Discussion
Hey all,
Having trouble trying to solder wires onto batteries and deans connections for my electric rc car. The solder wont transfer onto the iron or wire/battery. It just stays as a ball on the solder wire.
Happens even with flux on, doing my nut in now! Using a 50w Soldering iron, blackspur the make is. The chisel end crumbeled to bits, and now the point of the pointing solder end has come off, am i doing something wrong or am i using cheap s
t?
Having trouble trying to solder wires onto batteries and deans connections for my electric rc car. The solder wont transfer onto the iron or wire/battery. It just stays as a ball on the solder wire.
Happens even with flux on, doing my nut in now! Using a 50w Soldering iron, blackspur the make is. The chisel end crumbeled to bits, and now the point of the pointing solder end has come off, am i doing something wrong or am i using cheap s
t?Soldering deans is not much fun and can be tricky. When I switched to deans, I have to admit I paid someone to do it for me!
You need a chisel tip on your iron and yes, use good quality solder. Make sure all contact patches are heated up well and don't use too much solder. You can also 'rough' up the surfaces with some glasspaper or similar to help the solder stick.
Poor soldering will result in poor connections.
You need a chisel tip on your iron and yes, use good quality solder. Make sure all contact patches are heated up well and don't use too much solder. You can also 'rough' up the surfaces with some glasspaper or similar to help the solder stick.
Poor soldering will result in poor connections.
You need a good soldering iron, an antex is a good start, I have had mine for over 10 years now, it solders batteries, connectors, and delicate electronics.
You really need a good one for doing batteries, otherwise you will ruin the batteries by heating them up you need something that can get massive heat banged straight on to one point rather than gentle heat trying to heat the entire item up.
You really need a good one for doing batteries, otherwise you will ruin the batteries by heating them up you need something that can get massive heat banged straight on to one point rather than gentle heat trying to heat the entire item up.
I was carefull with the batteries as i heard you could damage them. Last night i noticed that the tip of the iron was not melting the Iron, only the middle part. So you can simagine its not exactly easy to solder using the middle of the chisel!
When watching some video guides on youtube, as soon as they touched a connection or the solder it melted instantly which i dont get.
When watching some video guides on youtube, as soon as they touched a connection or the solder it melted instantly which i dont get.
lead free has a higher melting point than leaded so thats probably not helping. A good lead free joint looks like a bad (dry) leaded solder joint - dull and kinda wirnkly.
Sounds like your iron has seen better days, I'd start by replacing it, or just the tip if you can get hold of one.
Sounds like your iron has seen better days, I'd start by replacing it, or just the tip if you can get hold of one.
Bumrar, its brand new Iron.... Cost £5 though that might explain things! Every shop i have been to only has lead free, but i did get a Antex TCS! Cost £40, but it already looks hundread times better then the cheap crap i bought, just the way the tip goes on the Iron.
This one is 50w, adjustable from 200-450°C
This one is 50w, adjustable from 200-450°C
Mine is just the 240v pen type, they come with removable ends so you can use a chisel type for most jobs but I have a fine point for delicate electronics work, they are standard use in schools usually, so they put up with some serious hammer, and have thermal cut out, I have left mine on for 24 hours before and it still works perfectly, must be 10 years old. Better to spend £30 once than £5 every few months!
I find the gun type worse than useless, they certainly get hot, and are probably fine for most jobs too, I had one, but the trouble is I end up soldering all sorts, and sometimes have limited space, also you can set the pen type between between your knees and use your hands for solder and the item, it is hard to join some items with only one hand (till you've done it it's hard to understand).
I'm often tempted by the gas soldering irons, handy for working out and about.
I find the gun type worse than useless, they certainly get hot, and are probably fine for most jobs too, I had one, but the trouble is I end up soldering all sorts, and sometimes have limited space, also you can set the pen type between between your knees and use your hands for solder and the item, it is hard to join some items with only one hand (till you've done it it's hard to understand).
I'm often tempted by the gas soldering irons, handy for working out and about.
A clean surface is a must, just using flux isnt good enough. I have yet to enter the depths of lead free as i have quite a bit of 60/40 solder lying around.
Try tinning the wire first then the terminal, then join the 2 with minimal solder.
Gas irons are good for those emergency jobs but useless if its at all cold or windy outside. I have 4 soldering irons, a gas portasol, a fine tip 35 watt, 60 watt medium pencil, and a variable temp controlled ESD tip changeable unit.
Try tinning the wire first then the terminal, then join the 2 with minimal solder.
Gas irons are good for those emergency jobs but useless if its at all cold or windy outside. I have 4 soldering irons, a gas portasol, a fine tip 35 watt, 60 watt medium pencil, and a variable temp controlled ESD tip changeable unit.
Got home with the new Iron and it was a breeze, will put some pics up soon. Feel like a professional now, took 1 minute to do the deans and the batteries where easy.
I just touch the iron on the connections, applied the solder and it melted forming a nice bond. With the deans, i tinned the connection and the wire. Put them together and heated up the connection from underneath and the merged tidy
I just touch the iron on the connections, applied the solder and it melted forming a nice bond. With the deans, i tinned the connection and the wire. Put them together and heated up the connection from underneath and the merged tidy
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