Question What is the Best way to stabilize/ insulate/hold wires after they are soldered in properly?

[reaper89971]

I am looking for a product that will go on like hot glue would. That is cheap and is easy to get but made for high voltage and high current wires.

Just looking for some extra hold after all the soldering is done.

I have some MG Chemicals Silicone conformal coating and some Acrylic conformal coating. But they don't hold like i want.

So i want to insulate and hold wires onto a board.

 

[Ralston18]

Is the board subject to movement/vibration? Environment: indoor/outdoor, moisture, hot, cold, etc.?

Not sure about hot glue with respect to holding high voltage and high current wires.

Meaning high wattage.

What voltages and currents are you working with?

And connecting such soldered wires to a board (that could burn) is a bad idea.

Visit local big box stores such as Home Depot and Lowes. Maybe even electrical suppliers.

There are many, many products available for safely and securely holding wires in place.

One product that comes to mind would be to use terminal blocks/strips. Fully rated for the current and voltages you are using.

My strong recommendation is to look up local electrical codes regarding how wiring connections should be made and secured.

Google "Electrical codes for securing wires" or similar words and phrases as applicable for your project.

More explicitly as and example:

Terminal block example

Many choices available.

Safety matters.

 

[reaper89971]

Is the board subject to movement/vibration? Environment: indoor/outdoor, moisture, hot, cold, etc.?

Not sure about hot glue with respect to holding high voltage and high current wires.

Meaning high wattage.

What voltages and currents are you working with?

And connecting such soldered wires to a board (that could burn) is a bad idea.

Visit local big box stores such as Home Depot and Lowes. Maybe even electrical suppliers.

There are many, many products available for safely and securely holding wires in place.

One product that comes to mind would be to use terminal blocks/strips. Fully rated for the current and voltages you are using.

My strong recommendation is to look up local electrical codes regarding how wiring connections should be made and secured.

Google "Electrical codes for securing wires" or similar words and phrases as applicable for your project.

More explicitly as and example:

Terminal block example

Many choices available.

Safety matters.

Thank you for your reply

The board won't be subject to vibration or movement or moisture.

It will be close to other components though.

I am taking a modular atx power supply and making it wired or non modular. It is really small

 

[reaper89971]

It is a HDPLEX HIFI DC-ATX 500 watt.

 

[Ralston18]

So the PSU is being left intact and unopened - correct?

And all that you are doing is to use the PSU's modular cables as a power source for the project - correct?

Meaning one end of the modular cable is plugged into the PSU and you are removing the connector on the other end of the modular cable and using the stripped wire end(s) to provide source power somewhere.

Covered terminal blocks would likely work. Many, many choices available.

Safety is foremost.

The terminal blocks need to be rated/approved for the voltages and currents being used.

PSU's, even though the voltages may appear "low" can be very dangerous.

For safety you must protect the end user from shocks and maintain the required device grounding (earthing).

 

[reaper89971]

Power

So the PSU is being left intact and unopened - correct?

And all that you are doing is to use the PSU's modular cables as a power source for the project - correct?

Meaning one end of the modular cable is plugged into the PSU and you are removing the connector on the other end of the modular cable and using the stripped wire end(s) to provide source power somewhere.

Covered terminal blocks would likely work. Many, many choices available.

Safety is foremost.

The terminal blocks need to be rated/approved for the voltages and currents being used.

PSU's, even though the voltages may appear "low" can be very dangerous.

For safety you must protect the end user from shocks and maintain the required device grounding (earthing).

Power supply has been professionally taken apart and the modular ports have been removed from the board professionally by a Solder Reworker. I am going to pay them to solder the cables to the board. It is a low voltage power supply, it has zero large capacitors on the board. Highest is 63volts.

I just wanted to apply something like a hot glue over top of the solder points or wires to keep them from ever touching one another and insulate the solder points and wires a little bit.

Not Hot glue but something similar that is made to go over top of wires.

The board is very small but is a thick PCB, You have to have a high power soldering iron or solder station to work on it. I can't do on my own cause i don't have a good iron. The ports were removed using a machine. Can't be done otherwise without ruining the board. So what i am doing you can't really do normally without equipment. Just want to put that out there so nobody tries on there own.

 

[USAFRet]

Look up "potting compound".

 

[reaper89971]

Look up "potting compound".

Thanks for your reply

 

[Unolocogringo]

Thanks for your reply

You can also get Liquid electrical tape..
But getting something to stick to PCB board is tedious that can also withstand high temps.
Lots of cleaning and etching to get a rough surface for contact.
I have used a short length 1.5 to 2 inches of 16/18 gauge solid wire to make a contact stiffener
Wrap it around the first inch or so of the wire you are soldering. leave about 3/8 inch of wire sticking past your insulated power wire Tin the 16/18 gauge wire end.
Now wrap the stripped stranded wire arround the tinned solid wire leaving 1/4 in or so unrapped.
Solder stranded wire to solid wire.
Now solder the solid wire into the hole in the pcb. Coat with liquid electrical tape a 2/3 times individually.
Then they can be collected together and coated to make a large rubber "plug with lots of surface contact .
It can also be used as potting compound if you want a softer material.

 

[Zerk2012]

Thanks for your reply

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7qnbmkqrt8

 

[reaper89971]

I found some hot glue sticks made for encapsulating electronics by Power adhesive TECHBOND 7718

Tecbond 7718 | Power Adhesives

Tecbond 7718 is a polyamide hot melt adhesive designed for potting and encapsulation applications. Available in amber and black, Tecbond 7718 has very low v ...

www.poweradhesives.com

Not sure if it will melt though in a regular junky old glue gun like i have. I have a arts and crafts glue gun 40 watts , I think you need a industrial grade glue gun. So i will have to buy the glue and a better glue gun.

The high melting point of the glue i think will be a problem for wires though. I am pretty sure the wires will melt at 195 degree C so it won't work for my purpose but it is pretty close.

 

[reaper89971]

I am still contemplating putting hot glue over top the wires of my PSU, supposidly it can insulate up to 400v depending on the brand of glue you use.

Regular Hot glue can insulate up to 400v, Is that true? Cause i have never heard of that.

The power supply im using is a low voltage power supply.

 

[Unolocogringo]

I am still contemplating putting hot glue over top the wires of my PSU, supposidly it can insulate up to 400v depending on the brand of glue you use.

Regular Hot glue can insulate up to 400v, Is that true? Cause i have never heard of that.

The power supply im using is a low voltage power supply.

Voltage is only half of the problem
Heat in a power supply must also be factored in. Will it stay stable from room temperature to 80c with repeated cycles.