Basic Electrical Soldering

MegaMan001

Working on a new pair of speakers and the instructions say to solder three wires to this one terminal.

Any problem with one wire per side and one in the middle under the screw (which mounts the diagram to some MDF to go in the bottom of the speaker.

romanqwerty

That looks like it would work fine from here but depending on the wire size it might be easier to just throw all three wires under the screw as I know I often wish I had 3 hands while soldering and maybe the screw can act as one.

I would:

• Apply a little solder to the end of the wire.
• Hole the wire against the pad.
• Use soldering iron to heat both the wire and pad.
• Apply solder to join. Until you have a nice blob that wets to both the wire and the pad.
• Remove solder application.
• Remove soldering iron.
• Stop holding wire down.

BlindZenDriver

romanqwerty wrote: »

That looks like it would work fine from here but depending on the wire size it might be easier to just throw all three wires under the screw as I know I often wish I had 3 hands while soldering and maybe the screw can act as one.

I would:

• Apply a little solder to the end of the wire.
• Hole the wire against the pad.
• Use soldering iron to heat both the wire and pad.
• Apply solder to join. Until you have a nice blob that wets to both the wire and the pad.
• Remove solder application.
• Remove soldering iron.
• Stop holding wire down.

My thinking also.

One point to add, if in contact with the soldering iron to long wires get to hot to hold and burning ones fingers is a thing. So when ever possible try and arrange for wires to rest in a position where they are to be when soldered, doing so makes it easier and also limits possible issues with shaking hands.

Donovan Puppyfucker

You can cheat by wrapping one wire around the terminal and soldering that on, then wrapping the other two wires around that first wire and the terminal and soldering them on too.

MegaMan001

Thank you all for the tips. Another question I had is does anyone know where / what these terminals are actually called that the wires are soldered to? I haven't been able to find a listing anywhere to buy them in bulk for future builds.

Donovan Puppyfucker

"spade" terminals, I believe?

MegaMan001

I swear I can't find those terminals any where and I was hoping to use solderless terminals for the second speaker just for the experience.

Hevach

MegaMan001 wrote: »

I swear I can't find those terminals any where and I was hoping to use solderless terminals for the second speaker just for the experience.

Ever since radio shack turned into a phone dealer (and then a nothing dealer) the only place I've been able to get solderless terminals locally for a decent price has been Harbor Freight:

https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=solderless terminals

Few options, there's one with a crimper and another with short zip ties and the 1012 piece which is a better deal for the case than the terminals.

Generally speaking, go smaller on the set. Two reasons: the big count sets rack up piece count with the smallest size which is probably not the one you care about, and more importantly whatever size you get (except maybe the 1012 piece) you'll probably lose whatever you don't use here and next time you need any you'll just buy a new box (and then find the old one after you've broken into the new one, just in time to lose both together before the next project).

MegaMan001

Hevach wrote: »

MegaMan001 wrote: »

I swear I can't find those terminals any where and I was hoping to use solderless terminals for the second speaker just for the experience.

Ever since radio shack turned into a phone dealer (and then a nothing dealer) the only place I've been able to get solderless terminals locally for a decent price has been Harbor Freight:

https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=solderless terminals

Few options, there's one with a crimper and another with short zip ties and the 1012 piece which is a better deal for the case than the terminals.

Generally speaking, go smaller on the set. Two reasons: the big count sets rack up piece count with the smallest size which is probably not the one you care about, and more importantly whatever size you get (except maybe the 1012 piece) you'll probably lose whatever you don't use here and next time you need any you'll just buy a new box (and then find the old one after you've broken into the new one, just in time to lose both together before the next project).

Thank you so much. And so I'm just not a total idiot I can use those solderless connections instead of the screwed down lugs like the image I posted?

Hevach

The side posts look like blade terminals. As for the center lug, a fork or ring terminal (depending on whether the screw can be backed all the way out) should work just fine there.

MegaMan001

What's like the limit of connections with a center lug?

Hevach

Each one adds a little resistance (as does everything) but that actual/practical limit is beyond my electricity knowledge. I will say that back in the 80's and 90's screwing every console into lugs on the TV I never experienced negative effects of just jamming them all on there at once.