Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Cold solder joints?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Oz
    Posts
    92

    Default Cold solder joints?

    Hi all,

    just a quick question on solder joints...

    If a solder joint is not up to standard e.g "a cold solder joint"
    but it still arms the ESC and the boat runs
    Will it affect the performance or will it just fail when the temps get up abit?

    I soldered the motor and ESC with 5.5 bullets when I was learning to solder and everything runs ok, tho I'm not sure
    if I'm getting max performance out of the boat...
    so do you guys think its worth re-doing the solder joints now i'm abit better at it?

    Thanks Tone

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    AZ
    Posts
    8,009

    Default

    Yes.


    .
    ERROR 403 - This is not the page you are looking for


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Oz
    Posts
    92

    Default

    Thanks Fluid,

    Thought that would be the answer....

    Tone

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    on
    Posts
    2,187

    Default

    If the joints are bright and shiny they are ok, if they look dull and kind of crystalized looking they are cold and need to be re-done. Pretty easy to tell a good joint from a bad one if you look closely. Just to be sure I always give them a good hard pull before heat shrinking, a lot of times a bad joint will fail.
    If my boats upside down then who owns the one I thought I was driving the last two laps?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Oz
    Posts
    92

    Default

    Thanks siberianhusky,

    I'm abit confused because the joints are nice and shiny, and they are firmly attached...
    I'm just waiting for a replacement flexshaft, then I can take the boat out and see what happens....
    does it make a difference how thick the solder is? Will thicker solder create more resistance?
    Maybe I got lucky with my soldering.

    Thanks Tone
    Last edited by makin' waves; 09-12-2011 at 06:17 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    on
    Posts
    2,187

    Default

    If everything was hot enough for the solder to flow smoothly everything is probably ok. you want to make sure both parts are hot enough to melt the solder and let it flow to fill in the space or braid of the wire.
    I always tin the wire first, heat it up and put some solder on it and let if flow into the strands, then heat up the connector and do the same thing, keep the heat on it and insert the wire into the melted solder in the connector and keep heating for a few more seconds, remove the heat and make sure the wire doesn't move until the solder is solid, this will also cause a cold joint.
    If after this the joint is bright and shiny like polished silver then you can be almost positive you have a good joint.
    On my connectors I use solder that has 2% silver content, it's a high temp solder, never had a connector get hot enough to melt solder anyway but this is just a little more insurance.
    A 75w iron with a fairly large chisel tip makes quick work of doing connectors.
    I just did 2 motors and an esc last night, didn't have enough heat shrink to finish up though, was short about 2", always happens on a Sunday night doesn't it!
    Cheers
    If my boats upside down then who owns the one I thought I was driving the last two laps?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Oz
    Posts
    92

    Default

    Thanks siberianhusky,

    Think my solder joints will be good then, as I did them they way you've described.

    If it does turn out that they're abit 'Cold' then i can just re-do and have some more soldering practice!

    Thanks again mate

    Tone

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Oz
    Posts
    92

    Default

    Hi guys,

    Well if any of you are interested, I took my boat out for a run today, after I installed a new flexshaft from kintec.
    Turns out i needn't of worried about my solder joints!

    My boat ran very well with the x440 prop, ammo 2300 motor and 6 cell nimhs, temps were in the 80s on motor and esc

    Then i tried one of my new 42x55 props with my 7 cell nimhs. Wow what a different boat!
    I could only use half throttle because the boat wanted to take off! (Water surface wasn't as flat as i'd liked)

    I'm looking forward to some more runs to get the best setup.


    Tone

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    95

    Default

    Which prop did you find to work best with your 7 cells?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Oz
    Posts
    92

    Default

    I use a 42x55 grim racer prop, and also a cf 45, the 42 gives more top end, but the cf 45 is more fun

    Tone

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •