Solder pot

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infinity

infinity

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New Jersey
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Journeyman Electrician
That connection will likely last forever. :grin:
My only concern would be if the wire-nut is rated to be used on soldered connections.
 
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WinZip

Senior Member
What possibly could happen to the connection or the wire nut if in fact the wire nut was not rated for solder connection and it is low voltage.
 
dmagyar

dmagyar

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Rocklin, Ca.
Solder pots

Solder pots

I use a solder pot for tinning my control wiring, it works nicely to keep the strands together and gives a little more stiffness to the wire at a terminal. I started using lead free solder with a soldering gun but the tip was a pain to keep clean. Using the solder pot alleviated that plus it's faster with the condition that you can't be in a hurry when using it, as if you spill it you've got a good chance of burning yourself.

http://www.howardelectronics.com/goot/pot22c.html

For the low voltage connections I use a Buchanan crimp tool & sleeves and then tape and skotchcote the connection. http://www.tequipment.net/IdealC24.asp
 
zog

zog

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Location
Charlotte, NC
That is some cool old school stuff, reminds me of my Navy days, my motto was "The bigger the glob, the better the job". (They kept me away from the solder)
 
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WinZip

Senior Member
I can't tell you how many residents we have been to that needed land scape lighting cabling repairs and most of the problems were due to loose connections either from original install or just became loose over time but when you solder those connections there good an solid tight and will last.

As far as using a weather/water proof wire nut I feel it's ok to use but as Iwire said they may not be rated for solder connections the only other way is heat shrink.
 
e57

e57

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Location
San Francisco, CA
WinZip said:
I can't tell you how many residents we have been to that needed land scape lighting cabling repairs and most of the problems were due to loose connections either from original install or just became loose over time but when you solder those connections there good an solid tight and will last.

As far as using a weather/water proof wire nut I feel it's ok to use but as Iwire said they may not be rated for solder connections the only other way is heat shrink.
Click to expand...
Oh - I agree - and Ill say it again:

e57 said:
Just about 75% of all fixture wires are tinned with solder.... :roll:

But you could just seal them in 3M epoxy packs... Skip the nut all-together...
Click to expand...
 
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macmikeman

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Location
Planet macmikeman
Bulk of "landscape" low voltage light problems I have fixed have been cheap fixtures, splices gone bad, insects managing to make a nest inside the fixture and bring in a lot of soil/ moisture. In that order. There is some fixtures that need to go straight from the box on the shelf at the Big Box to the garbage pail, and save everybody the headache of what is bound to happen with them in about a year.
 
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wireguru

Senior Member
few years ago I put LV lighting in the front yard. I have nothing but trouble with it. Fixtures falling apart, sockets getting loose and lamps not maintaining contact, etc. When I did the back yard, I ran 1/2in PVC with #14 in it, and used line voltage 3 tier pagoda lights, and some red dot fully enclosed floodlights that take an R20 lamp. Best thing I have ever done....zero maintenance problems, the posts the pagoda lights sit on have concrete poured around them so no problem when a hose gets hooked on one. I figured the cost and it wasnt much more than what would have been spent on material for LV lighting including the larger wire and transformer. Line Voltage landscape lighting = win.
 
e57

e57

Senior Member
Location
San Francisco, CA
Cow said:
Do you have a part #, who do you usually buy them from? Your electrical supply house? Cost/pack?

I checked 3m's site and this is all I found, it looks like it encapsulates a wirenut connection to waterproof it:

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...3K44_nid=DGMM8KPX9ZgsW0HPW8J5QMglKSQS8DCWMZbl
Click to expand...

Yep thats them. But if your soldering IMO you could just stick it in there - but hey just put on a nut, and seal it up....

It took me a while to find them - not all supply houses carry them here - and when I did I got a bunch...

But here is how they work. Splice it - solder - wire nut - what ever... Then you have to mash this little bag and break a seal between to parts... It can be a PITA - the little seal is fickle... But once it goes and you can squish the two parts it heats up the you cut an opening jamb your wires in and tape it shut. Never had one go bad yet...
 
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wireguru

Senior Member
could also use adhesive lined heatshrink and pinch it together between each wire coming out, creating a waterproof seal.
 
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