Soldering Bullet Connectors

[af3683]

Can someone please expain the best way to solder bullet connectors? Thank you.

Art

 

[DNK]

Go to page 9 of this PDF
Bullet Soldering

 

[af3683]

Don, Thank you. What I actualy beeing doing is heating the bullet, filling the bullet with solder, and then sticking the wire inside, and letting it cool. I've noticed that if I heat the bullet with the wire already in it, the entire wire tends to get really hot, and I'm afraid that I might damage what's at the other end of it. I'm sure I just need more practice. Thanks for your help.

Art

 

[Geo Hahn]

I just run a length of bare wire out the end of the bullet and solder there. After I trim the excess wire and dress the tip with a file. Pretty good grip that way and good electrical conduction too I think.

Some bullets may require that you drill out the hole a bit larger for the gauge you are using (easily done as they're brass). I also scuff the inside of the tip a bit with a round file or drill bit but no idea if that is really necessary.

 

[DNK]

Art,if you are using stock wire that is bound to happen. caution on the heating part.
Using flame or an iron?

 

[Perrymip]

There's an imaginative method shown in photo toward the end of this thread.

 

[af3683]

I just bought a cheap iron from Walmart which seems to heat up pretty well. I learned that the hard way! I also have one of the old fashion soldering guns which for me is a pain to use. Thanks for your help.

Art

 

[DNK]

Art- Go out and get the butane powered torch. The only way to solder

 

[TR3driver]

I just run a length of bare wire out the end of the bullet and solder there. After I trim the excess wire and dress the tip with a file.

That's what I do too.

What worries me about the method given in the Advance Auto Wire directions is that it seems to assume that the wire is too large to fit through the small diameter bore of the bullet. That means you are basically making a butt joint between the wire and bullet, which is not a good idea, IMO. You want the copper part of the wire to fit snugly in the hole, but go all the way through it, for maximum strength.

I might try the butane pencil, but I've been doing them for years with my antique Weller soldering gun. Generally, I clamp the wire in the bench vice so the bullet is touching the jaws, which helps prevent damage to the insulation (the vice jaws act like a heat sink) as long as I make the joint quickly. And to make the joint quickly, I get the gun hot first (touch a little solder to it) and then press it against the tip of the bullet so it's in contact with both bullet and wire. Only takes about a second, so get off quickly, and it won't melt the wire.

If it does, cover the evidence with a bit of heat shrink.

 

[DrEntropy]

I tin the wire end first, that makes certain the solder is well into the multi-strand and helps make the rest of the operation go very quickly.

 

[Brosky]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]If it does, cover the evidence with a bit of heat shrink.[/QUOTE]

Ah yes, heat shrink tubing. The amateur solderers best friend. I know that it's mine!

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

The heat shrink would also act as a strain relief. Without it I would think the wires would tend to break at the point where the solder ended.