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by **mcha9797** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:30 am

I'm looking for some tips on re-wiring my Eagle sockets. The wires appear to have been spot welded to the metal socket pieces. I applied some heat to the joint, but the wire would not release. Can I leave a small stub of the original wire and solder the new wire to that?? There is not a lot of room to do this without having bare wire show once the socket is put back together, but I think it could be done and look ok.

Any other suggestions??

by **Mike80** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:39 am

It should be fine to leave a small stub of the original wire and solder the new wire to that. Once that connections is made, put heat shrink tubing over the exposed wire/solder joint up to the spot weld on the metal socket pieces.

by **Magnetboy** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:57 am

The wire should release from the contacts. Is your soldering iron getting hot enough? Does it have a large enough tip to lay down enough heat to remove those old wires? If not, I would invest in a new soldering gun capable of providing more heat before I went through the trouble of trying to attach wires to any little wire stubs you leave on the contacts.

by **mcha9797** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:31 am

I even tried a torch, the old wires won't release.

by **Magnetboy** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:35 am

mcha9797 wrote:I even tried a torch, the old wires won't release.

Really? A torch didn't do it either? :shock:

by **RunsWithCrouse-Hinds** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:55 am

Mike80 wrote:It should be fine to leave a small stub of the original wire and solder the new wire to that. Once that connections is made, put heat shrink tubing over the exposed wire/solder joint up to the spot weld on the metal socket pieces.

I would agree with Mike here, that may be your best option. The heat shrink would also provide a more secure connection and keep the wires from bending so much that they break off at the socket or fray. Also being in a 4-way you don't have to worry about the heat shrink making the back of the socket so bulky that you can't get the reflector all the way in to shut the door.

by **gwlreno** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:42 pm

OK guys, I'm giving away trade secrets here, but anything to hook a brother up, right?

The right way to do this is to cut the wire as close to the socket body as close as possible to the surface. Then, file off the remaining wire flush with the metal surface. Next, tin a small area in the place where the wire was spot welded and also strip and tin 1/8" of the new wire. Bend the tinned end of the new wire 90 degrees and hold it on the tinned area of the socket. Hold the heated tip of the soldering iron till the solder melts and flows out. Do the same process to the center contact of the socket, pass the new wires through the appropriate holes in the socket shell, put it all together and install the screws that you removed to disassemble the socket and you're done!

by **mcha9797** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:13 pm

gwlreno wrote:OK guys, I'm giving away trade secrets here, but anything to hook a brother up, right?

The right way to do this is to cut the wire as close to the socket body as close as possible to the surface. Then, file off the remaining wire flush with the metal surface. Next, tin a small area in the place where the wire was spot welded and also strip and tin 1/8" of the new wire. Bend the tinned end of the new wire 90 degrees and hold it on the tinned area of the socket. Hold the heated tip of the soldering iron till the solder melts and flows out. Do the same process to the center contact of the socket, pass the new wires through the appropriate holes in the socket shell, put it all together and install the screws that you removed to disassemble the socket and you're done!

He makes it sound so easy,

Actually that is what I've been doing. Leaving a short stub of old wire wasn't working very well, the wire was dirty and the solder wouldn't flow well, clean metal is the key to making this work!! Each one that I do, looks better than the last. I'll be a pro by the time I get all 12 done... :No:

3 down, 9 to go!!!

by **signalstand** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 3:55 pm

gwlreno wrote:OK guys, I'm giving away trade secrets here, but anything to hook a brother up, right?

The right way to do this is to cut the wire as close to the socket body as close as possible to the surface. Then, file off the remaining wire flush with the metal surface. Next, tin a small area in the place where the wire was spot welded and also strip and tin 1/8" of the new wire. Bend the tinned end of the new wire 90 degrees and hold it on the tinned area of the socket. Hold the heated tip of the soldering iron till the solder melts and flows out. Do the same process to the center contact of the socket, pass the new wires through the appropriate holes in the socket shell, put it all together and install the screws that you removed to disassemble the socket and you're done!

Secret or not, your job security is safe with me!

I will NOT be attempting to rewire any sockets in the forseeable future :Poof:

Although I am expecting a hostile takeover on the visor business at any moment :mod:

Sorry for the :hijack:

by **64ragtop** on Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:01 pm

I rewired 8 of those sockets last year. I had good success with the method you have been using, however I brushed on some flux before I soldered. The additional flux made a huge difference in how the solder flowed. The end result was very good solder joints. Be careful about bending the center positive contact out too far when removing it. I had a couple of those break on me :rob:

and had to make new ones. I'm guessing they bent those out in the field a few times over the years when they would get too flat. One bend too many I suppose...

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