Bicycle Mechanics - Shortening headlight wire

i hesitate to post on this topic because it will reveal me for the dunce i am when it comes to all things electronic <sigh>. but here goes:

my new halogen headlight came equipped with a wire harness that could span a small lake. much too long for the stretch from the steering head (where the battery is strapped) to the handlebar (where the headlight proper resides). i have to assume that the wire was made long for extreme applications.

the problem is, it's tough routing all that wire so that it isn't spewing out all over the place. which leads me to my question:

is there any reason i shouldn't cut a section out of the wire and re-solder it so that it is shorter? any principles of capacitance and conductivity that will be left askew, ruining my headlight?

thanks in advance for answering this basic question.

Have you tried tying a knot with the excess??

I have always just wrapped the cord around the head tube a couple of times, tacking it lightly in place with a velcro strap. This takes up the slack while allowing enough for turning the handlebar. If you are concerned about looks you could take a couple of wraps around the top tube instead. I prefer not to start messing with the integrity of the water resistance of the manufactured cord.

Originally posted by RainmanP
I prefer not to start messing with the integrity of the water resistance of the manufactured cord. Solder and 'Liquid Electrical tape'.Use electrical solder. You could wad it up and duct tape it to anything thats handy.But's thats kinda bush league. Hide the excess in an exrta water bottle.That's inventive.

thanks for the advice, all. it's a coiled wire so wrapping it around a frame tube or tying it in knots looks pretty tacky. i guess the water bottle idea might work.

Any cutting/soldering you do will likely void the warranty.

Originally posted by Bandit
thanks for the advice, all. it's a coiled wire so wrapping it around a frame tube or tying it in knots looks pretty tacky. i guess the water bottle idea might work.


How about garbage bag ties?
Use two of them to tighten part of the cable into a tight coil.

Regards,

If you do cut and solder it make sure that you don't get the 2 wires mixed up. If one side of the wire is not different from the other, mark one side with paint or something before you cut it.

Electronics stores sell something called shrink tubing. It's plastic tubing that will shrink when heated. You buy a size that is just large enough to fit easily over the wire. After you cut the wire and before you solder it, slide a 1 or 2 inch length of tubing over the wire and slide it out of the way. After the solder job cools, position the tubing over the weld and heat it with a match. The tubing will shrink up around the wire and cover the joint very nicely.