How to solder with a soldering iron with a ceramic tip

How to choose an electric soldering iron | Blog | DNS Club

Do you need to connect several wires together? Do you urgently need to repair a household appliance or gadget? Has the car reached its advanced age and requires constant repairs in the garage? Does your child persistently ask to buy a radio engineering set? Or maybe, due to work needs, I had to master a related field - radio electronics? Well, then it’s time to buy a soldering iron. We will look at what they are and how they differ from each other.

Types of soldering irons

There are all sorts of soldering irons - classic electric, gas, infrared, hot air, induction, pulse and many others.

There are quite a large number of people who have learned to master some of them, for example, pulse or gas models, and perform most precision work with them, including soldering planar components.

And yet, the vast majority of both engineers and ordinary people use electric soldering irons with replaceable rods in their daily work, since they are convenient, very light and relatively cheap. The vast majority of them produce two types: mica and ceramic.

Both of these types have both undoubted advantages and certain disadvantages. In the first, nichrome wire is wound onto a dielectric heat-conducting cylinder (usually made of mica, ceramics or fiberglass), into which a soldering rod is inserted. The spiral in such soldering irons is located outside, and therefore most of the heat is not used, which leads to low efficiency.

It also has a rather short resource, which, during professional work in continuous mode, leads to frequent replacement of the tool or to the need to purchase additional devices in the form of a power regulator for standby mode.

On the other hand, they are not afraid of mechanical shocks and are very cheap to produce, since their manufacturing technology has been sufficiently developed and optimized over many decades.

In the second type, a ceramic heating cylinder is inserted into a hollow tip, due to which the efficiency significantly increases and the heating time decreases; also, with careful handling, the service life of such soldering irons is an order of magnitude longer than nichrome ones.

On the other hand, these models are quite fragile, which radically changes the manner in which it is handled when working, for example, it is very risky (as is customary in mica-plastic ones) to shake off the solder from the tip by tapping.

The production technology of such models is relatively new, requires serious investments in factory equipment, and therefore they are still quite expensive and “not just everyone” can produce them.

Power

Each type of work, depending on the size of the parts and the materials used to make them, requires its own specific power. So, for soldering surface-mounted parts, you need devices with a power of 3-10 W. For soldering most radio components into printed circuit boards or mounted mounting, a 16-25 W soldering iron is suitable.

For household and electrical work, 40 W is suitable in most cases. For soldering network and automotive wires, as well as when working with parts thicker than two millimeters, a tool power of around 100 W is required. For tinning and sealing old radiators, pots and other large metal items - 150 W.

For soldering large objects, earthen polygons, thick wires, powerful chassis - 250 W. For construction work - 500 W.

The size of the soldering rod and power, as a rule, are in accordance with each other, that is, the smaller the tip, the less ability it has to accumulate thermal energy and maintain it during operation, since when it comes into contact with the soldered parts, the temperature of the soldering iron will decrease due to for heat removal.

It is worth noting that soldering irons, in addition to varying power, are available for different supply voltages. The most popular voltages are 6 V, 12 V, 36 V, 220 V. The lower the voltage, the safer the soldering iron is for humans and some radio components, however, for all voltages below 220 V, converters (transformers) are required.

Temperature

Different types of soldering work require their own temperature, which is selected in accordance with the thermal profile of the parts being soldered and the selected solder. For example, surface-mounted micro parts require heating of ~260-270°C, small radio components require about ~300°C, and large ones require about ~350°C.

Higher temperatures of ~700 - 800 °C are used in conjunction with refractory solders for soldering bronze, steel, silver, and also where the soldering area experiences significant deformation, vibration and shock.

To correctly set the temperature of the soldering iron and select the solder, you should keep in mind that during classical soldering the tip is heated up by ~40-80°C more than the parts being soldered, and those, in turn, are heated by 20-40°C more than the solder.

In order for the parts to be firmly connected to each other and the soldering to be of high quality, it is necessary that the selected solder corresponds to the soldering temperature, since underheating and overheating of the soldering iron will radically worsen the quality of the connection - in the first case, the solder will not be able to melt completely, and in the latter, the flux will evaporate before it can solder the elements.

Thus, the choice of solder must be approached consciously, since the range is quite wide, from low-melting alloys, for example, Wood's alloy (~69°C) and Rose's (~94°C) to lead-free solders with a melting point of ~400°C and more.

The heating temperature of commercially produced soldering irons mainly depends on its design and power, and the most popular models heat up to approximately ~400°C.

Tip (sting)

The tip is a very important element of the soldering iron, the basis of its high-quality work, and the first thing people pay attention to when working. The speed, reliability and convenience of soldering depend on its parameters, so you need to be extremely careful when choosing it. A high-quality tip must have good thermal conductivity, sufficient strength, protection from oxidation, durability, etc.

These requirements are often well met individually for different metals, but usually cause considerable difficulty when trying to satisfy them all at the same time. For example, a copper tip has excellent thermal conductivity, but it oxidizes very quickly, becomes covered with a layer of scale and wears out, and the more active the flux, the greater the wear.

To restore the shape and further protect such a tip, it must be periodically sharpened and then covered with a layer of solder or tinned.

The process of searching for the ideal tip is ongoing.

Thus, in an attempt to improve the characteristics of a copper tip, there is a constant search for the optimal composition of alloys or options for the arrangement of layers of different metals, when the composition of the rod differs either in length (the main part, for example, is made of copper, steel or ceramics, and the tip is made of silver, nickel or alloys copper), or by thickness (when the core is made of one material, and the coating is single-layer or multi-layered from others, which increases protection from the effects of active flux and wear). However, in this embodiment, the classical manner and technique of working with capturing a drop of solder and transferring it is difficult, so soldering is usually carried out “with feeding”, when solder with flux in the form of a wire is brought directly to the soldering point without holding it on the tip. This is very convenient for industrial production and use on a conveyor belt, and for manual soldering this method requires some skills, as well as fixation and immobility of all elements, since both hands will be busy. At the same time, such tips require very careful and careful handling, they should not be overheated or any force applied to them, they should not be exposed to abrasives (files), they should not bend bent leads of parts, in addition, their thermal conductivity is somewhat lower, therefore, solder melts less well, which, accordingly, requires an increase in temperature. Also, they should not be operated for a long time at maximum temperature, as this leads to oxidation of the working edge, which will become extremely difficult to tin. They should also not be left for a long time without solder and it is highly advisable to reduce the heating temperature during idle time. These tips are cleaned with a special damp sponge.

For various types of work, not only the material of the tip is important, but also its shape, since the convenience of work depends on it. The most versatile and popular is the wedge - a tip with excellent thermal conductivity, it is very convenient to work with, the solder accumulates on the tip, and you can solder either with wire solder or with lump solder.

With such a tip you can solder both small parts and rows of pins of modern microcircuits, for which a tip or edge is best suited and they also remove random jumpers, as well as large parts, for which the wide side of the wedge is more suitable. Cones with a plane cut at different angles are also popular and have similar qualities.

Soldering irons and stations produced in Southeast Asia most often come with wedge-shaped tips, which are convenient for soldering small parts. Other external options, such as: needle, fork, microwave, knife, nozzle for soldering plastics, hatchet and others, are usually the province of professional technologies, where their use greatly facilitates, reduces the cost and speeds up the soldering process.

However, despite this variety, choosing the best shape or material from which the tip is made is more a matter of personal preference and skill.

Criterias of choice

Source: https://club.dns-shop.ru/post/16289

how to tin a soldering iron tip

The soldering process is familiar to anyone who has ever held a soldering iron in their hands. The quality of work depends on the correct temperature, solder composition, flux and tip condition. The part of the soldering iron directly located in the soldering zone can be made of ceramic or copper.

The traditional material is, of course, copper, due to its excellent thermal conductivity. And it has good adhesion. However, this metal is unstable and wears out quickly - in other words, it burns out or dissolves in the solder. Therefore, copper tips are often coated with a thin layer of nickel or silver.

• The nickel coating is resistant to abrasion, the tips coated with it last a long time. However, this metal has weak adhesion; solder does not stick to it under any conditions. Therefore, soldering is possible only when solder is supplied to the contact area;

The tip heats up the work area, a thin rod of solder (or pre-applied solder paste) is applied to it, and setting occurs.

• The silver coating holds solder perfectly and does not reduce the thermal conductivity of the copper base, but it is quite expensive. In addition, silver dissolves in the solder over time, exposing the copper tip;

Therefore, most radio amateurs (especially the old school) prefer to work with pure copper. However, such a tip has a serious drawback - heated copper is instantly covered with oxide. This thin layer not only has zero adhesion, but also reduces heat transfer. Therefore, the working tip should always be covered with a thin layer of solder - tinned.

It would seem that when you first turned it on, you coated the tip with tin, and it worked. However, here too the properties of copper do a disservice. Under the layer of solder, the copper base burns out. Slags are formed (and they have no adhesion), and the solder coating quickly flows to the soldering site. You are again distracted from work and begin to clean the sting. Let's talk about this process in more detail.

In the first case, you will split the material, in the second, you will turn an expensive accessory into a simple copper rod.

How to tin a soldering iron with a copper tip?

The coating process itself does not cause any difficulties. Any type of molten solder - tin, lead or silver - fits perfectly on heated copper. Under one condition - the metal must be clean. And this is only possible in a cold state. Temperature acts as a catalyst for oxidation, reducing adhesion to zero. And cold solder does not melt. Is the circle closed?

If you know how to clean a soldering iron tip, you can restore its functionality in a few minutes.

Removal of scale, slag, burnt residues of rosin and plastic insulation can also be done using a cold soldering iron. It would be more correct to remove (carefully) the copper rod from the housing and clean it separately from the heater.

Detailed video on how to restore a non-burning soldering iron tip

This is not important; heat from the coil is still transferred well. It’s worse when scale appears on the inside of the tip. With such pollution, heat transfer deteriorates and electricity is wasted.

First you need to clean the copper to the condition of a new product. This can be done with sandpaper. First large, then zero. Afterwards you need to polish the surface; a smooth structure oxidizes more slowly. Although simple sandpaper is enough. The dirt and waste were removed, and the tip was immediately covered with a thin layer of oxide.

Advice: In order for copper to last longer and oxidize more slowly, the tip can be forged. This is done literally with a hammer on an anvil. With due care, you can strengthen the surface and give the desired shape to the tip of the copper rod.

1. The next stage is to properly tin the tip before it becomes covered with slag. Heat the soldering iron to operating temperature. A proven (but very smoky) method is to immerse the freshly stripped tip in a jar of rosin and throw in a few pieces of solder. The molten flux will prevent the copper from oxidizing, and the solder will instantly cover the clean tip. Disadvantage: smell and heavy smoke;

You cannot carry out such a procedure in an apartment, except on the balcony. Then you need to forcefully wipe the tinned tip with a thick cloth (so as not to burn your fingers). The molten solder will literally rub into the copper and the soldering iron is ready to go. Only the cloth should be natural, not synthetic. Otherwise, the material will melt and burn to the tip.

This procedure is carried out after a long break from work. When a dirty and slagged instrument spent six months in a closet.

2. The next method is not as smoky, but more labor-intensive. Place a cloth on a flat surface and a piece of rosin on it. We prepare the solder bar in advance. Dip the cleaned tip into rosin, and vigorously rub the surface with tin;

We repeat the procedure several times. Then we remove the rosin and rub the soldering iron on the cloth in a puddle of molten flux, securing the layer.

The result is close to ideal, and practically without smoke or odor. Can be done indoors.

How to tin a soldering iron tip while working

You pick up a neat tool, with a thin layer of solder on the working tip, and after 15 minutes of soldering, tin will not stick to it again. The copper began to burn under the tinning layer. And the slag from the flux does its job. Don't waste your nerves and don't put pressure on the soldering area. There are several ways to quickly rinse a sting.

Wood block

You should have a rough piece of wood at hand, preferably coniferous (the fibers contain natural rosin). A little bit of any flux and a piece of low-melting solder are poured onto it. As scale appears on the tip, you simply rub it against the wood, simultaneously cleaning and tinning it.

The most affordable method of instant tinning. Surely everyone has seen that branded soldering stations are equipped with a dry tip cleaning device in the form of a steel sponge in a container.

This is really convenient, but the device can be modified. Coat the lower part of the sponge with a thick flux, such as solder lard. Now, when you immerse the soldering iron shallowly, you simply clean it. And if you apply a little solder to the tip (even on an oxidized tip a piece will hold) and dip it into the sponges to the very bottom - instant cleaning occurs with simultaneous tinning.

The method is equally good for modern ceramic and nickel tips, and soldering irons with a thin copper tip. You will not damage the soldering iron due to pressing hard.

By secret! An ordinary kitchen sponge works exactly the same, and its cost is several times lower.

Tin in rosin

A more complex method is suitable for old soldering irons with a soft copper tip. Such metal oxidizes rapidly; you simply do not have time to bring it to the flux from the cleaning site. Therefore, we clean it directly in rosin. You need to place a file or a piece of steel wire under the soldering iron and rub it with the tip until the flux melts. Of course, solder must be present.

Classic way

And finally, the classics. This is how our grandfathers and fathers tinkered. A file (with a relatively fine cut), a wooden workbench (or an unpainted board), pine rosin (the smelliest and most effective), and refractory solder. Why is it refractory - it evaporates more slowly and covers the copper tip longer.

First, one edge is cleaned with a file, then deep immersion in rosin and rubbing this edge on the board. Solder is prepared at the point of contact with the wood. The procedure is repeated many times. After processing the second face, the round surface of the rod is tinned, gradually turning the tip in a circle. The process takes about 10 minutes, but the quality of the tinning is excellent. You can solder for several days.

How to tin the tip of a modern soldering iron?

Modern ceramic or nickel-plated tips do not need to be tinned. This is the opinion of the manufacturer, in fact it is nothing more than advertising. Non-burning tips also oxidize, but not as quickly as regular copper ones. You just can’t clean and tin them in the traditional way.

Therefore, we take a wet cloth (cotton), a container with solid rosin and solder. We put a piece of tin into the rosin in advance. Rub the tip on a cloth and immediately dip it in rosin. Then we begin to push the piece of solder vertically down. Along the way, it melts and envelops the sting cone.

Prevention

If you have to do painstaking soldering for several hours, take care to reduce the heat during the break. The soldering iron should not be turned on at maximum power for a long time. If there is a regulator, set the temperature slightly above the melting point of the selected solder.

Or equip your soldering iron stand with a switch with a diode voltage limiter. By placing the tool in place, you reduce heat while maintaining the tin-plated finish. Taking it in your hands, you instantly restore the temperature. This way, your copper tip will last longer.

how to tin a soldering iron tip - video. Using a special paste will make your life much easier. You can purchase this paste in the Chip and Dip online stores.

Source: https://obinstrumente.ru/elektroinstrument/payalnik/kak-zaludit-zhalo-payalnika.html

Rules for sharpening and tinning soldering iron tips

To obtain a high-quality solder joint, you must maintain the required soldering mode, determined by the temperature in the working area, the composition of the solder, as well as the condition of the soldering iron tip. This part is traditionally made of copper, but in some cases special protective coatings are applied to the tip to extend its service life.

Why tin and sharpen

Tinning the tip before soldering significantly simplifies all operations with a soldering iron, which consist of transferring molten solder to the contact area. This procedure can only be avoided if the purchased soldering device has a tip covered with a protective film of silver.

The silver-based coating holds solder well without compromising the thermal conductivity of the copper base.

However, products with such a coating cost a lot of money; In addition, the silver film comes off over time and exposes the copper base (they say that it dissolves in the solder). So in this case, after some time, the sting will have to be tinned, one way or another.

It is necessary to sharpen the tip with a file not only before tinning, but also in cases where it is necessary to give the tip a shape convenient for work.

Some users prefer the tip to be sharpened to a cone. Others try to sharpen its side parts in such a way as to obtain a flat, pointed shape.

Preparing a new soldering iron

Preparing a soldering iron for work involves calcining its executive part (tip) to a state in which it can fully perform its functions.

The fact is that any soldering tool just brought from the store has traces of copper oxides on the tip (they are formed after prolonged contact with air). Naturally, this coating worsens contact with working compounds (solder and flux).

Preparing the tool for work means eliminating all interference with good adhesion of the tip surface to the solder.

To achieve this, the following steps must be taken:

• First, the tip should be thoroughly calcined until the metal acquires a reddish-orange tint. From this moment it will burn, that is, the process of thermal burning of oxide residues begins, accompanied by a characteristic pungent odor.
• Secondly, after a certain time, when carbon deposits characteristic of copper appear on the surface of the tip, you should scrape it off with any sharp metal object.
• Thirdly, the soldering iron tip, cleared of carbon deposits, must undergo another operation called tinning. In order to tin high-quality tips of any type, you should learn to distinguish between the options for their execution.

Tinning in rosin

Before choosing a tinning method, try to find out the structure of the material from which the soldering iron tip is made. Thus, a copper tip cleaned of scale can be tinned in ordinary rosin and solder.

To do this, you need to immerse the end of a hot tip in rosin and melt a piece of solder placed under it. This should be done in such a way that the molten liquid mixture completely covers the surface of the tip.

Sometimes the solder “sticks” to the surface being processed with great difficulty (that is, the soldering iron tip does not tin). What to do in this case?

It is necessary to transfer the soldering composition along with rosin to the bottom of a small metal container and melt them there until a liquid mixture is obtained. Then you should take a new soldering iron and forcefully scrape the tip along the metal bottom with the molten bath. This operation should be carried out until the entire tip is completely wetted in solder.

Metal sponge

There are often soldering irons on sale with the working part coated with special protective compounds made of stainless steel (this coating is called “non-burnable”). It has a thickness of several microns, so sharpening and tinning the tip is completely unacceptable due to the possibility of destruction of the coating due to strong friction.

In this case, the simplest method of dry tinning and cleaning the tip is used, using a steel sponge.

Its spring cells ensure good grinding of the tip and allow you to quickly tin its working surfaces. This method can be used when preparing soldering irons equipped with ceramic and nickel tips, as well as those with a very thin tip.

The special steel mesh can be replaced with a regular kitchen sponge. To clean the sponge itself, simply tap the mesh on the table, after which all the remaining solder will fall out at the bottom of it. The cost of this cleaning accessory does not exceed fifty rubles, so you can buy it immediately with a reserve.

With any of the proposed options, damage to the soldering iron due to strong pressure is practically excluded.

File and sandpaper

The classic way to prepare and tin a soldering iron tip before starting to work with it is to process it with a file (sandpaper) together with the use of high-quality rosin.

When preparing a tip using this method, you first need to sharpen one of the edges of the tip with a finely cut file, after which it is immersed in rosin and rubbed over a wooden board with molten solder.

Note that this procedure must be repeated several times. Upon completion of tinning, one facet should be sharpened and tinned in the same way.

To tinning a copper tip sharpened “to a cone”, it is first sanded with sandpaper along the entire working circumference, after which it is tinned with a rotational movement on a wooden lining with molten solder.

Special means

As special agents, it is allowed to use active organic mixtures (fluxes), as well as pastes of a special composition. The use of fluxes makes it possible to increase the efficiency of wetting the tip material with solder and, accordingly, improve tinning performance.

Domestic manufacturers offer several types of flux, which are available for public sale in hermetically sealed plastic packaging. When working with a composition consisting of ethyl alcohol with added catalytic additives, the temperature in the processing area does not exceed 300 degrees. This indicator satisfies the requirements for choosing the correct tinning mode for most materials used for the manufacture of tips.

The procedure for using active paste additives differs only in the way they are applied to the surfaces being treated.

Soldering iron with permanent tip

Tinning a so-called “eternal” or fireproof tip usually causes difficulty (even when using flux). On the forums we managed to find a technique whose author suggests the following sequence of actions:

1. Take a piece of clean cotton cloth, generously soaked in water.
2. Then the solder is placed in a jar of rosin, after which they proceed to tinning.
3. First, you should walk the hot tip over the wet fabric a couple of times, which will allow you to get rid of the oxide film on it for a short time.
4. Without waiting for the formation of a new connection, you need to quickly immerse the tip of the solder in rosin and drown a lump of solder in it, bringing it to a molten state.

In this way, it is possible to dissolve the remaining oxides in the rosin, which are immediately replaced by the tinning composition.

The considered tinning methods allow you to quickly and efficiently prepare the tip for soldering work, and also ensure the safety of this part of the tool for a long time.

Source: https://svaring.com/soldering/praktika/luzhenie-zhala-pajalnika

Instructions on how to tin a soldering iron tip: features of preparation for soldering and tip care

In a modern home filled with appliances, there are often simple breakdowns that, with the right skills, can be easily fixed on your own. The most common failure is disconnection of contacts and rupture of wires. At home, this problem can be dealt with using an ordinary soldering iron.

Many sites have instructions on how to choose the right soldering iron and solder yourself, and how to choose solder and flux. But for the most part, the instructions omit such an important question as how to properly tin a soldering iron.

If you incorrectly prepare the tool for work, the results of your efforts will be completely poor quality, and the contacts in the device will be unreliable.

Types of soldering irons

It is important to know that different types of soldering irons require different pre-treatment methods.

The tinning method is mainly influenced by the material from which the soldering iron tip is made.

Copper

The most popular and affordable are tips made from copper and its alloys. This metal has good thermal conductivity, but has a large minus - the copper tip is very soft and for this reason wears out very quickly. Also, copper tips are not suitable for working on small radio components.

Non-burn tips

Unburnt tips have much better characteristics. They are also made of copper alloys, but have a special protective coating of nickel or silver.

You won’t be able to find instructions on how to tin the tip of such a soldering iron - this process is performed at the tip manufacturing stage, and thanks to the special coating, this operation will no longer have to be repeated.

Steel

In rare cases, you can find soldering irons with a tip made of steel. This material is much more durable and strong compared to copper, but has very poor thermal conductivity. This causes the very low popularity of soldering irons with steel tips.

Ceramics

Recently, soldering irons with tips made of ceramics have become increasingly popular. They have enviable thermal conductivity, are not covered with oxides and, as a result, do not require tinning.

Also, due to its density, the ceramic tip can be very thin, which is ideal for working with small radio components and creating designer jewelry.

Composite tips

On sale you can find tips made from several metals at once. When creating such parts, all the pros and cons of each of the metals used are taken into account in order to fully reflect its advantages and neutralize its disadvantages.

The most popular combination of metals is a combination of steel, copper and nickel. Hard steel serves as an axis of rigidity, soft copper serves as a good conductor, and the nickel coating protects the copper tip from oxidation.

Beginning of work

Getting started with a new tool versus a previously used tool is completely different.

How to tin a new soldering iron?

It is worth remembering that only copper and steel tips need tinning. For others this procedure is not required.

You should start working with a new soldering iron by removing patina from its surface - a greenish coating created by oxidation products. The patina is removed using fine-grained sandpaper. Then you can proceed directly to tinning.

To know how to tin a copper soldering iron, you need to know what tinning is. This term refers to covering the surface of the tip with a thin layer of heated solder. This operation will help prevent metal oxidation during operation, which will have a beneficial effect on the quality of the seam.

After removing the oxides from the new soldering iron and giving the old tip the desired shape, you can begin tinning. To do this, the soldering iron is heated to the melting temperature of rosin, after which the tip is processed.

Next, you should wait until the soldering iron warms up to its operating temperature and immerse the working surface of the tip in a small piece of solder so that the tip is evenly treated with solder.

To make this process easier, you can see a photo of how to tin a soldering iron. This will help you choose the optimal amount of solder and rosin to complete the job.

Photo instructions on how to tin a soldering iron tip

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Source: https://instrumentgid.ru/instrukciya-kak-zaludit-zhalo-payalnika/

Soldering iron EPSN

Soldering, as a process of joining metal parts, is an integral part of the production of electronic devices. There are many soldering irons, differing in their principle of operation, design features and appearance. Among the wide range of radio equipment, the EPSN soldering iron, due to its characteristics, is in quite high demand in the country’s radio market.

What does the abbreviation EPSN mean?

The combination of letters EPSN reflects the method of heating the device. Like most soldering irons, the device performs its function using electrical energy. Therefore, the first two letters “EP” mean nothing more than an electric soldering iron. As for the letters “CH”, they indicate that the achievement of a high temperature at the end of the tip occurs due to a spiral heater. So, the abbreviation EPSN stands for electric soldering iron with a spiral heater.

About the disadvantage of a soldering iron

How to make a dimmer for a soldering iron

The disadvantage of the device is considered to be its inseparability. For example, if a burnt core is welded to a spiral under high temperature, it will be impossible to replace it. A soldering iron that fails cannot be repaired. It is simply disposed of.

Important! A low-power EPSN device is quite cheap. Therefore, buying a new soldering iron to replace a broken device will not bring significant financial costs. However, it is worth taking into account that there are rod models that are quite expensive. Meanwhile, soldering irons of this particular design are the most durable.

Spiral heater device

Changing the soldering iron temperature using a dimmer

EPSN are equipped with a spiral heater made of nichrome thread. It is used to wrap a hollow rod made of heat-conducting material. A copper tip is inserted inside the cylinder - a sting.

The number of turns, diameter and length of nichrome wire depend on the rated power consumption and operating temperature of the soldering device.

Soldering iron with nichrome heater 30 W

Design options

Soldering iron with temperature control

The soldering iron tip of all models is made of copper or steel. It is the working part of the device. The soldering tip can be straight or curved - L-shaped.

Modernized EPSN designs are equipped with replaceable tips. If some special shape of the tip is needed, then it can be easily filed with a file, achieving the desired configuration of the working area.

A standard spiral soldering iron is shaped like a rod. The handle is usually made of wood or thermoset plastic. The heating element is fixed in the handle, from the back of which there is a power cord with a plug.

The outer surface of the nichrome spiral is covered with a perforated metal tube, into which the working rod (tip) enters from the end. Thanks to the ventilation holes in the housing, the thermoelement does not overheat.

The tip is fixed in the tube with one or two screws. By loosening them, you can change the length of the solder rod extension or replace it with another element.

Some types of EPSN can be equipped with temperature sensors, equipped with an LED to illuminate the working area and have a flip-out support bracket.

Ceramic and nichrome rods

EPSN can be equipped with a ceramic or nichrome heating element. The ceramic rod is safer to handle. Its design is a metal wire enclosed in a ceramic cylinder. The soldering iron does not tolerate water contact.

A nichrome spiral heats up more quickly. Hot metal requires careful handling of the soldering iron. The heated coil actively absorbs oxygen from the surrounding space. If water gets inside the housing, the device does not lose its functionality.

Weaknesses of ceramic heaters

Ceramics itself is a fragile material. The ceramic rod may crack or be completely destroyed if the soldering iron falls on the floor. The same can happen if water accidentally gets inside the perforated tube.

A soldering iron with a ceramic heater should not be left on for a long time. The sting may become covered with scale, which must be washed off with a special, expensive activator. It is impossible to perform tinning procedures with such a device.

Using temperature sensors

The most powerful soldering irons have built-in thermal sensors. When the desired tip heating temperature level is reached, the sensor notifies with an audible signal that it is ready for operation. This soldering device is convenient to use when performing several operations on the assembly table at the same time.

What do you need for work?

To perform high-quality soldering, you need to properly organize your workplace. An ordinary table can serve as the mounting platform. Place a block of sockets in accessible proximity so that the power cord of the soldering iron does not cross the tabletop. A shelf is hung above the table on which auxiliary materials, measuring instruments and other tools are placed.

Note! To organize the soldering process, a special platform with an EPSN holder, cups with solder, flux and copper shavings is used. You can make such a device yourself or buy it on the radio market.

Radio technicians use clamps and clamps of various designs to secure printed circuit boards in the desired position. It is important to install the light source correctly. To do this, attach a lamp or table lamp in such a way that the movable lamp can illuminate any area of ​​the table.

If there are frequent voltage drops in the local power supply, then you should get a stabilizer and connect a soldering iron through it.

Cleaning the tip with copper shavings

Application

EPSN soldering irons are widely used in the field of radio electronics. For each type of work, devices of a certain power and tip shape are selected. Thus, devices with a power of 25-40 W are successfully used for soldering capacitors, resistors and various transistors.

If it is necessary to form larger connections, then 80-100 W devices are used. More power is needed for tinning large surfaces. These are works related to coating body parts with tin-lead solder and repairing car radiators. Such devices are called hammer soldering irons.

Characteristics

A feature of all electric soldering irons is the almost identical heating time to operating temperature - no more than 6 minutes. Almost all EPSN are designed for power supply of 220 V. There are some models that are designed to operate at 36 volts DC. The temperature range for heating the tip is 250-4000C.

The characteristics are indicated in the soldering iron marking itself. So, EPSN-80/220 means that this is an 80 W electric spiral heating soldering iron, operating from a household voltage of 220 volts.

Table of main characteristics of EPSN

Model EPSNPower, WVoltage, VDimensions, mmWeight, g.

40/220	40	220	300x30	160
65/220	65	— « —	310x35	230
40/36	40	36	— « —	240
80/220	80	220	— « —	240
100/220	100	— « —	— « —	240

Features of choosing a soldering iron

First of all, when buying a soldering iron, pay attention to the following:

1. The handle should fit easily in the palm of your hand without straining your fingers. The handle should have a smooth surface, but not be slippery.
2. With a slight movement of the hand, check the reliability of fastening of the protective tube and tip. If even a slight play is felt, then it is better not to buy such a device.
3. Each soldering iron is marked with its main characteristics. You should check the indicated power of the device with the required value.
4. You need to ask the seller to plug in the soldering iron for a few minutes to make sure it is working properly.
5. You need to check the length of the power cord to ensure it meets the buyer's needs.

Additional Information. Some unscrupulous manufacturers equip soldering irons with cables with very thin wires, which puts the cord at risk of quickly burning out. Chinese manufacturers are especially guilty of this.

1. You should pay attention to the shape of the tip of the tip and make sure that it is complete with other tips.
2. If the product is accompanied by a manufacturer's warranty card, then you need to put the date of sale on the document with the seller.

How to use a soldering iron

Before soldering, the EPSN must be prepared for work. Here are some tips:

• check the strength of the solder rod in the socket of the heating body;
• identified remnants of old soldering are removed with sandpaper or other abrasive;
• the shells that appear on the tip of the sting are cleaned with emery, the curvatures are smoothed out with a hammer;
• before starting work, the sting is tinned; the heated tip is immersed in rosin or other flux, then the solder is touched so that the tip of the rod is covered with a layer of molten metal.

Soldering occurs as follows:

1. A drop of flux is transferred with a sting to the place where the parts will be joined;
2. Solder is then picked up with the tip of the tip;
3. With a slight movement, liquid metal is placed at the joint;
4. After cooling the soldering, remove flux residues with a rag or special liquid.

Features of a hammer soldering iron

The hammer soldering iron got its name due to the similarity in appearance with a plumber's hammer. This is a powerful device designed for bulk soldering and tinning of large surfaces.

The working part of the soldering tip has the appearance of a flattened hammer striker. EPSN of this type are designed to operate from a standard electrical network with a voltage of 220 V. The tip is heated by a hot spiral of nichrome wire.

The device is equipped with a massive handle made of wood or durable plastic. Some models are equipped with replaceable tips.

Hammer EPSN 300 W with temperature sensor

Technical characteristics of hammer soldering iron:

• Construction – hammer;
• Power – from 100 to 500 W;
• Maximum heating of the tip – 8000C;
• Resistance – 100 Mohm;
• Operating supply voltage – 220 V;
• Length and width – 300 and 150 mm;
• Maximum weight – 1.2 kg.

Electric soldering irons with spiral heating are one of the simplest soldering devices. Simple in design, they last a very long time. With proper operation and timely care, EPSN can function for several decades.

Source: https://amperof.ru/instrument/payalnik-epsn.html

How to tin a soldering iron tip

During operation and storage, an oxide layer forms on the soldering iron tip. It interferes with high quality soldering. To remove this layer and prevent its re-formation, tinning is performed, or coating the copper surface with a protective layer of tin alloy. There are many different tinning methods. Before surgery, the sting must be thoroughly cleaned.

How to tin a soldering iron tip

Basic information about the tinning process

Tinning is divided into initial, carried out on a new or long-stored soldering iron, and working, performed immediately before soldering.

How to tin a soldering iron tip? First, the tip is mechanically cleaned of scale, oxide film, slag and other contaminants, then a thin layer of molten solder, most often tin-based, is applied to the prepared surface.

For mechanical cleaning the following are used:

• abrasive stone;
• sandpaper;
• another soldering iron.

Cleaning a soldering iron with a non-burn tip

For inexperienced soldering workers, craftsmen recommend starting with a file. As the solder strengthens his skills, he selects the most convenient stripping methods for himself.

Preparation and Maintenance

The more intense the work, the sooner the soldering iron tip burns out and becomes overgrown with scale scales.

During prolonged heating to high temperatures, the copper from which the tip is made partially transforms into molten tin, and partially abrades on the soldered surfaces and contacts. Physical and chemical erosion of the substance occurs. In addition, under the influence of heat, an oxidative reaction of copper with atmospheric oxygen occurs. On models that allow you to regulate the temperature, it is recommended to reduce it when there are breaks in soldering, or simply turn off the soldering iron during this time.

Sequence of operations to remove scale:

• Carefully remove the sting.
• Clean off the scale layer with fine-grained abrasive paper.
• Apply a graphite protective layer to the tip by rubbing it with a pencil lead. This will slow down the reappearance of the scale layer.
• Lightly tap the body of the electric heater and turn it to remove scale from the recess for the copper rod.
• Insert the tip back into the mount.

To ensure electrical safety, each time before starting work, you should inspect the insulation of the network cable for the absence of mechanical damage and melting.

From time to time it is also useful to measure the insulation resistance value. The measurement is taken between the plug contacts and the tip. The value must be greater than 10 mOhm.

The sting is the main (and only) working part of the device. It is heated by an electric heater and heats the solder, rosin (or other flux) and the parts to be soldered. During operation, an invisible oxide film forms on it, reducing the wettability of the material. Visually it looks like this: tin or rosin does not spread evenly over the entire area, but collects in a drop and flows down.

The size and geometry of the working body are chosen so that they correspond to the operations performed. So, when soldering parts of large sizes and thickness, choose a powerful soldering iron with a thick tip. To install microcircuit legs, on the contrary, a particularly low-power device is required, with a thin tip and good grounding, so as not to damage sensitive components due to static charge or overheating.

Soldering microcircuits

A universal soldering iron is sharpened with a spatula. Thin parts are soldered with the narrow side, and more massive ones with the plane of the blade.

Tin the soldering iron tip

Before each soldering, the soldering iron must be re-tinned. The device must be turned on and wait until it warms up completely. In this case, the copper of the working body will acquire a red-orange hue. There is no need to overheat either, to avoid burning. The heated soldering iron should be pressed against a piece of rosin. The rosin will begin to melt and give off strong-smelling smoke. The melt should be evenly coated on the tip. Then you need to melt a small piece of tin and let it spread over the surface in an even layer.

How to tin a soldering iron with a copper tip

Tinning a soldering iron is a simple job and usually does not cause any difficulties. If the surface of the rod is well prepared and cleaned, then both tin-lead and silver solders fit well on it.

Soldering iron with copper tip

It is necessary to clean the surface of the rod to the condition of a new part. First you need to work with coarse sandpaper, level the surface and give it the required shape. If it is technically possible, it is a good idea to polish the surface - this way it will oxidize more slowly.

There is another technique - binding. To do this, the tip should be pulled out of the heater and, like a blacksmith, forged with a hammer on an anvil (or a massive vice). A surface compacted in this way will also oxidize much more slowly.

After machining, it’s time to actually tin the tip. Experienced shareholders recommend various methods:

• Place a few pieces of solder in the rosin can. Heat the soldering iron and dip the stripped tip into it. Rosin melt will act as a flux additive and will prevent the metal from becoming coated with an oxide layer. Instead, it will be coated with a layer of tin. Next, you need to take a square of coarse natural cloth and wipe the freshly tinned tip. In this case, the tin will rub over the surface and stick to it perfectly. The disadvantage of this method is a lot of smoke and a strong smell.
• The next method of tinning the tip produces less smoke, but requires more labor. A piece of coarse natural cloth should be laid out on a smooth board, sprinkled with crushed rosin or a whole piece should be placed on it. Dip the stripped tip into rosin and rub the surface with a solder rod. This operation will have to be repeated several times, and then rub the working surface on rosin cloth.

A soldering iron with a copper tip must be tinned each time before soldering and always after storage without use.

Using a wooden block

A rough wooden block (spruce or pine, they contain natural resin, similar in composition to rosin). Pour a small amount of flux composition onto the block and put a small piece of solder. If you notice dross, you can strip and tin the tip again with little interruption.

In a metal sponge

This quick tin tip method will require some preparation. Place a household wire dish sponge in a metal cup. The lower part of the sponge should be coated with a thick flux, such as soldering lard. By slightly immersing the tip in the sponge, it can be cleaned of slag and scale. And if you pick up a drop of tin and immerse it deeper into the sponge, it will turn out to be tinned.

Tinning the tip with a metal sponge

This method can be used to clean and tin both a classic copper tip and modern ones made of nickel or ceramic.

In rosin

This traditional method of tinning requires a certain amount of dexterity and speed of movement. Copper oxidizes very quickly, and you may not have time to bring the tip from the point of mechanical cleaning to the container with flux. Therefore, they clean directly under flux, placing a file under the tip. You need to rub the tip over the file until the flux melts, after which you can tin it by holding a tin rod.

Tin the classic way

Another traditional method of tinning involves the use of refractory solder. The refractoriness of the solder allows it to evaporate more slowly from the surface of a tinned soldering iron and will remain on the copper longer. It will require:

• file with frequent notches;
• rough board made of coniferous wood;
• rosin;
• a piece of refractory solder.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

• put solder on the board;
• clean one side;
• dip deeply into rosin;
• quickly clean it on a board, running it over the solder;
• repeat for the second side.

Next, you should tin the round surface between the edges.

How to tin a modern soldering iron tip

According to manufacturers' declarations, tips made of ceramic or nickel do not require tin-plating. In real life, they are also susceptible to the formation of soot and scale. It will not be possible to tin such a soldering iron in the usual way. You will need:

• cotton rags;
• jar of rosin;
• solder rod.

Soldering iron with ceramic tip

You should wipe the tip on a rag and immediately immerse it in rosin. Along the tip you need to immerse a solder rod in boiling rosin. It will melt and stick to work surfaces.

Tinning methods

There are several ways to clean work surfaces before tinning:

• Using abrasive materials. Needle file, file, whetstone, sandpaper.
• Using forging. It is recommended to remove the tip before processing it.
• Using another soldering iron. The tips rub against each other.

After stripping, you should immediately, without waiting for the oxide layer to recover, immerse the tip in a container with rosin. A rod of solder is also immersed there, melting it and allowing it to spread over the surface of the rod. This operation should be repeated several times to ensure that the working surfaces are completely covered with solder.

Next, rub the tip on a pine or spruce board to ensure even distribution of the solder.

Tinning with rosin

The tip must be carefully inspected. If there are areas not covered with solder, the operation should be repeated until a dewy continuous layer is obtained.

You won't be able to tin it once and for all. Tinning needs to be repeated periodically.

How to tin a fireproof tip

The traditional tip, made of red copper, has a tendency to constantly burn out and form scale. Quite often it needs to be cleaned and tinned. On the other hand, work on desoldering highly sensitive to overheating microcircuits and other electronic components requires minimal presence of solder on the working part. Even the minimal heat that is stored in a drop of solder may be enough to damage them.

For the installation of such heat-sensitive parts, non-burning tips with a thin nickel layer are used. This coating is easy to scratch, and traditional sanding with a file or sandpaper for copper tips will quickly damage it. You should also not remove excess solder by tapping it on the stand.

Such working bodies can be tinned in the following way:

• prepare a piece of cotton fabric, rosin and solder;
• moisten it with cold water, squeeze lightly;
• place a piece of solder in a jar of rosin;
• rub the heated soldering iron firmly on the fabric, erasing the oxide layer;
• quickly dip the tip into rosin and melt the tin in it, allowing it to spread evenly;
• rub on cotton cloth.

Manufacturers recommend using special cellulose sponges. They are moistened with water or glycerin and the tip is periodically wiped with it to remove oxides and excess tin.

It is permissible to use a wire sponge made of copper alloys for this. Steel wire will not work - it will damage and tear off the nickel coating layer.

For non-burning soldering irons, compliance with the temperature regime is especially important - if it is exceeded, the tip may fail. You need to carefully monitor the temperature, and during breaks in soldering, reduce the power if the device is equipped with a regulator.

If there is no regulator, the soldering iron should be turned off during breaks. Advanced models have an automatic power control function. It uses information from the temperature sensor and reduces power if the device is in danger of overheating.

In addition to overheating, it is also harmful for non-burnt tips to be left without solder for a long time.

Fireproof tips have the added benefit of being easy to remove and replace. Whole sets of replaceable working parts are available, designed for different types of soldering.

Source: https://stankiexpert.ru/spravochnik/svarka/kak-zaludit-zhalo-payalnika.html

The process of tinning a soldering iron tip: how to tin new and copper coatings, correct work with solder

The need to tin a soldering iron arises when a molten drop of solder stops spreading over the heated surface and sticking to it; there is no way to supply a sufficient portion to the soldering point, which interferes with high-quality work.

The tip, receiving heat from the heater, oxidizes in air. In addition to reducing the adhesion of solder to copper, a layer of thermally insulating carbon deposits impairs heat distribution.

There are a number of ways to tin a soldering iron for the purpose of periodic maintenance of the working tool; such a procedure is also required for a new tip and one that has oxidized during storage.

Soldering iron sharpening

• The soldering iron tip is sharpened with a file at an angle of 30-40 degrees.
• The edge is left 1 mm wide and slightly blunt.
• On a new soldering iron, you only need to sand the tip with fine sandpaper to remove the patina. Patina is a greenish copper oxide.
• If store-bought sharpening is not satisfactory, then you need to remove the tip and forge it yourself, giving it the shape of a concave blade. This method has one more advantage - the metal will become less susceptible to corrosion.
• To give the sting a finished look, all that remains is to process it with a finely cut file.

Features of the sting

The sting is the main (and only) working part of the device. It is heated by an electric heater and heats the solder, rosin (or other flux) and the parts to be soldered. During operation, an invisible oxide film forms on it, reducing the wettability of the material. Visually it looks like this: tin or rosin does not spread evenly over the entire area, but collects in a drop and flows down.

The size and geometry of the working body are chosen so that they correspond to the operations performed. So, when soldering parts of large sizes and thickness, choose a powerful soldering iron with a thick tip. To install microcircuit legs, on the contrary, a particularly low-power device is required, with a thin tip and good grounding, so as not to damage sensitive components due to static charge or overheating.

Soldering microcircuits

A universal soldering iron is sharpened with a spatula. Thin parts are soldered with the narrow side, and more massive ones with the plane of the blade.

Overlapping sheet metal soldering

In the process of repairing car bodies and all kinds of various tin works, the need arises for soldering sheet metal overlay. There are two ways to stack sheet parts on top of each other: by tinning them first, or by using soldering paste that contains flux and solder.

In the first case, overlapping areas of parts after mechanical cleaning and degreasing are pre-tinned. Then the parts of the connection are applied to each other with degreased surfaces, fixed with clamping devices and heated from different sides using a soldering iron to the melting temperature of the solder. Evidence of successful soldering is the flow of molten solder from the gap.

After preparing the parts in the second method, the contact area of ​​one of the parts is coated with a special solder paste. Then the parts are fixed in the desired position, tightened with clamps and, as in the very first case, the seam is heated on both sides with a soldering iron.

When purchasing solder paste, you need to pay attention to its purpose, since many solder pastes are intended for soldering electronics and do not contain active fluxes that allow steel to be soldered.

Which soldering iron tip is better to choose?

The soldering iron tip is the main working tool that is used to perform the main operations in soldering. There are many variants of this component, intended for different purposes. This variety causes problems for people, since they do not know which soldering iron tip is best to choose for a particular operation. This applies both to interchangeable models, which are rearranged in one tool, and to soldering irons with non-removable tips, which also have differences.

The question is not only what metal to choose a soldering iron tip from, since the difference lies in its shape, diameter, type of sharpening, type and other nuances. The right choice affects the convenience and efficiency of operation, service life and other things. An incorrect soldering iron tip diameter will result in some operations being impossible to perform.

Types of soldering iron tips

The main difference is the material of manufacture. It determines the performance characteristics of the tip. If initially only copper products dominated, today the choice is becoming wider.

Copper

Craftsmen believe that the best tip for a soldering iron is copper. For a long time, manufacturers produced this particular option, as it is durable. The material conducts heat, which is also an important quality. Copper is cheap compared to other tip materials. Often, fixed tips on budget tools are made from it. Copper is a relatively easy metal to process, from which you can independently make a replacement for a used tool.

Copper soldering iron tips

Fireproof

Unburnt tips are vulnerable to mechanical processing. This is a delicate option, as it must be handled with care, otherwise there is a risk of spoiling it.

Under no circumstances should sandpaper or files be used, otherwise the protective layer will peel off and the entire tip will lose its advantage. The protective layer prevents the material from burning.

For processing, you only need to use a special sponge soaked in the dissolving composition. The size of the soldering iron tip does not matter, since the top layer remains thin.

Unburnt tip

Ceramic

A soldering iron tip made of ceramic material is durable, just like the metal version. The heat capacity and thermal conductivity here are much inferior to copper. The product is not subject to corrosion and is more durable. You don't have to worry about constantly cleaning the tip. Thin ceramic tips are excellent for working with radio components.

Ceramic soldering tip

Composite

There are many options as to which soldering iron tip is best to use. Composite ones allow you to combine several properties of different materials, which helps to achieve truly unique properties. Composite models combine two types of materials.

For example, steel is placed in the core to achieve strength. Then the length of the soldering iron tip can be higher. The copper becomes the heat-conducting material located between the end and the heating element. Nickel is applied as a top coating to protect against corrosion.

A silver alloy is placed at the end of the tip used to perform the work and is used for better adhesion to the solder.

Source: https://svarkaipayka.ru/oborudovanie/payalniki/kakoe-zhalo-dlya-payalnika-vyibrat.html

Types of tips for soldering irons

In this article we will look at what types of soldering iron tips there are.

Types of tips for soldering irons

There are mainly two types of soldering iron tips: these are copper tips, which are still soldered by electronics veterans

and removable tips with nickel coating, which are soldered by young people and all those who understand the advantage of such tips

Nickel-plated tips require your own soldering iron, with temperature control and the ability to disassemble the soldering iron. Basically, such soldering irons are installed on a soldering station, for example, Lukey 702.

Types of nickel tips

I have the following nickel-plated tips in my kit:

1. Sting-needle. Honestly, it's a complete mess. As soon as you touch the solder, the tip cools down sharply and then stops heating the solder. Therefore, such a tip is only suitable for very small jewelry work.
2. Stinger-scapula . Used for desoldering and soldering large-sized radio elements. The physical meaning is that it quickly warms up the entire part without cooling down, because it has a large volume compared to other tips.
3. Sting-drop. It is very convenient for transferring a drop of solder on its tip, which in turn improves the quality of soldering and sealed radio components.
4. Curved tip. Very convenient for dismantling radio components paired with copper braiding to remove excess solder from the board. Convenient for soldering too.
5. An ordinary sting. A very versatile tip. It combines all the stings, therefore it is considered the most popular

How to change the tip?

The white stick sticking out of the soldering iron handle is the heating element. It is he who warms the soldering iron tip.

After disassembling the soldering iron, remove the tip and install another one. We assemble in reverse order.

How to set the soldering iron temperature correctly

In order to correctly set the temperature of the soldering iron, take the solder and touch it with the tip of the soldering iron. We increase the temperature at the soldering station and see when the solder starts to melt and sticks to the tip of the soldering iron. We seize this moment and stop increasing the temperature of the soldering station.

Don't confuse solder melting with solder softening. When the solder becomes like porridge, it means that the temperature of the soldering iron is still too low. We need to add a little more. The temperature indication is different on different soldering stations. For example, I set the temperature at my station to about 360-370 degrees.

Some electronics engineers set the temperature to 330-340, and some even 300. This suggests that the soldering iron temperature sensor is different for each soldering station. Most of all, cheap Chinese soldering stations, such as Lukey, lie about temperature.

But, moving a little away from the topic, I will say that these soldering stations have proven themselves very well, especially Lukey 702.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I will say a few more words about nickel-plated soldering iron tips. They, like all equipment, require maintenance. Under no circumstances should you clean such tips with sandpaper or a file! This will cause you to tear off the working layer, the tip will burn out and the solder will not stick to it.

I didn't know about this before and lost one of the stings . Do not allow the tip to overheat when soldering. Look at its color. The working area of ​​the tip should shine with a tin-lead color. If you see a purple-blue color, lower the temperature on the soldering station.

It is advisable to leave a fat drop of solder on such a tip after soldering and then turn off the soldering iron.

Never bring a hot tip near the power cord, otherwise you may receive an electric shock. Make sure that the power cord is always in good condition and never leave a hot tool unattended lying on a table other than a stand. Solder wisely!

Where to buy a soldering iron tip

The cheapest place to buy these tips is on Aliexpress using this link:

And there are also copper ones. They are better from a soldering point of view, since the thermal conductivity of copper is very high. The only negative is that such stings burn and eventually lose their original shape.

You can look at the copper tips at this link.

This article describes very informatively about soldering iron tips.

Source: https://www.RusElectronic.com/zhalo-dlja-pajalnika/