ORIGINAL: dakoris73
Ok. So now I am thoroughly confused as to what to do / what not to do. I'm quite the Nooby out here and I have a wing where the servo wires aren't long enough to reach the exit hole, thus requiring the need for extensions. My soldering skills are worthless seeing as I keep burning through the wires somehow, so I don't see that as being an option. If I were to just add servo extensions, and tie them together using the string and CA method, I'm reading that I'm gonna loose this plane due to what exactly????????? quite a bit confused here...........
Dakoris,
You are right, for any newcomer this might sound very confusing!
In order of simplicity:
Method 1
1. Add a pre-made extension to your servo lead.
2. Use cotton string and a drop of CA so they do not come apart.
Enjoy!
PROS: Simple, quick, cheap and preferred method.
CONS: I have experienced the connectors getting oxidized. (Not a big con for the average flyer)
Variations: Using dental floss, heat shrink tubing, or tape.
Method 2 - for any model that involves a serious investment $$$ (John's method)
1. Cut servo leads, strip a decent amount of wire.
2. Using a pre-purchased extension, cut to length, so that the servo lead remaining and the extension when soldered intotal, give you the exact length needed.
3. Thread appropriate heat shrink tubing far enough down the wire (about 2 inches) so that soldering heat doesn't shrink it beforehand.Make sure it covers al ength equal to stripped wire plus 1cm on each side of the wire.
3. Using a 40 watt or less iron, heat the wires and add solder directly to the wires (I use a ceramic surface when pressing down). The trick is that as soon as the wires melt the solder being applied to it and it flows to cover them all,you remove the iron immediately. Don't add more, this is enough. Let it cool a bit.
4. Place heat shrink tubing on the joint, and use the heat gun to shrink it.
Enjoy!
PROS: makes for a solid connection that is durable and resistant to corrosion (soldering makes this possible)Also, simpler to thread into tubes leading to servo location.
CONS: time consuming, if it is improperly done, it can actually be worse than the connectors!