How to Solder Wires to Connectors?

If you want to solder wires to connectors, it is important that you know the basics of soldering.

When it comes to making electrical connections, the solder joint is one of the strongest. This post will show you how to use a soldering iron and wire stripper in order to make a strong connection between two wires. The process is easy enough for beginners, but does take some practice before you can do it quickly.

Soldering vs. Crimping Wires to Connectors:

Soldering

Soldering is the process of joining two or more items using heated metal known as solder. Unlike welding, the objects — a cable and a connector — are not heated. Rather, the filler metal is simply heated. As the solder warms up, it’s put between the wire and the connector. Once it cools, the solder sets hard, joining the cable to the connector.

Soldering has been used for thousands of years, with some of the oldest known examples dating back to Mesopotamia more than 5,000 years ago. Since then, it’s been used in a wide range of settings, including jewelry manufacturing, computer repairs, stained glass creation, cookware and cable connections.

Crimping

Crimping is the process of connecting two cables using a special tool, called a crimping tool. To join two wires with a connector, place it in the tool. Then you need to grip the exposed wire and insert it into the connector. Finally, you squeeze the crimping tool’s handle, at which time the connection is made between the connector and cable.

For cable connections, crimping usually produces a stronger and more durable connection than soldering. For several important reasons, crimping outperforms soldering when it comes to cable connections. The first and foremost reason is that cable connections are protected from moisture, dirt, and debris when they are crimped because to the formation of an air-tight seal between the cable and the connector. As a result, the crimped cable will not be exposed to moisture, dirt, or debris. Soldering does not provide this degree of protection.

Crimping is typically agreed to be simpler than soldering by electricians. Soldering isn’t overly difficult, but it does need patience and precision when heated solder is placed between the connector and the wire. Crimping is a simpler, more automated method of joining the two components. The cable and connection are placed into the crimping tool, which is squeezed by hand.

Soldering a Connector on Wire:

1. Remove the Old Connector

The first step is to unplug the old connection. It’s a three-pronged ec3 connector. You can either remove the pins and desolder the wire or just cut it off. Just cut it off.

Don’t cut both wires at the same time when cutting. The blade may inadvertently short the lipo, which can be dangerous.

Also, to avoid inadvertently shorting the wire, cover it with a bit of heat shrink after cutting off the connector.

2. Prepare the Wires

It’s time to prepare the wires now by removing and tinning the insulation. Simply cut the insulation off a silicone wire with your blade. You don’t need to go overboard; about 3-4mm (0.01 inches) should be enough. Also, remember to heat-shrink the wire before soldering.

It is time for tinning. Using the soldering iron, melt the solder onto the wire by touching it to the lipo wire. The soldering iron should be applied to it to melt the solder on top of it. Before tinning, apply some flux to the wire. Flux aids in the adhesion of the solder. Don’t use too much flux since it might damage the metal.

3. Solder to the Connector

You’ll need to solder the wire to the connector afterward. First, you need to tin the connector. To ensure you’re soldering it correctly, check the polarity.

To keep the connection straight, wrap a plier with a rubber band and place the connector in it.

Repeat for the other wire. It’s much easier if you keep the connector horizontal rather than vertical. When people see a connector, they frequently believe that they must push the wire all of the ways into a pool of solder. All you have to do is solder it to the exposed portion. The bond should be extremely strong as long as the tinning and the soldering quality are adequate.

The quickest way to solder wires to connectors:

• Start by cutting a wire of 2cm length and remove no more than 1mm of insulation from its ends. On one end, slightly flatten it so you can solder the wire to the connector’s “tab”. Don’t worry about having a little piece of wire at the tip after you pull it away from being flattened: we will take care of it later with some plier work;
• Attach your flux or flux pen (if using lead-free solder), heat up both surfaces (the tab on the connector and the flattened portion of your wire) for around 2 seconds before applying solder. The heat will make the solder flow easily;

• After you’ve applied the time the appropriate amount of solder, remove your iron’s tip from both surfaces and let it cool down for a few seconds while still in contact with them (this is to avoid having large drops of melted alloy falling on the tab);
• Then, take some side cutters or diagonal pliers and simply pull away excess wire, without forgetting about that little flattened bit we left at the beginning;
• Finally, give some form to your final product so it’ll hold its shape when inserted into slots;

Comparison of Different Soldering Techniques for Wires to Connectors

There are various techniques and materials that can be used to make a secure and reliable connection. In this table, we compare the performance of different soldering techniques based on various indicators.

Explanation:

• Joint Strength: This indicates the strength and reliability of the connection between the wire and the connector. A stronger joint is more resistant to mechanical stress and vibration.
• Electrical Conductivity: This indicates how well the connection conducts electricity. A higher conductivity ensures a better flow of current through the connection.
• Thermal Conductivity: This indicates how well the connection conducts heat. A higher thermal conductivity ensures a better dissipation of heat generated by the current flowing through the connection.
• Ease of Use: This indicates how easy it is to perform the soldering or connection process. Techniques that are easier to use require less skill and experience, and are generally more accessible to beginners.
• Cost: This indicates the relative cost of the materials and tools required for each technique. Techniques that are more expensive may offer better performance or quality, but may not be cost-effective for all applications.

Overall, the choice of soldering technique depends on the specific requirements of the application, such as the type of wire and connector, the current and voltage levels, and the environmental conditions. Lead-based solder is a popular choice for its excellent performance and low cost, but lead-free solder may be preferred for health and environmental reasons. Silver solder and brazing offer superior performance

Check more soldering guides to improve your skills:

• How to Solder Jump Rings?
• How to Solder a Radiator?
• How Strong is Solder?

FAQ

1. Can you solder a connector?

Yes, you can solder a connector. It’s not ideal to do so though because soldering is more prone to breaking over time than crimping.

2. How do you connect wires to wire connectors?

You can attach wires to wire connectors by soldering. To do so, use a crimping tool and insert the connector into it. Then solder your wires onto the pins inside of the connector.

What about just wiring them together? This is possible too but not ideal because you won’t get any strain relief from that kind of connection due to having no connector. If you have lots of spare strands or are using thicker gauge wire then this might be a good decision.

Otherwise, it’s best to either buy some connectors for these smaller connections (which will also help prevent shorts) or instead try getting an XT60 which has better protection against shorting out thanks to being larger in size than standard bullet plugs. You could always go with other options like an EC-30 or the similar-sized XT90s too [1].

You could also get a solder ring to go around both wires if you’re not interested in buying anything else. What this does is it melts together two wire strands into one larger strand that’s better protected against shorting out but doesn’t provide any strain relief though(so be sure to check for shorts regularly).

3. How do you solder a broken connector?

To solder a broken connector, you’ll need to:

• Cut the wire as close to the break-in it as possible;
• Then strip both wires back about an inch or two and tin them using your soldering iron;
• Next, put some flux on the end of each wire that isn’t stripped yet (flux helps with adhesion);
• Now simply line up both pieces of metal inside the barrel part of the connector, hold down one side until it touches while also holding down your soldering iron against it which will melt together both strands into one solid piece;

4. Can you solder electrical connections?

Yes, you can solder electrical connections. Doing so is much safer than using wire nuts or tape because it makes the connection more robust and also water-resistant which helps prevent shorts due to corrosion.

5. How do you solder a male connector?

You can solder a male connector by ensuring that the connection is sturdy. You might need to twist it around for this purpose if you’re soldering on something like an XT60 because it’s so large and heavy-duty.

Then strip off some of the wire insulation back, about half an inch or more (the less stripped wire strands there are, the stronger your bond will be).

You should tin one wire strand using your solder iron and put some flux onto both pins inside of the plug before doing so.(flux helps with adhesion).

Finally, push down one side while holding your soldering iron against it that will melt together both wires into one solid piece.

6. How do you solder a wire to a female connector?

Soldering a wire to a female connector is easy. Just strip back one of the wires, about half an inch or more(the fewer stripped wire strands there are, the stronger your bond will be).

Then tin both pins and put some flux onto them before doing so.(flux helps with adhesion).

Finally, put down that side while holding your soldering iron against it that will melt together both wires into one solid piece.

7. Do soldered crimp connectors work well?

Crimp connections are more convenient in high-vibration situations since the mechanical lock ensures that the wire stays connected. However, they aren’t as conducive as a soldered connection. Soldered connectors have a higher conductivity but are more prone to work-harden and fracture [2].

8. What are female and male connectors?

Both female and male connectors are types of HDMI connectors:

• Female connectors have a wider pin arrangement;
• Male connectors have a more narrow pin arrangement;

The overall shell casing of the connector is typically shaped differently to accommodate for this difference in pins, where the females have straight edges on most sides of their casing surrounding their contacts, while the males have narrower connections on most sides of their casing surrounding their contacts [3].

9. How do you solder a connector pin?

The connector pin is the easiest part to solder because it doesn’t need any insulation stripped off. Just ensure that your connection is sturdy and then tin both wires using your soldering iron before you put them together. Flux helps with adhesion.

Finally, hold down one wire while also holding down your soldering iron against it that will melt together both strands into one solid piece.

Don’t forget about flux if you’re having trouble making a good connection! It is always best to use as much as possible since it can help prevent heat damage by acting as an insulator (so don’t be cheap).

Useful Video: How To Solder Wires Like A Pro

References:

1. https://www.mrpositive.co.nz/buying/knowledge-base/know-your-connector/
2. https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/soldered-crimp-connectors-work-well/
3. https://www.techwalla.com/articles/what-is-the-difference-between-male-and-female-hdmi-connectors