One of the most reliable methods of connecting wires is soldering. This is a process in which the space between two conductors is filled with molten solder. In this case, the melting temperature of the solder must be lower than the melting temperature of the metals being joined. At home, soldering is most often used with a soldering iron - a small device powered by electricity. For normal operation The power of the soldering iron must be at least 80-100 W.
What you need for soldering with a soldering iron
In addition to the soldering iron itself, you will need solders, rosin or fluxes; it is advisable to have a stand. While working, you may need a small file and small pliers.
Most often you have to solder copper wires, for example, on headphones, during repairs household appliances etc.
Rosin and fluxes
To obtain good connection wires, they must be cleaned of contaminants, including oxide film. While mono-cores can still be cleaned manually, multi-core conductors cannot be cleaned properly. They are usually treated with rosin or flux - active substances, which dissolve contaminants, including oxide film.
Both rosin and fluxes work well, but fluxes are easier to use - you can dip a brush into the solution and quickly process the wires. You need to put a conductor in rosin, then heat it with a soldering iron so that the molten substance envelops the entire surface of the metal. The disadvantage of using fluxes is that if they remain on the wires (and they do), they gradually corrode the adjacent sheath. To prevent this from happening, all soldering areas must be treated - the remaining flux must be washed off with alcohol.
Solders and fluxes for soldering with a soldering iron copper wires
Rosin is considered a universal remedy, and fluxes can be selected depending on the metal you are going to solder. In the case of wires, this is copper or aluminum. For copper and aluminum wires take flux LTI-120 or borax. A homemade flux made from rosin and denatured alcohol (1 to 5) works very well, and it’s also easy to make with your own hands. Add rosin to alcohol ( better dust or very small pieces of it) and shake until dissolved. Then this composition can be used to treat conductors and strands before soldering.
Solders for soldering copper wires with a soldering iron use POS 60, POS 50 or POS 40 - tin-lead. For aluminum, zinc-based compounds are more suitable. The most common are TsO-12 and P250A (made of tin and zinc), grade A (zinc and tin with the addition of copper), TsA-15 (zinc with aluminum).
Convenient to use solder with rosin
It is very convenient to use solders that contain rosin (POS 61). In this case, there is no need to pre-treat each conductor in rosin separately. But for high-quality soldering, you must have a powerful soldering iron - 80-100 W, which can quickly heat the soldering area to the required temperatures.
Auxiliary materials
In order to properly solder wires with a soldering iron, you also need:
Alcohol may be required to remove the flux, and insulating tape or heat-shrinkable tubes of various diameters may be required for insulation. These are all the materials and tools without which soldering wires with a soldering iron is impossible.
Soldering process with an electric soldering iron
The entire technology of soldering wires with a soldering iron can be divided into several successive stages. All of them are repeated in a certain sequence:
That's all. In the same way, you can solder two or more wires, you can solder a wire to some contact pad (for example, when soldering headphones, you can solder the wire to a plug or to a pad on a headphone), etc.
After you have finished soldering the wires with a soldering iron and they have cooled down, the connection must be insulated. You can wrap electrical tape, put it on, and then warm it up heat shrink tube. If we're talking about When it comes to electrical wiring, it is usually advised to first wrap a few turns of electrical tape and put a heat-shrinkable tube on top, which is heated.
Differences in technology when using flux
If active flux is used rather than rosin, the tinning process changes. The cleaned conductor is lubricated with the compound, and then heated with a soldering iron with a small amount of solder. Further everything is as described.
Soldering twists with flux - faster and easier
There are also differences when soldering twists with flux. In this case, you can not tin each wire, but twist it, then treat it with flux and immediately start soldering. The conductors don’t even need to be stripped - active compounds corrode the oxide film. But instead, you will have to wipe the soldering areas with alcohol to wash away the remnants of chemically aggressive substances.
Features of soldering stranded wires
The soldering technology described above is suitable for monocores. If the wire is multi-core, there are nuances: before tinning, the wires are untwisted so that everything can be dipped in rosin. When applying solder, you need to make sure that each wire is covered with a thin layer of solder. After cooling, the wires are twisted into one bundle again, then you can solder with a soldering iron as described above - dipping the tip into solder, heating the soldering area and applying tin.
When tinning, multi-core wires must be “fluffed”
Is it possible to solder copper wire to aluminum
Aluminum cannot be combined directly with other chemically active metals. Since copper is a chemically active material, copper and aluminum are not joined or soldered. The point is too different thermal conductivity and different current conductivity. When current passes, aluminum heats up more and expands more. Copper heats up and expands much less. Constant expansion/constriction to varying degrees leads to the fact that even the best contact is broken, a non-conducting film is formed, and everything stops working. That's why copper and aluminum are not soldered.
If there is such a need to connect copper and aluminum conductors, do bolted connection. Take a bolt with a suitable nut and three washers. At the ends of the connected wires, rings are formed according to the size of the bolt. Take a bolt, put on one washer, then a conductor, another washer - the next conductor, a third washer on top and secure everything with a nut.
Aluminum and copper wire Nicks can't be soldered
There are several other ways to connect aluminum and copper lines, but soldering is not one of them. You can read about other methods here, but bolted is the simplest and most reliable.
Similar materials
Every novice electronics engineer asked the question: “How to solder microcircuits, since the distance between their terminals is very small?” About Various types microcircuit packages can be read in this article. Well, in this article I will show how I solder microcircuits whose pins are located around the perimeter of the microcircuit.Each electronics engineer has his own secret for soldering such microcircuits. In this article I will show my method.
Removing the old microcircuit
Each microcircuit has a so-called “key”. I have highlighted it in a red circle.
This is the mark from which pin numbering begins. In microcircuits, pins are counted counterclockwise. Sometimes on the most printed circuit board it is indicated how the microcircuit should be soldered, and the pin numbers are also shown. In the photo we see that the edge of the white square on the printed circuit board itself is cut off, which means that the chip should be positioned in this direction with the key. But more often than not they don’t show it. Therefore, before unsoldering the microcircuit, be sure to remember how it stood or take a photo of it, fortunately mobile phone always at hand.
To begin, generously lubricate all tracks with Flux Plus gel flux.
Ready!
We set the temperature of the hair dryer to 330-350 degrees and begin to “fry” our microcircuit with calm circular movements around the perimeter.
I want to brag about one thing. For me it came complete with a soldering station. I call it a chip extractor.
Currently, the Chinese have improved this tool, and now it looks something like this:
This is what the attachments look like for it
You can buy at this link .
As soon as we see that the solder begins to melt, we take hold of the edge of the microcircuit and begin to lift it.
The chip extractor antennae have a very large springing effect. If we lift the microcircuit with some piece of iron, for example, tweezers, then we have every chance of tearing out the contact tracks (spots) along with the microcircuit. Thanks to the springy antennae, the microcircuit is unsoldered from the board only at the moment when the solder is completely melted.
This moment has come.
Installation of a new microcircuit
Using a soldering iron and copper braid, we clean the spots from excess solder. In my opinion, the best copper braid is Goot Wick.
Here's what we got:
It should look like this
The main thing here is not to skimp on flux and solder. The result is a kind of mounds on which we will plant our new microcircuit.
Now we need to clean this whole thing up various kinds soot and debris. To do this, use a cotton swab dipped in Flux-Off or alcohol. More about chemistry. We must have clean and beautiful contact tracks prepared for the microcircuit.
Finally, we lubricate it all a little with flux.
We put the new microcircuit on the key and begin to fry it, while holding the hair dryer as vertically as possible and moving it around the perimeter in a circular motion.
Finally, we lubricate it a little with flux and “smooth” the contacts of the microcircuit to the nickels along the perimeter using a soldering iron.
I think this is the easiest way to seal SMD chips. If the microcircuit is new, then it will be necessary to tin its contacts with LTI-120 flux and solder. Flux LTI-120 is considered a neutral flux, therefore, it will not harm the microcircuit.
I think now you know how to solder microcircuits correctly.
Knowing how to solder with a soldering iron is very useful in everyday life. There are a number of techniques on how to do this, but it is best to master the theoretical part before starting the work process.
Peculiarities
There are many ways to learn how to solder with a soldering iron from scratch. To do this, you will need a soldering iron - a device designed to heat parts or flux during tinning and soldering. The tool is brought to the area where the parts are soldered, touching them with the so-called tip. The tip is the working part of the tool, which is heated by blowtorch or electricity. Rosin is most often used for soldering, but to work with this material you need to know how to properly solder with a soldering iron with rosin.
Before soldering, you need to perform a number of actions:
If you're working with a metal like aluminum, it's worth knowing its characteristics. The melting point of aluminum is 660.1 degrees. A small amount is applied to the joint area and then leveled. The contact point must be covered.
The working process
A kind of connector between two components is called soldering. Its main role is to create a sufficiently strong connection.
Solder is a metal alloy that can be divided into two large groups. Soft solders have a melting point of up to 300 degrees, this type used in electronics.
The next type of solder is the hard group, in which the melting point exceeds 300 degrees. This type is actively used for reliable joining of metals.
The soldering sequence is as follows:
- the surface is first cleaned of corrosion or any other type of contamination;
- the next step is complete cleansing until it acquires its characteristic shine. Traces of oxides should not be visible;
- For coating, flux is used, which removes oxide residues and minimizes the appearance of surface oxidation. Optimal choice in this case, flux pastes will serve. Liquid or solid fluxes are not suitable;
- the master carries out tinning. Solder is applied to a certain area of the surface in molten form, after which it spreads evenly;
- using twisting and compression with tweezers or a clamp, the main parts are connected;
- The flux application procedure is repeated. This is necessary to minimize the risk of solder oxidation under high temperature;
- Solder is applied along with heating;
- It is also important to note that when using a tool with a tinned tip, it must be cleaned using inactive flux. The soldering iron must be stored with a fluxed tip. This affects the quality of further work.
Cleaning
The procedure for cleaning the soldering iron tip is carried out by rubbing it against a soft porous or fibrous lining. The best option will be the choice of natural felt. An alternative would be to use basalt cardboard. Two-stage cleaning is considered high-quality.
The first step concerns the use of a tangle sponge made from metal tape.
The second stage of cleaning involves the use of felt.
At the end the instrument is turned off. The stage when the master inserts a hot sting into solid rosin is considered important. You need to wait until it stops blowing bubbles. After this, the master removes the sting, holding it with the end down. This way, the excess rosin will drain off. Once the instrument has cooled completely, it can be stored.
Soldering pipes
Based technological features To carry out this procedure, the masters use the following steps:
You can perform the procedure yourself. If you are unable to complete the procedure, then it is best to use the services of a specialist. It is best to solder the first element first. It is necessary to cool and cut the part in order to check the quality of workmanship. If there are errors, this will be noticeable. In the process installation work, or during pipeline repairs this skill will come in handy.
Soldering wires
The most common question concerns how to solder correctly with a soldering iron. First, you need to free the ends of the wires from the insulation using a knife or wire cutters. The parameters of the cores must correspond to the dimensions of the parts. not too large, then neighboring areas will not be damaged in the process. A small soldering iron, by comparison, achieves unreliable, low-quality results. It is quite difficult to warm up parts with it.
If you are soldering stranded wire, then you need to twist it, then tin it. The procedure is as follows. The wire is dipped into a bath of rosin. The craftsman runs a drop of solder across the surface of the copper wires. The coating should be even, covering all sides. Excess rosin is removed.
Solder is classified as a weak alloy. It is characterized by low reliability, because under the influence light loads is damaged. In the process, rosin is applied to the wires, followed by solder. The heating time for the twist is 2–3 seconds.
If we are talking about single-core wires, then they are first cleaned until they acquire a shine, then dipped in rosin. The connection takes approximately 3–5 seconds. Then a heat-shrinkable tube is placed over the exposed wire. large diameter. Following this procedure will ensure high level isolation.
Soldering
When asking a question about how to properly solder microchips with a soldering iron, it is better to entrust such work to a specialist. After all, the work itself is quite scrupulous and requires experience and a certain skill.
For proper soldering, it is necessary to take time to prepare the parts needed in the tooling process. Check out theoretical aspect, and then consolidate your knowledge in practice.
It is necessary to remember to protect the layer of molten solder with flux. The operation you perform also matters. Based on this, you need to select a device of appropriate power and with a suitable tip shape.
By following the basic rules for using the device and the recommendations of specialists, you will be able to connect the parts in the correct way, thanks to which the soldering will last a really long time.
Soldering with a soldering iron is one of the most common and simple ways soldering, however it has two significant limitations. Firstly, a soldering iron can only solder with low-melting (soft) solders, and secondly, it is impossible (or, in any case, difficult) to solder massive parts with a large heat sink - due to the impossibility of heating them to the melting temperature of the solder. The last limitation is overcome by heating the part to be soldered. external source heat - gas burner, electric or gas stove or in some other way - but this complicates the soldering process.
Before you solder with a soldering iron, you need to get everything you need. The main tools and materials without which soldering is impossible include the soldering iron itself, solder and flux.
Soldering irons
Depending on the heating method, soldering irons are “ordinary” - electric (with a spiral or ceramic heater), gas (with a gas burner), hot air (heat is transferred by air flow), induction. Massive hammer soldering irons can be heated not only with electricity, but also in the old fashioned way - with an open flame.
You can learn how to use such a soldering iron from the descriptions of the technology of tin work, which is where they were used most often. Nowadays, electric soldering irons are usually used due to their availability and ease of use. But the first soldering irons were heated over an open flame.
The main parameter by which a soldering iron is selected is its power, which determines the value heat flow, transmitted to the soldered parts. Devices with a power of up to 40 W are used for soldering electronic components. Thin-walled parts (with a wall thickness of up to 1 mm) require a power of 80-100 W.
For parts with a wall thickness of 2 mm or more, soldering irons with a power above 100 W will be needed. These are, in particular, electric hammer soldering irons that consume up to 250 W and higher. The most energy-intensive soldering irons include, for example, the Ersa Hammer 550 hammer soldering iron with a power of 550 W. It is capable of heating up to a temperature of 600°C and is designed for soldering particularly massive parts - radiators, machine parts. But it has an inadequate price.
In addition to the massiveness of the part, on required power soldering iron also affects the thermal conductivity of the metal being soldered. As it increases, the power of the device and its heating temperature must be increased. When soldering parts made of copper with a soldering iron, it must be heated more than when soldering a part of the same mass, but made of steel. By the way, when working with copper products, a situation may arise when, due to the high thermal conductivity of the metal, during soldering, desoldering of previously completed areas will occur.
Solders
When soldering with electric soldering irons, low-temperature tin-lead (POS-30, POS-40, POS-61), tin-silver (PSr-2, PSr-2.5) or other solders and pure tin are used. The disadvantages of solders containing lead include the harmfulness of the latter, the advantages - best quality soldering than lead-free solders. Pure tin is used for soldering food utensils.
Fluxes
It is generally accepted that tin, silver, gold, copper, brass, bronze, lead, and nickel silver can be soldered well. Satisfactory - carbon and low-alloy steels, nickel, zinc. Poor - aluminum, high-alloy and stainless steels, aluminum bronze, cast iron, chrome, titanium, magnesium. However, without disputing these data, we can say that there is no poorly soldered metal, there is poor preparation parts, incorrectly selected flux and incorrect temperature conditions.Choosing the right flux for soldering means deciding main problem rations. It is the quality of the flux that primarily determines the solderability of a particular metal, the ease or difficulty of the soldering process itself, and the strength of the connection. The flux must correspond to the material of the products being soldered - in its ability to destroy its oxide film.
Acidic (active) fluxes, such as "Soldering Acid" based on zinc chloride, cannot be used when soldering electronic components, as they conduct well electricity and cause corrosion, however, due to their aggressiveness, they prepare the surface very well and are therefore indispensable for soldering metal structures, and the more chemically resistant the metal, the more active the flux should be. Residues of active fluxes must be carefully removed after soldering is completed.
Effective fluxes for soldering steel are water solution zinc chloride, soldering acids based on it, flux LTI-120. You can use other, stronger fluxes, of which there are plenty on the market.
The main difference between soldering stainless steels with a soldering iron and soldering carbon and low-alloy steels is the need to use more active fluxes, which are required to destroy the chemically resistant oxides with which stainless steels are coated. As for cast iron, it needs to be soldered with high-temperature soldering, and, therefore, electric soldering iron not suitable for this purpose.
For stainless steel, phosphoric acid is used. Specialized fluxes, such as F-38, also cope well with chemically resistant oxide films.
For galvanized iron, you can use a composition containing rosin, ethyl alcohol, zinc chloride and ammonium chloride (LK-2 flux).
Auxiliary materials and devices
You can do without some devices and materials used for soldering, but their presence makes the work much more convenient and comfortable.Soldering iron stand serves to ensure that the heated soldering iron does not touch the table or other objects. If it does not come with a soldering iron, you can purchase it separately or make it yourself. The simplest stand can be made from a thin sheet of tin, cutting grooves in it for storing tools.
Wet viscose or foam rubber sponge, placed in a socket to prevent falling out, it is much more convenient to clean the tip of the soldering iron than with a regular cloth. Brass shavings can also serve for the same purposes.
You can remove excess solder from the surface of parts using special suction or braids. First appearance and the design resembles a syringe equipped with a spring. Before use, it must be cocked by recessing the rod head. By bringing the nose to the molten solder, the spring is released by pressing the release button. As a result, excess solder is drawn into the removal head.
It is a braid of fluxed thin copper wiring. By placing its end on the solder and pressing it on top with a soldering iron, thanks to capillary forces you can collect all the excess solder in it like a blotter. The tip of the braid, saturated with solder, is simply cut off.
A very useful device is called third hand(Third-Hand Tool). When working with a soldering iron, sometimes there are catastrophically “not enough hands” - one is occupied with the soldering iron itself, the other with the solder, but you still need to hold the soldered parts in a certain position. The “third hand” is convenient because its clamps can be easily installed in any position relative to each other.
Soldering holder "Third hand"
The parts to be soldered are heated to high temperature If you touch them you can get burned. Therefore, it is desirable to have various clamping devices that allow the manipulation of heated parts - pliers, tweezers, clamps.
Preparing the soldering iron for use
When you turn on the soldering iron for the first time, it may start to smoke. There is nothing wrong with this, the oils used to preserve the soldering iron simply burn out. You just need to ventilate the room.Before using a soldering iron, you need to prepare its tip. Preparation depends on its original form. If the tip is made of unplated copper, the tip can be forged into a screwdriver shape, this will seal the copper and give it increased stability from wear. You can simply sharpen it with sandpaper or a file, giving it the required shape - in the form of a sharp or truncated cone with different angle, tetrahedral pyramid, angular bevel on one side. Nickel metal coatings are used to protect copper from oxidation. If the soldering iron has such a coating, then it cannot be forged or sharpened to avoid damaging the coating layer.
There is a standardized range of tip shapes, but you can, of course, use any shape suitable for the particular job.
When soldering massive parts, the contact area between the soldering iron and the part should be maximum to ensure better heat transfer. In this case, angular sharpening of a round rod (2 in the photo above) is considered the best. If you plan to solder small parts, then a sharp cone (4), knife or other shapes with small angles are suitable.
Instructions for using a soldering iron with an uncoated copper tip contain one mandatory requirement- tinning the “tip” of a new soldering iron in order to protect it from oxidation and wear. Moreover, this should be done during the first heating, without delay. Otherwise, the “tip” will be covered with a thin layer of scale, and the solder will not want to stick to it. It can be done in different ways. Warm up the soldering iron until operating temperature, touch the “sting” to the rosin, melt the solder on it and grind the latter on a piece of wood. Or wipe the heated tip with a rag moistened with a solution of zinc chloride, melt solder on it and a piece of ammonia or stone table salt rub it over the tip. The main thing is that as a result of these operations, the working part of the tip is completely covered with a thin layer of solder.
The need to tin the tip is caused by the fact that the flux gradually corrodes, and the solder dissolves the tip. Due to loss of shape, the tip has to be sharpened regularly, and the more active the flux, the more often, sometimes several times a day. For nickel-plated tips, nickel blocks access to copper, protecting it, but such tips require careful handling, they are afraid of overheating, and it is not a fact that the manufacturer has made a sufficiently high-quality coating, for which they require an overpayment.
Preparing parts for soldering
Preparing parts for soldering involves performing the same operations regardless of what type of soldering (low-temperature or high-temperature) is performed, and what heating source (electric or gas soldering iron, gas-burner, inductor or something else) is used.First of all, this is cleaning the part from dirt and degreasing. There are no special subtleties here - you need to use solvents (gasoline, acetone or others) to clean the part from oils, fats, and dirt. If there is rust, it must be removed with any suitable mechanically- using an emery wheel, wire brush or sandpaper. In the case of high-alloy and stainless steels, it is advisable to treat the edges to be joined abrasive tool, since the oxide film of these metals is especially strong.
Soldering temperature
Soldering iron heating temperature - the most important parameter, the quality of soldering depends on the temperature. Insufficient temperature manifests itself in the fact that the solder does not spread over the surface of the product, but forms a lump, despite the preparation of the surface with flux. But even if the soldering was successful in appearance (the solder melted and spread over the joint), the soldered joint turns out to be loose, matte in color, and has low mechanical strength.The soldering temperature (temperature of the parts being soldered) should be 40-80°C higher than the melting temperature of the solder, and the heating temperature of the tip should be 20-40°C higher than the soldering temperature. The last requirement is due to the fact that when it comes into contact with the parts being soldered, the temperature of the soldering iron will decrease due to heat dissipation. Thus, the heating temperature of the tip should exceed the melting temperature of the solder by 60-120°C. If used Soldering Station, then the required temperature is simply set by the regulator. When using a soldering iron without temperature control, its actual value, when using rosin as a flux, can be assessed by the behavior of the rosin when touched by the soldering iron. It should boil and release abundant steam, but not burn instantly, but remain on the tip in the form of boiling drops.
Overheating the soldering iron is also harmful; it causes combustion and charring of the flux until it activates the junction surface. Overheating is indicated by a dark film of oxides that appears on the solder located at the tip of the soldering iron, as well as by the fact that it does not stay on the “tip” and flows off it.
Soldering technique with a soldering iron
There are two main methods of soldering with a soldering iron:- Supply (drain) of solder onto the parts to be soldered from the tip of the soldering iron.
- Supplying solder directly to the parts to be soldered (to the pad).
With any method, you must first prepare the parts for soldering, install and secure them in their original position, heat the soldering iron and moisten the joint with flux. Further actions differ depending on which method is used.
When feeding solder from a soldering iron, a certain amount of solder is melted on it (to keep it on the tip) and the “tip” is pressed against the parts being soldered. In this case, the flux will begin to boil and evaporate, and the molten solder will move from the soldering iron to the soldering joint. The movement of the tip along the future seam ensures the distribution of solder along the joint.
Solder on the jelly may be sufficient if the tip has simply acquired a metallic sheen. If the shape of the tip has noticeably changed, there is too much solder.
When applying solder directly to a junction, use a soldering iron to first heat the parts to soldering temperature, and then apply solder to the part or to the joint between the soldering iron and the part. As the solder melts, it will fill the joint between the parts being soldered. You should choose exactly how to solder with a soldering iron - the first or second method - depending on the nature of the work being performed. The first method is better for small parts, the second for large parts.
The basic requirements for high-quality soldering include:
- good heating of the soldering iron and parts being soldered;
- sufficient amount of flux;
- input required quantity solder - exactly as much as required, but no more.
Here are some tips on how to solder correctly with a soldering iron.
If the solder does not flow, but is smeared, then the temperature of the parts has not reached required values, you need to increase the heating temperature of the soldering iron or take a more powerful device.
There is no need to add too much solder. High-quality soldering assumes the presence in the junction of a minimum sufficient amount of material, at which the seam turns out to be slightly concave. If there is too much solder, there is no need to try to attach it somewhere at the joint; it is better to remove it with suction or braiding.
The quality of the junction is indicated by its color. High quality- the junction has a bright shine. Insufficient temperature makes the structure of the junction grainy and spongy - this is a definite defect. Burnt solder looks dull and has reduced strength, which in some cases may be quite acceptable.
When using active (acidic) fluxes, it is necessary to wash off their remains after soldering - somehow detergent or regular alkaline soap. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that after some time the connection will not be destroyed by corrosion from remaining acids.
Tinning
Tinning - coating the metal surface with a thin layer of solder - can be either an independent, final operation, or an intermediate, preparatory stage of soldering. When is that preparatory stage, successful tinning of a part in most cases means that the most difficult part of the soldering job (connecting the solder to the metal) is done; soldering the tinned parts to each other is usually no longer difficult.Wire tinning. Tinning the ends of electrical wires is one of the most common operations. It is carried out before soldering the wires to the contacts, soldering them together, or to ensure better contact with the terminals when connecting with bolts. It is convenient to make a ring from a tinned stranded wire, which ensures ease of attachment to the terminal and good contact.
Wires can be single-core or stranded, copper or aluminum, varnished or not, clean new or acidified old. Depending on these features, their servicing differs.
The easiest way to tin is single-core copper wire. If it is new, then it is not covered with oxides and tins even without stripping, you just need to apply flux to the surface of the wire, apply solder to the heated soldering iron and move the soldering iron along the wire, slightly turning the wire. As a rule, tinning proceeds without problems.
If the conductor does not want to tinker - due to the presence of varnish (enamel) - regular aspirin helps. Knowing how to solder with a soldering iron using an aspirin tablet (acetylsalicylic acid) can be very useful in some cases. You need to put it on a board, press the conductor to it and heat it for a few seconds with a soldering iron. At the same time, the tablet begins to melt, and the resulting acid destroys the varnish. After this, the wire usually tins easily.
If there is no aspirin, vinyl chloride insulation from electrical wires, which, when heated, releases substances that destroy varnish coating. You need to press the wires to a piece of insulation with a soldering iron and drag it several times between the insulation and the soldering iron. Then tin the wire in as usual. When removing varnish using sandpaper or a knife, cuts and breaks of thin wire strands are common. When stripped by firing, the wire may lose strength and break easily.
It should be taken into account that melted polyvinyl chloride and aspirin release substances harmful to health into the air.
Also, for varnished (enamel) wires, you can purchase a special flux that removes the varnish.
New stranded copper wire can be tinned just as easily as solid copper wire. The only peculiarity is to rotate it in the direction in which the wires will twist and not unwind.
Old wires may be coated with oxides that prevent tinning. The same aspirin tablet will help to cope with them. You need to untwist the conductor, put it on aspirin and heat it for a few seconds with a soldering iron, moving the conductor back and forth - and the tinning problem will disappear.
To tinning an aluminum wire, you will need a special flux - for example, the one called “Flux for soldering aluminum”. This flux is universal and is also suitable for soldering metals with a chemically resistant oxide film - of stainless steel, in particular. When using it, you just need to remember to clean the connection from flux residues afterwards to avoid corrosion.
If, when tinning the wires, excess surf has formed on them, you can remove it by placing the wire vertically, end down, and pressing a heated soldering iron to its end. Excess solder will flow from the wire onto the soldering iron.
Tinning a large metal surface
Tinning the surface of the metal may be necessary to protect it from corrosion or for subsequent soldering of another part to it. Even if it’s really hard new leaf which outwardly looks clean, there may always be foreign substances on its surface - preservative lubricant, various pollution. If a sheet covered with rust is tinned, then it needs cleaning all the more. Therefore, tinning always begins with thorough cleaning of the surface. Rust is cleaned off with emery cloth or a wire brush, fats and oils are removed with gasoline, acetone or another solvent.Then, using a brush or other tool that matches the flux, flux is applied to the surface of the sheet (this may not be a paste-like flux as in the photo below, but, for example, a solution of zinc chloride or another active flux).
A soldering iron with a relatively large flat tip surface is heated to the required temperature and solder is applied to the surface of the part. It is advisable that the soldering iron power be about 100 W or higher.
Then apply the soldering iron to the solder on the part with the largest plane and keep it in this position. The heating time of the part depends on its size, the power of the soldering iron and the contact area. The achievement of the required temperature is indicated by boiling of the flux, melting of the solder and its spreading over the surface. The solder is gradually distributed over the surface.
After tinning, the metal surface is cleaned of flux residues with alcohol, acetone, gasoline, soapy water (depending on chemical composition flux).
If the solder does not spread over the metal surface, this may be due to poor cleaning of the surface before tinning, poor heating of the metal (due to insufficient soldering iron power, small contact area, insufficient time to warm up the metal of the part), or a dirty soldering iron tip. Another reason could be incorrect choice flux or solder.
Tinning can be carried out by applying (draining) solder from a soldering iron and distributing it with a “tip” over the surface, or by supplying solder directly to the pad - the solder melts upon touching the heated metal of the part.
Overlapping sheet metal soldering
When repairing car bodies, all kinds of tin work, there is a need for soldering sheet metal onlay. There are two ways to solder sheet parts overlapping each other - by pre-tinning them, or by using soldering paste containing solder and flux.In the first case, the overlapping areas of parts after mechanical cleaning and degreasing are pre-tinned. Then the parts of the connection are applied to each other with tinned surfaces, fixed with clamping devices and heated using a soldering iron with different sides to the melting temperature of the solder. Evidence of successful soldering is the flow of molten solder from the gap.
In the second method, after preparing the parts, the contact area of one of the parts is covered with solder paste. Then the parts are fixed in the desired position, tightened with clamps and, as in the first case, the seam is heated with a soldering iron on both sides.
When purchasing solder paste, you need to pay attention to its purpose, because... many solder pastes are intended for soldering electronics and do not contain active fluxes that allow steel to be soldered.
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