Best way to splice very small wires for electronic sensor?

[gsxrken]

My landscaper must have weed-whacked my pool’s Salt Water Generator salinity sensor wire. Assuming this is a very low current, sensitive signal, what’s the best way for me to repair this wire? Solder? Wire nuts, crimp on connectors etc? Links are welcome. Thanks!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I would have to say solder, use flux and heat shrink tube for each wire and then a large heat shrink tube for the whole thing. There are nice soldering jigs that hold each one in place making it painless.

[Zeke]

If you have crimps that's what I'd do. I do soldering on old radios and it's a bit fussy, but if you're set up for it then that's good too. Shaun's advice on SR is good. Some is water proof.

I use electronic grade rosin core so no flux needed on a fresh wire like those. Do an inline twist if you can. Otherwise a pigtail folded over and wrapped works fine.

BTW, if you have any Cat 5 connectors laying around, they have eight wires too.

[blucille]

Pool wiring. Outdoors. I’d get some glue lined shrink tubing. Solder and shrink.

[greglepore]

Its 24 volts more or less, dc. 5 amps or so. Not as sensitive as you'd think. Shrink wrap and solder. Larger issue might be stripping without damage, if so, burn off the insulation but clean well before solder.

[Alan A]

Use a deutsch connector. Simples.

[fintstone]

I would use the same type Heat Shrink Butt Connectors (Butt Splice, Insulated Waterproof Electrical Marine Automotive Wire Crimp Terminals) that I use for trailer wiring (like these):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08J7MZSX7?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

since I have the crimping tool and heat gun.

But solder and heat shrink would be fine (If you don't have the tools and don't want to make the investment) ...it just would need a bit more care in waterproofing.

[dad911]

I'd probably use waterproof sprinkler-wire connectors.

these just need simple pliers to connect:

https://a.co/d/cjetdpn

[911Ghia]

Saw this inside of NAGRA tape recorders. Take an appropriate sized jewelers screwdriver, 28ga bussbar wire, wrap that around the driver creating a barrel 3/16- 1/4” long. Slip on some shrink tube, strip the wires, insert the wires and solder. I always try to stagger them, cover with adhesive shrink tube.
You can do any size wire with the appropriate mandrel and buss bar wire.
Beauty is it can be undone when you want,

Rich

[blucille]

I've used these on exterior lights, when burying I then put another piece of heat shrink on top, but the connections have been 100% stable and reliable for me, easy, quick, painless.

https://www.amazon.com/Connectors-Sopoby-Waterproof-Electrical-Automotive/dp/B0BKSJQC9Q/

[craigster59]

3M Scotchlok connectors. Insert wire and crimp down the button. It releases a silicone for waterproofing and connectivity.

https://www.newtechindustries.com/3m-scotchlok-idc-uy2-connectors-2-wire-19-26-awg/

[gsxrken]

Excellent suggestions- thank you.

[Rusty Heap]

1 piece heatshrinksolder butt connectors are a god send right up there with Velcro and Post it notes. I use a HF 1500 watt heat gun and works even with 10 awg wire splices with lots of heat to melt band of solder.

[Superman]

Crimp connections are hard to beat but if you make the individual connections in the same spot, then the whole mess is going to be much thicker than the rest of the cable. Small butt splice crimp connections are ideal I think, but you'd need the right connectors and crimping tool. Stagger the connections if you can afford to lose an inch or two of length. Individual tiny water tight shrink tubes for the connections and a water tight tube for the cable as the last step. Those connections would likely outlast the ones at either end.

Soldering is a poor splice method, IMHO. Hard to do, and not as reliable as a good crimp. But you know....it might work fine.

[notmytarga]

My evaluation of your pathological picture says hedge trimmer rather than weed string trimmer.
It looks like one chomp rather than the attack of the string whirling.

It is possible that only 2,3,4 etc of the wires go to an active terminal - if so those are the only ones that may need connecting. My whole Jandy set up for the panel communication is only 4 conductors (but using 4 of the 8 Cat -5 leads)

[blucille]

While it’s all disconnected. You might want to slide a piece of conduit over the exposed wires and the new splices to prevent this from happening again.

[id10t]

I would look at possibly replacing the entire cable, or maybe cutting flush and recrimping a new connector in place if you have enough length left

[Shaun @ Tru6]

that's a good idea Steve, there are good waterproof connectors available. And you can unplug when the mad weedwacker comes by again.

I don't like the idea of crimps for the sole reason is you end up with a massive "bulb" in the cable all wrapped up with electrical tape. I think it's an OCD thing.

[911 Rod]

Or use an 8 pin plug if you don't have enough wire and can't take the original apart.

[id10t]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

that's a good idea Steve, there are good waterproof connectors available. And you can unplug when the mad weedwacker comes by again.

I don't like the idea of crimps for the sole reason is you end up with a massive "bulb" in the cable all wrapped up with electrical tape. I think it's an OCD thing.

Sorry, all my small fine wire experience is with network cables, so I look at that connector on the end and think "crimp new one in place", not meaning "crimp wires together"