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Actually I have two problems, but this one is most annoying:

I have like 10 wires I want to solder to the pins of a pin header (2.54 mm distance apart).

Initially I kept like 5 mm of the end of each wire noninsulated, to be able to solder it to the pin. However, I found out it's quite a lot, since two adjecent wires may touch each other eventually.

Now I keep the noninsulated distance just a few mm, but I prefer not to redo the wires I already did (some of them are not on pin wires, but on components directly and it would get messy removing the solder).

How can I 'fix' this. What I could come up with:

  1. Of course making the non insulated ends very small.
  2. Putting heat shrink tube around the wire before soldering and slide it as much as possible to the end and heat it. Quite some extra work though. Never tried heat shrink tubing, so maybe even the solder might get ruined?
  3. Sticking tape in between/over it, but the tape might get off later.

I wonder if there are better solutions.

Another problem I have, is that I didn't make the most beautiful soldering joints from some wires to some components (Hi Link AC/DC converters). They have short pins only and I'm a bit weary to remove the solder. However, I had already twice that when I put 220-250V on it, the wire broke lose from the component. Probably a cold solder connection? And what to do (probably redo the soldering?)

(sorry for not having pictures, the 'project' is not next to me now).

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    \$\begingroup\$ For the next time around: Strip the wires. Tin them (apply a coat of solder to them.) Clip the tinned end of the wire to like 1or 2mm. Solder to the PCB. \$\endgroup\$
    – JRE
    Oct 17, 2018 at 14:29
  • \$\begingroup\$ @JRE Thanks for that tip. I put the tin on them only when I soldered it to the pins/component. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michel Keijzers
    Oct 17, 2018 at 14:32
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    \$\begingroup\$ Is using a crimp contact and a matching plug for the header not an option? \$\endgroup\$
    – Arsenal
    Oct 17, 2018 at 14:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Arsenal hmm didn't think about this, I don't know if space allows but that would be a good option (I would need to glue it for having it fixed but that's no problem). \$\endgroup\$
    – Michel Keijzers
    Oct 17, 2018 at 14:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ Place kapton tape between the pins. \$\endgroup\$
    – analogsystemsrf
    Oct 17, 2018 at 14:50

1 Answer 1

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You really need to practice your soldering technique before you start your next project. Having wires with 220VAC on them flapping around loose is no joke.

But, to save the current one, you can simply use adhesive (hot-melt glue, superglue, whatever) to fix the wires in place so that the exposed conductors don't short to each other.

When a wire breaks loose, there's no option other than resoldering it, and then providing some kind of strain relief so that it doesn't happen again.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ You are right indeed. I think I will use solder wick to remove the current blobs and redo it better. And use adhesive. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michel Keijzers
    Oct 17, 2018 at 14:31

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