Adam Savage's Quick Electronics Wiring Tips!

[@tested]

Solder Seal Wire Connectors: amzn.to/3FBYLzD Dewalt Cordless Heat Gun: amzn.to/3z5SZnG Wire Marker Tape Dispenser: amzn.to/3ExUcVP Disclaimer: Tested may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through the links here.

[@tomhorsley6566]

I swear I saw a cord on the heat gun in the video, but your link is to the cordless one :-).

[@Denvermorgan2000]

I might have to order one of the kits.

[@nottinghamboardandwargames1558]

The clamps on the helping hands are jewelry welding clamps. Hope that helps. Find them really good for precise smaller work.

[@jamesfromwellington]

Hi Tested team, the Solder Seal wire connectors are very durable to the point that they are approved for military aircraft use. I was instructed on their use over 20 years ago and it good that they are very readily available now days

[@tjamick2647]

@@nottinghamboardandwargames1558 I posted an Amazon link for them. They're expensive, but Adam probably got the knock off versions in China.

[@LiqdPT]

For doing heat shrink, putting a hook shaped reflector (for lack of better words) on the end of the heat gun works awesome. You put it around the wires and run on the heat gun and it heat from practically all directions. Very little movement is needed, and you're also not blowing past the wire.

[@KateNesD]

This is a great idea, thanks! I’ve had to do a lot of heat shrink and crimp connectors in tight spaces where at least one end of the cable is already installed, having a reflector for the heat gun would have made the process a ton easier versus trying to awkwardly twist the wire around to get the back side.

[@wobblysauce]

More so when you cant get to the other side of the wires also.

[@Nisstyre56]

I usually just put kapton tape on the stuff I don't want to melt

[@basinstreetdesign5206]

Yup! Works for me!

[@Madthrax23]

I'm using a dremel versatip, it got a special "hook shape reflector" tip for this.

[@Hockeyguy8541]

I'm a commercial electrician and 3M also makes booklets of wire numbers. We use this when we're pulling in multiple circuits through a single pipe. We need to mark which neutral goes to which hot and if you have more than 3 circuits in there you'll have multiple black's red's blues' (or brown orange yellow's) and you need to keep track of it all. There are low number books (1-45) and high number books (i think it's 46-100 or something like that). They're cheaper than the tape dispenser and if you have a number like 35 you don't need a 3 and a 5 it's just one sticker. You can get them at home depot or lowe's in the electrical section.

[@robsdeviceunknown]

Good call man Thanks. The one he listed is stupid expensive.

[@vdjKryptosRock]

I have his wire marker. I keep it on a retractable lanyard on my belt loop. Worth the money if you’re pulling a lot of wire.

[@gorak9000]

I'm guessing if it's expensive at lowes / home depot, you can usually find them for less somewhere online (but not amazon, because lowes and HD match their prices to the penny of what you can find the same product for on amazon - or the amazon sellers match lowes/hd - whatever, either way). I used to print strips of numbers like the tape, but just on regular paper, and then put them on a piece of packing tape, or scotch tape, and wrap it around the cable. If you really want it to be durable, put a piece of clear heatshrink over it. Then I got one of those dispensers with the 3M number tape in it as part of a bunch of stuff I bought from a commercial cable installation shop that was cleaning out their warehouse - total gamechanger! So much nicer than hand cut number strips, but for a small job where you have just a few cables and can't justify the expense of the real deal, just print number strips on regular paper and use tape and or heatshrink.

[@gorak9000]

The other thing I've discovered recently is the little crimp on "bootlace" ferrules for stranded wire. I know whether people like them or not seems to be a really contentious issue, but I got a 4 sided crimper so the ferules come out square after they're crimped - I don't have any issue with them not holding into terminals that are designed for stranded wire. When you tighten the clamps down well, it actually squeezes the ferules down a bit too - they hold in a lot better than I thought they would actually.

[@Poweroffunky]

@@gorak9000 Those things come in clutch in high vibration areas at my industrial worksite. Untouched stranded wire in terminals will barely last a week before breaking. The bootlaces last years. Everywhere else on site though is a big meh.

[@benny353]

You can slide the sleeve completely over one wire, push the wires together so they mesh and squish them neat, then slide the sleeve back and then apply the heat. It gets a slightly better joint, rather than have the strands side by side.

[@alphatripduce]

This! It is important interlacing the wires gives you the best possible joint with the lowest resistance

[@thedman1696]

Yep. I always pull one wire all the way through, spin them together, then bring the connector back to solder and seal. It's strong enough that tugging on it is more likely to break a different part of the cable after that

[@PETERGRlFFlN]

Yaaas! That is the most failure proof way. No need for the extra arms too.

[@audioupgrades]

Good point. Otherwise, the connection is through the solder only. Solder is a terrible conductor. It has about 1/10th of the conductance of copper.

[@alphatripduce]

@@thedman1696 it's less resistance when you don't twist but it strengthens the joint if you do

[@envisionelectronics]

Using the curved heat reflector on the heat gun helps a lot

[@888johnmac]

' may all your electronics work first time ' ... now that is a maker blessing right there

[@afreezaphorogiancossack2194]

Reals

[@aanderson1991]

I work for an automotive OEM. We recently tested a bunch of those solder connections. Can say they hold up well in an automotive environment.

[@karlporath8904]

I have been using the low temp solder connectors on semi trailer light wiring. The colored rings are actually a Hot melt glue. In 5 years of extreme service I have yet to have a connection fail.

[@rionmotley2514]

Semi trucks? 5 years? Even with grit and salt and vibration? I'll take it! *adds to shopping cart*

[@corey6393]

Thanks for the testimonial. I have been considering these for while, and seeing this video and your comment pretty much answered my questions.

[@bobblum5973]

@@corey6393 Real-world testimonials always help.

[@karlporath8904]

I should add 5 years in Michigan home of the rust belt

[@licencetoswill]

A helicopter avionics tech put me on to these solder splices 10 years ago. they're fully aerospace rated so that was enough for me. I don't think I've ever done a solder butt splice since.

[@lindeleasley]

I was exposed to the Solder Seal splices about 45 years ago, in the Air Force. We were quite impressed with them, and they can make quick work of a broken wire on a mission critical aircraft.

[@Proximax9]

I've used those heated little sock things for years now. highly recommend. you can also heat them up with a regular lighter, they can take the heat, so you dont need a hot air gun if you dont have one. They make a very strong bond, you can really pull on the wires and they wont come off. What I do differently from Adam tho, is that I rolls the copper wire around each other before putting on the sock and heating it up. That way I can be sure there is a connection and that it is very sturdy.

[@theflashjaxx]

3:1 adhesive lined heat shrink is a must have also, the adhesive lining helps release some of the stress on the solder joint itself

[@octoBadger]

I agree - bought some by accident years ago and haven't looked back

[@RobR99]

When I was working at 3m that was one of the products I made. Seeing that brings back memories of stuffing all 10 number (or colors for the color rolls) into the dispenser then applying the product label and stacking it in the box with the 100s of others I had made that day...

[@tested]

Wow!

[@gorak9000]

You only made 100s in a day? No wonder they're so expensive :-P

[@RobR99]

@gorak9000 It was more than a decade ago so I can not remember how many I made a day. But simple math is 8 hr per day. 60 min per hr is 480 min. That would be hundreds. If It's 2 per min that would be 960 theoretically. I say theoretically because you have to consider the time to do paperwork, restock supplies, move finished product to stock etc... So whats involved in making them, 1) grab new shell. 2) open all 10 slots. 3-13) insert rolls. 14) close covers. 15) add product label. 16) place in shipping box. 60 sec / 2 per min = 30 sec each. /16 steps = 1.875 sec average per step. Inserting the rolls is the fastest action and placing the product label (and getting it right) is the longest action. Oh and the rolls don't just drop in you have to snap them into place so they don't pop out when used. As for labor cost, I was making about $10/hr so if I made 100/ hr that would only be 10 cents per unit. And that sill leaves us at 100s per shift. Even if I made twice as much or was half as fast that would still only be 20 cents per unit. and if both 40 cents. Still only a small percent of the $25 (0.4%) to $60 (0.16%) price. So, why so expensive? Ask the molding department, the empty dispenser alone cost $20 to $40... In conclusion, as usual, the blame for prices goes to the slaves (err... employees) and not the corporate greed.

[@gorak9000]

@@RobR99 I wasn't blaming you, I was just saying in China, they would expect each person to make thousands of them per day, and pay less to boot! I can see that the holder is quite a complex molding (I have a bunch of those dispensers and refill rolls that I got basically for free from a place that did commercial cabling installation and was clearing out a warehouse), but I don't think $20 to $40 was their cost to mold it - that's the cost that the market will pay for an empty dispenser. Compared to all the other tools that each cable installer crew would need (full set of "basic" tools, a whole selection of specialized crimpers, strippers, fiber optic tools, etc) $20 - $40 is a drop in the bucket, and a no brainer to pay to have "the best" and the quickest solution to not waste time. I get it - it's a niche product targeted at a limited audience, so they can charge more - it's fine - there's nothing wrong with that. As a hobbyist, what I used to do was just print number strips on regular paper, cut a section of paper number off and stick it to some tape, and then wrap the tape around the wires - that works fine, and basically costs nothing, but is really slow, but that doesn't matter for the handful of times I'm pulling cables that need to be labeled. That waste of time wouldn't be acceptable on a commercial job, and even if they charged $100 for the dispenser, it would pay for itself on the first job. But now that I have the real tool, even as a hobbyist, I won't ever be printing paper number strips and using tape anymore :)

[@Cr125stin]

I came across those self soldering joints when I was searching for vintage military self soldering sleeves. I finally was able to buy a few boxes of the military self soldering joints last year for my collection. They are a copper tube with solder inside, but the outside is covered in a pyrotechnic composition that you can strike like a match in the outside of the box they come in. The composition burns and melts the solder inside. Apparently they were used for spicing radio transmission lines and Morse code lines out in the field. I think they were used from the 1950s into the 1970s. The ones I have are dated 1967. Someone did a really good video on them where they actually tested some of the vintage ones.

[@fliegenmann2562]

I saw that video by ElementalMaker too 👍

[@jaymzx0]

That's pretty amazing. It reminds me of the thermite train rail welding systems.

[@necko2529]

I have 129 lights on my Great Dane trailer, recently (or maybe around this time last year) switched from pinch connectors to these and couldn't have been happier. So far, no wire rot at the connectors and it looks clean and neat.

[@benbennett6807]

I use these solder connectors on my truck for aux lights and onboard air electric stuff and ended breaking a light off my truck while off-roading and theses solder connectors held on an led light pod dragging down the trail for like a mile. Totally fine. 100% would trust these connectors in hard use.

[@InvadersDie]

"I hope all your electronics work on the first try" That felt very generous! TY!

[@martinmoeller9186]

But if you really think about it it was also a curse! I always get nervous when something (SW or HW) appears to work on the first try, it oftens means that whatever the bug you left in it is subtle and probably intermittent... On wire labeling the only sane aproach in a lab is to create unique pairs of labels,, one for each end. We use 3 letters/3 digit, CAT345 DOG135 . Brady sells sheets of wire label stock, one sheet is good for ~30 pairs. Any attempt to label wires by function or destination is almost immediately wrong and out of date. My favorite on a patch panel was "Nancy's old office", as if anyone would remember where that was, especially since she left 2 years ago.

[@swissfreek]

There’s a version of that 3M dispenser that is different colors instead of numbers. So handy!

[@davidmccarthy6061]

Wow, I also forgot about these from using it decades ago.

[@swissfreek]

@@davidmccarthy6061 likewise. I even still have them in a drawer and as soon as I saw the container in the video I was like oh yeah!

[@IoriTatsuguchi]

That sounds great also! My country's amazon only sells numbered one for 300 USD lmao I can't find knock-offs neither so I guess I'll stay the way it were

[@anne_frank_]

Should check out the partex system. Numbers and colours that follow the usual electrical system you'll know from resistors (e.g. 37/orange purple), use them for wiring control panels. Just push them onto the wire.

[@Wythaneye]

Does anyone remember solder tape? Radio Shack used to sell it. They came in a pack of little strips that you could melt with a lighter. I used it on a lot of simple joints, and it worked surprisingly well. Seeing these solder connectors brings back memories.

[@kevinconnaughton2921]

You beat me to it. Yes it was great ! I cared it in my tool bag instead of a soldering iron and solder it was great. I fixed a clear com headset right before a performance. It was very cool.

[@ChrisLesmerises]

Ah, my RadioShack brothers!

[@caramelzappa]

These are great connectors for anything that doesn't eat a lot of amps. Did all of my 12v connections on my electric motorcycle with these and they work great. Fast, easy, waterproof, and secure. Love the tape dispenser. Always caught between knowing I should label my wires and not wanting to spend the time to do so. That makes labeling them fast and easy which will of course always save time troubleshooting later. Simple and brilliant.

[@alpha_ray_burst]

I've been soldering for years, and considered myself pretty knowledgeable in the subject, but I had never seen shrink tubing with solder built in. That's pretty amazing. Thanks for sharing! If you have any more soldering tips I'd love to hear them.

[@videobeagle]

I've seen them, but wondered if they were any good.

[@gacha24]

@@videobeagle it seems there is no flux in there because the solder doesn't flow properly.

[@HDL_CinC_Dragon]

@@videobeagle They're pretty good for the most part. I use them from time to time myself on low-power low-importance connections but I also always make sure I twist my wires to make a Western Union splice first. I don't trust these for higher power connections or signal carrying connections though as I highly doubt the solder properly penetrates the splice, though I haven't done any major testing to check that. It's just better IMO to not have to ever wonder if your splice is the whole reason your circuit is failing.

[@nobody77623]

I use the solder connectors sometimes for my job, and lately have been looking into a labeling system for the wires. They now have cartridges of heat shrink tubing that goes into a label maker, you just print what you want on a piece of heat shrink, and then put it on a wire.

[@darranedmundson1505]

I got a great deal on a Brady M211 portable label maker. It has the form factor of a large tape measure. Bluetooth rather than keyboard so I author the labels on my laptop or phone. Can swap cartridges in/out as needed. I took it on my last AV install job and it worked beautifully. It has the cartridges with the heatshrink as well as wrap around labels that have a final tab of clear plastic to cover the printed text.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

I can vouch for the wire labeling saving troubleshooting time. As an electrician, a small amount of time invested in labeling on the front side, can save a lot of time on troubleshooting during trim out if any problems arise from mistakes or damage by other trades. So many headaches saved

[@marklundeberg7006]

What kind of label materials do they let you use inside junction boxes? (Fire concerns / code / etc)

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

@@marklundeberg7006 generally speaking we label the panel/circuit in sharpie, inside the box or on the cover if it's just a junction box. That or wire labels from a label maker. Generally I think those are a vinyl of some sort, I'd have to check haha. As for what all materials are allowed, I'm honestly not sure off hand.

[@PedalBox]

Those low temp solder connectors have been AMAZING working on thinning out the wire loom on the car. They're genius, and we've beaten them about a LOT too in the elements.

[@_Naaraaja]

I've used those solder seals for 2 years in my work and I can 100% say that they make things alot easier and faster.

[@ZFISHTANK]

They are fantastic. A couple of months I ended up using them to wire up a few hundred RGB LEDs for a theatrical production. I found if you melt one end of the glue first the the solder it allows air to escape and get a full solder connection. If you ever need to have multiple people working with these I would highly recommend making sure the heat guns are on separate circuits. We unfortunately only had 2 circuits and 4-5 heat guns going at the same time.

[@alexcrouse]

The solder seal connectors on all 3 of my trailers are doing fine years down the road. Life changing.

[@EasternTriad]

So glad to see how you come back to “Tool Tip/ Favorite Tool” videos. They’re among the best subjects in your video repertoire.

[@xj_overlander]

I love those little heat shrink things. Used them for wiring up a stereo. This is more Motorsport related and definitely on the more expensive end, but consider looking into deutsch connectors! If you’re making projects that have more of a loom of wiring and you want to have a clean break, they’re a great option. A reliable plug that can easily be repinned or moved to a numerically larger or smaller pin out plug. In addition to being weather resistant.

[@nrtolv]

We have a similar type of connection at my work and i use these whenever i know this wiring has to be able to be unplugged etc. Great option!

[@daveco1270]

I'm terrible at soldering wires, especially when it's something I can't bring to a work bench to do properly, like wires on a vehicle. Those solder seal wire connectors work well. I've used them on my motorcycle.

[@berryreading4809]

For automotive use I'd recommend un-insulated crimp connectors and marine grade heatshink 👍 no worries about brittle connections from over wicking the solder, completely idiot/fail proof, super strong and 100% waterproof... big name automotive stores have finally begun to stock the non-insulated connectors, although they are much cheaper online and honestly after trying many brands the harborfreight marine grade heatshink is hard to beat if you are doing low volume work and don't need a 50 or 100ft roll of one certain diameter 👍 ask any racing team or off-roader, solder is only attaching wires to circuit boards or fixed hard points! 😁

[@daveco1270]

@@berryreading4809 I agree...i use the stock style crimp-on bullet connectors with heat shrink and the rubber covers that come with them for most of the electrical work on my vintage motorcycles. I like to keep things as stock as possible for myself and for the next owner. I had two brake light wires fray and come apart a few months ago...because of the placement and where they broke, I used the solder connectors Adam showed in this video and they've held up nicely.

[@aserta]

Solder the ends first, then solder the wires together. Don't forget the shrinking sleeve.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

Two things make great solder joints. 1. 60/40 Lead/tin solder. 2. Good quality heat shrink tubing. Especially one with internal adhesive for moisture sealed joints. Electrical tape is a bad joke and a total waste of time. Even Gaffa tape has a short lifespan, especially when exposed to heat.

[@berryreading4809]

@@daveco1270 another nice thing about the non-insulated connectors is that they are seamless unlike many of the insulated brands which are often hiding foil thin metal with poor plating 😡 but it makes it very nice for tight spaces where aligning the seem would be impossible... but they do require some leverage, a dedicated pin style crimp tool is nice, but for less than $20 you can get a nice "front of the pivot" commercial electrician crimper/wire cutter or the smaller automotive type which usually include a wire stripper, they kind of look like a pair of diagonal wire cutting pliers, but the head is completely flat, 3/16-5/16 thick depending on brand, but you can get airtight crimps without an enormous amount of hand strength 👍dorman (big name auto stores) and carlisle (from napa) are a nice compact design with the striper, but only for 16ga and under, bigger than that and you really need a longer electricians crimping plier for the leverage

[@maul_360]

Love how you are honest that you are not an electronics or soldering expert. Shows great humility to the great Adam Savage. Love the videos and tips!

[@JAG9100]

in reference to the wire marking tape, DYMO (and i'm sure other brands) makes heat shrink wire labels, 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" sizes. doing the wiring on my Voron 2.4 3D printers, these saved so much time. They're a little tricky to open up, since they come out of the label maker flat, but a sharp pencil tip can open them up easily.

[@stevekoning6114]

installed a Painless wiring harness in my old 1973 Cj5 a few years ago and every wire in the set had #'s on it that matched up to the info in the install manual. Super helpful.

[@buddhaman001]

I used solder seal connectors to rewire a buddies ATV and add things like light-bars, and I also used them on other low amperage connections like winch control connectors. Silver soldered the high amperage winch motor connections and use large heat-shrink with a bit of silicon grease in the jacket and on the ends of the plug in connectors. I can't count the amount of times he has submerged that vehicle and run it completely on the snorkle, but 5 years later it's still running like a champ.

[@Metazolid]

The helping hands crocodile clamps appear to be called GRS Third Hand. Here are two model numbers; G04570 G04546

[@zoopmamajuju]

Bless you kind soul

[@danielbot3602]

Been looking too. These seem to be the best , there are cheaper. Trying just to find the heads

[@zoopmamajuju]

@@danielbot3602 me too. Kinda expensive for me but they seem really good.

[@danielbot3602]

@@zoopmamajuju let us know if you find any

[@zoopmamajuju]

@@danielbot3602 will do

[@davidhogue100]

Love those solder sleeves!! We used to use them occasionally at work in avionics. I just recently got some for my home and hobby use. They will melt fine with I lighter too

[@edwardpaulsen1074]

Those are solid products that have been around for decades and even improved upon... thousands of electricians and tech people use them in a wide variety of conditions and they survive even some of the harshest environments. When the actual wire fails before the connection, there is no doubt as to the quality. Then there are the wire markers. the books are great for a large amount of the same 1, 2, or 3 digit numbers but can get bulky and mixed up. When time is of the essence or you are standing on a tiny platform dozens of feet in the air, that small tube that can be hooked to a lanyard so it stays put and can make ANY number you need is a godsend and worth it's weight in gold. Yes there are cheaper options that can work just fine, but having the best tools for the job makes everything easier when you already have enough to worry about. Thank you Adam for bringing this to the attention of the general public and making things that little bit easier. Another great item are the multi connection, lever action, clips for solid wires. Those are fantastic for making temporary connections that can be easily released and do not tear up the wiring like wire nuts because of the twisting.

[@GadgetAddict]

There was a channel that cut them open to see how well the solder flowed and it basically just did the outside of the wires. I can't remember if it was BigClive or another KZbinr. They seem great in theory but apparently aren't as good as a regular solder connection. Maybe it's still good enough for the average hobbyist 🤷‍♂️

[@buddhaman001]

If you want excellent penetration of the solder you need to slowly heat the component so the wires come up to temp as well. If it's something low voltage, low amperages then yeah you can just quick hit it and go.

[@secondarycontainment4727]

We used them in high voltage / low amp connections in the military (aviation weapons systems) ... take what you will from that.

[@mrwitn3482]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5_bdpevjJ2Fhpo

[@Code325]

Sounds better than a crimped butt connector though.

[@PVS3]

The use case for this is not "as good as a hand soldered connection" it is "more robust and durable than crimped connectors"

[@WhereNerdyisCool]

I've seen a lot of videos showing how the heat shrink solder doesn't penetrate the wires. What I do is I do the typical Western Union wire hooking (wrap) , tying the wires together, then sliding the heat shrink solder connection over it and melting it. I figure this gives me the best of both worlds. And with the wires I use them on, mostly 24-28 AWG, they work great.

[@mattl1758]

Used the numbered tape for years but have never seen it in a dispenser. Always been in a little tablet of pages. Awesome !

[@twelvebears1971]

The smallest ones in particular are so helpful. Usually when working with small wires, space is at a premium and you need to be able to move and position after fixing. This makes compact joints, especially with multi core signal cables, much easier and neater.

[@mikaelbeeche9041]

Thank You Adam so much for solder seal wire connectors, and the scotch code wire marker tape. I was once rewiring My Sister's 1970 Maverick ignition, and I also used a newer steering column. All the wires were color coded differently. When I had figured out where one wire went I would then forget what color wire corresponded to it in the new harness. I did finally use mailing labels to mark each wire.... I generally use inline crimp connectors to attach everything, as I don't solder that much. I could definitely use those solder seal connectors.... 😁

[@John-vk1ij]

These solder sleeves are fantastic. I used them in my car(of course not the battery main cord), in all my home 12V cables, in 110V cables. They all worked very reliably. Under high current(15A?), the temperature of the joint is even lower than the cable itself. But of course, you don't want to let them hold any weight

[@kaksspl]

I'm seeing these connectors for the first time in my life and honestly it feels to me as genius as putting gunpowder and bullet into one neat and easy to use casing.

[@CombatGod]

FYI, you can get mini heat guns that just use a regular lighter. You can also get little refillable lighters for them. I use it these all the time for commercial door systems. I've had these in exterior doors through storms for years without a single issue. They are great!

[@randycarter2001]

The DeWALT heat gun in the video is the best one I've ever encountered. Most heat guns regulate the temperature by adjusting the air flow, tend to overheat and burn out. That model actually regulates the temperature with what essentially a light dimmer. The air flow remains contestant, much more accurate.

[@deadpiratetattoo2015]

These are my favorite types of videos you do. Practical information for crafties.

[@arubaguy2733]

I used the 3M adhesive tape numbers for years until I discovered white heat-shrink tubes that come on a sheet and can be fed through a laser printer, (words, numbers, and symbols that very nicely shrink along with the tubes after slipping over wires. Great for when you need more than a digit or two to ID the termination. I've made several templates to print out these wire markers, Avery Sticky Labels, and other sheets of marking products using a 25 year-old VISIO program. I appreciate Adam's love of good quality, intelligently heuristic products.

[@jeeves744]

I have used those connectors to rewire the headlights on my car. It has held up perfectly even through years of northeast salt filled winter driving.

[@1Thatstrangeguy]

I bought a kit of these and they work very well for getting into tight places where you cant solder something properly.

[@mndlessdrwer]

a label tape printer with the half-cut feature is also your friend when it comes to labeling lots of wire, since it'll cut through the label without cutting the paper backing, so you can just peel and stick as you go along. Most of the printer software will also let you print from an excel sheet and give you options for repeated labels and where it prints them, so you can set if you want it to print through the entire range twice or print each value twice for every cell in the range. Very useful, we used a lot of them for labeling cables in the datacenter and labs.

[@billermanthegreat]

Those solder heat shrink is the best thing around for soldering! I have used so many on my van.

[@REiiGN15]

Ppl don't get that it's one thing to do this but it's a bit harder to do this while trying to film it and not get in the way of the camera. Great job showing us.

[@billfoster6809]

Whenever possible a mechanical connection (twisting the wires together) is advised prior to soldering. Push one wire through the sleeve, twist it onto the other wire and slide the sleeve back over the connection. Then heat. I love these. Used them when installing my permanent holiday lights on my house.

[@pollepost]

They do a great job. I use them on my Honda XR650L and have been trough wather, mud and dust. Vibrations and heat. No issues with the connections

[@FieroGTXX]

Glad you did an update. You should wire in an stand by switch to your battery adapter so you can leave your battery fully engaged. And flip the standby switch to complete the circuit where you're ready to power up

[@vikingnorm6935]

They worked really good when I made my wire longer from my ring video doorbell to my solar panel charger I bought & installed on the roof. So quick, thanks for the info

[@island03z]

Clear heat shrink over the numbers makes everything look really clean. Love those low temp solder joints, amazingly fast. Also using a mini lineman splice as well gives me reassurance for those high stress joints

[@thecraftycollector2410]

I love that heat shrink tubing. It’s the best!

[@quadcabdakota]

Adam, Brady,( and other companies I'm sure) make printable heat shrink for your labeler. The stickers are nice but can come off easily. The heat shrink costs a little more but is basically indestructible. Cheers!

[@MakerAventuras]

Dymo has the Rhino series that can also print heatshrink tubing. I use it a lot, really handy

[@mr_gerber]

@@MakerAventuras Oh man yes I got a DYMO Rhino a few years ago, just for the purpose of being able to print on shrinkwrap. Fantastic product. It also has functions for making other wiring-specific label templates, which comes in handy.

[@anne_frank_]

The brother P-Touch pte550 has got to be my favourite of the ones I've used. Lots of functionality for both cables (heatshrink, wraps and flags) but also general and custom label printing. Won't replace the Cembre machine that cost 3 grand but it very nearly could which is beyond impressive. I'm sure in a few years the potable ones will be worth having instead of the bench style.

[@madison1828]

Ive been using those for over a year now and they are amazing and so easy!

[@BenjoReacts]

Adam’s excitement on his videos makes me excited about what he’s excited about.

[@andrewhall2602]

I was introduced to these splices in the Air Force as "environmental splices", and they are as good as Adam says. We aren't allowed to use them on all applications, but they MASSIVELY simplify and speed up the process when we can make use of them. They are certainly worth using behind/under the dashboard of a car, since there's usually not much stress and weather they get exposed to. And the awkward and tight confines make soldering a pain in there as well.

[@christopherfrady1588]

I used them all the time in the backshop as E&E. Super dependable provided it's done correctly. After leaving and doing projects on the side, I was surprised these aren't a lot more popular and easier to find in the commercial world.

[@maalexander2]

In the electrical industry we use wire markers all the time. They also come in booklets of numbers, letters and symbols. Some of the label makers we use can also print custom wire wraps for different wire gauges which is really helpful when you’re dealing with many wires, since you can specifically label the wires without cross referencing a legend.

[@shawnmurdock8059]

As an IT Engineer, we have, or at least I have, used little wire tape ID labels for years on fiber and Ethernet wires used in data centers. We usually port port numbers on them instead of just a number, but they same so much time when doing maintenance.

[@sloanNYC]

Those shrink wrap with solder connectors make life so much easier. Won't pass some standards but still, super convenient and solid.

[@Mitch3D]

Wago 221 lever nuts are my favorite thing ever. It's easy and tool less and for most things they're really secure. The only issue is the bulkiness of a bunch of Wago connections.

[@xoxo2008oxox]

I've found the WAGO's work well in receptacle boxes and take up less room than then wire nuts.

[@mfx1]

They make a more compact single inline version, also the Chinese make some good Wago knockoffs that Wago don't (but should have) make. Wouldn't entirely trust the Chinese ones for commercial mains electrical work though but they're almost certainly fine for this sort of work.

[@northwiebesick7136]

I'm thinking about getting some WAGO connectors eventually, myself, whenever I start working on a computer storage and shop room in my dad's barn... Will only be something like 8x17ft of space, but still, that isn't half bad, for how much computer stuff I hope to store there...

[@Mitch3D]

@@mfx1 wago finally makes online splice connectors, the 221-2401 but the Chinese knockoffs work fairly well

[@mfx1]

@@Mitch3D Isn't that basically what I said?

[@bergamt]

The helping hands look very much like GRS Third Hands, I think meant for jewelry soldering but just fine for wires. They’re not cheap (~$60 per hand) but I like them.

[@BJHeinley]

Those are the ones. I just looked them up myself then found your comment.

[@JohnSmith-ws7fq]

Thanks for the info!

[@TimFollick]

I looked it up also, there is an Etsy seller who makes this identical clip, nice setup, $46 for two.

[@firstmkb]

Thanks!

[@anne_frank_]

@@TimFollick alfindingsltd out of merry England the one you found? In any case alfindingsltd has two for 30gbp for European buyers with arms and a base to match.

[@bookoo0193]

For those wanting to find the clamps if you look for jewelry Third Hand Vise and look around you'd find a something similar. it's used mainly for jewelry making/soldering.

[@PedersonPantry]

I used the number tape when I worked in the fountain beverage installation industry! Amazing stuff

[@RicardoJacquez]

Those solder sleeved connectors are you for shielded wire splices, but work great for your use. As other comments stated, they sell a heat reflector for heat guns to evenly distribute heat. Love the videos.

[@DieCastoms]

In "The Tick" (2016), a tracking device is extracted from a character and 'left behind.' A close-up shot is given and it is fairly clear that the device is one of these low-temp solder shrink splices containing a single hearing aid battery and a single flashing LED bulb! I don't remember if it had been heated or not.

[@edsherrod5216]

Your KZbin vignette's never cease to amaze and educate me! Thank you for sharing!

[@padillaanthony66]

this guy watching him he taught me alot thankyou adam savage

[@JKHuskers]

I have a Brother label maker that you can get heat shrink labels that slip over the wire and you can shrink them on. You can name the wires at each end. Keep up the good work.

[@johnthrossel9981]

Adam, I used the solder heat shrink connectors 15 years ago at Mercedes Benz dealership. The Mercedes connectors are the best. I tried 3m and they were not as good the Mercedes connectors. They are not cheap but save tons of time.

[@jakemj03]

I mark all my wires with a sharpie. If the wire is big enough, you can write numbers on the wire, if it is too small, put a number of marks indicating its number. The advantage of the sharpie is you can pull said wires through tight spaces, without ripping the stickers off.

[@agentp6621]

In my time in aviation. We have what we call in the Army environmental splices. We have actual crimped splices that are then covered with environmental heat shrink. The standard is to heat it to the point that both pieces of colored wax (I call it wax) melt and just barely begin to ooze out the ends of the environmental. This is to ensure that it is melted thoroughly enough to have a watertight seal. What’s interesting about your splices is that you don’t have that ability to see the wax ooze out the ends. We also have solder sleeves. They’re nearly identical to what you have but are intend for use with shielded wiring. Like coax which needs the shielding grounded. What I like about this is that the colors for yours appear to coincide with our colors for sizing. Whilst talking about mobile solder repair kits. I have been working developing a mobile solder station that also has a heat gun capability. One of our biggest problems in aviation is that our repair tools are in the shop. We can’t very well take the shop to the aircraft. So we oftentimes need to take the equipment to the aircraft and try to figure out how to get AC power to the aircraft. The army has a mobile heating and soldering kit but it’s bulky and we don’t have one. I don’t believe we’re authorized to have one either. The real issue is having to repairs in a remote area. I believe I have an Avenue of approach. Our standard military radio batteries have two 12V cells. I am looking to utilize this for a mobile repair station.

[@FreedomfixerFlying]

Those solder seals are dirrived from aerospace environmental splices and solder leaves to terminate shielded wires. Great inventions!

[@GingerBeardDublXL]

I use the solder connectors on off road trucks, sxs's, and in car audio and never had one fail. Regular butt connectors and solder joints have, I trust these more now.

[@matthewn1225]

Had the number tape dispenser in a robotics lab in high school. Never really needed it then but I can only imagine how nice it’ll be to have in my toolbox now that I’m doing automotive wiring.

[@brandonconboy6904]

Ive been wiring all of our semi trucks and trailers and dump trucks with these connections. As an added layer of protection, Ive been coating the connections with liquid electrical tape once they cool, and in the semi truck wiring, these things are almost always never alone, so there is at least on more if not multiple connections right next to each other, So I then slip one large piece of heat shrink tubing over all of them to further protect them and also make the wiring harness look much neater. I haven't had one issue doing it this way and we are in PA running through all the grit and salt. They are definitely worth it if they can stand up to the abuse of dump trucks

[@OtisFlint]

I have 2 of them in the valley of a V8, been there 4 years, no issues.

[@m-s.t.l9386]

As a Fire Apparatus Electrician by trade, I approve! What I’d suggest over the solder connectors you demonstrated are of a similar variety. Heat shrink solder crimp connectors. They’re just like what you showed but with the crimp tube inside of them as well for added strength in the connection. Also if you haven’t used Deutsch connectors before I’d love to see/hear your opinion on them. We use them daily in our operation and they provide a fantastic sealed connection.

[@johannjohann6523]

One of the best inventions in a long time. The time efficiency is what is so great. Though I'll still add a heat shrink tube big enough to cover connector just for extra stability. But yeah low amp low voltage usages (like most car applications) they are a great product.

[@jerrym995]

another thing they make now is a label maker that prints on heat shrink, i love it makes it easy to figure what wire is what when working with a bundle of wires

[@MLFranklin]

I just had a massive flashback to grad school. I had not used or even thought about those numbered tape dispensers for 25 years, and now I see it here.

[@NewAgeDIY]

Ever time Adam comes up with a cool product, all the hard core DIY makers are off to Amazon picking up the item. I all really put in a order for the Solder Seal Wire Solder Wire Connectors. But the Numbers tape is a bit expensive. Maybe a birthday gift 🎁 thanks Adam for stocking my workshop with goodie’s

[@MyClutteredGarage]

Just tried the low temp solder / heat shrink for the first time. They definitely have their place. 👍

[@HyperactiveNeuron]

I did a quick check on Amazon for those butt connectors and found them. Definitely ordering some. I searched "waterproof internal solder wire connectors and the top item (sponsored) was a case of 200 in varying sizes. Great deal too.

[@TheBlueArcher]

Oh yeah I love the solder seal connectors, I found out about them from a random youtube video about 4 or 5 months ago. they are AMAZING.

[@jodalry]

Brilliant Adam, I love the Solder Seal Wire Connectors. Thanks for introducing me to them. 👍🏻😎

[@victorjay9586]

We use these connectors in our auto shop. But the ones we have also incorporate traditional crimp connection as well, great for sensor wires and most importantly saves time

[@andyrix54]

I was using solder seal butt splicers back in the late 70s and early 80 when I was running assembly lines for Tandy, building 5 1/4" floppy disc drives.

[@Ivanovitch2885]

The connectors are also available with a barrel connector in my industry that goes under the heat shrink for added strength. We use them under the hood for critical electrical components.

[@chiphill4856]

Sounds interesting! Do you have a product name or a link?

[@Ivanovitch2885]

@@chiphill4856 Doing some searching, it looks like we're using a bare butt connector under the heat shrink sleeve Adam posted. Most of them come with a hole to let the solder wick into the joint from the factory, since they're usually just stamped and rolled. You have the option of crimping, hot soldering, or just butting and heat-gunning the connection. Depending on what you need it to do. I'm a flux and solder kind of guy just because there's no kill like overkill.

[@chiphill4856]

@@Ivanovitch2885 Cool. Thx!

[@stevewells2327]

Been an age since I've seen you up on ..what was once celluloid....Great to see the old passion hasn't wavered. Thanks for the great entertainment that was mythbusters !!

[@pigidly]

I was waiting on Adam to try to pull them apart!!! It was in your hand! Do the test!!!

[@MDigitalProductions]

I miss these tool tip videos, I've learned so much from them!

[@DamienRobertsonYYC]

The third hand clamps are from jewlery soldering third hands. As for the wire labeling, and heat shrink labels, for brother label printers. I've used them for cleaning up wires in a rack.

[@atlanteprops]

Love those connectors, i found them about 2 years ago when i've restored an original DHD from the TV show Stargate and had 160 cables to solder together I am not a fan of the heat gun to shrink those connectors, i found that a small blowtorch do the job way better

[@bobblum5973]

Torch or heat gun, the biggest headache is if the wire insulation turns out to be cheap and melts before the shrink sleeve does! 🙄

[@FoxSaysWhat]

Those helping hands look suspiciously similar to snap ring plier heads. Fantastic as always Adam! You’re a favorite for sure.

[@firstmkb]

My thought exactly!

[@plunder1956]

I've worked with serious electronics people & they told me about heat-gun solder links two years ago. I just bought a small kit in February & tested one then.