How to solder parts correctly

How to properly solder with a soldering iron with solder and rosin

If in Soviet times there was a game for schoolchildren, the essence of which was to solder a radio-electronic microcircuit on their own, which they successfully did, but now the question of how to properly use a soldering iron puts many in a difficult position. Although learning how to solder with a soldering iron is not so difficult, and having mastered the basics for “dummies”, you will be able to carry out simple work on your own without turning to specialists.

Soldering with a soldering iron

In order to start soldering, you need to prepare a workplace and the necessary tools. Regardless of the type of proposed work, the following requirements are imposed on the workplace:

• The presence of good lighting will allow you not only to work comfortably, but also to notice small flaws in the soldered parts, which is difficult if there is a lack of light;
• No flammable items;
• Free working space on which you can easily place the part to be soldered;
• The presence of ventilation will make work not only more comfortable, but also safer; inhaling molten rosin has a negative effect on the respiratory system;
• A magnifying glass makes it possible to work even with small parts and thin wires;
• A simple stand solves the problem of placing a heated soldering iron.

The next stage of preparation will be the choice of tool, and a beginner is always faced with the question of what is needed for soldering with a soldering iron.

Soldering iron selection

The basis of high-quality soldering is heating metal parts to the soldering temperature; accordingly, for each type of work it is recommended to use soldering irons of different capacities:

• For soldering radio components and microcircuits, it is best to use a soldering iron with a power of no more than 60 Watts, otherwise you can overheat the part or simply melt it;
• Parts up to 1 mm thick will warm up better when using a tool with a power of 80-100 Watts;
• Parts with a wall thickness of up to 2 mm require greater power and some experience in operation, so soldering of such parts will not be considered in this article.

Source: https://pochini.guru/sovety-mastera/kak-pravilno-payat-payalnikom

What and how can you solder

In a world saturated with electrical metal products, the ability to handle an electric soldering iron and perform high-quality soldering can always come in handy. The well-known advantages of soldering parts of different sizes allow you to independently restore individual samples of household appliances (TV receivers, for example), repair various household utensils, and solder products made of copper, brass, and silver.

Preparatory stage

Before mastering the correct techniques for handling solder and a soldering iron at home, you should take a special course that includes training in soldering and everything that precedes this procedure. You can study on your own, but when mastering the work with jewelry and complex electronic circuits, you cannot do without an experienced mentor.

From the point of view of organizing the process, soldering metals using special solders is a set of operations that are quite simple in content. However, despite the apparent ease, not everyone can solder correctly the first time. When you first meet, some difficulties arise due to the lack of a clear idea of ​​what needs to be done and in what order.

It is recommended to follow certain rules for preparing for soldering operations, the essence of which boils down to the following:

• it is necessary to correctly select the main working tool that will be used for soldering;
• you should worry about making a convenient and functional stand, prepare a place where you will have to solder most of the time;
• the student must stock up on suitable consumables, without which no such procedure can be completed (solder, liquid or paste flux).

And finally, a novice user must master the basic soldering techniques, which require a certain sequence of targeted actions.

You can solder with an electric soldering iron, gas torch or blowtorch. It is customary to solder boards and microcircuits with special hair dryers and thermal stations that ensure uniform heating. The choice of a particular type of tool and a stand or holder for it is determined by the temperature conditions under which work operations are expected to be carried out.

The next requirement in order involves the preparation of the required components that allow you to correctly solder any metal connection. These usually include various types of solder, flux additives and special soldering liquids necessary to improve its quality (rosin and alcohol compounds for tinning).

All components of the process must be selected for the specific conditions of formation of the solder joint and taking into account the characteristics of the parts used.

Basic operating procedures

The technological map or diagram of “correct” soldering using a soldering iron assumes the following order of operations.

Before directly soldering, the surfaces of the objects to be soldered are cleaned of heavy dirt and corrosive deposits, after which they should be cleaned to a characteristic shine.

After this, the places where the parts are soldered are treated with a previously prepared flux, through which it is possible to improve the conditions for the spreading of solder over the contact surface.

Then the contact pad or soldering zone is subjected to protective tinning, the essence of which is to apply solder melted to a liquid state on them. In this case, the consumable material spreads evenly over the surface of the parts that need to be soldered and ensures the formation of a reliable thermal connection.

When preparing parts for tinning, preference is given to paste-like fluxes, which are convenient to apply and easy to wash off. Before processing and soldering, the parts are pre-connected by mechanical twisting or compression with pliers.

After fixing, flux is applied to them again, and then the contact area is heated while simultaneously introducing a solder rod into it (its composition may differ from the material used for tinning).

It is impossible to learn how to solder correctly with your own hands unless you learn how to tin a soldering iron tip. For tinning, after the soldering iron has completely warmed up, the working tip should be pressed firmly against any foil-covered surface and rubbed over the molten rosin with solder.

This operation should be repeated until a characteristic film of solder appears on the edges of the copper tip, ensuring good adhesion to any metal.

The question of how to solder correctly comes along with an interest in why soldering is needed and what can be done with it. Previously, it was mainly pots and samovars that were soldered, but today you can also solder high-tech things.

Soldering capabilities

There are more than enough opportunities to use your ability to correctly solder metal parts and products. This method is used to carry out many assembly and repair operations. Here are a few particularly important ones:

• you can solder copper tubes that are part of the internal lines of heat exchangers and refrigeration units;
• solder elements of various electronic circuits;
• carry out repairs, soldering of jewelry, glasses;
• fix carbide cutting inserts on metalworking tool holders;
• in everyday life, soldering is also often used when it is necessary to fasten flat copper parts on metallized surfaces of sheet blanks;
• the ability to tin high-quality surfaces can be useful for protecting metal structure elements from corrosion.

At the initial stage of learning the art of soldering, it is recommended to use the simplest circuits of electronic devices.

In addition, through the process under consideration, it is possible to solder parts from metals of dissimilar structures, as well as seal various types of rigid connections.

Types of soldering operations

The variety of soldering methods is explained by many different factors that determine the quality and efficiency of its implementation. Such factors include not only the type of soldering device and the type of solder that is used in the process, but also the technological features of the formation of the seam. To surface mount parts on a board, you need to learn how to use a solder mask correctly.

In any case, in order to solder correctly, you need to know the melting temperature of the metal you are working with. It affects the choice of soldering tools, as well as fluxes and solder. In accordance with the specified parameter, solder materials are divided into low-melting (up to 450 degrees) and refractory (more than 450 degrees).

Solder selection

Low-melting solders are used under normal conditions that do not require special strength of the elements being connected. They can be used to assemble electronic circuits or solder small-sized jewelry.

During these operations, parts are fused with liquid tin, which contains lead as an additive.

True, lead-free solders have been spreading recently. When choosing the type of heating tool in this case, preference is given to electric soldering irons with operating powers from 25 to several hundred watts.

If it is necessary to solder products made of refractory metals that are operated in extreme conditions in terms of temperature and deformation, so-called “hard” solders will be required. This type of soldering composition is prepared on the basis of pure copper with the addition of zinc or other reactive metal. Refractory copper-zinc solders are recommended for use when it is necessary to join parts operating under conditions of high static loads.

With their help, you can solder products made of brass and other copper alloys, in which the copper content does not exceed 68 percent. To connect steel blanks and parts, pure copper or certain types of brass are most often used as solder.

To summarize, we note that in order to learn how to properly solder metal parts of various structures, desire alone is not enough. It is possible to perfectly master the known techniques of proper soldering only after all the issues related to this process have been studied.

The latter include the choice of a heating tool, a competent approach to the selection of consumables, as well as strict adherence to the established procedure for carrying out soldering procedures.

All this will eliminate possible errors when working with molten solders and obtain a reliable and durable connection.

Source: https://svaring.com/soldering/praktika/pajka-dlja-nachinajushhih

Soldering wires with a soldering iron: choosing a tool and consumables, how to solder parts correctly

Soldering is one of the most reliable types of creating connections between parts. This is achieved by introducing into the connecting zone an alloy in liquid form, whose melting point is lower than that of the material from which the parts being connected are made.

You can learn how to use a soldering iron correctly and what kind of work it performs by studying the features of the process, preparing the necessary tools and consumables, and undergoing practice.

The skills acquired in the process can be used in electronics repair, because soldering wires with a soldering iron is the only way to connect them reliably.

Tool selection

What do you need for soldering with a soldering iron? There are different tools. They differ in power, heating speed, and voltage consumption. Depending on these characteristics, they are used to perform specific tasks.

Fluxes, which provide more uniform heating of the parts being soldered and better adhesion of solder to them, also differ depending on the task. Rosin cannot be used to solder a BGA chip onto a board. And phosphoric acid is a bit overkill for soldering or tinning two copper wires.

The solder itself can also be very different in composition, which determines both its melting temperature and areas of application in devices.

Household soldering iron

An ordinary household soldering iron can be used to work with electronic circuits and elements. Included with it is a set of tips for the heating element. In terms of power they are distributed approximately like this:

1. Low-power. For soldering wires and tinning tracks on boards - from 40 to 80 watts;
2. Medium power. To perform work with elements up to 1 millimeter thick - from 80 to 100 watts;
3. High-power soldering irons, used in working with parts from 2 millimeters, thickness - from 100 watts.

The first two are sufficient for household needs; they will cope with most everyday tasks. If you need to perform more specific work, such as soldering microcircuits, small SMD components or complex chips, it is better to purchase a soldering station, which includes both a soldering iron and a hair dryer.

Stations of this type have adjustable heating temperatures. If you need to carry out very specific work, such as replacing microcircuits and bridges on motherboards, it is better to use an infrared soldering station.

Such devices have no practical applications for everyday use and are intended for a narrow range of tasks for professional needs.

Consumables

Fluxes are special substances that counteract the rapid oxidation of metal parts of parts and wires prepared for soldering. They provide adhesion between the surface and the solder. Various substances can be used as fluxes:

1. Rosin is part of the resin of coniferous trees. Obtained by separating volatile compounds from them;
2. Sodium tetraborate;
3. Phosphoric acid - used mainly for tinning board surfaces, not recommended for permanent use due to its aggressiveness;
4. Regular aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is one of the most active acid fluxes;
5. Glycerol.

Rosin-based fluxes, distributed both in the form of pieces of resin and in the form of a paste (commercially called LTI), are not soluble in water. They should be removed from the surfaces of parts after soldering with alcohol.

In the case of electronics, this is not necessary, since rosin is a dielectric and does not cause short circuits. But fluxes such as glycerin, for example, must be removed, since their high hygroscopicity can accelerate the oxidation process of the board.

There are also special pastes where flux is mixed with solder particles or, conversely, solder in tubular form (harpius) containing flux inside.

Solder is a low-melting alloy, most often tin and lead, which acts as a conductor and connecting substance. Previously, even wires were soldered with pure tin, but its high cost forced us to look for ways to optimize costs. In electronics, solder can be lead or lead-free. The latter may contain metals such as copper, zinc, silver and indium. You can read about tin-lead solder in this article.

Lead differs in temperature of transition to the liquid state and area of ​​application. Thus, Rose and Wood alloys containing about 50% bismuth have a melting point of up to 100 degrees. This allows them to be used in equipment repair for mixing with solder on circuit boards and easier and more correct replacement of components.

Soldering rules

Wires broken as a result of carelessness, microcircuits blackened from overheating, capacitors swollen or dry from prolonged use - they are all soldered in the same way. Before starting soldering, it is also necessary to tin the soldering iron tip to ensure normal melting of the solder. Soldering technology involves careful preliminary preparation of the surface of the part: degreasing and wetting with flux, sufficient heating of the solder with a tip and its high-quality application to the right place.

It is important that after it spreads and cools, no microcracks appear on the surface, as they can cause various troubles and the equipment will operate unstably. When soldering microcircuits with a large number of legs, you should pay attention to whether contact has formed between them as a result of insufficient spreading of the flux at the installation site.

Process Features

The most common equipment failures are associated with loss or insufficient contact strength between its components. Wires that have lost their properties under the influence of temperatures or mechanical damage are most often the culprits of such problems. They must withstand significant mechanical loads, and therefore soldering them is not so easy.

Types of wiring twisting

First of all, you should correctly twist the wiring to be connected. There are these types of twisting:

1. Simple - used to connect single and multi-core wires with recently stripped insulation.
2. Direct British (British) - used for wires that are not subject to prolonged mechanical stress of great force.
3. Grooved twisting - used when using wires made of low-melting insulation.
4. Bandage - used when connecting thick electrical cables that have one core. It allows you to maintain sufficient contact even with significant oxidation of the top layer or failure to solder.

To facilitate the application of solder, the ends of the wires should be moistened with a sufficient amount of flux. To solder very small wires, you can use a special tool. It allows you to clamp the two ends in a small vice and easily connect them.

Exposed areas of soldered wires should be insulated. You can use either simple electrical tape or special heat-shrinkable tubes, which shrink in cross-sectional diameter under the influence of temperature (even an ordinary lighter is useful for this) and fit tightly to the surface of the cable.

Source: https://obrabotkametalla.info/payat/osnovnye-principy-i-texnologiya-pajki-provodov

Soldering contacts with a soldering iron

How to solder with a soldering iron?

This article will help you learn how to solder correctly with a soldering iron if you have not held one in your hands before. A soldering iron is a really necessary thing if you are a radio amateur, a system administrator, want to repair home electronics yourself, or if you want to learn something new and useful.

It is important to understand that if today you need to resolder wires in household appliances or solder the motherboard in a computer, reading one article will clearly not be enough. Despite its apparent simplicity, working with a soldering iron is almost an art that requires care, experience and a steady hand. Before you solder anything for a wire that has value, you should practice a fair amount on the consumable material.

Soldering iron operating principle

Understanding how a soldering iron works is not difficult. The heating element heats up to a high temperature ( 300 degrees and above ). Soldering is the process of absorbing a special substance (solder). It has a melting point lower than that of soldering wire.

The soldering iron melts the solder, which fills all the micropores of the metal, interacting with them at the molecular level. When cooled, it “sticks” and forms a stable connection between the two parts of the wire.

Soldering iron and tools needed for work

Answering the question “how to solder with a soldering iron”, it is necessary to touch upon the topic of the tools and consumables necessary for soldering. So, in order to solder correctly and efficiently, you will need:

• The soldering iron itself
• Special stand
• Solder
• Flux
• Additional tools

Soldering iron

There are many different models needed to solve a wide range of technical problems. But the main criterion is power. Based on power, they are divided into several types:

• 3-10 W. These are the lowest power models. They are designed for soldering the smallest and most sensitive microcircuits
• 20-40 W. They belong to the category of “household” or amateur radio. With their help you can solder a wire, a transistor or other part
• 60-100 W. If the wires requiring soldering are very thick, this type will do. It is often used by car enthusiasts or professional mechanics
• 100 W or more. With this soldering iron you can solder a thick wire, a pan or even a car radiator. They are used only by professionals, and for obvious reasons are not applicable in everyday life.

If you plan to solder radio components, a 25-watt tool will be sufficient. To solder a regular wire, the power should be enough, but for everyday use you should choose a model with 35 W or higher.

Stands are often sold as a set. They not only keep your workbench free of solder stains, but also allow you to always control the position of the tool. When working, it should be on the edge of the table. It is important to monitor the power cord.

Solder

This special low-melting alloy typically uses the following substances:

Or any other metal with a suitable melting point. The most fusible ones have a melting point of up to 80 degrees, and the most stable ones have a melting point of over 900.

POS 61 brand solder. The most convenient type is a thin wire.

Flux

This is the name of a special substance that acts as a connecting link between the solder and the metal of the wire. It helps solder adhesion, and successfully protects it from oxidation and helps degrease. The most popular brand is LTI 120.

If necessary, it can be done independently. To do this, just dissolve rosin in alcohol (about 60 to 40% ) and shake thoroughly.

Additional tool

To solder conveniently and safely with a soldering iron, you should acquire the following items:

• Wire cutters. They bite off the wire, remove the insulation, and support the part during operation.
• File – for cleaning the heating part of the soldering iron
• Scalpel with tweezers. They will help you avoid burning your fingers when working with small parts.

Getting Started

The new soldering iron must be cleaned and tinned. You should plug it into the network for 15-20 minutes. In this case, the factory lubricant often begins to burn out, and the tool itself may smoke a little, this is not a big deal.

After warming up, you should carefully clean the work surface with a file, and then immediately dip it in solder. It is important not to let it oxidize. The tool is now ready for use.

It is important if the tip of your tool is made of metal ceramics. It cannot be processed with a file. There is a special damp cloth for this, and you need to gently wipe the surface with it.

How to solder a wire: process

It is very important to prepare the surface. There should be no foreign substances on it, such as grease, paint, varnish, or insulation residues. The success of all work depends on cleanliness. If there is anything, you should carefully clean it with a scalpel and wipe it so that no dust remains.

Next, you take a little solder with the tip and carefully solder it in the right place. This is not a very complicated process, but it requires a “tough” hand, and the very first time you are unlikely to get a beautiful and neat solder.

While working, it is worth remembering a number of rules:

• Soldering must be fast
• If you can't solder the wires right away, you should let them cool before the second attempt. This applies doubly to radio components or microcircuits
• The end of the tool should be applied with the entire surface, the process will be most effective

How to solder wires more securely? You should twist them before starting the procedure. After cooling, they are insulated with electrical tape to avoid short circuits during operation.

A good solder is shiny, even, and free of any cracks. Then it will last as long as possible, and you will not have problems with the device.

Safety precautions

How to solder with a soldering iron without getting burned? Safety precautions must be observed. Working with a soldering iron is not the best time to try your luck with violating safety rules. There are some simple tips:

• Clear the work surface of foreign objects
• Remove overly curious children and animals from the room
• Watch the cord - if you touch it with your foot or hand, there is a risk of burns
• If there are strangers in the room, warn them that you are working with a soldering iron on.
• Flux - just a little. If you use too much, it can splatter on your hand, or in the worst case, directly into your eyes.
• Each time you should take no more solder than 2 solderings . If you overdo it, it can drip onto the table, hand, or even worse, onto the soldered chip.

By following these simple rules, you will protect yourself from extremely unpleasant consequences. If you take your work seriously and don't leave your soldering machine unattended, there shouldn't be any problems.

Solder the wires properly

The further operation of the entire device depends on how the wire is soldered. Experienced craftsmen give a number of tips for high-quality and reliable soldering:

• If there is not enough solder, it will not be able to properly hold the parts together and fill all the gaps
• If there is insufficient amount of flux on the tip, the soldering site turns out to be heterogeneous and uneven, which negatively affects the result. This can happen when the instrument is heated, then the rosin evaporates before soldering is completed.
• When there is too much rosin, it can splash out and touch adjacent contacts or wires, and in the worst case, get on your hand

With experience comes the ability to heat the soldering iron to the desired temperature and use exactly as much solder as needed. Maintaining perfect balance, the solder independently takes the desired shape and flows correctly around the contacts. This is exactly what we need to strive for.

It is best to use soldering irons that have a thermostat. Then it is easy to maintain the desired temperature, which has a positive effect on the process and result of the work. A soldering iron without a regulator can quickly overheat, and its tip can turn black from oxidation. Then you have to turn it off periodically. Maintaining the required temperature is very difficult, and the soldering is not of sufficient quality.

  Solder for soldering copper and brass

How to solder efficiently with a soldering iron?

The best way to learn how to do something is to practice. Soldering is no exception. There are a number of exercises to help you master this undoubtedly complex but useful instrument.

You should take a bare or insulated wire (to practice stripping) and cut it into 12 equal pieces. To ensure that they are not too small, the optimal length is 30-40 centimeters (before cutting).

After cutting, you should take a soldering iron and form a cube from these blanks, using only a soldering iron and pliers. This will allow you to feel the instrument and get used to using it. Then the finished cooled cube should be taken in the palm of your hand and squeezed into a fist. The work is satisfactory if the adhesions remain intact. This can be practiced to keep your skills at a high level, even if you are an experienced professional and confident in yourself.

The second method of training to work with a soldering iron requires thin wire and a stripped cable. It needs to be wrapped around a wire, and then carefully soldered using a soldering iron and pliers. You should practice until you can solder the wires well the first time. After this, you should begin normal responsible work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKZBAqnGoZ4

Regular practice will allow you to achieve significant progress in soldering very quickly. In no time, you will be able to repair your radio, wiring (with caution), or other home appliances yourself. But before that, you should entrust this matter to specialists so as not to risk expensive items.

Source: https://rem-serv.com/payka-kontaktov-payalnikom/

Basics of HIGH-QUALITY SOLDERING techniques without errors

13.09.2012

To learn how to solder correctly, you need to prepare: a soldering iron (how to choose the right soldering iron), a soldering iron stand, a wooden block, solder, flux, pliers or tweezers, side cutters. Before soldering, the soldering iron must be prepared. To do this, use a file to sharpen the soldering iron tip to 45 degrees ( this is especially true for a new soldering iron, because...

anti-carbon coating on the tip of a new soldering iron, prevents tinning of the soldering iron tip and, accordingly, the removal of solder).

After you have cleaned the soldering iron tip, turn it on and when it warms up to the melting temperature of the solder, lightly process the soldering iron tip with a file until a shine appears on the working part of the tip, and immediately after that touch the tip of the tip to the flux and solder.

There should be some solder left on the tip of the soldering iron tip; then you just need to rub the tip of the soldering iron tip with the working surface on a prepared wooden block. After this, the soldering iron can be considered prepared for further work. During operation, to keep the soldering iron tip clean, from time to time wipe the soldering iron tip with a cloth folded in several layers.

Before soldering the radio component, it should be prepared. Using narrow pliers or tweezers, bend the leads of the part so that they fit into the holes of the board ( this is called forming the leads of radio elements ).

It is useful to have a special device for molding the leads of parts to certain distances between the mounting holes. Insert the part into the holes on the board. At the same time, ensure the correct placement (polarity - if any) of parts, for example, diodes or electrolytic capacitors.

After this, slightly spread the leads on the opposite side of the board so that the part does not fall out of its seat. The conclusions should not be spread too far apart.

Let's start soldering!

To properly solder the element, place the soldering iron tip between the terminal and the board, as shown in the figure, and heat the soldering area. The heating time should be no more than 3-5 seconds so as not to damage the part or board.

After 1-2 seconds, bring the solder to the soldering area. When solder touches the soldering iron tip, flux may splatter. After the required amount of solder has melted, move the wire away from the soldering area. Hold the soldering iron tip against the soldering area for a second to ensure the solder is evenly distributed across the soldering area. After this, without moving the part, remove the soldering iron. Without moving the part, wait a few moments until the soldering area has completely cooled down.

Now you can cut off the excess leads using side cutters. When doing this, be careful not to damage the soldering area.

Criteria for high-quality soldering!

• A high-quality solder joint connects the pad and the lead of the part and has a smooth and shiny surface.
• If the solder joint is spherical or connected to adjacent pads, heat the solder joint until the solder melts and remove excess solder. There is always a small amount of solder left on the soldering iron tip.
• If the soldering area has a matte surface and looks scratched, then it is called “cold soldering”. Heat it until the solder melts and let it cool without moving the parts. Add a little solder if necessary. After this, you can remove any remaining flux from the board using a suitable solvent. This operation is optional - the flux can remain on the board. It does not interfere and in no way affects the functioning of the circuit (for the aesthetics of the appearance of the board, it is better, of course, to remove the remaining flux).

Various soldering methods

How to solder correctly? The paragraphs below should answer this question. They are intended for beginner radio amateurs looking for more than just theoretical knowledge.

Soldering loose wires

Let's get started with practice from the very first example. It is necessary to connect the LED with a limiting resistance and solder the power cable to them. There are no mounting pins, plates or other accessories used here. The following operations must be performed:1. Strip the insulation from the ends of the wire. The thin copper conductors are absolutely clean because they have been protected from oxygen and moisture by insulation.

2. Twist the individual wires of the core. This way you can prevent their subsequent fraying.

3. Tinning the ends of the wires is very important for proper soldering. During tinning, the heated tip of the soldering iron must be brought to the wire simultaneously with the solder. The wire must be heated well so that the solder is evenly distributed over the surface of the bundle. Light rubbing with the tip helps distribute the solder along the entire length of the tinning plate.

4. Shorten the leads of the LED and resistor and also tin them. Although the leads were tinned during the manufacture of radioelements, a thin layer of oxides could form on them during storage. After tinning, the surface will be clean again. If very old radio components are used, soldered from any boards, they are usually heavily oxidized. The leads of such parts must be cleaned of oxides before tinning, for example, by scraping them with a knife.
5.

While holding the leads to be connected parallel to each other, apply a small amount of melted solder to them. The soldering area should warm up quickly, and the solder consumption should be 2-3 mm (with a diameter of 1.5 mm). As soon as the solder evenly fills the gaps between the connected leads, you need to quickly remove the soldering iron. The soldering area must be left undisturbed until the solder has completely hardened.

If the parts move earlier, microcracks will form in the soldering, reducing the mechanical and electrical properties of the connection.

A little theory

Soldering is the joining of metals using another, more fusible metal. In electronics, as a rule, they use solder containing 60% tin and 40% lead (POS - 40, POS - 60), as you yourself guessed, the numbers in the solder type designation indicate the percentage of tin in the solder.

This alloy melts already at 180 degrees Celsius. Modern solders used in soldering electronic circuits are produced in the form of thin tubes filled with a special resin (rosin), which acts as a flux. The heated solder creates an internal bond with metals such as copper, brass, silver, etc.

, if the following conditions are met:

• The surfaces of the parts to be soldered must be cleaned, that is, the oxide films formed over time must be removed from them.
• The part at the soldering site must be heated to a temperature exceeding the melting point of the solder. Certain difficulties arise in the case of large surfaces with good thermal conductivity, since the power of the soldering iron may not be enough to heat it.
• During the soldering process, the soldering area must be protected from exposure to atmospheric oxygen. This task is performed by flux (rosin), which forms a protective film over the soldering material. Flux is contained in the solder in the form of a thin core. When solder melts, it is distributed over the surface of the liquid metal.

Typical beginner mistakes and methods for correcting them

• Novice installers only touch the soldering area with the tip of the soldering iron tip. In this case, not enough heat is supplied. An experienced installer has a sense of optimal heat transfer. He places the soldering iron tip in such a way that the largest possible contact area is formed between it and the soldering point. In addition, he very quickly introduces a little solder between the tip and the part as a heat conductor.
• Novice installers melt a little solder and, with some delay, bring it to the desired location. In this case, part of the flux evaporates, the solder does not have a protective layer and an oxide film forms on it. A professional, on the contrary, always touches the soldering area with both a soldering iron and solder. In this case, the soldering area is enveloped in a drop of pure melt before the flux has time to evaporate.
• Novice installers are often unsure whether the solder area is overheated. They move the soldering iron tip away from the soldering point too early, then they are forced to bring it back in for heating, move it back again, etc. The result is a gray soldering joint with uneven boundaries, since the parts being joined were not heated hot enough, and the process itself took too long and the rosin had time to evaporate. The master, on the contrary, heats the soldering area quickly and intensely and completes the process abruptly and completely. He rewards himself with a smooth, silvery solder surface.

Once you learn how to solder, you can buy a soldering iron with temperature control on Aliexpress; we have made a selection of popular models in a separate article.

    Material from the site lessonradio.narod.ru revised and expanded.

SOLDERING BASICS Link to main publication

Source: https://www.radioingener.ru/osnovy-pajki/

How to solder correctly with a soldering iron - working with a soldering iron and its features

The soldering process itself is not complicated - we prepare the parts, treat them with flux, heat them up, and add solder in the soldering area. But, as in any business, there are some nuances that you need to know in order to get a quality result.

What is the soldering process?

Soldering is performed when two parts need to be joined.

Before the process, it is necessary to prepare the components: clean them from dirt and remove the oxide film at the soldering site, since the presence of even slight dirt or oxidation will prevent reliable joining of the materials.

When choosing solder, you need to be guided by the rule - the melting temperature of the solder should be lower than the melting temperature of the elements that are planned to be connected.

Procedure for soldering technology:

The surfaces of the parts must be cleaned of dirt, rust, oxide film, etc., so that the base metal shines. To remove oxidation and prevent it in the future, it is necessary to coat the parts at the joint with flux. You can apply it with a brush in a thin layer.

An alternative to the second step is a processing option called tinning. Mainly used for processing wires. The stripped wire is placed on rosin, heated with a soldering iron, the wire must be turned so that it is all in the molten rosin, then a thin layer of molten solder is applied, which chemically connects with the base metal (you can take a drop of solder directly with a soldering iron and apply it to the part).

The parts are connected mechanically: for example, when working with wires, you need to twist them; The output elements on the board are fixed with plasticine, wax or hot glue; other parts can be clamped with pliers or a vice.

Additional flux is applied to avoid oxidation when heated. Solder is applied with a heated soldering iron.

For ease of understanding, we attach photo instructions on how to solder correctly.

Types of soldering irons

In everyday life, networked soldering irons operating on a voltage of 220 V are common.

Professionals prefer soldering stations. Their main advantage is the presence of a thermostat, thanks to which the set temperature is stably ensured.

In the case of network soldering irons, the temperature is determined by the rosin or flux; when the soldering iron is ready for use, they begin to boil well, but should not be allowed to burn.

For home use, you can purchase two soldering irons with low (40-60 W) and medium power (100 W). A low-power soldering iron is designed for soldering parts in electronics.

Soldering iron tips

Almost all tips are made of copper, available with or without coating. Chrome-plated and nickel-plated tips are more heat-resistant, durable and not subject to oxidation.

Uncoated tips require constant cleaning, since when they oxidize they stop working efficiently (the solder does not stick). And during cleaning, the tip wears off quite quickly.

The choice of tip shape depends on the task at hand, but the awl and spatula shapes are considered universal.

Shutdown

After working with the soldering iron is completed, you need to clear the solder tip, and you can turn off the soldering iron. The hot tip needs to be inserted into the solid rosin and wait for it to cool, remove the tip, the excess rosin will drain and the soldering iron, which has now completely cooled, can be put back in place.

Armed with good theoretical knowledge of how to solder correctly with a soldering iron, in practice you can achieve success in this matter.

Photo tips on how to solder correctly with a soldering iron

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Source: https://instrumentgid.ru/kak-pravilno-payat-payalnikom/

How to solder correctly with a soldering iron

Greetings, dear friends! One thought came to me: I’m running my own amateur radio blog, but there are still not enough articles related to technology. This article should change the situation somewhat.

So what will today's article be about?

The article will be, as you probably guessed, about soldering technology, about how best to perform this action so that it turns out efficiently and reliably.

By the way, have you read about how to make boards yourself, I highly recommend it. In addition, I have thought of one topic that will simply turn everything upside down [urlspan]don’t miss it[/urlspan].

I remember the first time I tried to solder something. For these purposes, I took my father’s large 100-watt soldering iron (this soldering iron looked like a hatchet, my father used it to solder tanks and buckets), a piece of tin and some kind of bottle with soldering acid.

Since I didn’t have any knowledge about this action, I decided to improvise and naturally nothing worked out for me. The drop of tin that I managed to fuse with a Babai solder did not want to stick to the leg of a healthy resistor torn out of an old TV. The smell of evaporating acid filled my nose, but to my amazement it did no good. Oh, I suffered a lot then, and in addition I gave myself several burns.

So read on and you won’t have to burn your fingers or sadly look at a poorly soldered connection.

Process technology

The technology of this process is actually very simple, and at the forefront you just need to understand everything that exactly happens when we poke a soldering iron into the molten solder. Well, let's probably start in order.

Soldering is the process of forming a permanent connection by diffusion of solder (metal or alloy in a molten state) into the pores of the metals being connected, followed by crystallization of the solder.

To connect two parts by soldering, you need to heat the surfaces being soldered, then you need to ensure that the molten solder flows into the pores of the parts being soldered.

This process can be hindered by dirt on the surface of the parts, as well as an oxide film that forms on the surface of the metal in the presence of air. Therefore, any parts to be soldered must be thoroughly cleaned and degreased. If the parts are covered with rust or are simply dirty, then the molten solder will not be able to flow where it should flow.

So we have two metal parts that we would like to combine into one whole product. This could be a resistor leg that we want to solder into the mounting hole in the board. Therefore, first of all, we must make sure that the process is clean; the board must be clean and free of grease, as well as the resistor terminals. Although the resistor, as a rule, if it is new, does not need additional cleaning.

Everything would be fine, but in the open air an oxide film constantly forms on the surface of the metal, and this can hinder us. There is absolutely no need to worry about this, since flux will help us deal with this.

Flux is a substance used to remove the oxide film from the surface of the metal, as well as reduce surface tension.

In most cases, we will use rosin as a flux, which can be purchased at most radio parts stores. Rosin is actually an ordinary resin, sold in small jars in a solid state.

I said solid because there is also SKF - alcohol-rosin flux, which is sold in small bottles. You can make a solution of rosin in alcohol yourself at home, and then pour it into nail polish bottles, which is very convenient.

So, to solder a resistor into a board, you need to apply a little flux to the surfaces to be soldered. To do this, poke a heated soldering iron into a jar of rosin, fusing as much rosin onto the tip as needed (we determine this experimentally; if you overdo it, nothing bad will happen, you’ll just have to suffer later by wiping off the excess flux). Using a simple poke, we transfer the resin melt from the soldering iron tip to the surfaces to be soldered.

Not just any soldering iron is suitable for soldering radio components. The soldering iron should be small (this is just convenient, since modern radio components tend to constantly miniaturize), convenient and, if possible, have temperature control.

Now the oxide film can no longer form on the surface of the metals. The next step is to form the solder joint. Place a drop of solder on the soldering iron tip.

When soldering electronic equipment, POS 61 grade solder is used, melting point 190°C. In a brand of solder, the number indicates the percentage of tin (it turns out 61% tin, the rest is lead). You cannot solder with pure tin, as it forms a fragile connection. There is even such a thing as tin plague, you can google it on the Internet and watch videos. Simply put, this is a phenomenon where, when exposed to low temperatures, tin literally crumbles before our eyes.

So, to seal the resistor, we put a drop of solder on the tip of the soldering iron and touch the parts to be soldered with a small poke for 3 - 5 seconds. Our task is to warm up the parts being soldered in such a short period of time, to ensure that the solder spreads over the surface of the parts and to try to form a beautiful soldered joint.

That's all the technology is, isn't it difficult?

So it is, but in this whole process there are a number of nuances that I would like to dwell on in more detail.

1. Soldering temperature

You probably noticed that I recommended touching the soldered surfaces of radio components for no more than 3-5 seconds. This is due to the fact that during prolonged and excessive heating, some radio components may be destroyed. Maybe this is not so important for resistors, but silicon transistors and diodes can suffer greatly from this.

It is for these purposes that it is recommended to use low-power soldering irons of approximately 25 W, or generally use a soldering iron with an adjustable tip temperature. This option, in my opinion, is the most advantageous for the reason that we kill two birds with one stone. We protect the capricious radio element and also ensure a stable melting temperature of the solder.

After all, if the temperature is excessive, the solder will become unusable and will be such a grainy mess on the surface of the soldering iron that it does not contribute to a high-quality solder joint. Well, if the temperature is not sufficient, then you know, the solder will not be able to melt and the connection will also not work.

2. Grounding

If possible, the soldering iron tip should be grounded. The fact is that some radio components, in particular field-effect transistors, are very sensitive to static electricity.

As is known, the potential difference on synthetic clothing can reach 1000V, which can damage the field-effect transistor. I think it would be sad if, after a long, painstaking installation of the device, you are convinced that the device is completely inoperable due to a broken transistor.

Soldering irons of modern soldering stations have their own grounding, but what to do if you only have an EPSN 220V 25W soldering iron? To be honest, I rarely bother with this, I always managed somehow, but there is a way. You can modify the soldering iron, connect the soldering iron tip to the ground bus of the building, or throw it on a heating battery, something like this. By the way, probably for these purposes, EPSN soldering irons have a small eyelet on the heating element.

3. Metal of soldered parts

In fact, there are metals that are easy to solder, such as silver, copper, brass, zinc, nickel. There are metals that require a lot of work to solder. For example, it is almost impossible to solder aluminum outdoors.

An oxide film forms on the surface of aluminum almost instantly, so no matter how much you clean the aluminum, it will be very difficult to solder it. There are special fluxes for soldering aluminum, but I think the main task when soldering aluminum should be to ensure that the metal is isolated from the air during the soldering process.

On the Internet, I heard about one method of soldering aluminum, in which the parts to be soldered are immersed in oil, thereby isolated from air, then cleaned and soldered in a large amount of active flux.

4. A little about fluxes

When soldering various electronics, in 99% of cases, ordinary pine rosin is used. This flux is good because it is absolutely neutral. Unlike soldering acids and aspirin tablets, it does not have a corrosive effect on the metal. This means that over time the solder joint will not suffer from rust or oxidize.

It is even possible not to wash the rosin flux, but this will affect the appearance of the solder joint (it will be stained with droplets of solder), but this indicates that the rosin does not have any negative effect on the metal.

There is another flux based on the same rosin - rosin-gel. This flux is simply amazingly effective, it allows you to solder what other fluxes cannot do.

Sold in syringes. I really liked this flux, although it is a little expensive, but everything is relative. Only it must be washed, due to its conductivity.

I once assembled a programmer and was very surprised during the process of setting it up. Through thorough testing, I came to the conclusion that the signal propagated along the bare dielectric section of the PCB. It turned out that unwashed rosin-gel gave such problems, only when I washed off the flux everything returned to normal.

I would like to recommend another successful flux, which by the way can be obtained at the pharmacy. This is regular glycerin. There is only one problem: pharmaceutical glycerin is usually sold in the form of an aqueous solution. So before use, it is advisable to evaporate the water, just do not overdo it with heating. I once witnessed a small fireworks display when, while heating a bottle of glycerin, I was distracted by a boiling kettle. It's good that the wife and child were not nearby

Source: http://popayaem.ru/texnologiya-effektivnoj-pajki.html

How to solder correctly with a soldering iron: video instructions on how a soldering iron works, soldering wires

To effectively join metal surfaces, it is best to resort to temperature effects. The simplest and most common method is soldering with a soldering iron. In this case, metal materials are joined under the influence of a local increase in temperature and welding at a lower temperature.

In order to correctly connect metal parts using a soldering iron, you need to know the main points that characterize the soldering process. To do this, it will be enough to read the article, watch the video lesson and try to master the technology in practice.

How does a soldering iron work?

Soldering devices that produce heat are called soldering irons. Depending on the heating method, they can be electric, gas, hot air, induction . Most often, electrical devices are used, the power of which is selected for soldering certain materials:

• to connect electronic components, the power of the soldering iron must be up to 40 V;
• for parts with thin walls up to 1 mm, a power of 80-100 W is required;
• workpieces with wall thicknesses of 2 mm or more require a device power above 100 W.

The most energy-intensive soldering irons include hammer devices , the power of which can reach up to 550 W. They can heat up to temperatures of 600C. Hammer soldering irons are used to connect massive parts.

small acoustic soldering iron The device has a low heat capacity, so it is used for fine soldering work.

In addition to the massiveness of metal products, the required power of a soldering iron is influenced by the thermal conductivity of the material being processed. For example, for copper products the device should be heated much more than for working with steel parts.

The optimal required temperature of the tip of the soldering device can be maintained either manually or automatically. Thyristor regulators are used for this.

Preparation for the soldering process

Before starting work, you need to prepare a soldering iron, materials, tools and workplace.

It is recommended to equip the work area with:

1. A stand on which the heated device will be placed. On it you will need to place flux, “crocodile” and pieces of foam rubber, which are needed to clean the tip.

2. A tripod on which will be placed: a holder for a soldering iron, a bath of rosin, clamps.

The set of necessary tools includes:

• files;
• round nose pliers;
• wire cutters;
• pliers;
• tweezers;
• sandpaper;
• knife.

Preparing the soldering iron

Before working with a soldering iron, its tip is given a certain shape . This is done using a file. The most used shapes are cut and corner. The knife type is used for soldering connector pins or several contacts of microcircuits.

The tip of the working tool must be evenly covered with solder . It will be difficult to solder with a “dirty” tip. Therefore, a cold soldering iron with a file must be cleaned down to the copper from which the tip is made.

After this, the device should be heated and sequentially touch the rosin and then the solder. This should be done several times, ensuring that the tip is evenly covered with solder. After this, you can begin to connect metal parts by soldering.

Flux preparation

Choosing the right flux is the solution to one of the important problems of soldering. It is necessary so that the soldered surfaces do not oxidize during heating. Otherwise, the joint will turn out unstable and loose. It can be damaged very easily. Therefore, the quality of the flux determines the difficulty or ease of the soldering process, and how firmly the material being processed will be connected.

Fluxes must be selected for the material prepared for soldering:

1. to connect wires and microcircuits . Externally, this crystalline transparent substance of a red-brown, red, yellow or orange hue is similar to amber.

2. For soldering hard-to-reach or inconveniently located parts, rosin-alcohol flux is used. To obtain it, rosin must be crushed to the state of sand and dissolved in denatured alcohol or technical alcohol. It is applied to the workpiece with a brush and stored in a tightly closed container.

3. For galvanized iron, flux LK-2 is used, which consists of ammonium chloride, zinc chloride, ethyl alcohol and rosin.

4. For stainless steel, phosphoric acid is used.

5. Active acid fluxes based on zinc chloride prepare the surface of resistant metals

6. For soldering steel, soldering acids and aqueous solutions based on zinc chloride are considered effective fluxes.

You should know that for soldering stainless steels, more active fluxes are required than for processing low-alloy and carbon materials. Cast iron must be soldered with high-temperature soldering, so an electric soldering iron will not cope with it.

Soldering alloys

Low-melting tin-lead alloys are used for electrical soldering and radio installation work. The most popular solders are POS-61, POS-50, POS-40, PSr-2, PSr-2.5.

It is very expensive to connect parts using pure tin, since this is a valuable material, so it is used quite rarely.

The best soldering quality is obtained after using solders that contain lead. However, this material is harmful.

To avoid holding hot solder in your hand while working, hold it with pliers or place it on a special device.

How to solder correctly with a soldering iron - tips, video

Before soldering, the surfaces of the parts to be processed are cleaned with sandpaper and degreased with gasoline or acetone. Then they need to be installed and secured in their original position. After this, you can warm up the soldering iron and start soldering in one of two main ways.

1. When applying solder to parts from a soldering iron , you first need to melt a certain amount of solder on the device, and then bring the tip to the connecting workpieces and press it. At this time, the flux should begin to boil and evaporate. At this time, use the tip of the device to distribute the solder along the joint.

2. When applying solder to the parts to be joined , first the workpieces themselves are heated using a soldering iron. Once they reach the required temperature, you will need to apply solder to the joint between the part and the soldering iron or onto the part. The melting solder will begin to fill the joint.

The choice of connection method depends on the nature of the work being performed. The first method is suitable for soldering small parts, and the second for connecting large products.

When working with a soldering iron, you must comply with some requirements:

1. It is good to warm up the device and the parts to be connected. If the solder smears and does not flow, then you need to increase the heating temperature of the soldering iron.
2. Residues of acid fluxes must be washed off after soldering. Otherwise, after some time the connection may be destroyed by corrosion. Alkaline substances can be used as a detergent.
3. Do not add too much solder during the soldering process. The seam should be slightly concave. Excess solder is removed by braiding or suction. If the tip of the device has acquired a metallic shine, then there is enough solder. The fact that there is a lot of solder is indicated by the changed shape of the tip.

A high-quality solder should shine brightly . Burnt solder looks dull, but in some cases it is acceptable. The spongy granular structure of the junction indicates insufficient temperature and an obvious defect.

How to solder wires

At the preparatory stage, the wires should be stripped, twisted and tinned:

• the wire is lowered into a bath of rosin;
• a drop of solder is distributed over the copper wires using a soldering iron;
• In order for the coating to be on all sides, during the tinning process the wire must be rotated and heated;
• The tinned end of the wire is dipped into heated solder, the excess of which is removed.

Single-core wires are cleaned to a shine before soldering. After this, they need to be dipped in rosin, connected, heated for a few seconds and solder applied. To ensure reliable insulation, a heat-shrinkable tube is placed on the exposed wire, which should be of a larger diameter. When exposed to high temperatures, it will shrink and form wire insulation.

If, due to the presence of enamel or varnish, the conductor does not want to tin, then regular aspirin can be used. To do this, you need to place the tablet on a plate and, pressing the conductor to it, warm it up for a few seconds. The tablet should begin to melt, and the acid released will destroy the varnish.

The oxides with which they are coated can prevent tinning on old wires The same aspirin tablet will help to cope with them.

To tinning an aluminum wire, you need “Flux for soldering aluminum.” It is universal, so it can be used to join metals with a chemically resistant oxide film. At the same time, in order to avoid corrosion, do not forget to clean the products from flux residues after soldering.

You should know that it is unacceptable to twist aluminum and copper wires together . They can only be fixed through an intermediate element, which can be another metal, a terminal clamp, or separation with washers.

Proper soldering with a soldering iron requires careful preparation of parts and tools. During the process itself, the solder layer must always be protected with flux. For various materials, a device of appropriate power and the required shape of the tip are selected. If the optimal temperature conditions are maintained and the parts are connected correctly, the soldering will be reliable and will serve for a long time.

Source: https://stanok.guru/metalloobrabotka/payka/kak-pravilno-payat-payalnikom-payka-provodov-i-video.html