Building Tip - DC Jacks

[italianguy63]

Just thought I would share something.  The wires on the 9V clips are crappy.  Flexing them a few times will make them break off from the DC Jack.  So, through trials-and-tribulations, I came up with this:



I use small heatshrink on the wires to hold them from flexing some.  I think 1/16" and 3/32" on the lug.  Then all 3 are held together with another.  1/8" I think.  Anyway.  Keep the heatshrink short so it doesn't get jammed up into the 3PDT on a 125B.  If space is short, use a small ny-wrap instead.  But, the heatshrink collar is ultra-cheap, compact, and clean looking.

MC

[Rethfing]

I always solder jacks in the enclosure, so I can bend the wires instead of lugs Never had a problem with the DC jack, I always bend the wires so they go straight in the lug holes and its done!

[bool]

Jep that's the way to do it - and you can also re-use the cable's insulation that you stripped as well. Very durable, perhaps even more than proper, "store-bought" shrinkwrap. Just sayin'

[italianguy63]

How do you keep the wire from fatiguing at the point of the solder connection?

[R.G.]

RTV works a treat. Ditto hot glue. Anything to cut down on the flexing.

... and using a thermal stripper that does not nick the wire when stripping the wire helps remove the root cause in many cases.

[italianguy63]

 

Thanks!

[Mark Hammer]

I always use heat shrink on connecting wires these days.

As for thermal strippers, that's probably something I should look into.  RG is quite right in noting that pinching off a bit of insulation with a pair of end nippers or pliers often has the unintended effect of not only breaking off a few strands of the wire, but also compromising the integrity of the wire at the base of the stripped portion.  It may look fine when we tin it, but wiggle it a few times, and it breaks off.

[R.G.]

Mark, if you can get a PTS-10, you'll...love... it.

The thing heats in about 10 seconds from dead cold. You can touch a finger to the stripping blade and it's so low mass it won't leave a burn. And stripping wires reduces to poking the wire into the V, twisting, and pulling the wire out. It's faster than bladed cutting tools, as well as less physical effort.

I hate making interconnecting wires. The PTS-10 makes it almost tolerable. 

[italianguy63]

I will look into that -- thanks!

I use heat shrink on everything-- just because I think it looks finished, and it keeps you from abritrarily shorting things out.  In this case, it helps with strain-relief.  There is NO WAY I am soldering a jack inside an enclosure-- I shake like Michael J. Fox, and don't see much better than Ray Charles.  As it is, I need two spots/floods over my workbench to see.

I certainly don't care to resolder inside the enclosure after the wire breaks off (and it is even shorter). 

OH, and I have meat hands, and can't hear.

It's a good day 'Tater.  Thanks for the tips guys.

[italianguy63]

Oh, and Mike--

I CAN shoot.  Ready for that duel?

MC

[JOHNO]

What gauge wire are you using? I couldn't imagine breaking of a wire just boxing up.
Those electronic strippers sound great. If there is one thing we need more of in this hobby it's more toxic fumes. But yeah, the "Physical energy" it takes to stripe a wire with conventional tools probably out weights the production of toxic fumes.

[italianguy63]

It's real small wire.  I dunno what gauge.  The problem isn't that it breaks during assembly.  The problem I was avoiding is the wire it just not robust.  So, like a year down the road, and your 5th battery change, you tug too hard and it just snaps off.  I was trying to build in some durablilty.

[JOHNO]

Oh ok, so the battery connection is breaking off not the dc from the wall outlet. Well your on the right track.
But still i have been building box's for quite some years now and have never had a battery snap break off from the solder joint. Maybe i'm just lucky (most of the snaps i get are shit) or I'm more gentle with my gear.
It's a good idea to shrink them anyway.

[JustinFun]

Whether you do this or not - you should always add some other form of strain relief between battery clip and dc socket. A cable tie + adhesive cable tie base combo costs pennies, takes hardly any space and protects the connections from repeated flexing.

[pappasmurfsharem]

Those thermal strippers seem awfully expensive... $200 from the cheapest I can find.

[italianguy63]

I saw them direct for $79.  PM me if you want the link.  MC

[Beo]

I saw them direct for $79.  PM me if you want the link.  MC

I got both the PTS-10 and the PTS-30 (for teflon wire) on ebay for much less. I'll never go back to mechanical strippers. the PTS-30 and PTFE wire from apexjr is magic.

[duck_arse]

seeing as you're heatshrinking each lug, try this. strip the wire longer than you used too. twist, tin it, and bend it to fit through the lughole so the tinned tag of the wire passes back up to the wires' insulation. squeeze w/ pliers at the lug, solder, and shrink. this way, the solder-stiffened wires supports itself across the weak bit where insulation meets solder. obviously, the stiffening tag is a little shorter than the length of the shrink.

does this make sense? I've started doing this on in/out jacks and x-wing footswitches as well as dc sockets.

[guitarpedalparts]

How do you keep the wire from fatiguing at the point of the solder connection?

In my experience, if you mount the jack and then solder the wire there shouldn't really be any fatigue on the solder connection.  Just bend the wire so it sits loosely in the hole and then solder.  Never had one break off after soldering, even years later.  It seems that heat shrinking things just takes too long if it really isn't necessary.

[Jdansti]

Are you using solid or stranded wire?  I use 24ga stranded and never have problems with wires breaking. I do have problems if I use solid.