How to solder correctly (a not so brief lesson)
#541
Tech Elite
iTrader: (17)
^^^ Contamination OR… the parts are not being held still which causes the molecules to dull as they harden. That's likely Rule #2 with all things soldering…
ALWAYS make sure you have something to hold your leads and/or components so you don't find yourself playing HOT POTATO literally which forces you to remove the hold prematurely. As marine6680 stated though, you can straighten your solder and dip it straight in and out of flux to give it an additional hint of flux.
ALWAYS keep in mind that flux's main job is to assist in carrying maximum heat throughout the entire bead of solder. What I recommend is what I do… Place a small glob of flux on the leads prior to applying solder so that when you introduce the solder, maximum heat is achieved instantaneously so you touch the portion you're tinning and let cool. Then when you are ready to solder the wires on, touch the wire to the flux so it has a tiny bit of flux on it and then apply another tiny bead of flux to the tinned point. This way when you touch your iron's tip to the joint to be, the wire heats up instantly, and when the lead touches the flux on the tinned point, it causes the tin to melt so it all becomes a singular component.
I'm sure we've all seen "soldered" joints separate on some peoples' cars where the solder cracks where the 2 components meet and you can see how the solder between the wire and the contact point never melted. Doing it the way I just explained will prevent that from happening 100% of the time.
Hope this helps.
ALWAYS make sure you have something to hold your leads and/or components so you don't find yourself playing HOT POTATO literally which forces you to remove the hold prematurely. As marine6680 stated though, you can straighten your solder and dip it straight in and out of flux to give it an additional hint of flux.
ALWAYS keep in mind that flux's main job is to assist in carrying maximum heat throughout the entire bead of solder. What I recommend is what I do… Place a small glob of flux on the leads prior to applying solder so that when you introduce the solder, maximum heat is achieved instantaneously so you touch the portion you're tinning and let cool. Then when you are ready to solder the wires on, touch the wire to the flux so it has a tiny bit of flux on it and then apply another tiny bead of flux to the tinned point. This way when you touch your iron's tip to the joint to be, the wire heats up instantly, and when the lead touches the flux on the tinned point, it causes the tin to melt so it all becomes a singular component.
I'm sure we've all seen "soldered" joints separate on some peoples' cars where the solder cracks where the 2 components meet and you can see how the solder between the wire and the contact point never melted. Doing it the way I just explained will prevent that from happening 100% of the time.
Hope this helps.
#542
Tech Regular
^^^ Contamination OR… the parts are not being held still which causes the molecules to dull as they harden. That's likely Rule #2 with all things soldering…
ALWAYS make sure you have something to hold your leads and/or components so you don't find yourself playing HOT POTATO literally which forces you to remove the hold prematurely. As marine6680 stated though, you can straighten your solder and dip it straight in and out of flux to give it an additional hint of flux.
ALWAYS keep in mind that flux's main job is to assist in carrying maximum heat throughout the entire bead of solder. What I recommend is what I do… Place a small glob of flux on the leads prior to applying solder so that when you introduce the solder, maximum heat is achieved instantaneously so you touch the portion you're tinning and let cool. Then when you are ready to solder the wires on, touch the wire to the flux so it has a tiny bit of flux on it and then apply another tiny bead of flux to the tinned point. This way when you touch your iron's tip to the joint to be, the wire heats up instantly, and when the lead touches the flux on the tinned point, it causes the tin to melt so it all becomes a singular component.
I'm sure we've all seen "soldered" joints separate on some peoples' cars where the solder cracks where the 2 components meet and you can see how the solder between the wire and the contact point never melted. Doing it the way I just explained will prevent that from happening 100% of the time.
Hope this helps.
ALWAYS make sure you have something to hold your leads and/or components so you don't find yourself playing HOT POTATO literally which forces you to remove the hold prematurely. As marine6680 stated though, you can straighten your solder and dip it straight in and out of flux to give it an additional hint of flux.
ALWAYS keep in mind that flux's main job is to assist in carrying maximum heat throughout the entire bead of solder. What I recommend is what I do… Place a small glob of flux on the leads prior to applying solder so that when you introduce the solder, maximum heat is achieved instantaneously so you touch the portion you're tinning and let cool. Then when you are ready to solder the wires on, touch the wire to the flux so it has a tiny bit of flux on it and then apply another tiny bead of flux to the tinned point. This way when you touch your iron's tip to the joint to be, the wire heats up instantly, and when the lead touches the flux on the tinned point, it causes the tin to melt so it all becomes a singular component.
I'm sure we've all seen "soldered" joints separate on some peoples' cars where the solder cracks where the 2 components meet and you can see how the solder between the wire and the contact point never melted. Doing it the way I just explained will prevent that from happening 100% of the time.
Hope this helps.
#543
$70... that sucks.
they quality of the alloy is important.
they quality of the alloy is important.
#544
Tech Rookie
How to Soldering
1. Solder needs a clean surface to which to adhere.
Buff the copper foil of a PC board with steel wool before soldering.
Remove any oil, paint, wax, etc. with a solvent, steel wool, or fine sandpaper.
2. To solder, heat the connection with the tip of the soldering iron for a few seconds, then apply the solder.
Heat the connection, not the solder.
Hold the soldering iron like a pen, near the base of the handle.
Both parts that are being soldered have to be hot to form a good connection.
3. Keep the soldering tip on the connection as the solder is applied.
Solder will flow into and around well-heated connections.
Use just enough solder to form a strong connection.
Remove the tip from the connection as soon as the solder has flowed where you want it to be. Remove the solder, then the iron.
4. Don't move the connection while the solder is cooling.
5.Don't overheat the connection, as this might damage the electrical component you are soldering.
Transistors and some other components can be damaged by heat when soldering. A crocodile clip can be used as a heat sink to protect these components.
6. Soldering a connection should take just a few seconds.
If it is taking longer, see the troubleshooting section below.
7. Inspect the joint closely. It should look shiny.
If you are soldering a wire (called the lead) onto a PC board (on the track), it should have a volcano shape. See Figure 3.
If the connection looks bad, reheat it and try again.
9. Wipe the tip of the iron on a damp sponge to clean it. The tip should now be shiny.
10. Unplug the soldering iron when it is not in use.
Buff the copper foil of a PC board with steel wool before soldering.
Remove any oil, paint, wax, etc. with a solvent, steel wool, or fine sandpaper.
2. To solder, heat the connection with the tip of the soldering iron for a few seconds, then apply the solder.
Heat the connection, not the solder.
Hold the soldering iron like a pen, near the base of the handle.
Both parts that are being soldered have to be hot to form a good connection.
3. Keep the soldering tip on the connection as the solder is applied.
Solder will flow into and around well-heated connections.
Use just enough solder to form a strong connection.
Remove the tip from the connection as soon as the solder has flowed where you want it to be. Remove the solder, then the iron.
4. Don't move the connection while the solder is cooling.
5.Don't overheat the connection, as this might damage the electrical component you are soldering.
Transistors and some other components can be damaged by heat when soldering. A crocodile clip can be used as a heat sink to protect these components.
6. Soldering a connection should take just a few seconds.
If it is taking longer, see the troubleshooting section below.
7. Inspect the joint closely. It should look shiny.
If you are soldering a wire (called the lead) onto a PC board (on the track), it should have a volcano shape. See Figure 3.
If the connection looks bad, reheat it and try again.
9. Wipe the tip of the iron on a damp sponge to clean it. The tip should now be shiny.
10. Unplug the soldering iron when it is not in use.
#545
Tech Rookie
What thickness of solder is used in your video? I found 63/37 on amazon for $22.00 (.31 )good?
#546
Tech Elite
iTrader: (39)
https://www.frys.com/product/5841963...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
#547
Tech Rookie
Awesome
Thank You
Thank You
#548
.31 would be huge!
For soldering wires and battery terminals, .031 would be a good size. It is a bit big for fine work on circuit cards though.
It's a kind of all purpose size... not ideal for fine work or larger connections, but usable, and suitable in a wide range of tasks.
#549
What cause the solder get a pointy tail ? Tip not hot enough ? Need flux ?
#550
Tech Elite
iTrader: (39)
I believe that is caused by the solder joint not getting hot enough preventing the solder from flowing as it should. This could indeed be remedied with flux as that will help transfer the heat much more efficiently. Though a new tip or a bump up in temperature may be all you need. If you're not using a chisel tip for ESC's and motor wires then I suggest getting one.
#551
Tech Elite
iTrader: (17)
What I've found to cause the pointing is moving the iron away too slowly because it allows the solder between the iron and the joint/point to cool enough to not fall all the way flat once the iron is moved far enough away to separate itself from the mix.
A good way to prevent this and keep things ultra-shiny is to place a small bead of flux on the contact point you're going to solder onto and then touch the tip of the lead your also joining into the flux as well. This will allow both solder points to heat up much more quickly and efficiently while the flux acts like a lubricant of sorts that causes solder to bead back down in a more liquid state, resulting in a factory like joint.
Next time you buy a an ESC that is pre-soldered, look closely at those shiny contact beads and you will usually see flux on the very edges.
They use higher temperature irons like I do so they only touch it down on the contact point for a couple of seconds and hold it firmly in place until it solidifies and that also helps keep things shiny and smooth.
A good way to prevent this and keep things ultra-shiny is to place a small bead of flux on the contact point you're going to solder onto and then touch the tip of the lead your also joining into the flux as well. This will allow both solder points to heat up much more quickly and efficiently while the flux acts like a lubricant of sorts that causes solder to bead back down in a more liquid state, resulting in a factory like joint.
Next time you buy a an ESC that is pre-soldered, look closely at those shiny contact beads and you will usually see flux on the very edges.
They use higher temperature irons like I do so they only touch it down on the contact point for a couple of seconds and hold it firmly in place until it solidifies and that also helps keep things shiny and smooth.
#552
Another cause can be a dirty tip, or not wiping off the excess solder from the tip before starting the next connection. A dirty tip does not allow solder to flow well or transfer heat well. Not wiping off the tip allows the solder to oxidize and get dirty, so it does not flow well.
Technique also can play a role.
Try adding a bit more flux to the joint prior to soldering, and ensure your tip is wiped clean each time you make a connection.
#553
Great info!
Thanks to marine6680 for creating this thread. Also, many thanks to all that have shared their experiences. After reading all of the pages, I realized that I've been soldering totally wrong. I have a Hakko FX888D on order and maybe, just maybe, I can actually solder correctly in 2018.
#554
Tech Master
iTrader: (36)
Thanks to marine6680 for creating this thread. Also, many thanks to all that have shared their experiences. After reading all of the pages, I realized that I've been soldering totally wrong. I have a Hakko FX888D on order and maybe, just maybe, I can actually solder correctly in 2018.
#555
Need practice but, satisfied.
So far I’m very satisfied with the Hakko. I use a 3.5mm chisel tip and keeping it clean and shiny made a world of difference. I tried some Kester 63/37(.031) rosin core solder and rosin paste flux from SRA soldering products. This was the first time I was able to solder my electronics with ease. I need to continue to fine tune my technique but, I’m very satisfied for now. Here are some pictures. Any feedback is welcome. Thanks.