How to Properly Join Low Voltage Wires for a Strong Connection
Written by Marty Lemke | A Leader in LED Technology
For low-voltage wire connections that won’t easily come loose, it’s important to join your wires properly to ensure a secure and long-lasting connection. In this guide, we’ll walk you through a professional method to join low voltage wires using a Western Union (Telegraph) splice with solder and heat shrink tubing.
Step-by-Step Guide to a Secure Wire Connection
- Low voltage wire
- Heat shrink tubing
- Wire strippers
- Soldering iron (set to ~700°F)
- Heat gun
Step 1: Prepare the Wire
Start by cutting your wire to the desired length. Before doing anything else, slide the heat shrink tubing onto one of the wires—this is an easy step to forget but crucial for a clean finish.
Step 2: Strip the Wires
Use wire strippers to remove about an inch of insulation from each wire. This will give you enough exposed copper to create a strong mechanical bond before soldering.
Step 3: Create a Western Union (Telegraph) Splice
1. Cross the exposed wires over each other in an "X" shape.
2. Twist them tightly together so they wrap around each other. This technique creates a strong mechanical connection
Step 4: Solder the Joint
1. Place the twisted wires on a heat-resistant surface, like a soldering pad or sheet of metal.
2. Hold the soldering iron directly to the wire joint—this ensures proper heat transfer.
3. Apply electronic solder to the heated joint, allowing it to flow and bond with the wires.
4. Once fully coated, let the solder cool to form a solid, conductive connection.
Step 5: Seal with Heat Shrink Tubing
1. Slide the heat shrink tubing over the soldered joint.
2. Use a heat gun to shrink the tubing until it forms a tight seal around the connection. This final step protects the joint from moisture, oxidation, and physical strain, ensuring a long-lasting and reliable connection.
Final Thoughts
By using a Western Union splice with solder and heat shrink tubing, you’ll get a stronger, more durable connection than wire nuts alone. This method is perfect for low voltage lighting installations and other electrical projects where strong wire connections are critical.
If you want to watch the video on this topic, check it out here: