I hate soldering!

[zeebyrd]

So I am hooking up a fish finder. I bought a few different connectors including solder seals. None of it worked. So I had to resort to soldering to get it to work. Ugh.

I want to see the contours of Jennings Randolph. With the water the color it is I can’t tell what kind of SAV is present.

I was about to quit putting the unit together when I decided to resort to soldering. Having carpal tunnel syndrome does not work well with soldering on top of me not liking to solder.

I guess I should practice soldering to get better at it. There’s a lot of room for improvement! Plus I need to get surgery as the carpal tunnel issue is only getting worse.

[J.A. Veil]

Sorry about your carpal tunnel issues. I have installed quite a few FF/GPS units on kayaks. I used butt connectors to connect wires and spade connectors for the end that goes to the battery. They work fine in brackish water and would also work in freshwater. You insert the wire into the connector and crimp with pliers or a crimping tool. If you want to make it more waterproof, use heat shrink tubing over top or cover the ends of the connectors with Goop.

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[zeebyrd]

Hi John,

For whatever reason butt connectors, solder seal connectors and whatever else I tried just didn’t work. I wasn’t getting a connection. I resorted to soldering because I knew it would be a very strong connection.

I should say that I was able to crimp a terminal connector for the battery on the positive side. The negative I soldered as it was a thin wire and soldering worked.

I was getting concerned that I either damaged the unit or I was going to have to take it somewhere to get wired correctly. I was about to give up when I decided one last option was soldering.

I intend on taking the connection apart and redoing it. It’s not as neat as I would like. I also need to dig out my collection of heat shrink sleeves.

I want to get better at soldering as it’s something that has frustrated me with every fish finder I have ever had.

I always tell everyone I was an accountant for well over 30 years. We didn’t study soldering at the U of MD. LOL

[bignose]

Sorry to hear about your carpal tunnel issues. I can sympathize, I just found out that the Rheumatoid Arthritis I've been treated for for a year and a half is actually Psoriatic Arthritis. I'm watching the skin on my hands blister and peel, they look worse than the picture of the bluefish John Veil posted yesterday.
I start med #7 in a couple of weeks.

Have you tried heat shrink connectors? Just gotta match the wire diameter.

I don't like soldering thin electrical connections, even after 35 years of teaching shop.
Are you using rosin core solder? That's what should be used for electrical soldering. Be sure to wash off any residue left.

[zeebyrd]

Bignose,

I hate to admit it but I used an unknown (label missing from spool). I have since found a few more rolls of solder with labels. I plan on redoing the connection so these come in handy.

I didn’t think it would work or I would have paid attention to what I was using

My work room is currently on the dark side of things. I have an electrician who is going to wire up the room for me. So even with the one light bulb I need a flashlight if I need to find anything.

[Jigsup]

Hmm. Solder seal connectors are my go to ever since I’ve tried them for the first time and would use them over any other type of connector. It offers a very easy, simple water proof alternative to soldering. I’ve found that having the right heat on the solder in the middle of the connector plays a big role on how well the connection will hold. As long as the exposed wire strands aren’t twisted together and the solder is completely melted through the exposed wire strands it should be too to go. I’m shocked it worked against you.

[Slackdaddy]

Bignose,

I hate to admit it but I used an unknown (label missing from spool). I have since found a few more rolls of solder with labels. I plan on redoing the connection so these come in handy.

I didn’t think it would work or I would have paid attention to what I was using

My work room is currently on the dark side of things. I have an electrician who is going to wire up the room for me. So even with the one light bulb I need a flashlight if I need to find anything.

Solders like you may have been using plumbing solder.
Make sure you are using a roll of electrical solder, such as rosin core.
I hate crimp connectors, I always solder the wires and 2 layers of shrink tube.

[zeebyrd]

Solders like you may have been using plumbing solder.
Make sure you are using a roll of electrical solder, such as rosin core.
I hate crimp connectors, I always solder the wires and 2 layers of shrink tube.

The original solder I used was probably plumbing solder knowing who used it last. I did find some resin core and used that.

Though I like the idea of solder seal and crimps, when you consider the size of the wire that Lowrance uses (pic below) soldering to me was my best option for a strong connection.

I have soldered a few more things and no longer hate soldering. I just need to be patient while soldering - and patience isn’t easy to come by sometimes. IMG_9987.jpg

[lurelunatic]

Hmm. Solder seal connectors are my go to ever since I’ve tried them for the first time and would use them over any other type of connector. It offers a very easy, simple water proof alternative to soldering. I’ve found that having the right heat on the solder in the middle of the connector plays a big role on how well the connection will hold. As long as the exposed wire strands aren’t twisted together and the solder is completely melted through the exposed wire strands it should be too to go. I’m shocked it worked against you.

I'm a big fan of solder seal connectors too! They have proven to be a straightforward and waterproof solution for me. You're def right about the importance of getting the heat just right for a solid connection. It's surprising to hear they didn't work out for you