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

reaper89971

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Jun 2, 2023
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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

Titan
Moderator
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.
 
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reaper89971

Prominent
Jun 2, 2023
82
0
530
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
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
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

Prominent
Jun 2, 2023
82
0
530
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.