Splicing Wires – Bad, Good, Better, Best
March 12, 2017
In this video, we cover how to splice thermostat or control wire with a lineman's splice, also known as a Western Union Splice or NASA splice, using a soldering iron and heat shrink.We often see substandard splices on low-voltage wires; you may see a splice consisting of a ball of wire nuts and electrical tape. Lineman's splices work well for underground low-voltage wires when rewiring isn't practical. These splices work well because they are tight, can handle a lot of tension, and won't corrode over time.A lineman's splice requires us to cut out the source of the short and strip the wire back. Make sure you pull the casing back far enough to have plenty of room to work with the wires. We cut off the loose casing AND the wire tips. You'll want to splice every single wire, even if you don't think you'll use them all, because someone may need to use those wires later.When splicing one conductor, we only need 1 1/2" of heat shrink, so you may choose to cut the heat shrink if it's too long. (Half-inch heat shrink works for the outside jacket, and 1/8" heat shrink works for the inside conductors.) Fit the heat shrink over the wire BEFORE you solder the splice; otherwise, you won't be able to get the heat shrink on. Keep the heat shrink AWAY from the splice as you solder it, as the heat can make it shrink down.Once you've created a connection by twisting the wires, you can solder the conductors. Once you've soldered the connection, you can slide the heat shrink over the splice. Before you apply the heat, make sure there aren't any bare wires. It's best to have at least 6-8" of wire on each side for the splice to be practical.Note: Do NOT use this splice without soldering it.
Comments
Hey Bryan ,
Great video and info… I originally started off in the 12 volt industry (car audio/alarm) and would use the “western union”style union splice all the time, another great way to do this is to stager the splices on multi conductor wire to prevent any shorting between the splices, This will also decrease the overall bulge from all the splices being in one spot.
Thanks for all great info,
Mike
Hey Bryan ,
Great video and info… I originally started off in the 12 volt industry (car audio/alarm) and would use the “western union”style union splice all the time, another great way to do this is to stager the splices on multi conductor wire to prevent any shorting between the splices, This will also decrease the overall bulge from all the splices being in one spot.
Thanks for all great info,
Mike
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I’ve been experimenting with this type of splice and here’s some observations.
1. A micro-torch will do the jobs of both a soldering iron and a heat gun & takes up a LOT less space in your tool bag.
2. This stuff smells BAD so be sure you are in a well ventilated area while doing it.
3. It isn’t as quick of an option as other splices so take that into consideration before choosing this course of action.
I’ve been experimenting with this type of splice and here’s some observations.
1. A micro-torch will do the jobs of both a soldering iron and a heat gun & takes up a LOT less space in your tool bag.
2. This stuff smells BAD so be sure you are in a well ventilated area while doing it.
3. It isn’t as quick of an option as other splices so take that into consideration before choosing this course of action.
Add new reply
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