Flex Cable

[Pau7060]

I am going too trim a flex cable . After cuttting does cable need to solder at spot of cutting . Square drive on drive end, round on engine cut end .

[Doug Smock]

Some do, some don't. Some say that have never had an issue not tinning the end. Some would never chance it. I'm part of the last group.

[danielplace1962]

No it does not. Years ago it was popular but you don't see people do it that much any more.

The collet grips the bare winding better than a soldered end and the tinning actually is a lubricant and it kinda fills in the windings. Even if you wipe it clean the tinned windings is akin to greasing it and putting it in the collet.

It can also wick up the cable further than intended and if it wicks past the depth it will be in the collet it will fatigue the cable where the solder ended.

If you could carefully sweat just the very 1/8" of the tip without it wicking up the cable it probably won't hurt but doesn't help much either but also easier said than done. When you have it hot enough to accept the solder it is hot enough that you almost can't help but have it wick up into the cable and tin the windings of the area that is in the collet. If you do it and the windings are tinned best to use some 60 grit paper and take the solder off the windings on the outside just a little.

I used to do it but quit several years ago and just prefer them bare since there has never been a single issue running them unsoldered.

The raw bare end works fine up in the collet.

The only thing I will say in it's favor is that it will did keep the center core from ever slipping out the end of the cable. The center core is a separate cable inside of the outer windings and it can be pulled right out of the center and you don't want it shifting like say in a one piece welded stub type cable because it can come out the end and leave a gap between it and the stub shaft because the brazed joint doesn't usually lock in the center core and with any gap back there is a hollow inside the outer winding and without the center core inside the outer winding for even 1/8" the cable will be very weak at that point and can just knot up and twist off the cable at the stub shaft which is already the weakest point of the cable when it doesn't have a gap in the center core.

[tlandauer]

May I offer a counter point?
Yes, I have never had an issue with bare ends so far as the strands unraveling is concerned. I did, however, on occasions suffered a slipping cable in both the Octura and TFL stainless Steel collet. This is particularly evident when a .187 cable is used. Mind you that I use anti-seize compound on all my collets so I know that they are tightened all the way. Depending on the quality of the cable, some will "shrink/compress" a bit when under load thus what was a tight grip becomes ever so slightly a looser grip in the collet, then the slippage happens. A soldered end in that case will not shrink and thus would offer a more honest grip for the collet.
As said, all my ends are bare, the device to circumvent this problem is the MBP clutch type collet!

[Pau7060]

I guess it about asking which brand of batteries is better. Would Silver solder be any better than normal solder This going on Zenoah Power Outboard.

[tlandauer]

I guess it about asking which brand of batteries is better. Would Silver solder be any better than normal solder This going on Zenoah Power Outboard.

[runzwithsizorz]

I'm sure he meant solder, and not batteries. seems there was a whole thread about this somewhere. http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...ht=flex+solder
Too many questions, not enough time...

[tlandauer]

I'm sure he meant solder, and not batteries. seems there was a whole thread about this somewhere. http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/...ht=flex+solder
Too many questions, not enough time...

Always brings a big smile to me when I see your posts!

I have a sly feeling that the OP didn't have a typo: he is lamenting the fact that there are more than one opinions on this. He is referring to the response one gets when one asks which brand of lipo is best.
But we are FE boaters, the only thing we agree is when a boat sinks!

p.s. sorry, had to delete one smileys or I can't get what I want to put due to limitation.

[grsboats]

All my flex are soldered and never had an issue.Gill

[Pau7060]

Always brings a big smile to me when I see your posts!

I have a sly feeling that the OP didn't have a typo: he is lamenting the fact that there are more than one opinions on this. He is referring to the response one gets when one asks which brand of lipo is best.
But we are FE boaters, the only thing we agree is when a boat sinks!

p.s. sorry, had to delete one smileys or I can't get what I want to put due to limitation.

Yes T-land that's what I ment by my comment about batteries . At this point I am working toward hitting the H2O. But I am working my way to that. Thanks guys for all your input. Paul

[danielplace1962]

I guess it about asking which brand of batteries is better. Would Silver solder be any better than normal solder This going on Zenoah Power Outboard.

I have never seen anyone soldering 1/4" cables in any gas setup. It just isn't done because there isn't a reason to. Skip it altogether.

[montymike]

I solder mine also...

[tlandauer]

I solder mine also...

Which size?

[montymike]

.15 0 and .187

[tlandauer]

.15 0 and .187

I see, I thought you meant 1/4".
In any event, I wish I have the skills and know how. I have all mine bare and not had a single problem, but I wish I can solder them nonetheless. I do think my earlier post reflects a certain degree of truth: that despite the none issue of running them bare, the end when it is soldered offers a bit more honest grip for the collet and I understand one poster's point that the solder may act as a lubricant, but I have yet to encounter that on the few that I have that are soldered.