Technology for soldering wires without a soldering iron: methods and techniques
A home craftsman always keeps a set of tools in his arsenal, one of which is a soldering iron. Soldering is the most convenient way to solder a wire with your own hands, repairing household appliances, computers, and other electrical equipment. However, you may not have a soldering iron at hand or the power may be out, and the need to solder becomes necessary. Therefore, there are ways to connect metal products at home without a soldering iron.
How to make a homemade soldering device?
You can make a soldering iron from available materials in any place, apartment, house, outdoors, when repairing a car, etc. The optimal solution would be to construct a device from copper wire with a cross-sectional diameter of 4-5 mm.
Thinner wires may burn out, but thicker wires will take longer to heat up and become more difficult to work with. The length will be 10-15 cm. On one side, the end is sharpened or flattened, this is the place where the elements will be soldered.
On the other hand, you can make a wooden handle so as not to burn your hands or use pliers.
The second component of successful soldering is the presence of an open flame. You can use a lighter, a fire, a burner, a gasoline lamp, and other improvised means with which the end of the wire will be heated.
It is necessary to build a stand for soldering, which must be securely fastened. It is important that the heating source is located near the place of work, so that it is comfortable, and the homemade soldering iron does not have time to cool down. You need to prepare a flat container with solder and rosin at hand. Using such a simple method, you can easily repair and solder many things, connect microcircuits to the board.
Another accessible way to make a homemade soldering iron is presented in the video.
Necessary tool
It seems that at first glance, soldering without a soldering iron seems like an absurd task, but there is nothing surprising, especially if the need for soldering becomes necessary. In order for the work to be productive and the result achieved, in addition to a homemade soldering iron, you need to arm yourself with a handy tool:
- pliers. It is better to stock up on regular pliers with narrow noses;
- file, needle file;
- sandpaper;
- knife, scissors;
- brush.
Every home craftsman has this tool not only at home, but can also be in the car, which makes it possible to carry out soldering work regardless of location. In addition to needing a soldering iron at home, you may need it for auto electrical repairs. Thus, a do-it-yourself soldering iron becomes an indispensable assistant, regardless of the location of the need.
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.
Soldering wires without using a soldering iron
Wires of small diameter can be soldered using the existing tin from tinning. To do this, the ends are twisted and heated. You can use any flame source, even a regular lighter or matches. In case of working with a wire cross-section of more than 1 sq. mm.
the contained layer from tinning will not be enough, so a small amount of planed solder is applied to the surface of the parts to be soldered after twisting them. The area is heated until the molten mass fills all the pores of the twist.
This option is convenient when working with a thin wire, such as for headphones or a phone charger.
Elementary soldering of two ends of a wire is a common case, but sometimes there is a need to connect a wire to the middle of another or solder a wire to a board without a soldering iron. In the first case, the connection area is cleared from the winding. The connecting wire is wound around the solder and clamped to create a tight, secure twist.
Next, soldering of the elements is carried out according to the principle of connecting two ends. It is advisable to do solder to the surface after preliminary tinning, this will simplify the connection task. A piece of wire is placed in place and sprinkled with small particles of solder on top.
The area is heated from the bottom of the part until the tin becomes one with the wire and the surface.
Soldering utensils or containers
A soldering iron may be needed not only for high-quality connections of wires, but also for repairing household and garden utensils. These could be pots or buckets with small holes in them. To solder them, you need to prepare the solder site by treating the hole from the inside with sandpaper and acid.
Next, a plate is installed at the bottom of the container to prevent leakage of molten solder, which is poured into the hole in finely chopped form along with rosin from the inside. Soldering without a soldering iron is completed by heating the soldering area from below with fire until the area to be repaired is completely filled. Repairing aluminum containers, which will require special solder, will be problematic.
In addition to tin, it must contain zinc, bismuth or aluminum. The preparation of alloys is carried out by stirring and heating to high temperatures.
Soldering using paste
You can solve the problem without a soldering iron using a special paste, which you prepare yourself or purchase ready-made in a store. The uniqueness of solder paste is that it can be stored for a long time and, if necessary, used with a heating source at hand. For preparation you will need several components: hydrochloric acid, water, zinc, tin.
All components are mixed, and after the reaction occurs, the water evaporates, resulting in a paste-like mass. Soldering is not difficult, using paste and added components that will allow you to carry out the required work without a soldering iron. Before soldering, the surface or area is cleaned and paste is spread on it. By heating over a fire, the paste melts, forming a strong, protected connection.
To correctly connect the elements and obtain the desired consistency, you can study the relevant recommendations in detail and watch the video.
Soldering with foil
There is a quick soldering method using foil, which acts as solder. The convenience of the method lies in the fact that when melted, the foil takes a neat shape and does not smear or spread.
Can be used for soldering contacts and wires, for which the joint is prepared and the insulation is removed. Next, the foil is wound and subjected to heating, which must be systematic so that the material gradually melts.
Use a lighter, candle or other source of small flame.
The lack of a soldering iron is ultimately not a big problem when it comes to repairing electrical equipment, a computer, dishes, etc. You just need to stock up on the necessary set of tools and components for successful and efficient soldering. It is important to follow safety precautions and also not to allow children near the work site, because soldering is carried out with high-temperature material.
Source: https://oxmetall.ru/pajka/tehnologiya-spajki-provodov-bez-payalnika-sposoby-i-metody
What can be used instead of tin when soldering?
A situation often arises when it is necessary to urgently repair an electrical appliance or wiring, but there is no soldering iron at hand, or it suddenly breaks down. There may be no power at this moment.
Often this situation arises on a camping trip, in a country house without power supply, or simply while driving a car. You can solder without a soldering iron, but you can’t do it without any special tools.
We use flame
The easiest way is to locally heat the joint with an open flame, candle or lighter. The melting point of ordinary solder is 200-280 degrees. Any combustion source can easily cope with this value.
So-called turbo lighters are best suited for these purposes, in which the flame comes out under pressure, creating a powerful local heating area. In addition, such a flame will not smoke the junction of the wires, and it can be directed with high precision.
There are compact gas burners that are generally ideal for such work. If you go on a hike, or to the country, this tool should be at your fingertips.
For such cases, it is better to use solder that is not refractory, for example, POSV33. Its melting point does not exceed 150 degrees. If you don’t have flux on hand, you can use the folk method. Apply crushed aspirin.
The wire is stripped, treated with flux, and heated with a flame. Solder in the form of a thin wire is placed directly into the heating zone. As soon as the tin begins to melt, a drop is applied to the heated twist, and then with a flame we achieve penetration of the melt throughout the soldering area.
Soldering without a soldering iron with a flame from a match or candle is accompanied by soot, so this method should be used only as a last resort. An alcohol lamp or a dry alcohol tablet is good for these purposes.
Homemade soldering iron from a candle
You can make an improvised soldering iron from a wooden block and copper wire.
When working with such a device, soot is removed from the work area. Of course, this method is only suitable for thin wires, since the efficiency of the device is low and the heat will be dissipated along the copper wire.
Using such a simple device, you can solder a wire to the board without a soldering iron. Direct exposure to open fire can damage other parts or lead to peeling of the board tracks, so this method is virtually indispensable when carrying out extreme repairs.
Considering the low power of an improvised “spark soldering iron”, it can be used to repair thin wiring without fear of burning it out with high temperature. For example, fixing headphones on the road.
Such connections are not reliable enough. Therefore, as soon as you get to a regular electric soldering iron, you should solder again.
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.
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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.
Homemade soldering iron from a gas lighter
If you need to quickly solder, you can build a simple soldering iron from a regular gas lighter. For production you will need:
- Lighter in a durable casing that can withstand prolonged heating. It is better to take the “turbo” version, designed for burning in the wind. These models have a more stable flame and heat-resistant plastic. In extreme cases, a regular one will do, just not a disposable one, which will melt in the first minute of burning. The metal case will withstand prolonged heating, but at the same time it will become hot, and it will be uncomfortable to hold;
- Copper rod 3-5 mm in diameter for making a sting. You can take a piece of power wire and remove the insulation from it;
- Thin wire for fixing the tip to the lighter body.
We wrap the improvised tip to the body with a thin wire as close as possible to the lighter nozzle. Please note that the finger with which you press the button should not touch the metal parts of the structure.
The soldering iron is ready. The tip heats up in a few seconds. This option, in contrast to direct heating of the soldering area with a flame, allows soldering on the circuit board.
Solder paste for soldering without a soldering iron - application features
With any heating method without a soldering iron, working with hard solder is inconvenient. For soldering using a non-contact heating method (namely, we are considering them), special soldering pastes have been developed.
Any paste must contain the following components:
- Ground powdered solder. For different types of soldering, different degrees of crushing are used;
- Cleaning composition – flux;
- Binding additive for maintaining consistency and fixing parts to be soldered before soldering;
- A variety of additives that accelerate reaction, activators, antioxidants.
Solder in pastes can be either compound (lead, tin and silver in different proportions) or simply lead. The last option is the most common.
The cleaned contacts are coated with paste, connected to each other and heated in any way. The flux, having completed its work, evaporates (partially), and the solder included in the paste instantly melts and efficiently connects the components being soldered.
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Solder penetration with this method is very high, the quality of the connection is much better than when using hard solder.
Soldering with paste is used not only in the absence of a soldering iron. For mounting radio components with SMD contacts, this method is simply irreplaceable.
Another advantage of the paste is that it coats the stripped contacts, reducing the likelihood of oxidation during thermal evaporation of the flux. The consistency is like sour cream; when heated, it does not have time to become more liquid and drain from the soldering area. Solder instantly envelops the contacts and remains on the surface of the parts.
An example of soldering with solder paste without a soldering iron in this video.
Another convenient material if you don’t have a soldering iron is solder tape.
In fact, it is a thin foil of solder. With its help it is convenient to connect twisted wires. The technology is as follows:
- We strip the wire, form a twist;
- Process with flux;
- Wrap the soldering area with tape;
- We heat it using any method other than a soldering iron.
The flux is located inside the solder roll and does not evaporate when heated. The thin strip melts quickly and the solder fills the tiny gaps at the junction.
Flux for soldering brass with tin
How to fix a Christmas tree garland without a soldering iron
If the garland has a control unit, you need to open its box. Most often, one of the thin wires responsible for a particular color breaks. It is soldered to the board using any of the above methods.
If the reason is not in the control unit, you should find a burnt out element or a break point. A break is looked for using a tester using the inverse arithmetic progression method. First, the halves of the garland are measured. The faulty half is then divided in half, and so on, until damage or a burnt element is detected.
The break is again soldered using the method discussed above, or twisting is done.
A faulty light bulb or LED is replaced or simply shorted out. It is not recommended to abuse this method, since each blocked element increases the current in the circuit, which will lead to a chain reaction of burnt out light bulbs.
Source: https://rem-serv.com/chto-mozhno-ispolzovat-vmesto-olova-pri-payke/
How to solder parts without a soldering iron: soldering wires and circuit boards at home using improvised means
Soldering is a simple matter, so many can do it without even holding a soldering iron in their hands. But there are times when this device is not nearby, but you need to solder something. This is where the dilemma arises, how to solder without a soldering iron, and whether it is even possible to carry out such a procedure without having the necessary tool or the ability to use it.
Many people have had moments in their lives when the wire in the charger, headphones, laptop power supply, or somewhere else broke or broke. What can be done in this case? How can I help myself fix the problem, at least temporarily, until I can solve the problem in a more rational and reliable way?
As it turns out, nothing is impossible. You can solder without a soldering iron. In the most unpredictable situations, it is always possible to solve the problem using improvised methods.
Necessary equipment
Of course, soldering without a soldering iron implies the presence of the most primitive tool and solder. It’s good if you also have rosin or acid, although in extreme cases just an aspirin tablet will do. Among the tools we can highlight:
- pliers;
- knife;
- foil;
- textile;
- solder paste;
- file or coarse sandpaper;
- source of fire.
It is not necessary to have all this together. Some tools can easily be replaced with what you have on hand. Instead of a file, you can take a knife , and sticks of the desired shape can successfully replace pliers. The main thing here is to turn on your imagination.
Tinning of parts
Whatever surface is offered for soldering, it is necessary to prepare it, that is, tin it. This will allow you to more reliably connect the parts together, and will also greatly simplify the process itself. To work you will need rosin (or soldering acid) and tin.
To carry out the tinning process, you will need a container where the solder and rosin will be melted. You can use a lid from iron cans, a small metal box, or something similar to a trough. Tin shavings are rubbed here using a file or sandpaper. It’s good if you have tin-lead solder - it’s more convenient to work with. If it is not there, then you will have to use rosin or acid.
Everything is clear with acid, just immerse the stripped edge of the wire in it, and then continue soldering. You will have to do the same with rosin as with tin, but it is not at all necessary to grind it off with a file. Its pieces can be large, since the melting point of rosin is much lower than that of tin, so even large pieces will have time to melt before the metal melts.
The container must be held over a fire source until the tin is completely melted. Next, the bare or stripped ends of the wire are placed first in rosin, and then in molten tin. When the result is satisfactory, that is, the exposed wire is well covered with a layer of metal, the container can be set aside.
If it is necessary to tin a flat-shaped part, then the algorithm of actions will be slightly different. Here, fine tin shavings and rosin are poured directly onto the surface of the part. Next, this part is heated , as a result of which the molten tin will evenly cover it. Remove excess with a rag or sandpaper.
Do not forget that when working with fire, iron parts will heat up, so you need to handle them with pliers or a rag to avoid getting burned. No one has canceled basic safety precautions.
Soldering wires
To solder small-section copper wires without a soldering iron, no complicated steps are required.
It is enough to simply twist the already tinned ends of the wire together, then use a match, lighter or other directed flame to warm them up well.
The solder left on the hairs during tinning is quite enough for them to be firmly connected to each other. After this, it is important not to forget to insulate the exposed areas with electrical tape, hot glue or another available method.
Wires of larger cross-section (up to 2 mm) can be soldered in a similar way. If there is not enough solder from tinning, then tin shavings are carefully placed on the twist, after which the soldered area is also heated. When the tin melts and fills all the voids between the wire hairs, soldering can be stopped. But don’t forget to insulate the exposed area.
If you need to solder a wire to a flat part or connect two parts of a flat shape to each other, then you need to pour crushed solder onto the tinned place, then attach the wire and heat the parts until the tin is completely melted. In the case of two flat parts, the tinned surface is also covered with pieces of tin, another flat part is placed, they are compressed and heated.
Connection with groove
You can solder without a soldering iron in another interesting way. To implement this, you need a small piece of thick foil. This method allows you to solder fairly thick wires with a cross-section of up to 3 millimeters. This method is also interesting because it does not require pre-tinning.
First, you need to strip the ends of the wires by about 30 mm, and securely twist the exposed parts together. Now a small rectangle is cut out of the foil of such a size that the prepared ends can be completely covered with it. Foil is wound onto the wires in the form of a funnel, into which small pieces of rosin and tin shavings are poured. The ends of the groove are twisted to prevent the contents from spilling out.
Now the resulting structure must be heated until the tin and rosin melt. After this, all that remains is to wait for the soldered parts to cool down. The remaining foil is removed and, if necessary, the weld area is treated with a file, needle file or emery cloth. This method is perfect when you need to quickly and without tools solder wires in the field.
Cooking pasta
You can solder without a soldering iron using solder paste. Having prepared such a solution, you can connect not only wires and flat elements, but also some radio components, and also solder the wire to the board without a soldering iron.
To make solder paste, you will need to mix 32 ml of hydrochloric acid with 12 ml of water. 8.1 g of zinc is added to the resulting solution, and after dissolving it, another 7.8 g of tin. All this is done in glass or enamel containers. When the reaction is complete, all that remains is to evaporate the water to form a paste-like mixture.
Now another 7.4 g of lead, 14.8 g of tin, 10 ml of glycerin, 7.5 g of dry ammonia, 29.6 g of powdered zinc and 9.4 g of rosin should be added to the paste. All components must first be heated and brought to a dusty state.
When the composition is ready, it can always be used for its intended purpose. It is preferable to store the paste in a tightly closed glass container. Soldering with this composition is extremely simple:
- The areas of parts to be soldered are cleaned.
- Using a brush, apply a thin layer of paste to the joints.
- The area where the parts are to be welded or soldered is heated with a candle, lighter or other method. It is highly preferable to use a turbo lighter or a gas torch with a directed flame. However, in their absence, any source of open fire will do.
In this way, it is quite possible to solder almost any parts and wires at home without a soldering iron, but the process of making the solder paste itself can be intimidating. But there is a much more attractive alternative - solder paste can be bought ready-made.
For soldering very small parts and thin wires, it is preferable to make solder paste with a slightly different composition . It will contain the following ingredients:
- 7.4 g lead powder;
- 7.3 g of zinc in dust form;
- 14 g glycerin;
- 4 g rosin;
- 14.8 g of powdered tin;
- 10 ml diethyl ether.
All components are mixed to a paste. Instead of diethyl ether, you can use 10 ml of rosin dissolved in glycerin. Using this tool, it becomes possible to solder a wire or part onto the board.
Homemade soldering jig
You can make a soldering iron from a candle or lighter. True, it is better to take the latter from good heat-resistant plastic, since a disposable Chinese device will not work for even a minute, and the metal device can get very hot. You will also need a piece of thick copper wire with a diameter of 3 to 5 millimeters and some thin wire for winding to the lighter.
The thick wire must be completely stripped of insulation, and then bent so that one part can be wound to a lighter or candle, and the opposite end is above the flame for constant heating. Such an improvised tip is capable of soldering even small parts (down to the tiniest resistors). True, you can’t do without tin and rosin. To make work more convenient, it is preferable to sharpen the working area of the tip.
Alternative Repair Methods
If a wire is broken and you urgently need to restore it, at least for a short time, then there are faster alternatives. True, without soldering, but quite capable of helping in emergency situations.
So, a broken wire can simply be cut at the break point and simply twisted together. It is important here not to confuse the polarity, since chargers have a constant voltage. It wouldn't hurt to insulate the twists either.
You can temporarily attach a wire with a flat surface. To do this, just tightly attach one part to the other and fill it with molten plastic. Such restoration will be sufficient if you use the resulting connection carefully and briefly.
No matter what happens, you can always find a way out of the current situation if you turn on your fantasy and imagination. Sometimes this will not help to repair the device, but it will allow you to urgently restore its functionality for a short time.
Source: https://220v.guru/elementy-elektriki/provodka/kak-samostoyatelno-spayat-provoda-i-detali-bez-payalnika.html
How to properly connect copper and aluminum wire
Aluminum electrical wiring can often be found in older buildings. Now everyone understands that this is not the best metal for current. Today, during a major renovation, all the wiring of an old building is usually changed. However, with partial repairs, it becomes necessary to connect aluminum and copper wires.
Is it possible to connect aluminum wires to copper
First of all, you need to return to the school curriculum in chemistry and physics. There is such a thing as a “galvanic cell” - a simple battery that generates electric current. It is formed by the interaction of metals in an electrolyte. Twisting copper and aluminum cable wiring will essentially be the same battery.
Wire connections
Galvanic current quickly destroys metal. Despite the fact that it does not form in dry air, and the twist in the socket will not fall apart in a day, problems are guaranteed when the wiring is used for a long time.
After a few months or years, the wires will begin to deteriorate - this will lead to an increase in resistance. When a powerful current consumer is connected to the outlet, the twist will overheat. If such a connection is used regularly, there is a risk of fire.
Wiring fires
Regulations prohibit the direct twisting of aluminum and copper conductors. However, in emergency situations, the transition must be made, so you need to follow certain rules.
What happens when copper and aluminum come into contact?
Any metal, including copper and aluminum, oxidizes when exposed to oxygen. This leads to the formation of an oxide film on the surface of the material. In the case of copper, it does not prevent the passage of electric current, but the film on aluminum increases its resistance.
If wires are connected, dissimilar metals will begin to interact tightly. Aluminum is considered more active, therefore, when moisture accumulates at the joints (it is present in the air in any case), the process of electrolysis begins, that is, aluminum ions are gradually transferred to copper.
Metal twisting
As a result, one of the conductors loses its mass. Voids and breakdowns form in aluminum - they also oxidize, which speeds up the electrolysis process. The speed of the process also depends on the volume of moisture. Towards the end of the reaction, an almost destroyed aluminum conductor is obtained - its cross-section decreases, and the current density increases. As already described above, the metal heats up and there is a risk of fire.
Rules for connecting copper wires to aluminum
There are safe ways to connect copper and aluminum wires:
Bolted connection
This method is considered the most affordable, reliable and simple. For arrangement you will need:
- Bolt;
- Screw;
- Steel washers (several pieces);
- Wrench.
It is unlikely that it will be possible to use this method to connect wires in an apartment junction box - today they are made too small, and the finished connecting unit is quite large.
However, if a Soviet-era box is installed in the building or you have to work in a distribution panel, then the bolt method is the best solution.
It is considered to be the ideal solution if you have to connect completely incompatible cores - with different cross-sections, from different materials, multi-core/single-core.
Important! The bolt method allows you to connect more than 2 conductors (their number depends on the length of the bolt).
Connection device process:
- Each of the wires will have to be stripped of the insulation layer - 2-3 cm from the edge.
- A ring is assembled from the cleaned ends around the circumference of the bolt so that they can be put on it without any problems.
- Next, a bolt is taken, and a washer is put on it, after which a ring of copper wire, then a second washer, a ring of aluminum conductor, and finally a third washer, the entire resulting structure is tightened with a nut.
- Finally, you need to secure the connection using insulating tape. It is important not to forget that there is an intermediate washer between the aluminum and copper. If you plan to work with several different conductors, then a washer is not necessary between conductors of the same material.
Bolted connection
A special advantage of this method is the versatility of the connection. It can be untwisted and re-twisted at any time and, if you need to add wires, or change the connection diagram.
Terminals
Another cheap and easy connection method is terminal blocks. They are easy to find and buy, especially considering that they are often not sold in whole sections, but are cut in the quantity required for work. The pads come in different sizes, which directly depends on the cross-section of the conductors.
Terminals
Terminal blocks for connecting aluminum and copper wires are a plastic frame with several cells. Inside each is a brass tubular sleeve. The stripped ends of the wires are threaded into the terminal from different sides and clamped with screws. Connection arrangement:
- Loosen the clamp, releasing one part of the sleeve in order to thread the bare part of the wire into the sleeve.
- At the end of the conductor, strip the insulation by 5–6 mm. The wire is inserted into the block, the screw is clamped, fixing the metal to the sleeve. The fastening must be tightened firmly, but not too tightly, otherwise it will break the core.
- Similar steps for connecting a copper wire - only on the opposite side of the terminal.
Important! All stages of work must be carried out sequentially, despite the fact that it is physically possible to loosen both screws, thread the wires and tighten them at once. This is necessary so that the copper and aluminum do not touch ends inside the sleeve.
The main advantage of the terminals is the simplicity of their design and speed of installation. The method is called detachable - one of the conductors can be pulled out without any problems to connect the other.
Lever terminals
The pads are not suitable for working with stranded wires. In this case, you will first have to mount the sleeve tip, which is crimped with a bundle of cores.
Another feature of the terminals is that under screw pressure at room temperature, aluminum sometimes leaks. This leads to the need to regularly check the pads and tighten the contacts. If this is not done, the contact weakens, the connection heats up and sparks - there is a risk of fire.
Wago terminal blocks
A quick and easy connection method - the wires must first be stripped and inserted into the terminals until they stop. There they are automatically fixed using a pressure plate - it strongly presses the material against the tire. The transparent terminal housing allows you to control the passage of the conductor. The problem with this method is the disposability of such devices.
If you need a reusable clamp, then it is better to buy lever terminals. The lever is raised to clear the passage into the hole - the stripped wire is inserted there. The lever is then lowered to lock the wire inside the terminal. This is a detachable connection of copper and aluminum - if necessary, the lever rises to reach the conductor out.
Interesting! WAGO self-clamping devices are very popular and trusted in the market. The company produces a special series of terminals equipped with Alu-plus contact paste. This is a mixture that protects aluminum and copper contacts from corrosion. The model can be distinguished by the special “Al Cu” marking.
Self-clamping structures are very easy to use. The terminal itself indicates how long the core insulation needs to be stripped.
Rivets
Rivets are used to create a permanent connection, which has the same advantages as a threaded connection, but does not require disassembly and reassembly without destroying the rivet and requires a special tool - a connector.
Today, the method is more often used to connect thin-walled elements when forming partitions and the interior of different rooms. Electricians choose rivets because of their low cost, durability, and ease of installation.
Rivets
The principle of installing an electrical connection is simple: a metal rod threaded through a tubular rivet with a head is pulled in and cut. The rod has a thickening - it expands the rivet as it passes through the tube. Retainers come in different lengths and sizes.
Before connecting the wires, they must be prepared in the same way as in the case of a threaded bundle. The diameters of the rings should be slightly larger than the diameters of the rivets - the optimal is 4 mm. An aluminum core is first put on the rivet, then a spring washer, then a copper conductor and a second washer. A steel rod is threaded into the electrical installation and the tool is clamped until it clicks (this is how excess steel is cut off). All is ready.
Connections, both threaded and permanent, are characterized by reliability. This method is used to splice, for example, aluminum wiring damaged during repair work. It is imperative to insulate exposed areas.
Soldering iron
Soldering wires consisting of different metals is a completely feasible solution, if you take into account certain operating rules. Copper does not cause difficulties when soldering, which cannot be said about aluminum. An amalgam is formed on its surface, which is characterized by strong chemical resistance - it does not provide the solder with proper adhesion.
Soldered wires
To work with two dissimilar metal wires, you will have to prepare a solution of copper sulfate, a Krona battery and a piece of copper wire. The future soldering area is carefully cleaned on the aluminum core. Then a solution of copper sulfate is applied to this place.
Copper wiring is connected to the positive pole of the Krona battery and immersed in vitriol solution. An aluminum conductor is connected to the negative pole. After some time, a copper layer will be deposited on the aluminum - solder clings to it without problems.
Adapters for connecting from aluminum to copper
Sleeve adapters for crimping are considered the most reliable and high-quality connection. Special copper-aluminum models are made, into which 2 wires are inserted, after which they are processed with a press. However, it should be noted that the sleeves require sections starting from 16 mm2, while in residential buildings from 1.5 to 4 mm2 are used. Therefore, it is better to connect using a standard aluminum sleeve. Pressure testing occurs according to the following algorithm:
- We strip the ends of the copper conductor with lead-tin solder - this helps prevent metal-to-metal contact.
- Get rid of aluminum oxide film.
- Pass the wires through from different ends and crimp them.
- Wrap the connections with electrical tape or heat shrink followed by heating.
Important! If excessive crimping is done inside the structure, the soldered layer at the copper end may be damaged, so the size of the sleeve and matrix must match the core.
The good thing about the adapter from aluminum to copper is that it can be embedded under the plaster without fear of the wiring catching fire. However, implementation will require a press, which entails certain costs.
Sleeves
It is recommended that when carrying out work, all electrical wiring is intact, without breaks or connections - this reduces the risk of fire. However, if there is an urgent need to join a copper and aluminum core, then you need to take into account all the recommendations and choose one of the most optimal methods.
Source: https://rusenergetics.ru/provoda-i-kabeli/kak-soedinit-medniy-i-alyuminieviy
How to solder correctly. Equipment and tools. Soldering Tips
How to solder correctly - the method of forming a permanent connection by introducing molten solder into the contact area is called soldering. In this case, the melting temperature of the solder should be lower than that of the parts being connected. To learn how to solder correctly, it is necessary, in addition to theory, to master this technology practically.
Soldering irons
Electric soldering irons produce voltages up to 220 volts. It is difficult to make a high-voltage heating element with a weak soldering iron, because a lot of thin conductor is required. This will lead to an increase in the size of the soldering iron and will compromise electrical safety.
The power of the soldering iron is selected taking into account the size of the parts. The larger the parts being connected, the more powerful the soldering iron should be.
The required temperature of the soldering iron core can be maintained either automatically or manually. For such purposes, thyristor-based regulators are used.
To increase the service life of the soldering iron, the tip of the tip is forged. Then copper acquires properties in which it is less susceptible to dissolution in solder. The tip is sharpened with a file to give it a special shape: cut or angular. The end of the tip in the form of a knife is made for soldering several contacts of parts at once.
Tools
The workplace must be equipped with a tool before the parts can be soldered correctly.
Stand
A heated soldering iron is usually placed on a stand, which serves as a location for the flux, as well as a working platform for soldering. A clamp with a piece of foam rubber is attached to the stand to clean the soldering iron tip.
Tripod
It consists of clamps that move in height and angle, as well as a soldering iron holder and rosin.
Handy tools
They are necessary to support parts, clean the surface, and give a certain shape to the wire. Such tools are usually pliers, tweezers, pliers, wire cutters, a knife, etc.
Soldering Tips
- Application of materials. One of the materials used for soldering is tin. However, its melting point does not exceed 230 degrees. When installing radio components that are small in size, they fail due to overheating. Solder, composed of tin and lead, melts at a temperature of 180 degrees and is also cheaper. The quality of the connection is not inferior to tin soldering. In general, pure tin is rarely used. When installing radio components, POS-61 solder is used. The number is the percentage of tin content. To remove traces of oxides at the soldering site, fluxes are used. In tinsmithing, acids are used for such purposes. But they are not suitable for electrical connections. Here we need fluxes that are neutral to the contacts. Let's figure out how to properly solder using rosin to protect against oxidation.
Rosin-based flux is passive. It protects the liquid solder from air during soldering, preventing the formation of oxides. However, it does not remove them from the surface. It is convenient to solder with solder in the form of a tube, inside of which there is rosin.
In places with difficult accessibility, a solution of rosin in alcohol is used.
- The core (tip) of the soldering iron must be cleaned and coated with solder in order to avoid the formation of oxide deposits, which interfere with operation.
- Soldering surfaces must be cleaned and tinned for a good soldering connection.
- The soldering areas are first heated with a soldering iron, then connected and soldered.
How to solder correctly with a soldering iron
- The soldering surfaces are cleaned with sandpaper and degreased with gasoline or acetone.
- The soldering iron tip is cleaned with a file, sandpaper and other tools to remove oxides and carbon deposits.
- The soldering iron is heated, dipped in rosin, and tinned. To properly tin the tip, take a wooden block and rub the solder on the tip. The surface of the working area should turn silver.
- Warming up the solder. A particle the size of a drop of solder is applied with a soldering iron to the surfaces to be joined and leveled. If necessary, more solder is added to completely cover the joint. The contact between the core and the wire is assumed to be maximum. Rosin must be present on the solder to avoid the formation of oxides. It is recommended to do soldering in one step, since after several touching times the solder oxidizes due to the evaporation of rosin. While the solder is cooling, the parts cannot be moved, as cracks will form, which will reduce the strength and quality of the connection.
- The remaining rosin is removed with alcohol and a brush.
Soldering conductors
Now let's figure out how to solder the wires correctly. The ends of the wire for connection are stripped of insulation and heated. The size of the core must be selected according to the size of the parts. If the core is too large, then the parts nearby will overheat when soldering. If it is too small, the soldering will be poor quality.
It is better to remove the wire insulation with a knife or wire cutters. If the wires are multi-core, then the wires are twisted and then tinned. To do this, the stripped end of the wire is dipped into a container with rosin, a drop of solder is applied to the copper wires and passed several times. In this case, the wire is rotated to cover it with solder on all sides.
The wires are twisted to form a common axis. One conductor is twisted along the other. Rosin is applied to the joint to be joined, followed by solder. The connection is warmed up for 3 seconds.
If there is not enough solder, you need to add it. Sometimes it is not clear why a powerful soldering iron does not warm up the contact, and how to solder. Heat comes from bottom to top. The twist needs to be heated from below. When the heating is sufficient, the solder spreads evenly, and when there is little heat, the result is loose solder.
After soldering, heat shrink is placed on the contact to create insulation. You can heat the heat shrink with a lighter.
Copper and aluminum wires must not be twisted together. To connect them, an intermediate structure is used in the form of a terminal clamp, a bolted connection, or a layer of another metal. There is a solder for aluminum that is combined with copper wire and is used to solder them.
How to solder radio components correctly
Soldering of radio components is carried out by preliminary twisting, or overlapping, using a heat sink. Many parts of radio elements are afraid of strong heating above 70 degrees.
On the circuit board, the hole for attaching the part is covered with solder. Next, the rosin-coated and tinned end of the part is inserted into this hole, heated and moistened with solder. In this case, the tip should touch the board and the part simultaneously. Excess solder is removed with copper braiding. If all solder points look the same, then the soldering is done well.
A soldering iron without solder cannot be kept hot for a long time and cannot be overheated. Oxides are formed, and again it will be necessary to clean and tinning the tip. There should always be rosin on the heated core of the soldering iron. And if the breaks between soldering are long enough, then it is recommended to turn off the soldering iron. Oxidized unnecessary solder is removed from the core with a sponge.
Some elements and parts of circuits fail under the influence of static electricity. To prevent this from happening, the body of the soldering iron must be connected to ground.
Related topics:
Source: https://electrosam.ru/glavnaja/slabotochnye-seti/kak-pravilno-paiat/
The soldering iron smokes while heating and the solder does not stick to the tip - what to do
When you buy new equipment, you expect that it will work without major failures at least during the warranty period. But sometimes troubles happen. A new soldering iron, plugged in for the first time, suddenly begins to smoke or does not stick to the solder at all. What to do in such a situation? Can I fix the problem myself? And is it worth contacting the store and asking for a replacement device? Let's try to figure it out.
Problem #1: The soldering iron smokes while heating
When, after turning on the instrument for the first time, smoke and a characteristic burning smell appear in the room, many novice masters are lost. Especially if before that they only got information about soldering methods and techniques on thematic forums or from training videos on. Does smoke indicate that the equipment is faulty? Will the first independent experience of working with a soldering station end in a short circuit? What's going on?
Solution
Don't panic: this device behavior is completely normal. When plugged in for the first time, absolutely all soldering irons smoke. This is due to the fact that before packaging, the manufacturer applies a special anti-corrosion oil to the tool shaft, which prevents the formation of rust and protects the metal from humidity and temperature changes. The soldering iron will stop smoking immediately after the grease burns out, so do not turn it off or remove it from the stand.
Problem #2: Solder won't stick to the tip.
This no longer applies to new devices, but to equipment that has already been tested in operation. At some point the soldering iron stops gripping the solder. Or it does it much worse than before. Which, in turn, seriously complicates the soldering process and drives the craftsman out of patience.
Problem #3: The soldering iron does not heat up
Do you have to wait 10-15 minutes for your soldering iron to heat up before you start working? Or maybe the tool is not at all capable of reaching the temperature required for soldering? A trivial situation familiar to every experienced radio amateur.
Problem No. 4: The soldering iron does not turn on
Sometimes the device not only does not heat up, but refuses to turn on at all. And neither switching the regulators nor checking the tip contacts helps fix this.