Need A Little Help Soldering

[Ralph A]

This is my first time to solder a small kit. In this case a Ramsey Antenna kit. I have a new Aoyue 937 soldering station and will be using .031 rosin core solder.

In the kit for the antenna the directions state to solder using 35 to 40 watts. OK? My station is set by degrees. To what temperature should I be soldering for the circuit board and its components?

Also, (I feel dumb here) which side of the board is the top? With the silver or the side with the writing?


Thanks for the guidance, Ralph

[vipzach]

A quick google search says 35w is about 850 degrees.

To me, the top of the board is the side with the components on it.

[Ralph A]

vipzach wrote:

"To me, the top of the board is the side with the components on it."




SO that means the side with the writing is the top and the side with the small circles of silver (solder) is the bottom, correct?

[George Simmons]

If you're making the Ramsey Tru-Match J-pole, yes, the side with the writing is the top.

[Ralph A]

Thanks for the help. Don't want to make a mistake. Too much wasted time!!

[Santas Helper]

Ralf,

On just about 100% of circuit cards, the side with the writing is the top.

As for temp, 700 to 800 degrees is typical with circuit cards. Remember, the hotter the iron, the quicker you need to sold the connection and get off. Some components can get damaged if heated up too long. A lower temp gives you a little more flexability while learning. Soldering ground planes takes a little longer so keep that in mind as well.

And lastly, it doesn't take very much solder per connection so try not to blob on the solder. When you see the melted solder get sucked in the hole with a small cone shape going up the wire, you know you have a good solder.

I use a magnifying glass on a stand with a light to see what I'm doing. Makes soldering MUCH easier for me.

Hope this helps and good luck,

[bisquit476]

Hi Ralph,

Tom is right about the orientation. When soldering my boards I use 650*F for the resistors and such, and 850*F for the triacs, fuse holders, etc. But I don't let the 850 stay there too long, it burns the tip and shortens the life of it. 35 to 40 watts is the higher temp though, have fun, but don't breathe the fumes, they leave a burning feeling in your lungs, (ask me how I know, that's right, idiot boy here soldered a whole LOR board, not thinking about the fumes, and for 2 days afterward, my lungs hurt like hell) needless to say I bought one of those filtering fans, and have it right next to where I solder now,

Bill

[Ralph A]

Cool!! Thanks you very much guys for the good advice and the pointers. Will see how I do on my first soldering job. Thanks again!!



Ralph

[vipzach]

If you have never soldered anything before, go to radio shack and buy a circuit board and some cheap resistors.

Something like this. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102846 A 5 pack of resistors is around one dollar.

Get a couple packs and practice a few times.

[Santas Helper]

vipzach wrote:

If you have never soldered anything before, go to radio shack and buy a circuit board and some cheap resistors.

Something like this. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102846 A 5 pack of resistors is around one dollar.

Get a couple packs and practice a few times.

Very good idea and highly suggested. I did the same thing back in the day. You get a feel of what you're doin before workin on items you paid bigger bucks for.

[Ralph A]

I like that idea vipzach!!! I will stop by there pick up some parts and play. Thanks once again!!! Ralph

[TJ Hvasta]

By putting the flat side of the tip against the leg of the component, you transfer more heat quicker, heat the leg, then as the leg heats, touch the end of the solder to the leg, removing the soldering pencil tipafter a few seconds. You should apply abt the head of a pin's-worth (+/-) of solder to the item. The finished joint/leg should appear more shiny than dull. If it appears dull, it wasnt hot enough. Apply the tip of the pencil again to re-heat the solder so it "flows" smoothly then appears shiny after it cools

Get the resistor pack from Radio Shack.. twist some of the legs together (like twisting a baggie tie). Heat those legs with the pencil, touch the solder to the twisted wires (not the pencil tip). The solder should "wick" onto the legs and appear smooth. Practice several times.. it

[BrownOut]

I also use 650F for most board work and 750F for larger wires and connectors as others mentioned.

[Max-Paul]

Just a different point of view.

First must keep a clean tip. Some like to use a moist sponge. I like to use an old cotton rag and just wipe quickly. Then I put just a dab, not a ball of soldier on the tip. This is called wetting the tip and it helps with the transfer of heat to the lead and the foil pad on the board. I put the flat on the board and the end of the tip to the lead being soldered. Reason is that the board will need more heat to get the pad up to temperature that the soldier will adhere to it. And like others have said do not touch the soldier to the iron but on the other side of the lead and pad (180 degrees to the iron).

Try to find some pictures on the web of a good soldier joint. Or see if you have some old electronic device laying around the house and open it up and look at the soldier joints. Like an old transistor radio for example.

[TJ Hvasta]

I like the soldering tip pix the LOR manual has.. shows the tip of the pencil, and solder 90degrees to the tip.. Good mention abt tinning the tip too!

Straight from the LOR Assembly manual:

A 40 watt soldering iron should be used to solder the triacs, spade lug terminals and fuse holders. This is because these joints are large and the solder must flow through the hole in the board to the other side. A smaller soldering iron may make this difficult or even impossible.

A 25 watt pencil tip soldering iron should be used to solder the rest of this board. This will help prevent component damage from over heating. Also, the small tip will help prevent solder bridges (unwanted connections) from forming between adjacent components and/or foil traces.

Use a wet sponge or cloth to clean the tip of the soldering iron frequently. Wipe the hot iron on the wet sponge to clean off solder and flux, then coat the tip with a small amount of solder. This process will maximize heat transfer and help make your solder joints clean and neat.

You should not need additional solder, but if you do, always use the thin shiny rosin core solder designed for electronics. Using acid core solder (plumbing solder) will damage everything.

If you need to remove a soldered part, RadioShack sells a few desoldering tools. The cheapest is simply a small bulb ($3) that you use to suck the melted solder out of the joint. They have a more effective solder sucker available for $7. Lookup “Desoldering” at www.radioshack.com.

The picture on the right shows proper
soldering technique. You must heat the lead
and the board foil at the same time. Touch
the solder to the other side of the lead and
board foil from the soldering iron. The solder
should flow evenly onto the lead and the foil
making a good electrical connection
between them. Then bring the soldering iron
straight up from the joint along the lead.

The picture at the right shows one bad
soldering technique. Here the soldering iron
is only touching the board foil. The
component lead is not being heated and it is
very likely that the rosin in the solder will
insulate the lead from the solder.

The picture at the right shows another bad
soldering technique. Here the soldering iron
is only touching the lead and not the board
foil. The likely result is that the solder will
only bond to the lead and a rosin barrier will
form, insulating the solder from the board
foil.

When soldering large foil areas such as those used to distribute the AC power or neutrals, start at the end with the smallest area and work toward the largest area. This will make the job go more quickly by utilizing the heat from the previous solder joint. Be sure to properly heat the foil, resistance caused by cold solder joints here can cause the board to burn when used.




Attached files

[Steven]

Max-Paul wrote:

Some like to use a moist sponge. I like to use an old cotton rag and just wipe quickly.

I used a moist sponge for years, and then I bought a brass soldering iron cleaner. No water needed, it lasts virtually forever, it doesn't cool the tip, and it does a better job.

[Max-Paul]

Steven wrote:

Max-Paul wrote:

Some like to use a moist sponge. I like to use an old cotton rag and just wipe quickly.

I used a moist sponge for years, and then I bought a brass soldering iron cleaner. No water needed, it lasts virtually forever, it doesn't cool the tip, and it does a better job.

And that Steven is why you and I give good advice. I didn't think about the cooling effect that a moist sponge will do. And you covered for me and brought up that point. Which is a very good point at that. I just hate the wait factor for the iron to come back up to temp. Actually if truth be told. More often than not I will be wearing some old jeans and will just wipe across my thigh in a twisting pattern. Ya, I know. I am some sort of red neck nerd. And other times I will just have a rag to wipe on. LOL

But really, I think we work well together by providing different points of view or filling in each others post with more info.

Thanks

[paulanator]

I ditched the sponge a couple of years ago like Steven, and use the Brass Brillo pad type cleaner.

Works great, I like the way it cleans the tip.

[JBullard]

paulanator wrote:

I ditched the sponge a couple of years ago like Steven, and use the Brass Brillo pad type cleaner.

Works great, I like the way it cleans the tip.

Same here. Love the Brass thingey. Been using for couple years now

[Ralph A]

Hey Guys, Thanks so much for the help here. I see there is a bit of technique to this soldering thing. I do have the brass cleaner and I love it. I got it when I got the soldering station. Now I need to figure out which tip I like the best.

Thanks again for all the help and advice!!
Ralph