Trimming Light-Hanging Wires?

[Kengar]

I want to cut off all the excess on my light-suspending wires (ATI's) for aesthetics.

Previously (years back, different lights), when I tried snipping with scissors or shears or whatever, I mangled the wires and they frayed in a way that would prevent them from going back through the little barrel-shaped, height-adjusting slide fixtures if I pulled them all the way out. So I left the wires in place.

Is there a way to get a good clean cut that doesn't mangle/fray the ends?

I'm thinking about grasping the wire in a wire stripper -- hole the exact same diameter -- and using a Dremel cutting wheel to cut across right flush with the surface of the wire stripper. Anyone done this?

Also, what keeps the wires from fraying as received from company? Is that little brown mark at end evidence of plastic overwrap being heated/melted, e.g., with a match, to hold them together?

Thanks.

 

[homer1475]

Why cut them? I simply fed the extra wire into the same hole as the hangers and through the light fixture. Clean and simple.

 

[Kengar]

On Power Modules, the cables that attach to the fixture are fixed in place and no enough space around them to feed wires into.

In general, though, I would be concerned about short-circuiting something before simply feeding a wire back into lighting fixture......

 

[Member No. 1]

I want to cut off all the excess on my light-suspending wires (ATI's) for aesthetics.

Previously (years back, different lights), when I tried snipping with scissors or shears or whatever, I mangled the wires and they frayed in a way that would prevent them from going back through the little barrel-shaped, height-adjusting slide fixtures if I pulled them all the way out. So I left the wires in place.

Is there a way to get a good clean cut that doesn't mangle/fray the ends?

I'm thinking about grasping the wire in a wire stripper -- hole the exact same diameter -- and using a Dremel cutting wheel to cut across right flush with the surface of the wire stripper. Anyone done this?

Also, what keeps the wires from fraying as received from company? Is that little brown mark at end evidence of plastic overwrap being heated/melted, e.g., with a match, to hold them together?

Thanks.

Typically to keep the ends from "fraying" the ends are dipped in molten lead then allowed to harden. You can try to solder the end to help with fraying. If you do decide to try this route, solder first then cut thru the solder.
A good way to cut the cable is with an abrasive cut-off wheel (dremel).
If you try to use shears you can do it, but the cable will spread out and unravel.

 

[homer1475]

AHH you didn't specify the powermodule. I was assuming regular ATI T5 sunpower unit.

Anywho, everything is wrapped up tight in my sunpower(I rebuilt it), so no fears of shorting anything.

 

[Kengar]

If you do decide to try this route, solder first then cut thru the solder.
l.

Good point!

 

[mcgyvr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzUhIlnvwZg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnTHZhTkg2U

 

[Kengar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzUhIlnvwZg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnTHZhTkg2U

Second video rocks!

First one would leave the end frayed/smashed so that they won't slide back through the height-adjusting fixture, even if the electrical tape limits the extent of it.

Thanks for passing along!