Three way wire splice/connectors?

[MikeGyver]

Mike, draw me a picture.

gooooooogle

adjust lengths of the leads to the light as necissary, or just keep them short and snake the main +/- wires to hit each light location.
The point being to just run a gnd wire along with the pwr wire you're running anyway, so you aren't trying to do a hundred chassis grounds into metal that looks like the picture in post #16.

I'm going to run some small LED's around my Jeep.

post up a link to the LEDs you're going to be using.

 

[DAA]

Here they are: http://www.amazon.com/Road-Vehicle-...F8&qid=1426771504&sr=8-4&keywords=rock+lights


If posting a pic from Amazon works, here's a pic where you can see they each have two wires coming off them, about a foot long:

Will probably start at least laying out the locations around the Jeep this weekend. Maybe even start building the harness if I'm feeling froggy and have time.

- DAA

 

[bryson]

I'd run the circuit like the picture that MikeGyver posted, and make the connections to the main wires like this:


You could solder or butt connect the connections, then heat shrink them and be done. Butt connectors are not inferior to a solder joint if they are done properly - most aviation wiring requires butt connectors INSTEAD of solder because they withstand vibration so much better (don't make the wire brittle.) Personally, I'd use some non-insulated butts, crimped properly then some nice adhesive lined heat shrink.



Finished product would look something like this at each junction:

 

[rockdog]

I'd run the circuit like the picture that MikeGyver posted, and make the connections to the main wires like this:
View attachment 97667

You could solder or butt connect the connections, then heat shrink them and be done. Butt connectors are not inferior to a solder joint if they are done properly - most aviation wiring requires butt connectors INSTEAD of solder because they withstand vibration so much better (don't make the wire brittle.) Personally, I'd use some non-insulated butts, crimped properly then some nice adhesive lined heat shrink.
View attachment 97669
View attachment 97668

Finished product would look something like this at each junction:
View attachment 97670

Now school me on the second picture. Is it not a daisy chained setup? If the main wire is cut then put back together with a crimp. It is daisy chained , but still is a parallel circuit. That is exactly what I was talking about. You have a live circuit even if one light goes out.

 

[bryson]

Now school me on the second picture. Is it not a daisy chained setup? If the main wire is cut then put back together with a crimp. It is daisy chained , but still is a parallel circuit. That is exactly what I was talking about. You have a live circuit even if one light goes out.

Yes, it's still a parallel circuit, so if one light goes bad the rest are unaffected. As far as calling it a "daisy chain" that depends on your definition. To me, it's just a parallel circuit.

 

[jackjoh]

I like to solder ground connections but using gooped crimps for the rest is good.

 

[UNSTUCK]

I always thought of daisy chain as a series circuit. The light gets power to it then the ground wire connects to the positive of the next light instead of going to the frame. The last light then goes to ground. It may not matter with LEDs but doing it this way will give you a voltage drop after each light. So every light would be dimmer than the one before it. However, it will not increase amps, so if you have a long run it might be worth thinking about. That also may not matter with LDEs.

 

[MikeGyver]

I would only use hot melt adhesive lined shrink tube since it's going to be mounted under a jeep.

Make your joint like Bryson pictured and slide on a piece of heatshrink from the left, and work 'right to left' for subsequent joints.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...dhesive+lined+shrink+tube&ghostText=&_sacat=0

 

[rockdog]

All I know is what the risk management inspector calls daisy chaining. He says any time you plug an extension cord to another one it is daisy chained. So I figured a series of wires linked together is a daisy chained setup. Be it series or parallel. That's why I asked mike for a pic. I'm not really sure of the true definition.
But by damn he used to be an OSHA inspector, so you better fall to your knees and worship him!

 

[UNSTUCK]

OSHA inspectors are funny. They all come from different backgrounds and so they focus on the one area they really know. The lady that does our inspections only cares about electrical outlet covers. For like the last three years that's all she's looked at as she walks around the shop.

 

[Kevin B.]

I would only use hot melt adhesive lined shrink tube since it's going to be mounted under a jeep.

Make your joint like Bryson pictured and slide on a piece of heatshrink from the left, and work 'right to left' for subsequent joints.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...dhesive+lined+shrink+tube&ghostText=&_sacat=0

I did not know this stuff existed. So on the side of the butt connector with the two wires, the adhesive goop would run and fill the gap between them, is that the idea?

 

[DAA]

I've learned some stuff from this thread - glad I asked, thanks everyone!

Bryson's setup looks slick, easy, quality. I'm not going to do it quite that way though. Simply because I already have everything on hand to do it with solder and heat shrink, without having to buy connectors or new crimpers. I'll definitely keep that in mind for a future project/purchase though, looks like a really good way to go.

- DAA

 

[frieed]

Dave,

From the pics you posted it looks like each light may have enough wire on it to run them up to a central point (or two) inside the cab..

 

[DAA]

Dave,

From the pics you posted it looks like each light may have enough wire on it to run them up to a central point (or two) inside the cab..

No, not even close. The picture is probably deceiving. Those lights are only about an inch long, the pig tails are only about a foot.

- DAA

 

[MikeGyver]

I did not know this stuff existed. So on the side of the butt connector with the two wires, the adhesive goop would run and fill the gap between them, is that the idea?

It's just like normal shrink tube but the hot glue seals it water tight. Normal shrink tube provides insulation but not the best water ingress protection.

 

[DAA]

So, have finally started actually getting this done. Using solder and heat shrink, stuff I already have on hand. I have enough adhesive heat shrink to do the whole job. But, while it was more expensive than plain heat shrink, it's not the really high zoot adhesive type. It doesn't ooze out visible sealant as in the pictures Bryson posted.

But! I also had a can of liquid tape on the shelf. Which I use in other ways. Had never thought of using it like this:

Every connection I do I solder, then smear with liquid electrical tape (or RTV), then while wet slide the shrink over and shrink it starting in the middle and working your way out so that you squish the 'sealer' throughout the heatshrink. Makes a watertight seal; you don't wanna be messing with these a couple years down the road...

Tried it and it works great! Very high confidence in very high level of sealing on these soldered connections. I'm had already cut and slid the adhesive heat shrink onto the harness, so I'm still using it, but next time I can use less expensive plain heat shrink with the liquid tape. Good idea!

- DAA