Teeny Tiny Wire - Big Headache

[redsky49]

Lot of great ideas so far. Thanks!!!

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Faced with a similar problem extending our house telephone wires outside, I used some jellies. Raymarine supply them for some of their products.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/200Pcs-Wate...ps%2C80&sr=8-7

I think you will find these are designed specifically to be used with solid wire. I have seen applications where they will fall off with vibration.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by BMD21

Right or wrong, here’s what I do when I have a small wire to fit into a large crimp connector: fold the wire back on the stripped part so that one has a double thickness of stripped wire. I also will continue this doubling until I have a wire end that is large enough to crimp. Worked for years, since they started using those 22-26 ga wires.


Boris

I so this also. I think the biggest issue here is having sufficient strain relief so the big wire does not mechanically stress the small wire.

I typically use several layers of Liquid Electrical Tape and cover that with a good electrical tape (3M 33 or 88). If you can get the heat shrink to close on the small wire that is good. I find heat shrink difficult when working in exposed windy conditions such as up a mast in the trade winds.

[CrispyCringle]

Probably already mentioned (4 pages of how to connect two wires?!), but simply insert the two wires into the same end of a crimp connector and crimp. Weather proof as appropriate. Done.
Strongly recommend NOT soldering. The top of the mast moves around a lot. A solder joint would be doomed to fail from flexing.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by KeelsonGraham

Google Wago connectors. They might do the job.

Wago only goes to 24 AWG. Smaller will pull out.

[Kettlewell]

By the way, not ideal but has worked for me on some joints heavily exposed to weather for 15 years, I have sealed up mast wire spices by smearing with silicone caulking, then wrapping with silicone self-fusing tape instead of heat shrink. I then heavily wrap that with quality (3M Super 88) electrical tape. I have also done this with exposed wire connections at the bow pulpit for running lights, frequently exposed to heavy rain and even seawater when offshore. When opened up for some reason, these joints have remained perfect, even after years. I would have no qualms just twisting that small wire with the bigger wire coming up the mast, then sealing/reinforcing as I have outlined.