Connecting electrical wires

JonathanRyan

JonathanRyan

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I have some bell wire I ned to connect. It's actually running LED strips - 12V and a max of 24W. Currently I'm using those little white plastic connector blocks with screw terminals in but they are quite chunky.

Apart from soldering (I'm really terrible at it) what's the best way to join wire like this end to end? I've seen crimp connector but I don't have a crimp tool. I've also seen Wago connectors and in line push fit things in Screwfix but I reckon those may be for mains thickness only.

What should I get?
 
Crimping set.... online £6 from bircoelectrical or about £10 from machinemart. Not connected to either by the way. Or just under £20 from screwfix which does include quite a lot of connectors.
 
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Long nose or thin pliers will do just as well as specialist crimping pliers and have a use afterwards.
 
JonathanRyan said:
What should I get?
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Better at soldering!!! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Slip some heat shrink sleeving over even badly soldered joins (even you should be able to get the wires connecting and reasonably smooth) and the job should be a good'un.
 
I'd crimp it as well, I'd also go for bullet ones so you can separate from the supply should you need too.

Depending on the thickness of the bell wire, will depend on which colour bullet you'd require.
 
You're best bet and thinnest option would be to solder - if you're not confident / good at soldering, you could tin each wire, then heat them together to solder them together and cover with heat shrink...

Pity you're not close by, otherwise I'd pop over and do it for you :)

If you're using bell wire, you might struggle with some connectors as they may not grip / crimp - ensure you use small connectors if you do go down this route...
 
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Ooo these all look good.

BTW it's probably not actual bell wire. It's probably 5A cable but I meant thin wire ;)
 
Offset the joins twist together as in pic No.1 ,"Wet" each join with solder for strength (I couldn't be bothered to do this for the demonstration...to be honest I'm surprised I'm having to demonstrate it! :) )
Cut a length of heat shrink tube and slide over the joint and apply heat to to the tubing, a hair dryer may give off enough heat for this though I have a nagging suspicion that you may not own a hairdryer, in which case pop next door and ask to borrow their hot air paint stripper thing (They're bound to have one.).
To be really professional you should also heat shrink the two strands of wire prior to the final encapsulation.
If there is already something else on either of the ends of wire to be joined, don't forget to slide on the heat shrink first, otherwise you will have cut out the repair and start the whole bloody process over again. Then you'll find the the cable is to short for it's intended purpose and you'll wonder why you bothered in the first place.

Glad to have been of help._DSC1657.jpg _DSC1659.jpg _DSC1660.jpg
 
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wagons are brilliant. Use them. Really good secure connection. I would use this any day instead of the white block connectors or just twisting wires together. (oh and soldering and heat shrink is the best lol)
 
Soldering & heat shrinking would be the best option, but second to that would be insulated through crimps which if your using with small wire will probably want to be red ones. Pliers imo will not do the same job as the correct crimp tool.

I would never recommend twisting wires together!

Wago push connectors are good with solid strand cable but not with stranded wire!
 
I would never recommend twisting wires together!
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Copper telephone cables have been jointed like that for decades, larger conductor sizes 0.63mm and above were soldered at the tip of the twist.
 
Graham W said:
I have a nagging suspicion that you may not own a hairdryer, in which case pop next door and ask to borrow their hot air paint stripper thing (They're bound to have one.).
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My neighbours are Scandinavian. I don't think they have paint in their house let alone a paint stripper...... :D
 
tijuana taxi said:
Copper telephone cables have been jointed like that for decades, larger conductor sizes 0.63mm and above were soldered at the tip of the twist.
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It's just not good practice plus phone lines draw much less current. If they are tinned it shouldn't be a problem but if you are going to add solder you may as well do a proper splice.
 
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