Western Union Splice

[windozeuser]

How do you do a Good Western Union wire Splice?

 

[panic mode]

i guess google didn't help? there is tons of links and pictures that explain it in detail...

you strip two wires (call them A and B), cross them at stripped part,
wrap wire A around neck of B and repeat the same for the other side.
solder them together. this provides good electrical connection and
mechanically solid system.

this connection makes sense only when wires are too long to replace
with single new wire (power line), wires are exposed to mechanical stress
(hanging for example) but not flexing, you are using single wires (splicing multiple
wires like in multiconductor cable doesn't work because i would like to see
genius able to make all 18 or 25 splices in a multiconductor cable
exactly same length so that they all share same tensile strength after
repair), you don't plan to separate them ever again (sure you can cut the
connection but every time you do it, wires are shorter and shorter...).

 

[Dean Huster]

The WU splice isn't strong unless you make sure that the wire is wrapped so that each wrap is right up against the previous wraps. I've seen WU splice illustrations that show the wraps spiraled out and have copied them only to have the splice pull apart with only a 10-pound tug, not good when you're splicing a wire for a long-wire antenna and want to pull a lot of sag out of the thing.

You can make a WU splice even stronger by soldering it after it's made.

Dean

 

[zevon8]

Memories of my High-School Electrical classes! We had to do all these joints, and learn how to properly insulate with rubber and friction tape. The teacher ( a former Hydro linesman and Inspector ) would come around and two-handed haul on your wire splices. Believe me, we all learned how to do a mechanically sound WU to perfection.

His 2 favorite quotes :

" Solder is not glue "

and

" A kink is damage beyond repair "