Is taping wires instead of sodering, safe?

[paulkortne]

I have sodered wires to the gamepad i'll use for my arcade controller, but the wires break off really easily.  I'm thinking about both sodering them on and taping them down.  Would the tape pose a fire hazzard?  Could anything bad happen from doing that?

[rampy]

I have sodered wires to the gamepad i'll use for my arcade controller, but the wires break off really easily.  I'm thinking about both sodering them on and taping them down.  Would the tape pose a fire hazzard?  Could anything bad happen from doing that?

No, not if you used electrical tape... although the current in a gabepade is unlikely to be signifigant enough to arc through tape =P

The real issue though is your hack... or possibly the type of wires you are using to do your hack (i.e. their thickness/stranded or solid, etc)... Also how you are strain relieveing them, if at all?

on my previous sidewinder hack (and my mouse hack) I used zip ties to tie back and group together wires so they couldn't flex ... I also melted hot glue to hold down the wire in some cases (NOT on the copper part, the plastic part)... somepeople have used hot glue OVER their solder (after making sure their hack worked)  points on a hack... but if you EVER need to get back at those contacts/wires , you're in for a hell of a cleanup/scrape job.

*shrug* just my thoughts..

good luck!

rampy

[OSCAR]

Not a direct answer to your question, but another method commonly used on gamepad hacks is to drill through the pcb at the contact points with a really small drill bit.  Then you insert the wire from the parts side and solder it to the contact.  This makes a better joint than just surface soldering wires to the contacts.

Rampy's suggestion to bunch the wires together and zip tie them together will also help tremendously.  This prevents a single wire from being pulled and straining the soldered joint.

[SirPeale]

Not a direct answer to your question, but another method commonly used on gamepad hacks is to drill through the pcb at the contact points with a really small drill bit.  Then you insert the wire from the parts side and solder it to the contact.  This makes a better joint than just surface soldering wires to the contacts.

They're called wire bits, and they're really tiny.  They didn't have anything at the hardware store smaller than 1/16, until I asked specifically.  Then they broke out the teeny tiny stuff.

[hevnsnt]

solder by the way..

Any why not solder?  It is super easy and I would be more than happy to help out via email if you want.  Just a tiny bit of practice (like 15 mins) and you will be set.. I promise.

[Brax]

Not a direct answer to your question, but another method commonly used on gamepad hacks is to drill through the pcb at the contact points with a really small drill bit.  Then you insert the wire from the parts side and solder it to the contact.  This makes a better joint than just surface soldering wires to the contacts.

They're called wire bits, and they're really tiny.  They didn't have anything at the hardware store smaller than 1/16, until I asked specifically.  Then they broke out the teeny tiny stuff.

Go to a large hobby store that sells plastic models. You can buy a pin vise with tiny bits. They're perfect for our application.

http://www.mikeshobbytools.com/inventory/details.asp?ItemID=264

[Elkor]

The first rule of soldering is to have a good mechanical connection.
solder provides the electrical connection but the 2 pieces should be firmly attached before it is applied.

(plus, it makes the soldering job a lot easier)

[_Iz-]

He may also be a bit timid with the soldering iron and is getting a cold solder instead of a good joint. It's hard to walk the fine line between getting a good solder joint and overheating the traces to the point where they lift from the pcb. Make sure the traces you are soldering to are clean and scraped free of the coating before soldering.