Connecting REALLY TINY wires (around #26)

[sailingharry]

I am attempting to wire up a couple of NMEA 0183 devices, including a Garmin GPSMap 545. The factory wiring provided for 0183 devices is, to say the least, very tiny! The wires are about the size of telephone wire -- perhaps #24 or 26? The red heat shrink crimp terminals are rated down to #22, but they really look inappropriate.

What is considered "best practice" for terminating these small wires? Solder to a larger wire? Goober up the strands with solder to make them large enough to crimp? Strip back an inch of conductor and wrap around the unstripped wire, then crimp that? Use un-insulated crimp terminals and solder to them?

Or thinking outside the box, these gel-filled crimp terminals are rated to #26. Panbo discusses this type of connector, with sort of positive thoughts.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/25x-UR2-Gel-Filled-Telecom-Splicing-Connector-19-26AWG-CN1-3581-UR2-/360574405846#ht_1406wt_1124

And on a related note, how do you strip this stuff without cutting the strands? I'm finding the best answer appears to be using my teeth -- but that is probably not approved by ABYC or my dentist!

I want to put in a terminal strip as a "junction box" to connect to a longer run of wire. I just don't know how to connect the itsy bitsy factory crap to the terminal strip.

Thanks,

Harry

[transmitterdan]

I like spring loaded terminal blocks. They make a gas tight connection to the wire. They come in many sizes. Here is some info:

http://www.phoenixcontact.com/global...2953_21678.htm

I think Digi-Key and Mouser sell in the US. They are very common in Europe and Aus as well.


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[Capt.Alex]

Radio Shack sells small terminal blocks. Just insert the bare wire and tighten the screw. No crimp terminals necessary. looks like this-
http://www.amazon.com/Connector-Poin.../dp/B0053WRTQ8

[MarkJ]

I know the answer! But I have to make a phone call in 1 minute....

[El Pinguino]

Index Marine Index Marine | Cable Glands, Bulgin, Bulgin Buccaneer, Bulgin Connectors, Bulgin Plugs & More make high quality marine grade stuff Index Marine - Connector Strip

Penny to a pound any of the Radio Shack sort of stuff will have mild steel in it somewhere.....

[MarkJ]

I had this problem a year or so ago and posted here and was told by my Betters that one needs a special tool... Worth about $100 of course ... For me to join my two wires.

Probably need a stripping gun worth another hundred bucks too.

Anyway, I strip the wires with my thumb nail. Yep it works.
And then twist the 'lil buggers together. I was going to solder them but the wires are so fine that I thought they might melt. It would certainly melt the plastic.

To go into a terminal box on the power wires (same size as the 1083 wires) i piggy backed off some wires there already. In other words I just twisted them through the larger wires and shoved them in the terminal box.

As far as I can see in the chandlers there is NO system to properly join these STUPIDLY small wires.

Just do your best.

On the good side, the connections have not been a problem. Maybe the power in them is so low that a strong connection isnt all that necessary anyway.

Mark
PS all the links given so far for terminal boxes are FAR too large for these teeny-weeny wireletts. Who invented them?

[brazenarticle]

When connecting my gps to the vhf I used the gel filled telco connectors mentioned in your original post. I think I stripped the wire with a fingernail and a pinch, may have used a knife blade to gently score the cut.
The wire is too fine for the screw terminals, not stiff enough for the spring connectors.

[nigel1]

I used the ones you originally linked to, cheap as chips, water proof, and easy to make, no stripping and no special tools needed.
Raymarine recommended them for joining their signal wires.

[JK n Smitty]

I am a MaineSail groupie so I will suggest you check out the Compass Marine article. As usual, he provides a complete, easily understood article.

[Reefmagnet]

The telco gel connectors work ok. I'm going to use them to join a connector to suit my upgraded wind transducer to the old cable at the top of the mast due to the inconvenience of trying to solder up there. Usually I would just strip, twist and solder and then slip some heat shrink over the top which works fine for new wires (not so good for old, corroded ones).

On a side note, I've been using this style of wire stripper for near on the last 25 years. In fact I still use the original pair I brought way back then...



These will strip fine wire very precisely and aren't that pricey to buy.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

.........
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]What is considered "best practice" for terminating these small wires? .........

Crimp or solder, your choice. Of course the trick with crimping them is to find crimps small enough (and they do exist) but then you also have to have the "right" crimping tool so for a one off project, solder is usually the easiest way to go. Small iron, normal 60/40 thin solder (something around say 30 gauge) and some heat shrink tubing. Soldering such small wires is an everyday occurrence in a radio / electronics workshop

Originally Posted by MarkJ

.........
Anyway, I strip the wires with my thumb nail. Yep it works.
And then twist the 'lil buggers together. I was going to solder them but the wires are so fine that I thought they might melt. It would certainly melt the plastic...........

Yep, stripping is easy and so is the twisting
Solder won't melt the wires, they are still copper and your iron will never get hot enough to melt copper
Too much heat will melt too much plastic (insulation) but as you only need a tiny amount of heat to solder these wires, you will be OK providing the tip of the iron is small, the solder thin and you are quick with the soldering technique.

It is just a technique, one easily learned but the only trouble I have is seeing the little buggers these days. The magnifying glasses certainly help

[goboatingnow]

Most professional is uninsulated crimps and no solder. Gel filled scotch connectors are good too.

Alternatively just solder then together and heat shrink

Dave

[ShaunJ]

+1 on the telco connectors,we called these scotch locks when I used them as a cable splicer for the phone company. A few of the nice things about these are that you don't need much wire to do a repair, any pliers will crimp them, you can join different size conductors and up to 3 wires can be connected.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

Connecting REALLY TINY wires (around #26)
Harry

Think outside the box, I would just use RJ11 or RJ45 to connect them? You need to find the appropriate female side of RJ11 or 45.

[decktapper]

Hello Harry:
when I have to connect small wires, I first strip both, then put them side by side instead of end to end. Next I either tie them or wire tie them together on the insulated part of the wires. I prefer to solder, and then heat shrink.
Good luck however you do it.