How to solder bullet connectors

[Southwest]

Now a long tme ago i asked about the blackening of tip and a gentlemsn said to use leaded solder and sponge and rosin core solder. Well the tip still gets black, so i've just wire brushed the tip and put up with the black tips. This has been one of the best threads i've read in years on info that everyone use . Just my 2 cents.-----tlanduaer- that is what i use and isn't quite as rough on tips as you have mentioned. I guess grin and bare it.

[Doug Smock]

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=341-223

[Mike Caruso]

Thank you for your tips.
Mike

[madmikepags]

I've soldered hundreds and hundreds, maybe thousands of connectors motors etc, with the same tip on a very high quality soldering station, for years, cleaning and tinning after each use and only using RS 60/40 solder never any flux or compound. If you have a good high temp Iron and keep it clean it should last. I used to build my own NiMh packs for years, probably a couple hundred 6 cell packs a year, thats 12 joints per pack and hard wiring the packs to the controllers every race day and i would only change a tip every 2 years or so.

[dont slow down]

One thing I don't agree with is how he tins his wires. I went to a soldering school and one thing they taught us was when tinning wires you do not want the solder going up under the wire insulation, this is called wicking. This can create a "hard spot" under the insulation and can actually break under repeated use (which most of us are constantly plugging/unplugging the batteries or motors). The best thing to do is to go to an electronics shop and get a set of wire heat sinks. They look like tweezers but have a groove in the prongs that fit around the wire. They are placed at the end of the insulation and draw heat away from the wire once it reaches the insulation. That will let the wire remain flexible all the way down to the joint and relieve stress on the wire. Another thing is to use rubbing alcohol to clean everything. Clean both surfaces of your joint, and your solder. Rub a regular pencil eraser over your solder to remove oxidation before using it. Also be sure to clean your joint after to remove any leftover flux.

[tlandauer]

Great advice, I used to get a hard spot just above where the insulation ends, just plain clumsy soldering. I have the gadget you described: http://www.micromark.com/heat-sink-s...ezer,7064.html. Really helps and also you can hold the wire alot longer w/o being burned. Only thing is that anything thicker than 10ga. wire you need to hold it tight, the groove on my model is a bit too small.
Good technique at soldering is an art, my Dad worked for Hughes Aircraft Co. in the 80's -90's. They worked on missile guidence prototype, the skills that was required of them was very high and strict. He used to tell me how /what constitutes a good job, but I won't pay any attention, well...

[drwayne]

Bakers' soldering solution contains zinc chloride, not H-Cl.

A wipe of Bakers' inside the bullet solder cavity then heated removes the polish, wax or oils left after manufacture... allowing a clean join.

Weller solder irons that 'corrode'.. .. change to solid machined tips, not the cast ones where porosity holds the rosin/acids and erodes it away.

Copper tips are great for heat transfer, but Cu low melting temp shows these will not last before they self corrode from air contact.
The white powder residue you should clean off is oxidation, formed from heating in air.

Tracking during tinning occurs when your iron is insufficient, the longer contact time heats more than wanted..
Hold the solder iron at the cut end of the cable, and feed solder there, watching as it tracks up the cable... when it reaches the desired length, allow to cool.

I use Weller 180W gas pistol iron, solid metal tip for 6mm or larger.. it's a touch and done soldering solution
I have a mains powered 40W station for smaller, solid metal tip.
Ive not changed tips on either in 7 years.
I run a light metal file over them once a year to clean them up.
Circuit design/prototyping/repair is a part of my work...

[twissted]

I use a small propane torch.