Alternative to soldering wires for lighting

[ulvdemon]

I was wondering if there is an alternative to soldering wires when lighting a model? I've seen that there are wire connectors (T shape) and wondered if this a viable option or waste?

[Tracy White]

It can depend on the component / product, but the original Madman lighting sets had instructions that had a technique for twisting wire together. I never bought a set and can't find a copy of an instructions but my recollection was that one would stirp a length of wire (say an inch) and then form an L sape with each end so that if you laid them out the shielded wire ran right up to each other and the stripped wire portions stuck out perpendicular and next to each other. These pieces one would twist together the length of the stripped wire, and then fold over about half-way down to help lock in the twist and provide more contact area, etc.

This doesn't help with terminal blocks, etc, but if you are using standard LED with the metal legs you could also wrap the cable around the leg and maybe bend the last couple of MMs with some pliers so that the wrapping can't slide off. There are tools one can buy for wrapping as well.

There are also videos on youtube for wire wrapping that may help (random sampling, I don't know of "the best" clip):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXvEDM-m9CE

[Kekker]

Have you thought about the shrink wrap tubes that have low temp solder in them? Like these?

They can work with just a lighter. The tube shrinks, the solder melts, boom - waterproof soldered join. The ones above are just an example, I'm sure with a bit of looking you can find a set of the size and amount you need.

[Andrew Gorman]

There's nothing scary about soldering ! Practice on a few scraps, make sure the the wires are hot enough for the solder to flow as soon as it touches the wires and you are good to go. Here is the old reliable Western Union splice which can work cold:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Union_splice

[cappy]

There is Electrically conductive epoxy

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/813 ... L1500_.jpg

[jpolacchi]

Not many alternatives to soldering....there's a couple in here I didn't know about. You can intertwine/twist the wire ends together(strip the ends about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, make sure they are super clean), like a "physical bond" but it may not be as strong as soldering or using a metal/electrical conductive epoxy. Then of course there is the "plug ins". Look up some tutorials on YOUTUBE.

[Richard Baker]

Never used it with a commissioned build but I had success for many years just wrapping the two wires together, not elegant but there is no stress on them inside the model.
In around 40 lighted models I only had two have any sort of issue and those only lost one of the lights...

[Mr. E Man]

Terminal block?


E

[seam-filler]

Terminal block?

Micro crimp joint connectors?

[Kylwell]

Get a decent soldering iron. That fixed 99% of the soldering issues I used to have. Temperature control makes a world of difference.

[ulvdemon]

I have a pretty good soldering iron. Just recall awhile ago that I saw a video on using t shape style connectors for connecting wires without soldering. As with all things, I can no longer find the video/article. So I figured that some of the people on here who do more lighting work then I do may know what I was trying to find.