated with an oxide film. Its presence on copper makes tinning of wires difficult; tinning occurs in patches and unevenly. Therefore, clean the copper wire with a sharp knife from all sides.

After removing the oxides, the surface of the wire is moistened with a brush with liquid rosin. Use the tip of a soldering iron to take a little solder and tinning the wire. You don’t have to twist the wire, move the soldering iron tip forward, and we see how the solder instantly spreads over the entire wire.

Solder with a 2 mm rod

Now, one more important point before soldering copper wires is the connection. Remember, all wire connections must be secure. Methods for attaching wires are shown in the figure below. You cannot overlap solder without fastening. The soldering turns out to be very weak, although even. Such soldering does not withstand mechanical load or slight vibration for a long time.

Methods for connecting wires by twisting

After connecting the tinned wires by twisting, apply a little liquid rosin with a brush and solder. A slight movement of the soldering iron tip forward from the insulation and perfect soldering is ready. Why can you solder from insulation here, because soldering with liquid rosin occurs in a very short time and the wire insulation does not have time to burn. After soldering, the remaining rosin is washed off with a stiff brush and alcohol.

Liquid rosin

Visually you can determine the quality of soldering of electrical wiring and electronic boards: 1. Soldering must be skeletal, that is, the skeletal connection of wires and element leads must be visible.

2. Soldering must be glossy, without shells or bubbles.

Source: http://electricavdome.ru/kak-pravilno-payat-provoda-payalnikom.html

Connecting electrical wires - reliable methods

First, let's define what a distribution box is? This is a hollow device made of polymer, round, rectangular and square in shape with a lid and special cable entries. Used to connect conductors together.

Today, a variety of conductor connections are made. This diversity depends on various factors:

• wire section;
• core material (CU, AL);
• number of conductors;
• operating conditions (temperature, climate).

Knowing all these factors, connections are selected in such a way as to comply with certain electrical and fire safety requirements. In addition, you need to consider in which places such boxes with conductor connections will be used:

• dry rooms;
• wet areas;
• especially raw.

Connecting electrical wires in a junction box

To determine which connection method to choose under certain conditions, you need to refer to the PUE (Electrical Installation Rules). According to paragraph 2.1.21, from PUE -7 of the main document on electrical installation, all end connections of wires and cables must be carried out by means of:

• crimping with sleeves;
• clamps (using a bolt, screw);
• welding;
• adhesions.

Connecting wires using crimping sleeves

Connecting wires using a sleeve followed by crimping is the most reliable method and has good electrical contact.

How to connect wires:

• strip the insulation from electrical wires of a certain length;

• take a sleeve of the appropriate length and diameter;

• insert bare wires into the sleeve;
• crimp (press) the sleeve in two or three places with a special power tool (press pliers);

• Apply insulating material (heat-shrink tubing) to the sleeve.

If you don't have heat shrink tubing, you can use insulating tape.

You must take into account that the sleeves are selected in such a way that the diameter of the twisted wires matches the inner diameter of the sleeve. You should not use a sleeve that is not the right size.

How to connect wires using clamps - nut or bolt type

The most common way to connect wires is with a Walnut clamp. This clamp received this name because of its external resemblance to a nut. They are produced in different sizes for connecting both thin and thick wires.

The inside of the “Nut” consists of two main and one intermediate metal plates. There are 4 screws along the edges of the plates. The plates themselves are placed in an insulated carbolite housing, consisting of two parts.

The design feature of Oreshok is that aluminum and copper wires can be connected into one circuit using an intermediate plate.

A bolted connection is also used to connect wires. For a certain cross-section of wires, the size of the bolt is selected. For example, for a wire cross-section of 1.5 - 4 mm², a bolt with a diameter of 6 mm is suitable, for a cross-section of 6 - 10 mm², a bolt diameter of 8 mm, 16 - 35 mm², a diameter of 10 mm.

To connect aluminum to copper using a bolt, a washer is also used - a gasket.

After carefully compressing the wires using a nut, this connection is isolated.

Advantages:

• low cost;
• good insulation for "Nut"
• It is possible to connect aluminum conductors with copper conductors.

Flaws:

• loosening of the threaded connection in the “Oreshok”;
• plenty of insulation for bolted connections;
• The connection dimensions are suitable for large junction boxes.

Connecting wires using welding

One of the best ways to connect wires in a box is welding. How is this all done?

To begin with, the insulation is removed from the ends of the wires. Then the wires are twisted together. The ends are ready for welding.

Welding of wires is carried out with a special welding machine with a voltage of 12 - 36 V. The welding current is regulated depending on the cross-section and number of wires, from 70 to 120 A and the power of the device is sufficiently 500 - 600 W. The work can also be carried out using an inverter welding machine.

For welding I use special graphite electrodes for aluminum and graphite-copper electrodes for copper. The work is carried out in special glasses to protect the eyes from the electric arc.

One cable of the welding machine with a clamp or pliers is connected to the twist, and the second to the electrode holder (holders). The electrode is brought to the tip of the twist and when touched, contact occurs and an arc appears, with the help of which copper or aluminum wires are melted so that a droplet appears. This is enough to make the most reliable contact.

The only drawback of this connection is that when disconnecting the wires, if necessary, you will have to bite off the tip of the twist (welding site).

Soldering wires with solder

An equally wonderful option for connecting wires and ensuring good contact is using ordinary soldering. To use this method, you will need a little soldering skill using an electric soldering iron.

It is best to take a soldering iron with a power of 80 W or 100 W - this is what you need. With this soldering iron you can quickly heat the place (twist) where you will apply the molten solder.

For soldering, POS-30, POS-40 solder is best suited. For such solder you will need rosin or SKF flux (alcohol-rosin flux), which is applied to the soldering area before heating.

In addition to the material listed above, specialists use a so-called solder tube for soldering, which contains rosin inside. This tube is sold in almost every electrical goods store.

It is highly recommended not to use soldering acid. After soldering, its trace remains on the twist and over time the acid will only corrode the twist, which will lead to dire consequences.

And so, to solder wires you will need inexpensive material and an electric soldering iron. This connection by soldering is a more affordable and simpler method.

Connecting wires with terminals

One way or another, connecting wires using twists will eventually disappear into summer. And their place will be taken by those materials and devices that will meet the requirements of modernity and a more professional approach.

Today, terminals are increasingly being used to connect wires. One of the nice features of the terminals is the quick connection of wires of different metals, which avoids direct contact between metals.

Existing terminal requirements:

• information about permissible voltage;
• information about the cross-section of the core;
• increased heat resistance;
• reliable fixation of the wire core;
• corrosion resistance.

The terminals are: knife, spring and screw.

Knife terminals are mainly used for grounding or grounding. They are convenient because you don’t need a power tool, you can quickly connect and disconnect the contact, which saves time.

Spring terminals have become very popular. Such terminals include products from WAGO. Using WAGO terminals you will receive: simple and quick installation, reliable connection of conductors.

Screw terminals (terminal blocks) are housing cells, each of which contains a metal tube with screws.

Installation work with this type of terminal is not difficult; you just need a screwdriver to tighten or unscrew the screw that presses the exposed wire core inside the tube.

Connecting electrical wires outdoors

What to do if there is such a need to connect wires on the street, in the open air?

Street connections are made in different ways: using a “nut”, bolted connection, twisting. For some time, such connections perform well, but then oxidation of the wire cores, weakening of the bolted connection, and rust occur. The problem begins.

You need to understand that such a connection will be negatively affected by precipitation, summer heat, and frost. To minimize this impact and make a good connection, you first need to prepare a set of materials:

• IP65 junction box;
• sleeves for crimping;
• conductive paste;
• Heat-shrinkable adhesive tube.

Lead the cable or wire into the junction box. Place the sleeves on the bare wires using conductive paste and crimp them.

If you have one aluminum wire and the other copper, then use copper-aluminum sleeves.

Next, take adhesive heat-shrinkable tubes prepared in advance and cut to the required size and put them on the sleeves.

By exposing the tubes to high temperature, we casing the sleeves. To apply high temperature to the tubes, use a gas burner, a blowtorch or a professional electric hair dryer.

After the thermopipes have cooled, carefully place the finished connections in the box and close the box tightly with the lid.

This connection will provide you with high reliability for many, many years.

Conclusion

In this article you looked at all types of correct connection of wires that do not exist today. Choose the type of connection that is suitable for your operating conditions.

You may not be able to perform some types of installation work due to lack of skills, tools, or you doubt the correctness of your actions. Then resort to hiring a specialist who, due to his experience, will do everything right.

Don’t forget that proper installation of electrical wiring is the key to your electrical and fire safety.

Source: https://electromc.ru/soedinenie-elektricheskix-provodov/

Soldering copper wires in a junction box

Absolutely any electrical wiring diagram is accompanied by branches and connections of wires and cables. To do this, you need to purchase a distribution box - it is made of polymer material, looks quite aesthetically pleasing, is located under the ceiling and can have a square or round shape.

1. Why do you need to use a junction box 2. How can you connect the wires in a box - Twisting of wires in a junction box - Crimping of wires - Welding of wires - Soldering of wires - Screw terminals - Bolted connection of wires in a box - Self-clamping terminals

Why use a junction box

Indeed, many novice builders and repairmen ask this question - “packing” wires and their connections/branches is a rather tedious, painstaking and slow task. Agree, it is much easier to twist all the wires in the right places, insert them into the wall and plaster this place. But before making such a decision, you should heed the warnings of experts :

1. There is no free access to the wires. But it may happen that a socket or switch in a room stops working - how can you check where exactly there is no voltage? Open up the entire wall, remove finishing materials, trench the surface? This is definitely not a way out of the situation - the repair will be completely ruined, and everything will have to be redone.
2. There is a need to install an additional socket or another switch. It is inconvenient to connect such devices from already installed and working sockets/switches - it is from the distribution box that you can lay the necessary wires, practically and quickly.
3. Neglecting to install the distribution box means violating regulatory documents. Yes, the PES regulatory document clearly states:

“All connections and branches of wires and cables must always be accessible for inspection and repair.”

1. Compliance with fire safety. The distribution box is one of the conditions for ensuring the fire safety of the premises.

In general, a distribution box is definitely needed, especially since installing it is not difficult even for an absolute beginner in construction and repair work. But the most important step remains - connecting all the wires, and you need to know the types of such connections.

How to connect wires in a box

The connection of the wires must fulfill the task of full and durable contact of all wires - the chain does not break, and there is no risk of a short circuit. And you can ensure the connection at the required level in the following ways :

• welding;
• twist;
• soldering;
• bolted connection;
• crimping with a connecting sleeve;
• use of self-clamping terminals;
• use of screw terminals for contact.

These methods have been tested over the years, each of them can be used, but only in accordance with the rules for carrying out such specific work.

Twisting wires in a junction box

This option is chosen because of the simplicity of the work. After all, it is enough to just strip 10-20 mm of wires from the insulation and twist them with pliers. This is how our ancestors connected wires! But officially such a connection of wires is prohibited - it is sensitive to pulse current, has a high transition resistance, and with use the contact will become worse and then burn out completely.

Please note: you should not connect the wires in the junction box by twisting, although many craftsmen still do this. The fact is that in critical situations (for example, a fire due to a short circuit), all responsibility for what happened falls on the shoulders of the owner of the square meters.

Wire crimping

This method requires purchasing a special connecting sleeve, which can be made of copper (suitable for connecting copper wires) or aluminum (optimal for working with aluminum wires). Pressure testing of the connecting sleeve must be carried out using press pliers.

This method of connecting wires in a junction box is quite reliable; it is included in the group permitted by regulatory documents.

Wire crimping technology:

• the insulating material is removed from the wires to a length equal to the length of the connecting sleeve;
• the wires are twisted into a bundle and inserted directly into the sleeve;
• the sleeve is pressed using press pliers;
• the connection is insulated with insulating tape or heat shrink.

Please note: it is not recommended to carry out crimping using ordinary pliers - the connection of the wires will not be reliable.

Welding wires

This method is considered reliable and safe, since the wires are connected by melting and as a result become one. And such a solid wire will not oxidize, which means that the connection will not weaken, the contact will remain strong.

To carry out such work, you need not only to have welding skills, but also to have the following tool available::

• welding machine (its power must be more than 1 kW);
• protective equipment – ​​glasses (or mask), gloves;
• a small piece of sandpaper - you will need it to strip the wires;
• stationery knife - it is easy to remove insulation from wires;
• electrode (carbon);
• flux - it protects the melt from air.

Wire welding technology:

1. 60-80 mm of insulation is removed from the wires, the exposed wires are thoroughly cleaned with sandpaper - as a result they should shine.
2. The prepared wires are connected to each other by twisting. Make sure that the ends of the wires are at the same level when twisting, and the length of such a connection should be at least 50 mm.
3. Flux is poured into the recess of the prepared electrode.
4. The “ground” of the device is placed on the bare wire, the welding machine is turned on and the electrode is pressed against the top of the wires.
5. The electrode must be held on the wires until a metal ball, called a contact point, forms. As a rule, this process takes 3-5 seconds.
6. The contact point is cleared of flux, and the connection point is insulated.

It is noteworthy that such a connection lasts a long time; in some Khrushchev apartments, such wires have been in use for 50 years or more.

Soldering wires

This connection method is identical to welding, but the wires are secured together using solder. To carry out the work you will need the following tool:

• soldering iron;
• sandpaper (fine);
• rosin (flux);
• tin-lead solder;
• brush - used to apply rosin to the wires.

The work is performed using the same technology as welding:

1. The insulation is removed from the wires, everything is cleaned to a shine.
2. The wires are twisted together.
3. Rosin (flux) is applied to the wires.
4. The soldering iron melts the tin-lead solder - it should flow directly into the twist.

Please note: copper wires are connected to each other using the soldering method, but for aluminum wires you will need to purchase special solder.

Screw terminals

This method is modern, practical and simple. It is with the help of contact clamps that copper and aluminum wires can be connected to each other, although this is not practiced.

To connect wires using screw terminals, you only need to take 2 steps:

• Insulation is removed from the wires - no more than 5 mm;
• the prepared wires are inserted into the clamp and the screw is tightened.

Please note: do not tighten the screw with great force - you can damage the wires, which especially often happens with aluminum wires. If the work is carried out with a stranded wire, then the connection will need to be carefully crimped so that the contact is complete.

Bolted connection of wires in a box

This connection method is reliable, but very cumbersome - it is not suitable for modern distribution boxes, but it is quite suitable for Soviet-style boxes. By the way, in this way you can connect wires from different materials to each other.

  Flux for soldering copper with soft solder

Bolted connection technology:

1. A steel washer is placed on the bolt.
2. The insulating material is removed from the wires, after which you need to form them into a ring.
3. The first ring is put on the bolt.
4. A second steel washer is placed on the bolt immediately behind the wire.
5. The second wire is put on top.
6. The resulting structure is clamped with a nut.
7. All wires/connections are insulated.

If the task is to connect several pairs of wires, then it is better not to use this method.

Self-clamping terminals

You need to buy special terminals - inside they contain a paste that prevents the wires from oxidizing, so absolutely any metal can be inserted into the terminals.

Source: https://rem-serv.com/payka-mednyh-provodov-v-raspredelitelnoy-korobke/