Repairing (soldering) my DS controllers. What am I doing wrong?

[gt3racerich]

I have two DS electronic controllers. The wire from the trigger (the blue wire in the photos) keeps breaking off from the point where it is soldered to the electronic board. This happened very soon after purchasing them and it happened to both controllers.
I have repaired each one probably four or five times and the repair only lasts a short time. What seems to happen is the wire breaks at the point of the solder. I keep attaching it and it keeps breaking each time making the wire just a bit shorter. The wire being attached to the trigger is constantly moving, I get that, but what am I doing wrong to make it last such a short period of time. I am also concerned that I may eventually damage the electronic board.
If anyone has any tips or suggestions I would love to hear them.
I guess I will also have to eventually replace the entire wire. It is very flexible. Where would I be able to get wire like that?
Thanks in advance for any help.

[SpeedyNH]

i use good quality, many-fine-strand, silicone insulated lead wire. you want a decent loop so that the wire flexes along the loop and not at the board. you might also find something to tie/glue the end to for strain relief.

[noddaz]

i use good quality, many-fine-strand, silicone insulated lead wire. you want a decent loop so that the wire flexes along the loop and not at the board. you might also find something to tie/glue the end to for strain relief.

What he said! You need a long enough section of wire so the wire itself moves, not the attachment point. As an example, the way the wires at a slot guide are set up. But take note that the trigger has much more travel than the back and forth of a guide. Now to figure out which way to loop the wire.

[gt3racerich]

Thanks guys. Would either of you have a source for the wire? On line preferably.

[noddaz]

I don't know if motor lead wire is thick enough. If you have some you can try some of go here:

https://slotcarcorner.com/collections/1-32-motor-wire-and-eyelets/products/sw-10300-slot-car-corner

[Mike SoCal]

Check with your local hobby shop that supports RC cars.
Some have silicon wire for building battery packs.

Mike

[oldstromguy]

I used these wires for the driver stations I built last month.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AAX65EG/ref=pe_386300_442618370_pd_te_s_rtpb_im/130-0248245-9419227?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01AAX65EG&pd_rd_r=15F7BJ2XXWV9EQXNVV43&pd_rd_w=JONeH&pd_rd_wg=HC1kM

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6V60YO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is multi wire and very flexible, 16 gauge. The picture you showed looks like it might be 16 gauge, but I don't know for sure.

You obviously don't need anywhere near that much, but perhaps the links will provide some hints on where you can get a smaller amount.

I am currently 1500 miles from home for the next 3 months, or else I would send you the few feet of wire that I have left over to see if it would work for you.

dennis

[gt3racerich]

Thanks again for the info guys, and Thank you Dennis for the offer.
The wire is 18 gauge. I just ordered some. Now I need to find the correct size ring terminal.
I will update when I do incase anyone else has the same issue.

[Bill from NH]

Check your local auto parts stores for the ringed terminals. Most have a good selection of crimp-on parts for wiring. Walmart & home centers may be other sources.

[LegOutOfBed]

You should also have a couple of mm of bare wire that is free of solder, as this broadens the flex point, which will always come at the point of least lateral resistance - which is where there is no insulation to stiffen it. So the bare wire will flex.
If you have solder all the way to the beginning of the insulation, then the flex point is just right there where the insulation begins and the solder stops.
Repeated movement of that singular point will speed up breakage.
Just a couple of mm of spread of the movement should help a great deal with that.

[RichD]

I use the method shown in post #3. You need to avoid having the wire flex in one place, looping the wire avoids that problem.

[gt3racerich]

While waiting for the wire to be delivered I found some photos of the controller that shows how the wire is routed when brand new. Neither one of my controllers had the wire installed that way and I guess that is why they failed so soon.
I installed the wire on one of the controllers the way it is shown in the photos. The other one I will make up and install with everyones suggestions. Either way I think they will both last longer than the way they were.