Soldering help

gooner_47

gooner_47

gooner_47

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Joined
9 Mar 2005
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162
So I watched a few tutorials, thought "that looks easy!", tried doing the same with my £10 Draper soldering kit and failed miserably.

Firstly couldn't seem to tin the tip, it just blackened. Then when I tried to solder what I wanted to solder, I held the tip underneath the speaker wire, touched the solder to the top of the wire (expecting it to melt around it) and nothing happened. I ended up having to touch the solder directly onto the tip and try and drip it onto the wire. End result - a very messy looking job.

To top it off, this morning I've looked at the tip and half of it on one side has just disintegrated :/

I've a feeling the old saying "buy cheap, but twice" has probably been my downfall here but I'd like some advice as to exactly where I went wrong if it was me.

The bit that confused me the most was why the solder didn't melt when it touched the speaker wire. Was the iron not hot enough? Was it because the lead-free solder that came in the lot has a higher melting point?

Yours confusedly, Luke.
 
What solder did you buy?
Also that sounds a extremely crap soldering iron. Solder should just flow, did you have a damp cloth to clean the tip as the blackened mess is probably impurities of the solder and on the iron. Try giving the tip a clean after tinning the tip and see if it runs clear.
If not middle do a alright gas soldering kit which works alright.
 
gooner_47 said:
The bit that confused me the most was why the solder didn't melt when it touched the speaker wire. Was the iron not hot enough? Was it because the lead-free solder that came in the lot has a higher melting point?

Yours confusedly, Luke.
Click to expand...

I hate lead-free solder.

Cheap soldering iron won't help, but shouldn't really be an issue on something like a speaker wire, More than likely cheap solder. Ditch the lead-free solder and get some real stuff, I am sure you will have a better experience with it.

The other thing is, like everything, practice ;)
 
I used the solder that came with the kit, so I suspect it's not really up to much.

I had a wet sponge that I was using to clean the tip.

I'll try buying some proper solder, any recommendations on brand? I'll also need to change the tip on the iron as this one is half gone :/
 
I'm guessing you have no flux?

Solder won't flow without flux, solder wire with a flux core is not usually a lot of good, proper 'active flux' is what does the job & is used by plumbers for pipe soldering because it also cleans the metal at the same time. You have to clean the tip & then heat it up & dip it in flux , then the solder will instantly flow onto the tip, dab some flux on the terminal & the wire & it wil flow straight on
 
Usher said:
I'm guessing you have no flux?

Solder won't flow without flux, solder wire with a flux core is not usually a lot of good, proper 'active flux' is what does the job & is used by plumbers for pipe soldering because it also cleans the metal at the same time. You have to clean the tip & then heat it up & dip it in flux , then the solder will instantly flow onto the tip, dab some flux on the terminal & the wire & it wil flow straight on
Click to expand...

I owned a electronics repair centre with 14 bench engineers and NEVER used separate flux.
 
mattyg said:
I owned a electronics repair centre with 14 bench engineers and NEVER used separate flux.
Click to expand...
Same here, I have solder something at least once a day (connectors, signal cable etc) and have never used flux.
I find the main issues my apprentices have during soldering is trying to solder at too low a temperature.
 
Conversely, I've done lots of electronics and almost always use flux and fluxless solder.
 
mattyg said:
I owned a electronics repair centre with 14 bench engineers and NEVER used separate flux.
Click to expand...

Abraxaz1 said:
Same here, I have solder something at least once a day (connectors, signal cable etc) and have never used flux.
I find the main issues my apprentices have during soldering is trying to solder at too low a temperature.
Click to expand...

danza said:
Conversely, I've done lots of electronics and almost always use flux and fluxless solder.
Click to expand...

Actually I made a mistake.

The ONLY time we used Flux was when we needed to when replacing surface mount chips using a hot air desoldering station.
 
I use a cheap CPC soldering gun (100w) and some solder CPC also sell - it's 60/40 and about £2 a roll. The soldering gun was £11.
They've been great, but I bought the gun on reviews - they're all great.
About a year down the line with almost daily used, and the tip is still looking like new.
 
I just bought a new tip for mine yesterday as it was all ganked up and corroded. I'd tried sanding it down but that just took the finish off the tip. £3 for a new tip at maplins and i was well away with my cheapy £14 antex iron.
 
mattyg said:
Actually I made a mistake.

The ONLY time we used Flux was when we needed to when replacing surface mount chips using a hot air desoldering station.
Click to expand...

Yup. I was a surface mount prototyper for a family owned business for a few years, nothing but 60/40 rosin solder. separate flux was used for s/m stuff only.
 
james.miller said:
Yup. I was a surface mount prototyper for a family owned business for a few years, nothing but 60/40 rosin solder. separate flux was used for s/m stuff only.
Click to expand...

The sony rep came round one day and said in order for us to keep our platinum (some precious metal or another) service centre accreditation we needed to have a hot air desoldering station.

A few £'000 later and a couple of months down the line I was on the phone to Sony technical and happened to ask them how they got some of their chips off the board using their desoldering station when they seem to be glued down with the worlds strongest glue.

The Tech guy said oh we don't have a desoldering station we just use a scalpel to cut the legs off then a soldering Iron and clean up with solder mop. Then they use a gas hot air soldering iron to fit new chip.

Thanks obama Sony
 
Regarding the use of flux, the OP said he could not even tin the tip whereas a dip in flux & it would undoubtedly tin instantly
 
Dont use the tip of the iron, I know it seems counter productive though, but it works. Or failing that i can book you on the soldering class at work :)
 
Thanks for all the replies.

As for fine wet and dry on the tip - that won't do much good as literally half of the tip has simply disintegrated.

I watched the YouTube vids and apparently the irons that plug straight into the mains without temp control (I.e. The one I have) are rubbish.

I'll buy some 60/40 and give that a go. Hopefully that solder will actually melt when it touches the speaker wire, because the other stuff didn't.
 
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