Editor's Note
We find a lot of "previous owners" who don't know the first thing about Jeep electrical systems. So we got one of the simplest guys we could find out here in Los Angeles who knew something about electricity to write a column that anyone could understand about electrical things (in Jeeps, hopefully). This will be a monthly column, and Randy will cover something different each month-we can only hope he stays with electrical things.
Now, I might not be the brightest bulb in the toolbox, and it is true that sometimes I take the long way around to get to a simple thought, but I've always had a way with fixing things. If it's a dirty red El Camino or a phone pulled out of the wall, I've got a way with making things work again.
So these good folks at Jp Magazine thought it'd be a good idea if I share some of the things I've learned with you, the reader. You see, over the last year or so, helping my brother clean up his messes, I've learned a few things-and not just how to make a gay guy feel good about himself or how not to throw a football game. Heck, I'm still scared stiff of birds and am not sure of my purpose in life, but I sure am glad the good folks at Jp Magazine are letting me share some electric things with you all.
Welcome to my corner, my name is Randy. I'm going to start off with something simple, soldering. There isn't much to soldering. It's some soft metal that melts easy, but it holds wires together real well-much better than butt connectors (heh heh)-and with the right heat shrink, weather won't bother it. I like to call that a good thing, 'cause I will never have to mess with it again.
After you get all your tools...
After you get all your tools together, the first thing to do is "tin" the soldering iron. I don't know why they call it tin, 'cause it's not like the tin man or anything. All you do is hit the iron with some solder, but it sure does help to melt that rosin core solder into the wires later.
Make sure you twist your two...
Make sure you twist your two wires together. The electricity likes to take the easiest path to its goal, like me to the beer. Cut the heat shrink a little bit longer than the connection so it overlaps the wire's insulation. Then, with the "tinned" soldering iron, heat the wire and feed the solder in from the other side. Never heat the solder directly, 'cause that'd be bad.
Ever since my brother quit...
Ever since my brother quit smoking, he hasn't needed his lighter. I use it for shrinking that heat shrink. Kinda funny, most things get bigger when they get hot and shrink when they are cold, but that heat shrink sure does keep water and dirt out of the solder joint, which makes it last forever. So heat that shrink with a lighter or the solder iron, or, heck, even a heat gun or Joy's hair dryer (please don't tell her).