butane or 260w soldeing kit

[wyreman]

I have to improve a whole bunch of landscape lighting connections done in #12/2 landscaper cable.
I will have to buy a soldering kit.
I looked through the posts here for quite a while and now post my question.

What is the recommended kit for this application?
I am leaning toward buying a butane soldering kit, some eutectic 63/37 solder and some heat shrink tubing.
the other choice would be a 260w Weller, eutectic solder and epoxy packs over wire nuts.
Could also get a soldering pot, but the job is one off and not that big.

Finally, the garden is used as a vegetable garden and maybe it's better just to twist the wires and use the blue nuts!

My concern is that the butane torch will not have as much heating ability as the 260w Weller gun
Also, that windy conditions might make the torch difficult to use.
But the torch would be more useful to shrink the tubing!

Any insights?
Thanks

 

[cadpoint]

I'd butt joint compression then heat shrink with a heat gun.

 

[jumper]

Standard for me. No solder needed.

 

[Little Bill]

You won't like the butane torch, especially outside. I have found some use for them inside, but if the solder or wire require much heat you're out of luck. I will agree they are great for shrinking the tubing.

 

[hurk27]

Any type of outdoor underground connection requires sealing against moisture, no connection will hold up if water can make a connection between the wire and Earth, for landscape wires the blue wire nuts with dielectric grease in them works good as long as you don't strip the wire too long and have exposed copper, when using heat shrink and butt splices or set screw type, I make sure the heat shrink is the type that has the hot glue inside that seals both ends, and encapsulates the connection, soldering a connection might seem like a good choice but it too will fail if moisture gets in.

Also while stripping or cutting your wire, it is important to not expose any of the conductor anywhere outside the sealed point, one little nick and it will fail.

 

[hbiss]

I'm a little confused here. Are you saying that you want to solder wires with a torch? I hope not. Now, if you are referring to a butane heated soldering iron that would be fine but I get the impression that's not what you are talking about because you mention using it to shrink the sleeving too. I can tell you that a torch with a fine flame isn't going to do that very well either. :happysad:

Since it sounds like you don't have much experience in this area I would suggest the soldering gun and a heat gun for the shrink.


One last question that I have to ask- what's this statement got to do with anything?

... the garden is used as a vegetable garden and maybe it's better just to twist the wires and use the blue nuts! :?


-Hal

 

[Little Bill]

I'm a little confused here. Are you saying that you want to solder wires with a torch? I hope not. Now, if you are referring to a butane heated soldering iron that would be fine but I get the impression that's not what you are talking about because you mention using it to shrink the sleeving too. I can tell you that a torch with a fine flame isn't going to do that very well either. :happysad:



-Hal

I think he is talking about a butane soldering iron, they are sometimes referred to as "torches". The little window that you see the flame in is great for heating heat shrink tubing.

 

[Twoskinsoneman]

I think he is talking about a butane soldering iron, they are sometimes referred to as "torches". The little window that you see the flame in is great for heating heat shrink tubing.

+1
I love my little Snap-on Butane Soldering kit. Self lighting, very hot, and as Bill said the exhaust is perfect the heat shrink.
Also wanted to add that I believe a properly soldered joint is as strong and enduring as anything else. I may butt splice and heat shrink on the job, but when I did the 12vdc landscape lighting at MY house I soldered.