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Soldering resistors

5K views 32 replies 13 participants last post by  7xclm 
#1 ·
So I have removed the destroyed wire from my bike to the rear turn signals, now i have to rewire the lights. The resistor in the existing form is soldered near the light. I would like to solder it nearer to the wiring harness. Does it matter where the resistor goes? Nearer source (bike) or nearer destination (light)?

Dingo.
 
#4 ·
Nope, resistance is resistance as long as it's placed in the same pathway and no branching off into other circuits. Think of it as water flowing in a pipe and the resistor is a dam regulating the flow of water. If you have good soldering skills and the proper heat range iron and tip you should be able to solder the resistor.
 
#5 ·
Those legs on the resistors are really quite delicate - if it were me, I would get some heavy duty shrink tube (the hard plastic stuff) and use that to shrink over the wires leading up to the solder joint, the solder joint, and resistor - the whole shebang - to help fortify the connection.
 
#6 ·
Oh i will, just have to remove the old wires and solder new ones and lay out my wiring. Going to solder new wires into the bikes light connectors too to make replacement easier.

Dingo.
 
#7 · (Edited)
If you have extra resistors (cheap) and some spare wires, I really suggest you practice soldering together the two items. The problem is that when you wrap the stranded wire around the stiff wire sticking out of the resistor, the stranded wires tend to loosen sorta like a rope that doesn't stay tight at it's tie. Those resistors were meant for electrical breadboards. Even pressing the solder tip against the stranded wire tends to unravels it from the stiff wire.
 
#8 ·
You shouldn't need to press that hard.. Using a higher temp soldering iron and lightly touching the joint to transfer heat would work better..

I love messing with electronics and do a lot of custom circuit boards and soldering in electric guitars.. The capacitors, pots and micro circuit boards I mess with (in my active guitars) plus the thinness of the multi-strand wire is always a bear to mess with, an absolute nightmare if you don't have a good soldering iron and decent solder..

I used some hideous soldering irons in the past, which made a real mess of the job because I couldn't increase or decrease the temperature at the tip, so invested in a Weller WESD51 digital soldering station a few years ago and absolutely love it.. I also use a real thin 60/40 rosin core solder..

I solder everything I can, all the joints for the wiring I do on my bike are soldered and insulated.. I Never use crimps or caps if I have a choice..
 
#10 · (Edited)
They're not too expensive either. When you think about it though, any butt joint connector simplifies joining a stranded wire to a stiff wire (resistor legs). However for joining stranded wire to stranded wire, I prefer a copper to a copper contact. That is, overlapping the wires at the joint, either by a crimping or soldering the overlap.


*Instead of wrapping the wire strands around the resistor legs, maybe it's better to coil the resistor legs around the stranded wires. Internet pics.


 
#13 ·
Mark, I've switched over to eutectic solder (63/37) which melts at a set temperature instead of gradually like 60/40 (which you et al. already know). As far as I'm aware of, eutectic is not available in thin wire, so it takes a while to develop the knack to reach that melt temperature while holding things steady with all four hands. I guess a high temp solder iron might work better. The main thing the OP has to keep in mind is to use rosin core solder instead of the acid core.
 
#17 ·
here we go again! The reason for the over thinking is that it's so cumbersome soldering wires on a bike that you might as well do it properly in all it's incantations. By military specs? Absolutely.
Oh, Hell.. What? Are you guys, like, New or Sumpin'??!!??.. It's the process.. :lol:

First, Dingo (being the sane a rational person He is), asks a sane and simple question.

Next we answer it..

Then we meander a bit..

Then we meander a LOT! ...

...Well... At least we never reached the point of discussing Aunt Adelina's Irresistorble Orange Mystery Puddin' Recipe, by this usual and circuitous route (this thread)..

But then.. :neutral: ...Dingo signed up for all this crap when he posed a simple question ;) .. :D

Dingo, do not forget the flux!!!!!!!!!!!
Darn Tootin', Mike.. Don't forget the Flux!

See that Star Trek Episode??.. Episode .. ...109 I think? Where the Flux Capacitor... .. Ooops! :mrgreen:
 
#18 ·
Good to see you back, thought we lost you for a while.

No flux for me, going to reuse the resistor (no place to buy them up here) and my solder is an all in one. I also have a RONA brand soldering iron made by weller, pricey but I got fed up buying a new iron every time I wanted to solder. I also have a 20 year old craft job that I just can't get rid of.

Dingo.
 
#19 ·
  • Are you guys, like, New or Sumpin'??!!??.. It's the process.

  • Dingo (being the sane a rational person He is), asks a sane and simple question.

  • Next we answer it..

  • Then we meander a bit..

  • Then we meander a LOT!
In no particular order, you're over thinking things. In a nutshell, Dingo's thread has been assimilated. Is this necessary a bad thing. Well, nought if the tangents are chalked full of useful nuances of such infinite value, lol, that it benefits the OP immeasurably. As in, "But you still haven't answered the question."
 
#27 ·
My LED rear turn signals came with resistors installed. My wire was destroyed mysteriously on a cross country move while strapped into an enclosed trailer. As there was very little factory wire left I am going to rerun with new wires. In an effort to avoid splicing the front indicator and my LED's not having bleed over before I want to add the resistors into the run, I am also going to reuse the factory connectors in the mix.

Dingo.
 
#28 ·
Resistors dont stop bleed over, diodes do. And having external resistors means your turn signals arent rated for 12V and probably arent safe for that use. But be careful. Also you dont need to splice wires from the front, just use the junctions under the seat?
 
#30 ·
Well, luck of the Scottish, was talking to a buddy who works at the shop where I bought the lights. It seems the company has a new light supplier who is taking over the odds and sods display where my lights were. As the lights were to be chucked (in the trash) he grabbed a new set and they are in the post on the way. I will still fix my old ones for backup but free stuff is good. As I have the fender off this time I am chopping the metal frame and moving stuff on the plastic for a cleaner look. Will post when done I am sure.

Dingo.
 
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