G+_Donald Burr Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 What temperature should I use when soldering? I have a variable temperature iron that goes from around 300-500C (don't recall exactly, I'm not sitting in front of it atm) I understand too hot a temperature can damage board traces and/or components, but too low a temperature may result in things not heating up enough for solder to flow? I think the latter is the problem I'm having lately, trying to solder wire into circuit board pads. You're supposed to tin both the wire and the pads first by placing the hot iron on one part of the pad/wire, waiting for it to heat up, then melting some solder on another part. Well I hold it there and hold it there but it never seems to heat up enough for solder to flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Melt a little solder on the tip of your iron. Just enough to act as the "heat bridge" between the iron and the surface you want to heat. The surface will be hot enough to flow solder almost immediately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Ben Yanke Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Heat it up as hot as possible. That will make pretty sparkles. Oh wait, you aren't a pyronut just looking for a thrill? dang.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Robert Lane Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Padre's absolutely right, and in my experience I find 350°-375° is hot enough without ruining parts. I also suggest getting a chisel tip if you don't have one as it transfers heat better. If you want a LOT more info, check out EEVblog #180 - Soldering Tutorial Part 1 - Tools: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Donald Burr Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Thanks. I do have a chisel tip, and I always make sure to melt some solder on the tip so that it has a nice shiny layer of solder on it, and to not let the tip get oxidized and grungy looking, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Wayne Black Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Only clean with a proper tip cleaner. Never sand or file the iron plating off the tip. A chisel tip has it's uses, mainly on the higher voltage power leads, but for the small soldering pads on PCB boards, a pointed tip works better. The object is to get the spot hot and remove the soldering gun as quickly as possible. Don't let the wires move before the solder has cooled or you can end up with a "Cold Solder" which is weak and may fail. Find some old electronic boards you can practice on with no worry of trashing. Practice, practice and do some more practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Donald Burr Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Thanks everyone for the great answers! "Melt a little bead of solder at the tip of the iron, that works as a sort of "heat bridge" to whatever it is you're soldering" did the trick for me. My solder joints are coming out MUCH nicer now. I'm by no means a soldering genius, but I think I've at least graduated from "solders like a barbarian" to, hmm, maybe "solders like a noble savage" :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Eddie Foy Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Not nearly enough info to answer. How long is a piece of string? Tinning 22 gauge wire? Soldering a DIP to a PCB? 10guage wire to another piece of Wire/PCB. The more mass you need to get to temp, the hotter it needs to be. Wattage will also come into play with bigger items, like a PL-259 connector to RG-58/LM400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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