How to solder correctly with a Soviet soldering iron

How to solder with a pulse soldering iron

Soldering is popular when assembling various electrical and radio devices. It provides electrically conductive connections of copper wires and other copper products to each other, to electrical circuit components and other metal parts made of pure copper and copper alloys, as well as to solder aluminum. Soldering is simple, very flexible, and allows for low contact resistance of the components being connected.

The essence of soldering technology is to heat the contact zone and then fill it with liquid metal low-melting solder. After cooling, the melt provides electrical contact. Before soldering the wires, additional processing of the surfaces to be connected is usually necessary (most often the so-called tinning of the wires), which guarantees long-term stability.

In the absence of vibrations and shock loads for small parts, good connection strength is achieved. In all other cases, solder with additional fixation.

What might you need for soldering?

Soldering requires a heat source. You can solder using an open flame, an electric spiral, or a laser beam. The latter allows you to solder even with pure metal. At home they mostly use an electric soldering iron. It is intended for:

• installation and repair of various electronic circuits;
• design and repair of electrical equipment;
• tinning a layer of solder on various metal products.

Soldering iron

Solder with a hand soldering iron, which is used for:

• warming up the connected components;
• heating the solder until it turns into a liquid state;
• applying liquid solder to the elements to be connected.

The soldering iron, which is shown in Figure 1, contains:

• a spiral heater made of nichrome wire insulated with mica film or fiberglass;
• copper tip, which is located inside the spiral;
• plastic or wooden handle;
• housing for placing a soldering iron tip and spiral.

Figure 1. 100-watt soldering iron with plastic handle and three-pole plug

Connection to the electrical network is made with a cable approximately 1 m long, which exits from the rear of the handle through a bending radius limiter.

The wooden or plastic handle is shaped like a simple handle. Electronic circuits are soldered with low-power products equipped with pistol grips with a trigger button for quickly heating the tip. One version of such a tool is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Pistol type radio soldering iron

Household soldering irons are designed for connection to a network with voltages of 12 and 220 V.

For reasons of electrical safety, 220-volt soldering irons must be equipped with a 3-pin plug that provides reliable grounding. For 12-volt equipment, a simple 2-pin flat plug is sufficient.

Solder

They are soldered with solder - an alloy of tin and lead; additions of other metals are possible. Solder comes in the form of a tube or wire of varying diameters. Tubular solder is filled with rosin inside; soldering with it is more convenient.

Lead is added to the alloy to reduce cost. Its specific content varies, which is directly reflected in the brand. For example, POS-61 (a very popular tertiary) means:

• P – solder;
• OS – tin-lead;
• 61 – with 61 percent tin content.

In everyday life, they solder with alloys with a reduced tin content; it is advisable to tinning dishes using POS-90.

In addition, they can be soldered with soft and hard solders. Soft compositions have a melting point of less than 450, the rest are classified as hard. The melting point of POS-61 solder is 190 – 192 °C. Due to the difficulties of heating, high-temperature soldering using hard solders is not performed with an electric tool.

Aluminum is soldered using compositions with the addition of low-melting metals: aluminum and cadmium. Due to increased toxicity, soldering with them can only be done if there is no alternative.

They must be soldered using flux, an auxiliary component that provides:

• dissolution of oxide films on the surface of the parts being joined;
• good adhesion of the soldering alloy to them;
• improving the conditions for the alloy to spread over the surface in a thin layer.

Typically, rosin is used for this purpose, as well as compositions based on its mixture with alcohol, glycerin and zinc. Rosin has a softening point slightly above 50°C and boils at 200°C. Chemically, rosin is quite aggressive towards metals and is hygroscopic; when saturated with moisture, it quickly increases conductivity. Depending on the additives and their concentration, it demonstrates the properties of neutral or active fluxes.

Rosin and solder

Rosin flux is sold in the form of powder, pieces or rosin solution.

Silver, stainless steel and some other metals can only be soldered using special fluxes (known as acid fluxes or soldering acids).

Some installers who solder wires, to improve the quality of service, perform preheating on an aspirin tablet, the vapors of which act as a flux.

Solder pastes

Solder paste is a composition of solder and flux. It is used for soldering in hard-to-reach places, as well as when installing leadless electronic elements. The composition is applied to the component, which is then simply heated with a sting.

You can make your own pasta. To do this, tin filings are mixed with liquid flux to a gel-like consistency. The paste is stored in an airtight container; the shelf life due to tin oxidation does not exceed six months.

Soldering iron stand

They solder with a tip heated to a high temperature, so during breaks the tool is left on the stand. For powerful soldering irons, it is made with two supports: the back one for the handle, the front one for the body. The supports are mounted on a plywood base, which is used for:

• installing a box of rosin;
• storage of solder wire (an example is shown in Figure 3);
• cleaning the tip.

Figure 3 shows that the stand does not require scarce materials and can be made by hand.

Figure 3. Homemade stand for a powerful soldering iron

For low-power devices, a cone-shaped holder (regular or spiral, which is also shown in Figure 3) is often used, into which the tool is inserted with a tip.

Older models of stands are equipped with an operating temperature regulator and an LCD display for indicating the temperature of the tip, Figure 4. Such a soldering tool is often called a soldering station.

Rice. 4. Example of a soldering station with indicator

Solder Removal Braid

They are soldered with braiding in cases where it is necessary to remove solder from a printed circuit board when dismantling parts. It is a dense mesh of thin copper wires coated with flux.

The principle of operation is based on the surface effect: the mesh “absorbs” solder melted on the printed circuit board due to capillary forces.

Source: https://MyTooling.ru/instrumenty/kak-pajat-impulsnym-pajalnikom

Soldering SMD components at home

Many people wonder how to properly solder SMD components. But before we deal with this problem, it is necessary to clarify what these elements are. Surface Mounted Devices - translated from English, this expression means surface-mounted components.

Their main advantage is their greater mounting density than conventional parts. This aspect affects the use of SMD elements in the mass production of printed circuit boards, as well as their cost-effectiveness and manufacturability of installation.

Conventional parts with wire-type leads have lost their widespread use along with the rapidly growing popularity of SMD components.

Errors and basic principles of soldering

Some craftsmen claim that soldering such elements with your own hands is very difficult and quite inconvenient. In fact, similar work with VT components is much more difficult. In general, these two types of parts are used in various fields of electronics. However, many people make certain mistakes when soldering SMD components at home.

SMD components

The main problem that hobbyists face is choosing a thin tip for a soldering iron. This is due to the existence of an opinion that when soldering with a regular soldering iron, you can stain the legs of SMD contacts with tin.

As a result, the soldering process is long and painful. Such a judgment cannot be considered correct, since in these processes the capillary effect, surface tension, and wetting force play a significant role.

Ignoring these extra tricks makes it difficult to do the DIY job.

Soldering SMD components

To properly solder SMD components, you must follow certain steps. To begin, apply the soldering iron tip to the legs of the taken element.

As a result, the temperature begins to rise and the tin begins to melt, which eventually completely flows around the leg of this component. This process is called wetting force. At the same instant, tin flows under the leg, which is explained by the capillary effect.

Along with wetting the leg, a similar action occurs on the board itself. The result is a uniformly filled bundle of boards with legs.

Contact of the solder with adjacent legs does not occur due to the fact that the tension force begins to act, forming individual drops of tin. It is obvious that the described processes occur on their own, with only a small participation of the soldering iron, who only heats the legs of the part with a soldering iron. When working with very small elements, they may stick to the soldering iron tip. To prevent this from happening, both sides are soldered separately.

Factory soldering

This process occurs on the basis of a group method. Soldering of SMD components is carried out using a special solder paste, which is evenly distributed in a thin layer onto the prepared printed circuit board, where there are already contact pads.

This application method is called silk-screen printing. The material used is similar in appearance and consistency to toothpaste. This powder consists of solder to which flux has been added and mixed.

The deposition process is performed automatically as the printed circuit board passes through the conveyor.

Factory soldering of SMD parts

Next, robots installed along the motion belt arrange all the necessary elements in the required order. As the board moves, the parts are firmly held in place due to the sufficient stickiness of the solder paste.

The next step is to heat the structure in a special furnace to a temperature slightly higher than the one at which the solder melts. As a result of such heating, the solder melts and flows around the legs of the components, and the flux evaporates.

This process makes the parts soldered into their seats. After the oven, the board is allowed to cool, and everything is ready.

Required materials and tools

In order to do the work of soldering SMD components with your own hands, you will need to have certain tools and consumables, which include the following:

• soldering iron for soldering SMD contacts;
• tweezers and side cutters;
• an awl or needle with a sharp end;
• solder;
• a magnifying glass or magnifying glass, which is necessary when working with very small parts;
• neutral liquid no-clean flux;
• a syringe with which you can apply flux;
• in the absence of the latter material, you can get by with an alcohol solution of rosin;
• To make soldering easier, craftsmen use a special soldering hair dryer.

Tweezers for installing and removing SMD components

The use of flux is absolutely necessary, and it must be liquid. In this state, this material degreases the working surface and also removes the formed oxides on the metal being soldered.

As a result, an optimal wetting force appears on the solder, and the soldering drop better retains its shape, which facilitates the entire work process and eliminates the formation of “snot.”

Using an alcohol solution of rosin will not allow you to achieve a significant result, and the resulting white coating is unlikely to be removed.

Solder for soldering

The choice of soldering iron is very important. The best tool is one that allows you to adjust the temperature.

This allows you not to worry about the possibility of damage to parts due to overheating, but this nuance does not apply to moments when you need to desolder SMD components.

Any soldered part can withstand temperatures of about 250–300 ° C, which is ensured by an adjustable soldering iron. If such a device is not available, you can use a similar tool with a power of 20 to 30 W, designed for a voltage of 12–36 V.

Using a 220 V soldering iron will not lead to the best consequences. This is due to the high heating temperature of its tip, under the influence of which the liquid flux quickly evaporates and does not allow the parts to be effectively wetted with solder.

Experts do not recommend using a soldering iron with a conical tip, since it is difficult to apply solder to parts and a lot of time is wasted. The most effective is the sting called “Microwave”. Its obvious advantage is a small hole on the cut for more convenient capture of solder in the right amount. With such a tip on the soldering iron it is convenient to collect excess solder.

Soldering iron tip “Microwave”

You can use any solder, but it is better to use a thin wire, with which you can conveniently dose the amount of material used. The part to be soldered using such a wire will be better processed due to more convenient access to it.

Work order

The soldering process, with a careful approach to theory and gaining some experience, is not difficult. So, the whole procedure can be divided into several points:

1. It is necessary to place SMD components on special pads located on the board.
2. Liquid flux is applied to the legs of the part and the component is heated using a soldering iron tip.
3. Under the influence of temperature, the contact pads and the legs of the part themselves flood.
4. After pouring, remove the soldering iron and allow time for the component to cool. When the solder has cooled, the job is done.

Soldering process for SMD components

When performing similar actions with a microcircuit, the soldering process is slightly different from the above. The technology will look like this:

1. The legs of the SMD components are installed exactly at their contact points.
2. In areas of contact pads, wetting is performed with flux.
3. To accurately place the part in the seat, you must first solder one of its outer legs, after which the component can be easily aligned.
4. Further soldering is carried out with the utmost care, and solder is applied to all legs. Excess solder is removed with a soldering iron tip.

Soldering iron with a sharp tip 24 V.

How to solder with a hair dryer?

With this soldering method, it is necessary to lubricate the seats with a special paste. Then the required part is placed on the contact pad - in addition to components, these can be resistors, transistors, capacitors, etc. For convenience, you can use tweezers.

After this, the part is heated with hot air supplied from a hair dryer, at a temperature of about 250º C. As in previous examples of soldering, the flux evaporates under the influence of temperature and the solder melts, thereby flooding the contact tracks and legs of the parts. Then the hair dryer is removed and the board begins to cool.

When it has cooled completely, soldering can be considered complete.

Hair dryer for soldering small parts

Source: https://LampaGid.ru/elektrika/komponenty/pajka-smd

How to solder correctly with a soldering iron

Before soldering, the parts to be joined are cleaned of dirt and oxides on the metal surface, almost to a shine, otherwise the solder will not stick to the desired place. It is best to remove the oxide film with sandpaper or, very carefully, with a file or sharp knife.

Degreasing is carried out with gasoline, acetone or turpentine. But cleaned metal surfaces quickly oxidize, and in order not to have to clean them again, a protective coating (flux) is applied to them, protecting them from oxidation and facilitating the joining of parts. The most affordable and safe flux is rosin. To solder steel, you need a mixture of equal parts of borax and hydrochloric acid, diluted to a thick paste with a solution of zinc chloride.

If you suddenly need to solder something urgently, but there is no rosin or hydrochloric acid, you can use an aspirin or citramone tablet - the acid they contain is enough to degrease the soldering area.

Preparing the soldering iron for soldering

The soldering iron also needs to be prepared for use. The tip is cleaned to a shine, the soldering iron is connected to the mains and heats up for 5-6 minutes. You should not heat it for too long, because the solder will not stick to an overheated tip. The degree of heating of the tip is checked on a piece of rosin. If the rosin boils instantly, it means the soldering iron is overheated and needs to cool down a little. When it takes a few seconds for rosin to boil, this means its temperature is normal and ready for work.

The sharpened tip of the soldering iron is carefully processed in a piece of rosin and, lightly pressing it on the solder, they try to melt it. It will take about 10 seconds to melt the solder, after which the tip must be tinned, that is, covered with a thin layer of liquid metal. Excess solder should be cleaned off by lightly rubbing the tip on sandpaper.

Bonding parts before soldering

Before soldering, the parts must be mechanically fastened, preferably tied with wire. You can clamp it in a clamp, or if the parts are made of sheet metal, bend the edges and connect them with a “lock” into which the solder, when ironing the seam with a soldering iron, will penetrate.

If you need to solder wires, you should first tin them and twist them. The twisting area is heated with a soldering iron and covered with a thin layer of solder.

A tin of Montpensier candies is perhaps the best means of home storage of solder and, perhaps, flux along with it. The jar closes tightly, takes up little space, and is not afraid of heat. True, when soldering, you need to place it in a place that will not be damaged by heat, or put thick cardboard, plywood or a board under it.

The room in which you solder with flux or acid must be well ventilated - their vapors are quite poisonous. 

Source: http://1000-podelok.ru/kak-pravil-no-payat-payal-nikom

How to solder correctly

In order to solder well and correctly, you should know several basic points that characterize the process of soldering with a soldering iron, no matter whether it is electric or gas.

Here we will consider how to solder with PIC solder (an alloy of tin and lead, depending on the proportions of the content of these metals, the melting temperature of the solder changes).

Solder can be used to solder different metals together. The easiest way to solder is copper and brass. Somewhat more difficult - steel; soldering of other metals, such as aluminum, is possible, but requires the use of special fluxes and additives.

Let's talk about flux right away.

This is a substance that prevents metal oxidation during soldering.

The simplest and most famous flux is pine rosin. Used in lump or liquid (alcohol solution) forms for soldering copper and brass. It is a passive flux, that is, it only prevents the oxidation of the metal when it is heated with a soldering iron, but cannot remove the existing oxide film (for this, various active fluxes or trivial mechanical cleaning are used).

Removing the oxide film is a mandatory process when soldering, since the solder melted with a soldering iron must wet the surface of the metal, but oxides prevent this, just as fat prevents water from wetting any surface. I think that when you consider specific examples, everything will become clear to you.

How to properly prepare a soldering iron

Before soldering, you should properly prepare your soldering iron. Its tip should be evenly covered with solder. Let's look at the photo:

This is what a “dirty” sting looks like. It is very difficult to solder correctly with such soldering irons.

From a cold soldering iron, use a file to remove all the dirt down to pure copper (the material of the soldering iron tip is copper).

It should look like this.

We heat the soldering iron, sequentially touching the rosin and solder (several times) to achieve uniform coverage of the working part of the soldering iron with solder.

The result, having achieved which you can solder.

How to solder wires

Stripping the wire

We twist its strands tightly (for multi-core wires).

Having previously taken the solder to the soldering iron, heat up the rosin, immerse the wire in the melt, and evenly distribute the solder over the surface of the conductor with the soldering iron.

The result is a tinned conductor.

If you need to solder the terminals of semiconductor elements (transistors, diodes, etc.), then, in order to avoid overheating of the crystal, soldering should be done quickly, using a heat sink (tweezers, for example).

Connecting wires by soldering

You can solder wires to each other in various ways, for example, by placing pre-tinned wires on top of each other and heating them with a soldering iron until the solder melts.

This is the result.

You can pre-twist the stripped wires.

Solder the twist as for tinning. By the way, all examples use solid rosin. If liquid flux is used, it is simply applied with a brush to the desired location.

You will get a connection like this.

If you are soldering any radio elements without using printed wiring, then here are several ways to solder their terminals.

On the left, the conductor is pre-twisted onto the LED terminal, on the right, it is soldered “overlapping”. The first method is more reliable, the second is faster, in addition, if it is necessary to configure the circuit or replace elements multiple times, it is more convenient.

It's just the end result.

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The materials presented on the site are for informational purposes only and cannot be used as guidelines or regulatory documents.

Source: https://eltechbook.ru/sovet_pajka.html

How to solder correctly?

Soldering is one of the fundamental processes in the construction of electrical appliances, in addition, this is precisely what allows many to be attracted to this fascinating business. In reality, soldering is not difficult at all, it just requires a little practice and some basic knowledge. There are a lot of instructions on how to solder.

In this article, we focus on how to get started quickly and avoid mistakes that cause irritation when soldering.

First of all, we need to decide what we expect from soldering? Soldering is the process of heating metal parts and adding flux and solder to form a good electrical and mechanical connection between the parts being soldered.

Your soldering iron

This is the main component of soldering. You should use a good soldering iron. First of all, I want to make it clear that Radio Shack's entire inventory is absolute crap. It's simply unbearable. Radio Shack probably sells the worst soldering irons in the world. They are poorly assembled, transfer heat poorly, and are made of cheap materials that wear out quickly.

If I have to choose between buying a Bic lighter or a soldering iron from Radio Shack, I will choose Bic. In general, it's a shame that so many people didn't learn to solder well just because they started with a soldering iron from Radio Shack. The first rule of Soldering Club is: never use a soldering iron from Radio Shack. Another important recommendation. Do not use a soldering gun.

It is too hot and inconvenient to use when working with electronics. However, the good thing is that there are a huge number of good and affordable soldering irons on the market. Before considering specific models, let's look at the main characteristics of soldering irons.

Form factor. The most popular form of soldering iron is the pencil.

This type of soldering iron includes a handle, a heating element, a tip and a wire, combined in one housing. In general, such devices are not very expensive, and you may want to order a separate holder and cleaning sponge for the tip.

A more convenient and easy-to-use form is a soldering station. In this case, the “pencil” is connected to a base station, which, as a rule, allows you to regulate the temperature. Soldering stations are also equipped with a stand and a sponge for cleaning. The recommendations outlined in this article apply specifically to soldering stations.

Power.

The power of a soldering iron does not determine how hot it will get. Rather, this characteristic refers to how quickly the soldering iron will return to its temperature after the tip contacts the soldered surface. Soldering irons with low power, having lost heat, take longer to heat up. More powerful devices restore their temperature faster.

Personally, I prefer 40-80 watt soldering irons.

Temperature adjustment. A high-quality soldering station has built-in temperature control. The thermostat built into the device is responsible for this. Set the required temperature, and the soldering iron will already maintain it.

Now, after analyzing the basic characteristics, you can begin to consider specific models

Good: Circuit Specialists Station

This station is worth the money. I've used this one for many years. Cost – about 40 $. The good thing is that it allows you to regulate the temperature of the tip. Included with the station you get a soldering iron stand and a cleaning sponge.

Circuit Specialists carries a wide selection of soldering irons and budget kits. In addition, it is worth noting a large assortment of replacement tips for soldering irons and various consumables.

Better: Weller Soldering Soldering Irons and Soldering Stations

Weller has a long history of making excellent stations. Weller costs a lot of money, but it will be a station for many years, with proper care, of course.

An excellent option among the Weller lineup is the WES51 Analog Soldering Station. This 50-watt station is equipped with electronic temperature control.

Please note that many Weller stations are sold without a stinger (which is not normal in my opinion). The right blade for the job you will be doing is the Weller ETO 1/32” Long Conical.

Best: Hakko Soldering Irons

As far as I can tell, the Japanese company Hakko makes some of the best soldering stations. They belong to the upper price segment, but their cost is completely justified. I'm currently using a Hakko 936 soldering station, which is definitely well made and solidly built.

If cost is not an issue, then Hakko equipment can be purchased for thousands of dollars.

Consumables

You will need 60/40 tin/lead solder with flux. The solder wire should have a diameter of 1 to 1.5 mm. Thicker or thinner wire will complicate the soldering process. Do not use lead solder or various acids. Otherwise, not only will the soldering be dirty, but you also risk going blind.

Here is a list of some other useful supplies:

• sponge for cleaning the tip;
• wire wool;
• special copper tape for pulling solder.

Soldering technique

The soldering technique can be reduced to a few simple steps.

1. Turn on the soldering iron and give it time to heat up to the desired temperature.

2. Clean the tip using a sponge or copper cleaning tape.

3. Take a small amount of solder onto the tip. There should not be a large drop on the sting, but a thin film.

4. Heat the surface to be soldered.

5. Add solder. Apply a little solder to the heated surface with the tip of the tip.

6. Check if the solder has set on the surface. If the solder spreads neatly and takes on the appearance of a shiny, non-layered film, remove the soldering iron.

7. Place the soldering iron on the stand.

8. If you need to solder something else, go back to point 2.

In words, everything seems quite simple, but after you try to do it yourself, you will understand that it really is. Remember to clean the tip before using it, not after. First, you should also heat the surfaces to be soldered, and only then apply solder.

A few recommendations

A few recommendations that will help you get only positive emotions from soldering:

• Temperature. Electronic components should be soldered at a tip temperature of 420–480 °C.
• There is no need to solder very short ends.
• You should not catch the soldering iron when it falls. Pick it up after it has already fallen to the floor.
• You should not solder transistors, microcircuits and expensive elements directly onto the board.
• It is more advisable to use special sockets for them. This will save many nerve cells in the future. After all, it’s hard to imagine something more unpleasant than the sight of a soldered microcircuit.
• Don't rush, soldering will be more successful.
• The tip should not be cleaned with sandpaper or a file. This will remove the coating that makes the tip suitable for soldering. A dirty or over-exposed tip must be replaced.

Safety

No article on soldering covers the topic completely if it does not include safety tips.

1. Solder from the soldering iron tip may splash into your eyes. Use glasses.

2. Soldering is accompanied by the evaporation of many harmful substances, so it should be done in well-ventilated areas and away from children and animals.

A smart investment would be to purchase a hood, that is, a device equipped with a fan that draws air from the workplace, and filters that clean the air from harmful impurities of solder, rosin, and flux.

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Source: http://www.master-skills.ru/articles/miscellaneous/729-solder

How to solder correctly with a soldering iron, consider typical mistakes

It would seem that the question itself, how to solder correctly with a soldering iron, is very simple. I dipped the tip in rosin, put solder on the tip, and touched the contacts of the part that needed to be soldered.

In fact, doing this job requires certain skills that come with experience. Otherwise, how can we explain the difference in the quality of soldering made by different craftsmen?

How to quickly learn to solder

In order to master the basics of soldering, you need to choose the right tool. Let's start with the main thing, with the choice of a soldering iron.

Choosing the right soldering iron

In most cases, a soldering iron with a 40-60 W copper tip, a stand, flux (rosin is best) and solder will do.

You should not chase expensive ceramic devices and soldering stations. A basic set is quite suitable for training. And don't forget tweezers.

Many advanced radio amateurs have been using Soviet soldering irons without regulators for decades.

And the quality of soldering can be the envy of the owner of a soldering station equipped with the latest technology.

To solder correctly, you need to practice

If the tool is new, it is necessary to prepare the tip, sharpen and tin it. This method is only suitable for copper tips.

How to tin a sting, step-by-step instructions

If you have already used the tool, this video will help you properly prepare the tip for use.


Next, cut several pieces of wire of different sections, and find any broken electrical device (transistor radio or cassette recorder). This set makes an excellent training ground.

How to tin a tip correctly if the solder does not stick - video

Unsolder and put back the radio components on the circuit, connect the wires with and without twisting. The best learning tool is independent practice on components that you don’t mind spoiling.

Sequencing

Do not rush to immediately connect two parts with solder. First, learn how to strip the wire and pad on the circuit board. Then practice tinning the stripped wire.

Try removing a two- and then three-contact radio component (for example, a transistor) from the board. And only after that try to solder completely. Remember the main rule - first warm up the soldering area, then add solder to it.

There are several ways to add solder.

1. Apply the molten composition to the tip of the sting
2. Bring the solder wire to the joint and, pressing everything with a tip, wait until the composition begins to melt.

Warm-up time and main soldering time should not exceed 2-3 seconds. Once you master this time interval, consider yourself a professional.

Correct heat transfer

Many beginning radio amateurs solder by touching the part only with the sharp tip of the tip. This is a common mistake based on the fear of overheating the radio component. The contact area should be as large as possible.

Then the heat exchange will occur faster, and the time for warming up will take an order of magnitude less. The part simply does not have time to heat up.

The temperature of the tip is considered correct if the solder is liquid and collects in the form of droplets.

Learning to solder correctly with a soldering iron and rosin

The vast majority of contacts are copper, or made of copper-based alloys. Aggressive fluxes have a destructive effect on these materials, so they must either be thoroughly washed off after soldering, or use pine rosin.

This type of flux does not contain aggressive chemical additives and synthetics, the smoke from which is corrosive to the eyes. Pine rosin is a natural product, produced in its natural form.

The exception is alcohol solutions, which can be prepared at home. To do this, crushed rosin is diluted in alcohol to the desired consistency.

The only drawback of this flux is that when working with rosin, carbon deposits remain. Both on the parts and on the soldering iron. After work, clean the soldering iron with a wet sponge or a fine metal brush made from shavings, and wash the parts with isopropyl alcohol.

Soldering with rosin is very simple. A properly cleaned part is brought to a jar of flux, the contact is immersed in the mixture, and then tinning is performed.

Rosin is transferred to the circuit board using a soldering iron. Quickly dipping the tip into the jar, immediately rub the mixture over the contact area. Then tinning is done again.

After that, you need to warm up the soldering area, immerse the tip of the tip in rosin and immediately apply solder to it. And without wasting a moment, start soldering in place. If you leave rosin on the tip of a soldering iron, it will simply burn and turn into slag. Therefore, high speed is important when working with this type of flux.

Over time, the skill will appear, and you will repeat the entire sequence of movements with your eyes closed.

In order to solder correctly with a soldering iron, it is necessary to control the soldering time; an overheated connection becomes dull and reduces the soldering strength.

How to properly solder wires with a soldering iron, video collection

Soldering small wires

Soldering large cross-section stranded wires

How to properly solder two wires with a soldering iron


How to solder aluminum correctly

Basically, when soldering, they deal with copper or its alloys. The material is familiar, can be easily cleaned of oxides with almost any flux, and has excellent adhesion.

Therefore, a radio amateur who is accustomed to working with red metal has a question: how to solder aluminum? In principle, the same as copper, only with other fluxes.

The problem with winged metal is that after cleaning it is immediately covered with oxides, to which solder does not stick.

However, you must first clean the soldering area mechanically, for example with fine sandpaper. A new oxide film will immediately appear, but you can already work on it with a soldering iron.

Then the junction of the parts is treated with a special flux.

This must be done as quickly as possible. Then tinning is carried out using the flux, intensively rubbing the surface with the tip of a soldering iron with collected solder. It is better to choose a soldering iron with higher power. After which a new portion of flux is added and soldering is carried out in the traditional way.

Copper sulfate

A rather unusual method, however, available for use at home. A couple of drops of copper sulfate are applied to the soldering area. The negative wire of the 5-6 volt battery is connected to the aluminum blank.

Popular: Soldering iron for microcircuits - how to choose the right one?

The positive wire is connected to a copper wire flattened at the end. The flat end is pressed against the soldering surface (with a drop of vitriol), after a short time there will be a copper spot there. Next, we solder like a regular copper billet.

Typical mistakes that worsen the quality of joining parts

To solder correctly with a soldering iron, first of all, you need to know the main mistakes and avoid them in your work. Let's look at the most common ones.

Don't get lost

Frozen solder has a matte shade, the surface is spongy, and the spreading is uneven. With a little force, you can break the adhesive.

Main reasons:

• Insufficient temperature during soldering. Either the soldering iron is not heated to the required value (you need to know the melting temperature of the solder), or the components being soldered have too high a heat capacity, and the soldering iron, on the contrary, has low power and tip weight;
• Refractory solder, which must be used with a hotter soldering iron;
• The contacts were moved before the solder hardened;
• Applying heated tin to a cold surface.

Consequences:

• Due to the penetration of air between the parts, corrosion will form inside the joint over time;
• Due to poor wetting of the contacts with solder, the connection has high electrical resistance. This leads to malfunctions or complete loss of contact;
• Low soldering strength. The soldered part may fall off;
• At high currents, sparking may occur, accompanied by heating with all the ensuing consequences, including fire.

Solder rolling

The pieces of solder look like drops of mercury, there is no sticking to the soldering area. Tin does not leak into the voids between the parts being soldered. The connection is easy to break.

Main reasons:

• Insufficient cleaning of the parts to be joined. The layer of oxides prevents the solder from spreading over the surface and penetrating into the cracks;
• Weak flux treatment. Uncleaned surfaces have poor adhesion; as a result, tin does not bond to other metals;
• The brand of flux does not match the metal being joined by soldering.

Consequences:

• There is practically no contact at the soldering site;
• The connection will be broken at the slightest mechanical impact;
• Moisture gets between the solder and the metal, causing corrosion.

Overheat

Thermal damage is visible around the soldering area - charring of the varnish, warped wire insulation, melted plastic of the radio component housing.

Causes:

• The temperature and power of the soldering iron exceeds what is required for this type of soldering;
• Excessive exposure of the sting to the work area;
• To connect parts with low temperature resistance, a solder that is too refractory was selected.

Consequences:

• Melting of the insulation exposes the wires, making the connection unsafe;
• Thermal degradation can destroy the conductive traces on the circuit board;
• Overheated radio components change their characteristics or fail;
• The soldering area has an untidy appearance.

Chemical damage at the soldering site

There is severe corrosion damage around the solder, and the copper wire is coated with green oxide powder.

Causes:

• An aggressive flux (for example, acidic) has been selected that does not correspond to the type of material being soldered;
• Washing was not carried out after completion of work.

Consequences:

• Destruction of the surface around the soldering area;
• Latent corrosion will eventually destroy the metal conductor with loss of contact.

To minimize errors when working with a soldering iron, pay attention to all the recommendations in our article.

Source: https://obinstrumente.ru/elektroinstrument/payalnik/kak-pravilno-payat-payalnikom.html

What you need for soldering work

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

Soldering with a soldering iron

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

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

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

Soldering iron selection

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

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

After choosing the power of the soldering iron, you should prepare it for work, or rather, prepare the tip . There are soldering irons with replaceable tips that are suitable for different types of work.

Models with a copper tip are also available, which can be sharpened or given any desired shape using a hammer. A serious disadvantage of such tips is the need to constantly tin them so that an oxide film does not appear on the surface, which prevents the solder from sticking.

Manufacturers also produce a more expensive version with a nickel-plated coating, but it is afraid of overheating and requires careful handling.

What else do you need for soldering?

In addition to the soldering iron itself, you need the following for soldering:

• solder;
• rosin;
• soldering acids or fluxes.

Solder is the connecting material between the parts being soldered, and without it there is no way to work. Now stores sell specially prepared solders in the form of wires of various diameters twisted into a spiral, from which it is convenient to “pinch off” the required piece with a heated tip, but you can also use a piece of tin , but the work will not be so convenient.

Rosin is used to prepare the surface for the application of solder. Solder with rosin is distributed evenly, in the absence of the latter it rolls into drops, and does not stick to some surfaces at all.

Soldering acid, or flux, is necessary to prepare contacts for soldering. A beginner should know that the flux for each material being soldered is different, and you cannot use acid to solder aluminum on a copper wire, otherwise the solder simply won’t stick.

Soldering technology

The basis of any soldering is high-quality heating of the parts being soldered and then securing them with solder. two types of soldering can be distinguished : using flux or using rosin.

Soldering with rosin

Learning to solder with a soldering iron with rosin is more difficult, but once you master this skill, it will be possible to complete 90 percent of the work.

Let's look at the example of soldering wires to a board. First you need to warm up the wire; to do this, apply the tip of a heated soldering iron flat (it’s better if it’s a tip in the shape of a screwdriver), pressing as much as possible.

After a few seconds, the wire with the tip pressed to it is lowered into rosin, which, when boiling, is evenly distributed over all the wire cores. This way the wire is prepared for applying solder. Using a soldering iron tip, take a small part of the solder and apply a thin layer of it to the wire.

In this case, you should not get any drops or unaffected areas; ideally, you get the same wire, but in tin.

We clean the soldering iron tip with a metal sponge or cloth and, touching the rosin with the tip, run the tip over the board, leaving a thin layer of rosin on the surface. The surfaces are prepared. Ensuring maximum contact between the wire and the board, we press the tip with a thin layer of solder onto the wire and “stroke” the soldering area several times with a soldering iron for better heating. After this, let it cool and check the contact for strength.

If soldering is carried out correctly, the surface is shiny and the connection has maximum strength. If the surface looks dull and loose, it means that the rules for soldering with a soldering iron were violated and the connection is not so strong. But in some cases, this result is satisfactory.

Soldering with flux

To solder with flux, you just need to take the flux, dip a brush into it and apply it to the surface to be soldered. After this, you can apply solder or solder directly. Despite its apparent simplicity, working with acid has many nuances :

1. Each material has its own flux and they are not interchangeable, and in some cases even give the opposite effect;
2. You cannot use fluxes that are too active on microcircuits, as they can burn through the metal of the track;
3. If you do not remove the flux from the surface after work or do it with the wrong reagent, it will continue to destroy the metal;
4. The copper tip of a soldering iron, especially if it is sharpened, is destroyed by acid, and you have to constantly sharpen it.

In addition to knowledge, working with a soldering iron requires accuracy and precision, and having learned how to solder simple parts, it will not be difficult to move on to soldering thinner circuit boards, or, conversely, thick wires, various elements, rhinestones, and subsequently even solder plates together.

One of the most reliable methods of connecting wires is soldering. This is a process in which the space between two conductors is filled with molten solder. In this case, the melting temperature of the solder must be lower than the melting temperature of the metals being joined. At home, soldering is most often used with a soldering iron - a small device powered by electricity. For normal operation, the power of the soldering iron must be at least 80-100 W.

What you need for soldering with a soldering iron

In addition to the soldering iron itself, you will need solders, rosin or fluxes; it is advisable to have a stand. While working, you may need a small file and small pliers.

Source: https://crast.ru/instrumenty/chto-nuzhno-dlja-pajalnyh-rabot