NeonString EL Wire Electroluminescent Wire and Drivers

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LED CUBE!

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A step-by-step, illustrated guide to soldering el wire

Soldering a wire-side connector onto a section of 2.5mm el wire

The following illustration shows the basic anatomy of El Wire

Tools and Materials you need:

Items can be obtained from your local electronics store, hobby shop, or found here at Neonstring.com

El Wire	Nippy/Wire Cutters	Razor Blade


Copper Foil Tape	Wire Strippers


Soldering Iron	Solder	Helping Hands


3/16" Heat Shrink	3/32" Heat Shrink	Heat Gun


Neonstring Driver	Thin Screwdriver	Heat Sink, Hemostats, Clamps

Soldering Instructions

Step 1:

Cut EL wire to the needed length using wire/nippy cutters. It is advisable to allow yourself a little extra EL wire in case some EL wire is lost due to a bad solder connection or broken radial wires.

Step 2:

Strip ½" – ¾" of insulation from the end of the EL wire.

Step 3:

If the second layer of (clear) insulation still remains, surrounding the tiny radial wires, strip that as well. Be careful because the radial wires can break. (If they break, cut off the section of wire you just stripped and go back to the previous step.)

Step 4:

Twist the tiny, hair-thin radial wires together until they form one wire.

Step 5:

[CAUTION!] Using the razor, scrape the white phosphorous off of the center wire (core wire).

Step 6:

Using the nippy cutters or wire cutters, cut about a ¾" section of copper foil tape.

Step 7.1:

Peel the adhesive backing from the copper foil tape and apply one end to the EL wire. When you have wrapped the copper foil tape around the EL wire once,

Step 7.2:

next wrap the radial wires around the copper foil tape.

Step 7.3:

and then finish wrapping the copper foil tape around the EL wire.

This is to help make sure the radial wires do not lose their connection to the copper foil tape. In a later step, solder will be applied.

Step 8:

Strip ¾" of each lead of a wire-side connector.

Step 9:

If the tips are tinned (stiff, coated with solder), cut the tips off. This should only be about 1/8" inch.

Step 10:

Wrap one of the leads from the wire-side connector around the copper foil tape on the EL wire.

Step 10.1:

Wrap it tightly and then place the EL wire into one of the alligator clips of the Helping-hands.

Step 11:

Solder the wire to the copper foil tape. This should also have the effect of soldering the radial wires to the copper foil tape. Make sure the wire is soldered all the way around.

Step 12

Cut a 3/4” section of the smaller (3/32”) heat shrink. Place it onto the remaining unattached lead from the wire-side connector.

Step 13:

Wrap the wire of the remaining lead of the wire-side connector around the tiny watch-repair screwdriver, in order to coil it.

Step 14:

Remove the screwdriver and slip the now-coiled wire onto the core wire of the EL wire.

Step 15:

Attach heat sink, clamp, or hemostat to the wire in order to draw heat away before it gets to the heat shrink. You do not want the heat shrink to shrink until you have moved it into place.

Step 16:

Solder the connection

Step 17.1:

Move section of heat shrink to cover the soldered connection.

Step 17.2:

shrink the heat shrink with the heat gun. Be sure to apply heat on all sides.

Step 18:

Cut a section of the larger (3/16") heat shrink long enough to overlap the EL wire on one end, and where the wire-side connection wires split on the other end. (Usually about 2.5 ")

Step 19:

Place the heat shrink onto the other end of the EL wire, and slide it all the way into place over the soldered connection.

Step 20:

[Caution!] Shrink the heat shrink with the heat gun, being sure to apply heat to all sides.

Final:

Connect your EL wire to the driver and light something up!

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