How to Tin a soldering iron for soldering radiators

How to tin a soldering iron?

Radio electronics for beginners

If this page is visited by those who already know how to solder correctly, then the information is unlikely to be useful to you; this is a manual for beginners.

Radio electronics for beginners begins with soldering. This is an axiom. Learning to solder is quite simple, as in any business, you need practice. If the soldering kit is ready, then it’s time to start preparing the tool.

Before soldering, you need to prepare a new soldering iron for use, or rather, sharpen the tip to a certain shape and cover it with a thin layer of solder.

The tip must be sharpened with a file at an angle of 30-40 degrees, so as to form a wedge. The sharp edge of the sting should be blunted to create a flat edge about 1 mm wide. Usually, new soldering irons have a tip already sharpened with a wedge, but it is covered with a layer of patina - greenish oxide of copper and oxygen. This oxide must be removed with a metal file or fine-grained sandpaper.

In addition to the “classic” wedge-shaped tip, you can give it another shape, it all depends on what you will be soldering. For soldering small parts, you can make it shaped like an elongated cone with an edge width of 2 - 3 mm. Or make a cut in the edge so that you can solder SMD resistors with one touch.

Immediately after sharpening the tip, you need to install it in the soldering iron and tin it. If you do not do this, the copper surface of the tip will oxidize in the air and it will have to be sharpened again!

Tin the soldering iron tip

Next, you need to tin the tip, that is, cover it with a thin layer of solder. To do this, we plug in the electric soldering iron and wait for the copper rod to warm up to a certain temperature. When the tip warms up, it will become noticeable by a reddish tint; the copper will turn reddish-orange. You should not delay warming up, otherwise the tip will burn. As soon as the sting acquires a slightly reddish tint, it must be leaned against lump rosin or resin.

This will produce a lot of smoke. Cover the entire tip with melted rosin. Next, melt a small piece of solder so that it spreads evenly over the surface. You can rub the tip on a wooden board, so the solder will be better distributed over the copper surface.

The copper tip should be covered with an even layer of solder. If there are areas on the surface that are not covered with solder, it is better to repeat the process again.

This is how the soldering iron is prepared for work. The process will need to be repeated as necessary, but this is often not necessary.

I wrote everything in quite detail to make it as easy as possible for beginners.

Soldering iron care

Like any other tool, a soldering iron requires care. From time to time, the tip of the soldering iron burns out, and potholes and irregularities appear on it. Burnout is eliminated by sharpening the tip and tinning it. You should also pay attention to the fact that with prolonged use, the rod becomes covered with scale, which prevents rapid heating.

Why does the soldering iron tip burn out? The fact is that when heated, copper partially dissolves in the solder, and the edge of the tip itself is subjected to, albeit a small, mechanical effect.

It is also worth understanding that when the soldering iron is not in use, the tip becomes very hot and this contributes to the oxidation of copper. Therefore, when idle, it is recommended to either turn off the soldering iron or reduce the temperature.

A conventional electric soldering iron of the EPSN type does not have temperature control, so it is better to turn it off when idle.

Scale is removed as follows.

Use pliers to remove the copper rod from the soldering iron. Remove scale from the rod using fine-grained sandpaper. You can coat the lead with a small layer of graphite by rubbing it on the lead of a regular pencil. This will prevent rapid scale formation in the future. By lightly tapping the heating element of the soldering iron, remove scale from the heating element where the copper rod was installed. Install the copper rod in its original place.

The insulation condition of the electric soldering iron should be checked from time to time. To do this, measure the resistance between the soldering iron's power plug and the soldering tip. I have already talked about how to measure resistance. The ohmmeter should be set to a megaohm measurement limit (1 - 10 MΩ).

Remember that you cannot touch the metal probes of the multimeter with your hands when measuring resistance. Otherwise, the device will show the total resistance of your body and the measured circuit. The device should show infinitely high resistance.

This will be evidence of good insulation between the soldering iron tip and the electrical network.

For those who have already acquired a soldering station, replaceable 900M copper tips are suitable. They also require preparation before operation.

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Source: https://go-radio.ru/campayka.html

How to solder aluminum with tin?

Soldering aluminum with standard solder using conventional technology is unreliable and impossible. The tin on it rolls into a ball, not wanting to stick, and if it does stick, the result is a weak connection that breaks under the slightest load. To prevent this from happening, you need to solder in a special way, and then even ordinary solder will hold tight.

Inventors shop at a budget Chinese online store.

• solder 60/40;
• mineral oil or petroleum jelly;
• alcohol.

How to solder aluminum correctly

An oxide film instantly forms on the surface of the aluminum, which prevents adhesion between the base and the solder. To prevent it from interfering, you need to create an airless environment at the soldering site. To do this, apply a thin layer of Vaseline to the area of ​​aluminum that has been cleaned of dirt. You can use mineral or other automotive oil instead.

Inventions for DIYers in a Chinese online store.

DIY electronics in a Chinese store.

If Vaseline was used, then you need to apply a soldering iron tip to it so that it melts into liquid oil. After this, take a mounting knife or other sharp object and use it to scratch the aluminum under the Vaseline.

It is important that the scratches are made on a surface that is sealed from air. As soon as the Vaseline begins to thicken, it should be melted again with a soldering iron tip.

You need to actively rub with a knife blade to remove the oxide film on the metal, and in addition to create a relief to which the solder will then stick well.

Inventions for DIYers in a Chinese online store.

After removing the oxide film, the oil is not erased. A soldering iron tip is applied to the soldering site, and the aluminum is heated to operating temperature. Then the required amount of solder is deposited. It will sit right in the oil.

A drop of solder is lightly rubbed over the prepared surface. You need to press it into the resulting scratches. The solder will push the oil to the sides so it won't interfere with adhesion. The absence of an oxide film will allow the tin to stick to the aluminum, rather than forming into a ball that easily falls off.

Then, tinned wires, wire, or whatever is needed can be applied to the surface prepared with oil and friction. They will be soldered in a second, without taking all the tin from the aluminum, as usually happens. After soldering, the remaining oil is removed with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.

This method allows you to achieve the same soldering reliability as when connecting two copper elements. Moreover, unlike another common method with oil, when the oxide film is removed by five minutes of friction with a hot soldering iron tip, tearing it off with a knife is faster.



Source: https://izobreteniya.net/kak-payat-alyuminij-olovom/

How to tin a soldering iron tip?

Oxidation is one of the main problems when soldering, as it significantly worsens the connection of metal parts and prevents the solder from taking up properly.

The soldering iron tip often suffers from such problems, so everyone who does soldering needs to know how to tin the soldering iron tip so that it does not deteriorate and continues to work under normal conditions.

If there is an oxidizing film on it, which appears when metal particles come into contact with oxygen, then difficult-to-solder materials will not be able to be joined. Problems also arise with simple operations for the same reason.

If you don’t know how to tin the tip of a soldering iron, then the work will most likely not be successful. No matter what techniques are used, in the absence of the basics it will not be possible to achieve the desired result. It is necessary to engage in this process both before starting work and if there are breaks during it.

How to tin the sting correctly?

Features of the soldering iron tip

The tip is the main working part of the tool, which is in contact with all parts, solder, workpieces, etc. It heats up itself and also melts all consumables at the required temperature.

Despite the fact that this part is made of durable metals that have a high melting point and good resistance to chemical attack, you need to know how to properly tin the soldering iron tip, since an oxidizing film begins to form on top of it. It is not visible without special devices, but the effect of the presence of this film becomes noticeable, since the molten solder does not remain on the tip, but simply spreads over it and falls down.

It is impossible to take the right amount of material and carefully place it in the required place. Tip preparation is necessary not only for old, used devices. You need to know how to tin the new soldering iron, since this oxide can also form on it.

The size of the tip and its shape influence which model needs to be selected for certain operations. The thicker the tip, the greater the power of the soldering iron and the higher the temperature it reaches when heating. The shape of the tip affects the ease of performing certain operations.

"Important!

The tip needs to be looked after so that it lasts as long as possible, since if it fails, the soldering iron will be useless. To do this, you need to constantly clean it of solder residues after finishing work.”

Sharpening

In addition to tinning the soldering iron, you also need to know how to sharpen the soldering iron tip. After all, only after proper sharpening can you work. This applies mainly to new models, but if, from repeated use, the tip has become overgrown with old solder residues, then this operation also needs to be carried out here.

Sharpening the tip of a new soldering iron

Sharpening involves creating the desired tip shape. The standard option is sharpening at an angle of 30-40 degrees on each side. The result should be a wedge-shaped shape. It is desirable that the sharp part of the sting be about 1 mm thick.

Source: https://svarkaipayka.ru/oborudovanie/payalniki/kak-zaludit-zhalo-payalnika.html

Equipment and materials for soldering a car radiator

When a car radiator starts to leak, not all car owners have the opportunity to immediately replace it with a new one. For some models, a car radiator costs tens of thousands of rubles, for others you have to wait for more than one week for its delivery. Soldering the cooling radiators can help hold out until replacement. The soldering method depends on the material from which the heat exchanger is made.

Why does a leak appear?

The main reasons leading to antifreeze leakage from the cooling system through the heat exchanger are the following:

• mechanical destruction of tubes or collector tanks during an accident;
• thermal destruction of joints due to overheating and operation without liquid;
• corrosion damage.

The first two reasons are somewhat easier to repair because, as a rule, the location of the damage is easy to determine.

In case of corrosion damage, the location of the leak will have to be located. Moreover, it may not be the only one.

Looking for a leak

If a stain of antifreeze remains under the car after parking, it means there is a leak in the cooling system..

Before removing the cooling radiator or air conditioner, you should make sure that all pipes and the expansion tank housing are in order. The heat exchanger of the interior heating system is also checked.

Before dismantling, you need to drain the liquid from the system . The removed radiator is carefully inspected in good lighting. If the damage cannot be seen, all holes are plugged with tight plugs and the heat exchanger is immersed in water. The emerging chain of bubbles will indicate the location of the leak. If you increase the pressure by connecting one of the pipes to the compressor hose, you can detect a leak faster.

Copper or aluminum?

For high-quality soldering of faulty car radiators, you need to find out what they are made of. Modern devices are made of aluminum, copper or plastic.

The easiest way to distinguish material is by color:

• copper: red-brown;
• aluminum: grayish shades.

The plastic used for radiators is usually black.

Copper is quite easy to solder in a home workshop or garage . Soldering leaky aluminum car radiators is complicated by a number of its physical and chemical features.

We repair the radiator

Soldering copper radiators will require preparing the following:

• high-power electric soldering iron or gas burner;
• correctly selected solder;
• flux paste;
• abrasive paper;
• pliers;
• degreasing solvent;
• rags.

At the preparation stage, the product is cleaned of mechanical impurities and thoroughly dried. To speed up drying, you can blow it through one of the nozzles with compressed air under low pressure. The leak area is cleaned with abrasive paper. If there are lamellas nearby, they are carefully trimmed. Flux compound is applied to the soldering area and allowed to dry.

A powerful soldering iron or portable gas burner is used as a heat source . The electric soldering iron can be powered from the mains or from a battery. Solder is placed in the soldering area and heated with a flame so that it melts and flows into the crack or hole. If the molten solder does not wet the metal the first time and does not flow into the gap, you will need to re-clean the surface and apply flux.

What is the difficulty of soldering aluminum?

A layer consisting of oxides with a high melting point quickly appears on the surface of any aluminum part . This temperature is three times higher than that of the metal itself. Until this film is destroyed, there is no point in soldering aluminum parts.

To repair an aluminum radiator you will need:

• remove the oxide layer from the surface:
• increase solder fluidity;
• reduce the surface tension coefficient;
• prevent the re-occurrence of the oxide layer.

This is achieved by mechanical surface treatment and the use of specially selected flux compositions.

Materials and tools

To repair an aluminum heat exchanger, you will need:

• high power soldering iron (at least 100 watts);
• tin-lead (POS) or tin-bismuth (POSV) solder;
• rosin;
• fireproof melting container.

You will also need a wire brush, hand brush or drill attachment.

Repairing brass

Soldering a brass radiator is carried out in almost the same way as a copper one . The soldering area should be thoroughly cleaned and degreased. It will take longer to warm it up; for this it is convenient to use an industrial hair dryer. Before soldering, the repair area must be etched with soldering acid, applying it with a narrow brush. For working with brass, POS-40 solder is recommended, which has a higher melting point.

Preparing gumboil

To repair a heat exchanger with your own hands, you should take care of a good flux composition. Flux is prepared shortly before soldering a leaky radiator, since over time the composition decomposes and loses its properties. For two shares of crushed rosin you need to take one share of steel filings obtained using a file .

The composition must be poured into a fireproof container, mixed and heated with a burner. Then stir again and cool.

For the most durable seam

There is another recipe for flux, which is commonly called “flux”. With its help, you can achieve special seam strength. To create the flux you will need the following ingredients:

• KCl: 56%;
• LiCl: 23%;
• cryolite: 10%;
• NaCl: 7%;
• Na2SO4: 4%.

All components should be crushed and mixed thoroughly. The composition should be stored in a tightly closed container, protected from light.

We straighten aluminum with our own hands

Soldering aluminum radiators requires careful preparation of the repair site.

The faulty unit should be washed and dried completely. The repair area must be cleaned with abrasive paper and degreased with a rag moistened with a solvent.

Now you can apply a layer of flux with a soldering iron and rub it over the part. Next, solder is applied. Do this in several layers, rubbing and stretching each one. The steel filings contained in the flux will react with the oxide layer and destroy it. This will allow the solder to be in direct contact with the surface of the part and will significantly improve the quality of soldering.

After repair, it is necessary to re-check the radiator for leaks

How to solder plastic?

On modern cars, to reduce overall weight and reduce production costs, many parts are made of plastic. Radiators did not escape this fate either. First of all, it is necessary to accurately determine the type of plastic . This is done according to the markings on the part.

As a rule, polyamide (PA marking) or polypropylene (PP marking) is used for manufacturing. It is with this marking that you need to purchase welding rods for plastic.

They can be replaced with strips cut from an unnecessary plastic part with similar markings.

The following materials and equipment will be required:

• industrial hair dryer for heating the workpiece;
• electric soldering iron with adjustable tip temperature;
• solder selected in accordance with the radiator material;
• acetone;
• rags.

You must act in the following order:

• degrease the damaged area with a rag soaked in acetone;
• warm up the repair area with a hairdryer;
• set the soldering iron temperature to 250°C;
• move the soldering iron tip along the seam line several times so that a recess is formed in the shape of the welding rod;
• insert the rod into the recess and, smoothing it with a soldering iron, level it flush with the radiator body.

During soldering, you need to ensure that the plastic softens, but does not melt or burn. After the repair and before installing it back on the vehicle, you should check the tightness of the repaired area in a container of water.

Source: https://svarka.guru/payka/tehnik/radiator-ohlazhdeniya-avtomobilya.html

Soldering a copper radiator with your own hands

An important part of the car is the radiator. It was invented to avoid overheating of the car engine. After a while, you have to repair any part of the car, the radiator is no exception. During use, breaks appear that can be repaired.

How can you solder a radiator?

On the Internet you can find many photos of how to solder a radiator. But before looking at the pictures, you need to read the recommendations of experts, otherwise you won’t understand anything.

To do everything correctly, pay attention to the procedure for soldering the damaged surface. The repair method depends on the material from which the radiator is made.

In most cases, radiators are soldered using cold welding.

Instructions on how to solder a radiator are as follows:

• For convenience and quality work, dismantle the radiator;
• Find the place where the liquid may be leaking;
• To accurately calculate the fault, cover the radiator holes;
• Immerse it in water, you will see small water bubbles above the breaks;
• The damaged area must be prepared for repair - sanded and degreased well;
• We take a dose of cold welding, knead it and put it on the crack.

Due to the activator, cold welding can be turned into a liquid, which is intended for those places where it is difficult to penetrate. Let everything dry, clean and paint.

Aluminum radiator repair

Soldering an aluminum part is a labor-intensive process. How to solder an aluminum radiator? Before repairs, you need to prepare many tools, which are sold in specialized stores.

Due to the aluminum oxide film, the alloy does not adhere well to the crack, so follow this process:

• find the damaged surface;
• melt and mix rosin with iron filings;
• Apply the resulting mixture to the damage and blend with a heated blowtorch;
• when the flux covers the surface, add part of the resulting mixture. This will destroy the oxide film;
• if the gap is large, then we use a compound of bismuth and tin;
• To make the seam more reliable, we use flux - this is a composition of potassium and lithium chloride, cryolite, ordinary salt, and sodium sulfate.

The resulting mixture is heated with a hot soldering iron. At the end of the work, we check the result. Pour water with potassium permanganate into the radiator and wait a couple of hours. If it doesn’t ooze anywhere, then everything was done correctly. We work with gloves and in a well-ventilated area.

Copper radiator repair

I use the same method to solder a radiator made of copper and brass; I do this using tin. To solder a copper radiator, it is better to use a hammer soldering iron, which works without electricity. A blowtorch is used for heating.

First of all, you need to sand the cracks that have formed, then coat them with zinc chlorine. To prepare it you need: zinc and hydrochloric acid; We put the zinc in the acid and wait until the mixture combines.

Next, use a heated blowtorch to transfer the tin to the damaged area. We check the quality of work with water, then paint.

Repairing a radiator at home

The radiator is one of the most vulnerable parts of a car. If it malfunctions, it is not necessary to contact specialists; you can repair it yourself. To solder a radiator with your own hands, you need to have room and the necessary tools.

To repair the radiator, just go through the following steps:

• remove the radiator from the car and drain the liquid;
• find the right tools;
• solder the damage;
• check the result of the work;
• put the radiator back in place.

To properly fix the problem, be sure to dismantle it. At the same time, it will be possible to inspect all damage to the radiator and properly solder the gaps. We find cracks using polyethylene, a vessel and water. We cover the holes with film and then lower them into the water. Small bubbles will appear from the water above the cracks.

We wash and clean defective areas. You can sand it using sandpaper, a fine file (semicircular, thin, flat), or an iron brush. This stage must be taken seriously, since the rest of the work will depend on it.

The next step is degreasing, then sealing, it depends on the choice of the necessary tools.

To solder the radiator you will need the following tools:

• electric soldering iron;
• gas burner;
• a mixture of lead and tin;
• flux;
• rosin dissolved in alcohol.

The choice of tools for soldering depends on the material of the radiator, for example, a copper radiator is soldered with solder with a low melting degree, etc.

Other radiator repair methods

In addition to welding damaged areas, other repair methods can be used:

• Mustard powder;
• Egg;
• Sealant;
• Argon-arc welding.

Photo recommendations on how to solder a radiator

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Source: https://rem-serv.com/payka-mednogo-radiatora-svoimi-rukami/

What you need for soldering

In articles for beginners, we already discussed how radio components are designated and how to determine the pins of microcircuits. But now let’s touch on the question of what is needed for soldering , since it is always relevant.

Soldering iron

   The first thing we need is, of course, a soldering iron. The best option for both price and power is a 60 W soldering iron.

Rosin

    Rosin, ideally - solder wire, which is a long, thin tin tube, similar to a wire, wound on a reel, in the cavity of which there is rosin.

   Those. when soldering, in this case, we do not need, as in the old fashioned way, to lower the tip of the soldering iron, now into the rosin, now into the solder, but all this happens simultaneously at one point. More on this below

   You can purchase all the necessary components at your nearest radio store.

   If you do not have a soldering station, which is initially ready for soldering immediately after switching on, but a regular soldering iron, then before work (especially if it is new) you need to prepare it in a special way - tin it, otherwise it will not solder. Now let’s look at what “tinning” means.

How to tin a soldering iron?

   Take a file and apply it flat to the cut of the soldering iron tip. Now we sharpen in the same plane, periodically looking at the tip, until it becomes flat, smooth and shiny.

   After this, we lower the heated tip into rosin and immediately into solder (into tin). There will be almost no solder sticking to the tip, so immediately after this procedure we apply the tip to a small board, preferably of natural origin (not chipboard), preferably spruce or cedar (resinous), but in principle, any will do, you’ll just have to mess around longer.

   So, we repeat this procedure (rosin → solder → board) until the cut of the tip, prepared in advance with a file, made of yellow-gray heated copper, becomes silvery and shiny from the solder evenly covering it. This is what is called “tinning”, in this case a soldering iron.

This is what a tinned soldering iron tip should look like.

   Now we will learn to solder wires (after tinning it) to a brass tin, also tinning it from the beginning.

   We dip the soldering iron tip into rosin , then into solder, and immediately, with the plane of the tip parallel to the plane, we bring it close to our brass test subject, without allowing the rosin to evaporate, we press it, then we rub it in, we grind, in general, we tin. If the rosin has evaporated or spread, we repeat the process, and gradually, gradually our tin is covered with high-quality solder adhering to it. If the material is clean or without strong oxides, then such tinning occurs quickly.

    If solder wire is used, then we lean the tip of the soldering iron against the tin, and bring the tip of the solder wire to the point of their contact, trying to touch more of the tinned part of the soldering iron, and rub it against this part so that the tin and rosin enrich the contact point.

How to tin a wire?

    Now let's tinker with the wiring. Carefully remove the insulation just enough so that we have enough space for soldering, and for the location of the heat-shrink tube (or other insulator) so that later there are no short circuits (short circuits)

    It is easier to tin the wire, because Usually, the metal under the insulation is clean, not oxidized. We dip it in rosin, placing the tip of a heated soldering iron on top of it and slowly pull the wire out from under the soldering iron after the rosin melts and starts smoking. This is done, as you probably understood, so that the molten rosin envelops the contact part of the wire. Now we enrich the soldering iron tip with solder, touching the tin, and bring the tip to the rosin adhering to the wiring.

If the wire is copper and clean, tinning will occur immediately.

    If not, you may have to repeat the operation or use solder paste instead of rosin - a special chemical (like soldering acid, if anyone is familiar) that allows you to tin, for example, even iron.

This is what solder paste looks like.

How to solder a wire?

   We have a tinned experimental brass tin and a tinned wire, which we now have to connect, seal with heated solder and then cool in order to forever maintain their electrical connection, which we do by bringing the tinned part of the wire to the tinned part of the tin.

   We bring the soldering iron tip enriched with solder to the place of their contact so that the solder covers the tinned parts of the soldered parts well. This will be facilitated by the rosin involved in the process. If something doesn’t go well, dip into it. Once the parts are in the molten solder, try not to move them anymore. You can lightly blow on the solder area until the shine of the solder darkens slightly, indicating that the solder has hardened.

   That's it, congratulations! You did it.

Tweezers

When soldering, do not forget that all elements are exposed to high temperatures.

To avoid burns and achieve maximum comfort, we use tweezers.

Source: https://radiostroi.ru/cxemkirazdel/2012-04-21-12-12-53/277-chto-nuzhno-dlya-payaniya.html

How to solder a car radiator

Radiators are a large family of devices that, by virtue of their design, are designed to emit and dissipate heat into the air. Hence their name, which is consonant with many words in foreign languages. For example, in English “radiate” means to radiate.

In various areas of modern life, these devices are found very often and the principle of their operation is very similar. But when we talk about radiator repair, we most often mean the radiators of the car cooling system.

Determining the location of damage

Car radiators are at greatest risk of damage, as they operate in temperatures with different signs and under the influence of strong vibrations. Cases of mechanical damage to such devices cannot be excluded.

Radiators of air conditioners, which are used as condensers and evaporators, are less often repaired. But such cases also happen. It’s very unpleasant when the climate control suddenly stops working in a luxury car during the hot season.

One of the most effective and affordable repair methods is soldering radiators. If a car radiator is damaged, it is very important to promptly identify the problem and try to fix it.

The auto radiator, which is part of the engine cooling system, is a very important component. Structurally, this device consists of two vertical tanks connected by a large number of thin horizontal tubes.

The coolant circulating in them releases heat into the air through natural heat exchange and cools down. To improve heat transfer, the surfaces of the tubes in contact with the surrounding air are increased.

To do this, thin metal plates - fins - are soldered to them.

Signs of damage to the radiator are an increase in engine temperature during operation, as well as a decrease in the coolant level. Of course, fluid loss can occur not only through the radiator, but most often the cause is this particular unit.

Visually, major damage can be determined by observing the coolant leak. But it will be quite difficult to do this on a hot engine, since the antifreeze will immediately evaporate.

Some compositions are painted with special pigments that remain on the surface of the part after drying, which helps to identify the location of damage.

If it is determined that the leak occurred in the radiator, but no damage is visible, it is necessary to remove the device from the car, first draining the coolant. After this, you need to close all the holes, leaving one, and supply air under slight pressure into it, lowering the radiator into a container of water. The location of the hole can be determined by the escaping air bubbles.

Repair of copper radiators

A damaged element does not always need to be replaced with a new part. You can often solder the engine cooling radiator yourself. No complex equipment is required for this.

It is enough to have a fairly powerful soldering iron, tin-lead solder POS-60 or ZIL-2 (for brass you can use POS-40) and flux (rosin diluted with alcohol).

An electrical device is unlikely to be suitable for soldering pipes or soldering brass pipes to radiator tanks. Most often, devices are used that are heated in an oven or in the flame of a blowtorch. The method of soldering with such a soldering iron is unique:

• parts that need to be soldered must first be cleaned and heated with a hairdryer, blowtorch or stove;
• the hot part must be thoroughly treated with flux to remove oxide films from its surface;
• solder is delivered to the seam not on the soldering iron tip, but directly by feeding a tin rod;
• Using a heated soldering iron, distribute it over the soldering area.

If a leak is found in one of the cooling tubes, you can use a gas torch to fix the problem. To get to the damaged area and perform quality work, you need to carefully remove the finning plates. This can be done by applying a special abrasive attachment to a portable drill. You can immediately clean the damaged area.

When heating the tube with a torch, it is necessary to cover as large an area as possible to ensure sufficient temperature for making a seam without overheating the copper tube. Solder in the form of a rod or soldering wire is introduced into the soldering zone when the part is heated to the desired temperature and treated with flux.

Soldering car air conditioner radiators is carried out in a similar way, with the only difference being that you need to bleed the refrigerant from the system, taking precautions. In general, it is better to entrust repair work on pipes and radiators to specialists if you have no experience in soldering.

In case of aluminum

If aluminum radiators are damaged, repairs will be somewhat more difficult. The problem is that aluminum is very difficult to solder properly. An oxide film very quickly forms on the surface of materials, which prevents solder from adhering. Recently, radiators made entirely of aluminum have not been used, but rather designs made from aluminum tubes pressed into the bodies of plastic tanks are used.

If you still need to solder aluminum, you can use a flux specially prepared for this. It is rosin to which metal filings have been added during hardening. This flux must be used quickly and skillfully. You can buy a special flux for aluminum and a suitable solder, for example, castolin. The flux composition is applied to the preheated damaged surface and then melted with a soldering iron.

Carrying out translational movements, they clean the aluminum surface with a sting. At the same time, metal shavings and filings contained in the flux act as an abrasive, removing dirt and oxide film. Rosin immediately covers the cleaned area, preventing oxygen from reaching it. Next, soldering occurs in the same way as in the case of copper parts.

Repair of cooling system parts

In addition to the radiator, many other components and parts are involved in the engine cooling process. This includes a thermostat, an interior heating radiator, and many others. All of them are connected by various rubber and plastic tubes and hoses.

In conditions of constant vibration and temperature fluctuations (especially in winter), plastic products may break.

If a crack occurs in the plastic casing, and the material around it is strong, you can seal the crack with two-component petrol- and oil-resistant adhesive.

Less critical plastic parts that do not work under pressure (brackets, stands) can be repaired by soldering. To do this, it is enough to heat the top layer of polymer at the joints of both parts of the part with a soldering iron, then press them tightly against each other and wait for it to cool.

Source: https://svaring.com/soldering/praktika/pajka-radiatorov

How to solder brass: methods, review of materials, instructions

An alloy of copper and zinc, known since ancient times, is widely used in our time. Brass has high strength, is resistant to corrosion, and is ductile. Thanks to these properties, it is used to make parts of mechanisms and structural elements that are forced to constantly come into contact with aggressive environments.

Despite the reliability of the material, brass products sometimes develop various defects that require repair - breaks, holes, cracks. One way to restore elements is soldering. This process is not very complicated, but it has its own characteristics, so it is extremely important to know how to solder brass.

Familiarity with soldering technology will allow you to successfully carry out such work even at home.

What are the features of the technology?

This method of producing permanent joints is not as popular as welding. The reason is lower solder strength. Seams are formed by melting a filler material called solder. The most important difference between soldering is the melting temperature, which should be lower than that of the elements being connected. They do not change the state of aggregation, which makes it possible to reliably fasten dissimilar materials.

The low-temperature effect on the surface to be soldered has made soldering indispensable, and in some cases the only possible: for example, when it is necessary to obtain a permanent connection of dissimilar metals. The integrity of the processed parts is the main advantage of such a technological operation, since it allows you to work with the smallest elements without fear of their deformation or change in structure.

Soldering is especially relevant in electronics, where you have to work with miniature, very fragile microcircuits, and in electrical engineering, when there is a need to connect or extend conductors.

Classification of brass alloys

Brass can be double or multi-component. In the first case, the composition includes only copper and zinc, which increases the hardness of the alloy. Other components that improve its physical and chemical characteristics include aluminum, iron, silicon, manganese, nickel, tin, lead and other elements. For this reason, it is necessary to know exactly the composition of brass in advance; this will help determine the method, as well as the specifics of soldering.

Brass is classified according to its chemical composition:

1. Two-component (double, simple). It consists only of copper and zinc. The percentage of these components may vary. These compositions are marked with the letter “L” and a number, which always indicates the amount of copper. For example, L90 contains from 88 to 91% copper, zinc accounts for 8.8-12%. There are impurities, but their amount is minimal - about 0.2%.
2. Multicomponent (special). This brass has a large number of ingredients that increase the corrosion resistance of the alloy, its strength, and hardness. It is marked differently: another one is added to the letter “L”, meaning the alloying element, and another number appears - the percentage of alloying metal. For example, LA77-2 is aluminum brass, it contains 77% copper, about 2% aluminum, and the rest is zinc. All such alloys are named after the alloying element: ferrous, silicon, nickel, manganese, lead, etc.

Brass is used to make various products. According to the degree of processing, these alloys are divided into:

• deformable, they are used to produce bolts, nuts, car parts, brass strips, sheets, wire, pipes, pipes;
• foundry (fittings, bushings, instrument parts, bearings, car hydraulic system fittings).

Based on the percentage of zinc, brass is divided into:

1. Red (tompak), containing 5-10% of this component. Such alloys are ideal for jewelry, figurines and similar artistic products.
2. Yellow, here the percentage of zinc is 21-36%.

The reason for the popularity of brass is its durability, reliability, resistance to temperature changes and mechanical stress. Therefore, parts made from this alloy are widely used in water supply systems, sewerage systems, and in mechanical and instrument making. Brass products have a long service life, but this is only true if their operating rules are not violated.

Efficiency and obstacles

There are several technologies that allow you to easily weld parts or products made of brass, but they are not simple, promise significant costs, and require certain work skills from the master. Soldering is an alternative that is technologically simpler, which means this option is also suitable for a home craftsman, since there is no need for a highly qualified performer.

If the zinc content in the alloy is not too high, then there are no insurmountable obstacles on the way to the goal: simple soldering using ordinary rosin can cope with the task. When the percentage of this metal in brass exceeds 15, special fluxes are required.

The reason is strong evaporation during soldering of copper and zinc; it leads to the formation of a strong oxide film on the material, and it is quite difficult to remove it. Therefore, without special solders and neutralizing fluxes, an ideal result cannot be achieved.

Selection of optimal materials

Before looking for the best option for soldering brass, you need to determine its brand. Only in this case can an acceptable result of the operation be guaranteed.

Choosing the right solder

This is the material, usually an alloy, that is used to solder the elements. its peculiarity is its melting point, which must be lower than that of the metals being joined. Typical examples of alloys are tin and lead, pure tin.

However, the quality, mechanical strength of such a clutch and appearance are very far from ideal. The reasons for poor quality are pores that appear as a result of zinc evaporation.

To ensure reliable contact, the melting temperature of the material must be significantly lower than brass, and the solder must have excellent adhesion to this alloy.

1. For soldering brass containing a large amount of copper, it is better to take compositions related to copper-zinc solders, since as a result of the addition of zinc, the melting point of these alloys is reduced. For example, PMC54 and PMC-48 solders melt at a temperature of 880°, PMC-36 - at 800-825°.
2. For the same alloys, you can use silver solders - grades from PSr12 to PSr72. If brass has a higher zinc content, then similar solders are recommended, but not lower than PSr40.
3. Relatively inexpensive copper-phosphorus solders are MF-1, MF-2, MF-3. They are plastic, but have good electrical conductivity. If the mechanical and vibration loads are high, then it is better to purchase solders with silver.
4. If it is necessary to guarantee special strength, then hard copper alloys are chosen: for example, the universal L-CuP6.

The latest brand of solder has a temperature range of 710-880. It is designed to work with bronze, red bronze, brass, as well as copper, when installing pipes, radiators, and heating systems. When using silver or phosphorus solders, it must be taken into account that brass dissolves rapidly, so the processing time (heating and soldering) must be reduced.

Fluxes: homemade or ready-made

Fluxes clean the surface of metals from grease and also prevent the formation of an oxide film. They are also selected depending on the composition of the alloys. For copper compounds, rosin alone is sufficient, but for brass a more aggressive agent is already needed. The simplest flux option for soldering brass is a mixture of borax and boric acid (1:1). It is poured with water (5 mm per 1 g), boiled, stirring, then cooled. However, the best characteristics are possessed by “professionals” - purchased compounds.

1. Borax flux. He has been known for a very long time, but since then he has not lost his fans. The reason for its popularity is its high-quality work.
2. Other brands are no less effective: PV-209 (from 700 to 900°), PV-209X (from 650 to 850°).

Source: https://dom-i-remont.info/posts/obshhie-voprosy/kak-payat-latun-kak-vyibrat-flyus-pripoy-i-podhodyashhiy-instrument/

Solder without a soldering iron: principle of operation and tinning, making paste with your own hands, repairing headphones

Cold soldering is a valuable skill. There are many situations where being able to repair or modify electronics can really save your day. But most people don't carry a soldering iron, and even if you do have a soldering iron, you may not have access to electricity. How to solder without a soldering iron?

So today I'm going to show you how to solder using objects and tools you have around (and some solder).

Using the tinning method when soldering

How to properly solder with a soldering iron with acid

A quick way to solder wires is tinning. To do this, you can use an ordinary nail or a piece of copper wire, the end of which must be flattened with a hammer. Soldering is done as follows:

1. The ends of the wires, stripped of insulation, are twisted.
2. Flux is applied to the twist.
3. Solder is converted into powder using a file or needle file.
4. The flux on the twist is generously sprinkled with lead-tin chips.
5. A metal rod (nail, copper wire, etc.) is heated over an open fire. A gas burner or a blowtorch can be used for this.
6. The hot core is passed along the twisted wires until a tinned connection surface is obtained.

Using a homemade sting

To save money, many craftsmen decide to create a homemade tip. The operating principle of the soldering iron is quite simple:

1. There is a heating element that receives power from the power supply.
2. Heat is transferred to the sting, which has a pointed shape.
3. When the tip comes into contact with the material being processed, it heats up and becomes plastic.

You can make a homemade design as follows:

1. A piece of copper wire is required, which has a diameter of about 0.5 cm. A conductor can be used as a tip, one end of which is sharpened at an angle of 45 degrees. A small piece of fabric that is temperature resistant is also required.
2. One end of the cable is insulated. It will be used as a handle. Fiberglass is often used as an insulating material. Fixation is carried out using heat-resistant glue.

Homemade sting

Soldering without a soldering iron can be carried out using a fire source, for example, a gas stove. Using fire, the tip is heated, after which you need to touch the solder or rosin. Due to the use of a special material, the tip will become tinned and the tip can be used as a soldering iron.

Features of soldering in the groove

Soldering iron repair

Connecting both single-core and multi-core cables with a cross-section of 3 mm2 without soldering equipment is possible in an original way:

• twist the stripped ends of the wires;
• a piece of foil is bent so as to form an elongated bath;
• a twist is placed in it;
• Flux is applied to the stripped wires and tin powder is added;
• the foil is heated with an open flame from a lighter or other flame source;
• during heating, the twist is rotated around its axis;
• upon completion of soldering, the remaining foil is removed;
• the soldered twist is wrapped in shrink film and heated until a dense layer of insulation is obtained.

Hot Iron

A metal object is heated on an open flame, for example a gas burner, or simply in a fire. A thick paperclip or nail will do. The size is selected based on the thickness of the material being soldered. The improvised tip is red-hot, then pressed against the prepared soldering area.

Solder must be placed in the work area in advance . It will not be possible to solder it efficiently in one go, so the procedure should be repeated many times.

This video demonstrates a simple method of soldering wires using a regular candle.

Sun and magnifying glass

By concentrating the sun's rays with a magnifying glass, you can create a point with a temperature of up to 600 degrees. This is quite enough to melt the solder, provided several conditions are met. Firstly, the magnifying glass must be fixed , since an unstable point of concentration of solar energy will not create the required temperature. Secondly, this value (600 degrees) is only theoretical.

When heating a material with good thermal conductivity (in our case, copper wire), the heat will instantly dissipate. However, a magnifying glass with a diameter of 8-15 cm is quite suitable for extreme soldering. Of course, provided there is sun and a cloudless sky. The greatest effect is achieved at noon.

Short circuit

This method is used when connecting single-core electrical wiring to improve contact in the twist. It is based on the spot welding method. You can use a regular car battery.

Therefore, the cables that supply voltage must be of large cross-section. Care must be taken when working.

Wires are suitable for “lighting”, which motorists use to revive a dead battery. To solder a wire without a soldering iron using a battery, you need to briefly touch the terminals to the twist at a distance of 1-2 cm. The contact time should be no more than 1 second.

Otherwise, you can damage the battery and melt the soldered wire. The joint is pre-treated with flux, and a piece of solder is placed on it.

Soldering dishes or containers

Over time, metal utensils can rust. There is no need to rush to throw away a leaky pan; it should be sealed.

Soldering station - operating principle and types

How to do this without a soldering iron? There is a simple way to do this. For the sting you will need a piece of metal strip 30-40 mm wide and no more than 1 mm thick. This is something that can be used instead of a soldering iron. You also need to prepare a piece of lead-tin alloy, flux and a blowtorch or gas torch. The work is carried out in several stages:

1. The metal strip is cut so that it is convenient to hold it with your hand. This side of the strip is wrapped with heat-resistant material.
2. The second end is cut in the shape of the letter V. It is sharpened with a file.
3. The pan is turned upside down. Some material with a metal plate is placed under it so that the metal fits tightly from below to the hole in the bottom.
4. Use sandpaper to clean the surface around the hole.
5. Solder is cut into pieces ø 3-5 mm.
6. Flux is applied to the cleaned surface.
7. Then pieces of solder are placed around the hole.
8. The working end of the strip is heated over an open fire.
9. A homemade soldering iron is used to tin the repaired area of ​​the bottom of the pan.
10. After cooling, the solder is polished with emery.

Note! To solder dishes and various containers for preparing food, you need to use a food alloy, which consists of 90% tin. This metal is absolutely harmless to human health.

Tinning without a soldering iron

To improve the contact of wires and increase the quality of soldering, preliminary application of solder to the places of the elements to be connected is used. This technology is called tinning and can also be carried out without using a soldering iron. To do this, you need a small container, which can be used as any metal lid from a jar.

The wires are prepared and the insulation is removed from the ends that are subject to tinning. Rosin and tin-lead solder are placed in the container. Next you will need to heat the contents over a fire. The bare and stripped ends of the wire are dipped into boiling rosin, and then into a mass of tin for a few seconds. After removing the wires, you must immediately remove excess solder using a soft rag so that the procedure leaves a thin, uniform layer.

If the purpose of tinning is not wiring, but the repair of dishes or other non-steel surfaces, then the container will not be suitable. The work is carried out directly on the part. To do this, solder with rosin is planed onto the processing site and subjected to heating from the bottom. Afterwards, the contents are ground, and the excess is removed with a rag. To obtain a high-quality result, it is recommended to treat the surface with a special acid. Now the tinned parts are ready for soldering.

Solder paste for soldering without a soldering iron

Solder paste includes flux and solder. This is very convenient when soldering without a soldering iron. There is no need to tinker with these two components separately. It is enough to apply the paste once to the junction of the wires and then heat it to the melting temperature of the solder.

Solder paste consists of metal powder, flux, and fixative (an adhesive substance to hold the alloy in a liquid state within the soldering area). The paste contains tin and lead powder with the addition of silver. The proportions of the composition vary depending on the purpose of the product.

Soldering with a lighter

When heated, the flux instantly evaporates, the solder firmly and tightly covers the entire twist of wires. The result is high quality soldering. The applied composition allows you to do without soldering irons and soldering stations.

For food soldering, it is recommended to use the following brands of pastes: POS 63, POM 3 and others. Paste soldering is used to work with microcircuits, where instead of soldering irons, thin metal rods are used, heated by external heat sources.

Source: https://instanko.ru/drugoe/kak-pripayat-bez-payalnika.html

Radiator repair: Soldering irons out! — Autocentre.ua

Mid-autumn is the last time to tidy up the cooling system before adding fresh antifreeze. Known, by the way, not only for its frost resistance, but also for its ability to seep even through microscopic cracks. And then, as luck would have it, the radiator leaked

Brass radiator soldering technology

Mid-autumn is the last time to tidy up the cooling system before adding fresh antifreeze. Known, by the way, not only for its frost resistance, but also for its ability to seep even through microscopic cracks. And then, as luck would have it, the radiator leaked

Solder - don't glue

At first glance, in the era of superglues, “cold welding” and other almighty chemistry, it seems awkward to take on such an archaic task as soldering. But when repairing radiators, the use of polymer preparations is not always justified.

Do not forget about vibrations, temperature changes, differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion of metal and plastic; and if we add here the price factor and strength indicators. For example, in places where the pipes are attached to the tanks, “cold welding” does not always withstand vibration loads that are transmitted from the engine through rubber hoses. The same can be said about the filler neck.

And additives that dissolve in antifreeze, under certain conditions, lead to a decrease in the throughput of the radiator. In a word, a soldered connection is no worse than a glued one. The main thing is that your radiator is not aluminum - this metal is soldered using a special technology.

Peculiarities

Traditionally, it was believed that only specialist coppersmiths could solder a radiator, even a brass one. In fact, there is nothing tricky about this, the main thing is to find a soldering iron of the right size and power and master a couple of simple techniques. In addition, the soldering procedure can be repeated over and over again an unlimited number of times until complete success is achieved.

Soldering such a large unit as a radiator has its own characteristics. First, the leak site is usually contaminated with coolant deposits or oxidation products. Secondly, it is necessary to heat a large mass of metal. And finally, body vibrations must be taken into account, so when repairing the most loaded elements (pipes, places where the radiator is attached to the body), for strength, a larger layer of solder should be applied than is usually recommended.

Process

While the soldering iron is cold, its tip must be freed from scale with a file, as it heats up, lubricate the working edge with flux and carefully cover it with a layer of solder, as if rubbing it in. If this is not done, problems will arise with heating the parts and collecting solder on the tip.

The soldering area must be cleaned until shiny with a scalpel or sandpaper. If you are going to solder a hole in a tank or radiator tube, you should clean a 3-4 mm wide strip along its edges, and free the hole itself from dirt.

It happens that only by cutting out the adjacent pipe can you get to the leaking one. Subsequently, it must be completely drowned out - the design of the radiator allows it to be deprived of a certain part of the “honeycomb” (up to 20%). When eliminating a crack at the attachment point of the pipe, you need to clear the gap and its edges.

In any case, do not forget to drain the coolant from the radiator and leave the neck open.

The cleaned soldering area must be heated well with a soldering iron, after which the melted rosin will form a thin layer (avoid overheating, it will char at 315°C).

Having collected solder on the soldering iron and transferred it to the heated part, run the tip over the metal several times. If everything is done correctly, the solder will flow from the tip and adhere to the areas covered with flux.

If there are shells left on the tinned surface that are not covered with solder, you need to clean them of flux residues, add fresh rosin there and repeat the tinning in this place.

After tinning, a portion of solder is added to the soldering site, which in molten form is “stretched” over the hole or crack. To avoid making a large seam, you can apply a tin patch to the hole. A large seam can be soldered in parts; the heat capacity of the radiator allows you to re-melt the solder at one edge of the seam without disturbing the already cooled layer at its beginning. You can also, using a lower-power soldering iron, smooth the already solidified solder onto a still warm part to give it a marketable appearance.

This is what they teach in school

According to plumbing textbooks, soldering is the process of creating a permanent connection of parts using a special alloy (solder). Unlike another popular method - welding, when soldering the metals being joined do not melt, only the solder melts, which wets both parts and fills the gap between them.

After cooling and crystallization, the solder, adhering to both surfaces, like glue, securely binds them. Strength depends on the cleanliness of the surfaces and heating (it is important to melt the solder, heat the parts and maintain the required temperature for a certain time).

The characteristics of the selected solder and flux, as well as the properties of the materials of the parts being repaired, are important.

Soldering iron is half the success

In most cases, to solder a radiator you need a massive soldering iron with a power of at least 100 W. But a damaged tube can be soldered with a regular 60-watt one. Much depends on how efficiently the soldering iron transfers its temperature to the part. This, in turn, is due to the correct tinning of the tip, the presence of a sufficient amount of solder at the point of contact of the tip with the part, and the angle at which you hold the soldering iron relative to the surface being repaired.

In addition to electric ones, soldering irons heated over an open fire are also used. There is no fundamental difference in their use, except that during the soldering process it is necessary to additionally control the heating and cooling of the working part of the tool.

Safety precautions

The electric soldering iron must have intact cord insulation and a working plug. During operation, make sure that the cord does not touch the tool or heated parts.

Hold the soldering iron by the handle only. You cannot determine its heating by touch - just hold your hand at some distance from the sting.

Vapors from heated solder and fluxes are harmful to health. Work should be carried out in a ventilated area or in the fresh air.

Please note that the solder takes a long time to cool down on a heated part, so after removing the soldering iron, do not rush to immediately touch the seam with your hands.

Solders and fluxes

In everyday life, the most commonly used tin-lead solders are POS-40, POS-61, POS-90 (the digital index indicates the percentage of tin content). Their melting point is low: it is 190 – 300° C.

Solders of this group are characterized by good wettability and ductility. When repairing cars, copper-zinc solders of the PMC series are also used, which provide a strong and corrosion-resistant connection.

But due to the high melting point (825 - 905°C), a gas burner is required for heating, which limits their use.

Fluxes are used to destroy the oxide film on the surface of parts and to protect them from oxidation during the soldering process. For tin-lead solders, an aqueous solution of zinc chloride is usually used - “etched” hydrochloric acid. When repairing brass radiators, it is recommended to use rosin (or its alcohol solution), sold on radio markets. It does not cause corrosion of metals and does not require thorough “decontamination” at the end of the work.

Igor Shirokun
Photo by the author

Source: https://www.autocentre.ua/opyt/poleznye-sovety/remont-radiatora-payalniki-nagolo-292204.html

How to solder correctly with a soldering iron - how to learn how to solder aluminum and copper wires with a soldering iron yourself?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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://remont.youdo.com/articles/repair/paykapayalnikom/

How to solder a car radiator - how to solder a radiator yourself at home

Frequent car trips are fraught with overheating of radiators, especially those that are blown by a mechanical rather than an electric fan. Overheating is not so bad: we stood there for half an hour, and then we were on our way again. Heat, as well as gravel from the wheels of cars avoiding traffic jams on the side of the road, can seriously damage the radiator. This is the most vulnerable spot in the power unit of any car - antifreeze can leak anywhere.

Even a new aluminum radiator is especially unpredictable, but a copper one will leak along the way and over time. Therefore, below we will tell you how to solder a copper radiator, as well as products made from other materials.

Automatic kettle repair

Kettle - this is what car enthusiasts call a radiator due to the fact that the liquid in it is beyond the boiling point of water - up to 130 degrees. Therefore, instructions on how to solder a radiator will come in handy. Repair of the internal combustion engine cooling system is the most common thing in auto repair shops during any holiday season.

Practice shows that on the road you can fix a leak yourself only temporarily - to the nearest service station. The following can be done as a temporary measure. Grouting powder or corresponding liquids are poured or poured into the radiator.

How to solder a radiator, read below. If, of course, you purchased everything you need in advance and put it in the trunk. These are the two main emergency equipment for long journeys.

Radiator repair is the elimination of leaks in the tubes. If this happens at home, you won’t have to turn to professional aluminum shareholders and coppersmiths. If you have everything you need, you can handle such a problem as repairing radiators on the highway.

To do this, you will need to perform several technical procedures:

• Draining the water/antifreeze, removing the radiator and preparing it for soldering.
• Availability of tools and SOS tools.
• Soldering of the emergency area.

Do not try to make the job easier by soldering without removing the heatsink. The fact is that the leak can be obvious - a stream, but there is a leak that you won’t notice. But after a while, an emergency situation with a coolant leak will occur again.

Removal is necessary, first of all, to diagnose possible water/antifreeze leaks. To do this, close the empty “kettle” with stoppers, except for one, connect an auto-compressor to it and place it completely in a container with water. Where even small bubbles appear, a new breakthrough is possible.

Repairing a copper radiator

Clean the engine cooler from adhering dirt and leaves with a vacuum cleaner and water. Remove defective areas from the grilles on the tubes by carefully cutting them off, clean them thoroughly with a metal brush, sandpaper and a small file, and then degrease them with acetone or any alcohol.

Remember that the cleanliness of the leak site must be perfect so that the solder adheres to the metal everywhere - both on aluminum and copper radiators. Otherwise, the quality of the connection will leave much to be desired.

Now you can solder the radiator with your own hands by performing copper plugging. You need to prepare:

• electric soldering iron with a thick tip for 100 - 150 W;
• any burner;
• solder made from a mixture of lead and tin;
• oxide remover (flux);
• rosin, dry or in alcohol.

POS-60 with low melt temperature will patch a copper radiator. For a brass engine cooler, use index 40, only heating the defective area with a gas burner for a longer time.

After performing high-quality tinning, place the solder heated with a soldering iron over this area evenly over the soldering area. It is better to use any flux instead of rosin.

Restoring duralumin damage

Any welding of aluminum, as well as its soldering, is impossible without cutting off air, otherwise instant oxidation cannot be avoided. Since it is impossible to solder an aluminum radiator like a copper one, it is possible to take solder from bismuth with indexes 33 or 50.

But for it you first need to prepare a powder from four chemical elements that are difficult to find. They are used only at car service stations.

Another method can be used. To do this, have a carbon dioxide cylinder. Direct its jet to the place where the solder is applied. Apply solder and use a soldering iron to place it evenly over the area.

Checking the quality of work is not difficult. After the radiator has cooled down from soldering, pour antifreeze into it. If there is no leakage, place the unit on the car, drive several kilometers, subjecting the radiator to water pressure and heat load.

Remember that DIY repairs are not always the best solution. The problem can be fixed temporarily. Therefore, do not delay and at the first opportunity, seek advice and diagnostics from the service center specialists. Repairing a radiator is a task whose solution should still be trusted to experienced craftsmen.

Photo tips on how to solder a car radiator

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Source: https://instrumentgid.ru/kak-zapayat-avtomobilnyj-radiator/