24HEESC BLOG – Basic Wire Joining
Aug 2016

In this post we will show you how to join and extend wires, we will be using a low power application for our example such as a telephone line (5V DC) or audio speaker cabling.

What diameter of wire (likely copper) is appropriate for your purpose? Well it depends entirely on the maximum current the wire is designed to transmit. Generally speaking low current applications use a narrow wire, whereas high current applications require a large diameter wire. See this guide for more info.

You will need:
Wire
Wire strippers and cutters
Solder
A soldering iron
Heat shrink or electrical tape
Heat gun (or the soldering iron will also suffice)

Step 1: Prep your workspace
You want to set up on a flat non conductive surface, a wooden desk bench or table is suitable. Cover the surface with something to protect it from excess flux and solder. A few layers of newspaper usually suffices. Turn on your soldering iron and allow a few minutes for it to heat up to its operating temperature. Make sure the tip of the soldering iron is safely housed in the stand so that it doesn’t burn anything.

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