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flexwatt connection

S

sumguy

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Have 4, 2ft section of 11" FW. Bought the metal clamps and plastic covers. Is there any loss of power by using the metal clamps (wire to clamp to element) compared to soldering the wire to the element? Don't care for the way the metal clips attach to the FW and was wondering if it would be better to solder directly.
 
Either way providing a solid connection should be fine, without power loss. I've always soldered my own just because it saves a couple bucks here and there.
 
I tend to be cheap but even on such a simple connection my solder skills suck. ever forget the iron is hot and pick it up by the tip :hot:
 
Can't say I've ever picked up the wrong end *knock on wood*. I can't do precision soldering to save my life but FW isn't hard at all after you've done a few.
 
sumguy said:
I tend to be cheap but even on such a simple connection my solder skills suck. ever forget the iron is hot and pick it up by the tip :hot:
Click to expand...

You do know they have made cold soldering guns now? They remain cold until it touches metal and cools down as soon as the connection is severed. Give it a try (when your fingers heal ;)
 
Heh - well, I wonder how a cold-solder gun would work on Flexwatt though - because when most people solder connections, they use a hot soldering iron to melt through the thin plastic coating first to expose the metal.

I have *burnt* myself on my soldering iron, but that's just me being a klutz... doesn't stop me from using it though. I have used both types of connection with flexwatt and the soldering method seems a little more permanent and solid, though I haven't had any problems with the metal clips/plastic insulators, either.
 
liquidleaf said:
Heh - well, I wonder how a cold-solder gun would work on Flexwatt though - because when most people solder connections, they use a hot soldering iron to melt through the thin plastic coating first to expose the metal.

I have *burnt* myself on my soldering iron, but that's just me being a klutz... doesn't stop me from using it though. I have used both types of connection with flexwatt and the soldering method seems a little more permanent and solid, though I haven't had any problems with the metal clips/plastic insulators, either.
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing.

You could touch the solder to the "cold heat" soldering iron and hope for the best, but the connection you would get likely wouldn't be great in terms of conductivity nor sturdiness.

I use the crimp on connectors and just give them a bit of extra crimp and haven't had any issues.
 
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