Help- Soldering VHF antenna cable

Red · 08-26-2002, 12:38 PM

I broke me antenna over the weekend :depressed: . After I thread the new wire thru the hull I need to solder the wire to a connector that then plugs into the radio. My question : Is there a certain type of solder that should be used for connections in wet/damp locations. Thanks in advance for info.

08-26-2002, 01:16 PM

Standard electrical solder and liquid black tape under shrink tubing.

Mojo · 08-26-2002, 01:23 PM

I work on electronics for a living. Many of our radars are exposed to the nastiest of elements. I suggest you use rosin core solder, make sure the metal to be soldered is very clean, use a wire brush, then clean the whole thing off with de-natured alchohol. Make sure you slide the heat shrink on the wire before you solder...(I have had to re-solder many things). Then seal the whole mess with RTV (silicone calk) marine grade. That ought to hold you. Remember "the bigger the blob, the better the job" applies only to the RTV and not the solder.

08-26-2002, 01:25 PM

Mojo,

I thought that all electrical soulder was rosin core and I won't use RTV on anything.
For sealing 5200 is far superior and liquid black tape is great (thanks for showing this to me John).

[ 08-26-2002, 02:27 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

Killertraylor · 08-26-2002, 01:36 PM

I get everything all threaded and then take it over to Rodgers Marine Electronics on Marine drive and have it done. Call ahead of time to make sure someone can do it, but I think they charged me like $10 and saved me a lot of grief. Both of the connections I had them do have worked great. It would have cost me more than $10 to buy the solder and gun and I'd have never used it again.

Mojo · 08-26-2002, 01:43 PM

Keta,
Actually there are several types of electrical solder. Ther is solid lead/tin, rosin core lead/tin, rosin core no-lead, solid no-lead, acid core, lead/tin, and acid core no-lead. I think rosin core lead/tin works the best. I'll take your word on the liquid e-tape. I've never used it, but I'll buy some.

08-26-2002, 01:47 PM

Isn't electrical soulder lead/tin w/rosin core? :whazzup:
That is all I have ever used on electrical work, acid residue eats copper wire. :shocked: :depressed:

Lead free is for copper water lines and lead/tin acid core is for sheet metal and steel.

[ 08-26-2002, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

Mojo · 08-26-2002, 06:53 PM

Keta,
Not all electrical wire is copper. Also, the federal government is now mandating that some of their agencies do away with lead/tin solder because it supposedly causes lead poisoning from the fumes. Never did nuthin' to me,Never did nuthin' to me,Never did nuthin' to me,Never did nuthin' to me,Never did nuthin' to me,Never did nuthin' to me..... :grin: err sorry, get the tick sometimes. You are correct though, that IMO copper wire gets rosin core lead/tin solder.

08-26-2002, 07:10 PM

Mojo,
I don't like aluminum wire and silver aircraft wire is too expencive for my boat. I have many rolls of thhn that I use for almost everything.

Mojo · 08-26-2002, 07:14 PM

Hehe, I wish I could afford the siver stuff.

08-26-2002, 08:10 PM

My brother had some that he got from Boeing.