Thread: Power cable splicing

Originally Posted by girbot

OKay I was unsure on where to post this at (power supplys or lcd sections) but I fiqured that people who know alot about power would look at these fourms so...

OKay I want to extend the power supply cable on my lilliput monitor. I have the cable that connects to the lilliput, to a small fuse box, and then to a cigerate light port, and a cigar lighter cable with nothing attached to it. Basicly I have one of these:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a63/girbot/lil4.jpg

*note: this is not the same as the one I have (mine is a black square box)*\

and this:

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a63.../cig-large.jpg

I want to cut off the plug part on the lilliputs and attach the longer cable one.

I know this is not rocket science and I should have no problem doing this. I just want to know:

1. If its possible and wont set the car a-flame
2. which would be the best way to do it
3. what do you think about my idea?

Cut the wire, solder the extension to the old wire, cover the bare wire (where you have the solder) with electric tape. You will be fine.

after reading your 2 sentence reply I came to a startling conclusion....

Why diden't I think of that?!?

any way thanks for the reply, I am sadly a novice to soldering and was wondering how I should do it. I know I heat up the cables being soldered but do I use that solder material stuff?

You don't heat up the cables, you heat up the tin solder.

Yes, you will need the tin solder material. There are hundreds of write-ups on soldering techniques. search google for them. i had a nice one with videos but its on my favorites at home. When i get back I'll post the link for you. It is quiet simple.

If you find soldering difficult and want an alternative, you can use wire junctions or strip terminals to join separate wires. The only problem is that they are huge compared to the wire size, and in some applications (space tight areas) it is difficult to find a place for them

something like these:

Ya I think I will be going with soldeing. Where my monitor is mounted extra space is hard to find. I will hit up google for a soldering guide, but a video one would be great.

ok here it is:
http://www.boxgods.com/dept/modding/...Article&ID=190

If you solder, I'd use heatshrink tubing over the connections when you're done. (Which means you have to slip it on before you solder )

If you're worried about soldering, use "butt connectors".

Then use electrical tape to carefully wrap them up.

okay so you just slip on the heat shrink tube and use a blow dryer or something to shrink the tube? These can be used instead of soldering? Are these better, same, worse then soldering?


Thanks for the link ramy_zohair, this is A LOT better then ones I have been looking at.

Originally Posted by girbot

okay so you just slip on the heat shrink tube and use a blow dryer or something to shrink the tube? These can be used instead of soldering? Are these better, same, worse then soldering?


Thanks for the link ramy_zohair, this is A LOT better then ones I have been looking at.

No. Heatshrink is to protect the wire, not join it. If you twisted it together and then heatshrinked over it, it might work, though think it would pull apart pretty easy.

Get a butt connector. You strip off a little bit of the end of each wire (1/8-1/4 inch)

You stick the wire in one side of the connector, crimp it with a crimp tool or with pliers. Then you put the other wire in the other end and crimp that. Done.

The only reason you'd use heatshrink is to protect the join. Say if one side pulls loose it doesn't short something out. You could use electrical tape as well.