Soldering TP motor leads

[aj34me]

Has anyone had any issues getting solder to flow and stick to the wires on TP motors? I have tried to different types of flux liquid and paste. I have tried the Stay Brite liquid flux and silver solder. I also tried a different silver soldier and paste flux from a welding supply store. I have no issues with either solder flowing and sticking to the esc leads or the connectors. Any ideas will help.

[fweasel]

Those wire strands might be individually coated. You need to strip the coating off each strand before soldering. I've not done it myself, but have read about others burning it off with a torch or removing it mechanically.

[rol243]

the TP motors i have don,t have any insulation covering over the wire strands atall. doesn,t look to be motor winding wire as its silver like stainless wire not copper wire . i use a 40 / 60 general purpose reson cored solder with a good hot soldering iron.

[aj34me]

Ok, thanks for the information. The wires are a gold color like copper. I have taken a min torch to them in order to get them extremely hot as both of you have suggested. I even left one of them wires sun erased in the liquid flux for an extended amount of time hoping it would help. No such luck. It just beads up like water on a waxed surface. They do solder into the connectors and stay in place pretty good. But, if you pull on the connectors there is resistance but they will pull off. You can see that no solder is getting penetrating the stands of wire. I will try scraping the individual wires the best that I can and see if that helps. Thanks again.

[R2315]

Try this: Clean the wires, sand the strands if need be to remove the contaminates from before, no more flux, paste or torch. The two rosin core solder options below have worked well for me. Get a good soldering iron and take some time to tin the tip using some tip tinner if needed. You need to create the bond between the wire and the soldering tip. You're going to want to tin the wires on the motor as well. After that is done heat the bullet and push the solder in making a pool for the wire, now keeping the tip on the bullet heat the wire at the same time when the tinned wire is heated and the pool of solder in the bullet is liquid... dip the wire in while still keeping the bullet hot and the pool liquid, move the wire around a bit touching both the bullet and the wire at the same time with the tip, hold the wire still and remove the heat. Hope that helps and good luck!

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[R2315]

I had a similar problem before with the motor leads and changing my setup to the above I had no more issues getting the solder to flow into the wire, sort of had to work it in slowly but eventually tinned them up nice. Some of the previous solders I have used gave me problems as well.

[785boats]

An easy method to mechanically clean the enamel from the strands is to fan out all the individual strands on the bench & use the wire brush wheel in your Dremel tool spinning with the direction of the wire towards the end of it. Wash it then with methylated spirits, I think you call it denatured alcohol. Re-twist the strands. Then apply flux & tin with solder.

A chemical method is to spread the individual strands & lay them on an aspirin tablet, & lay your soldering iron on top until the aspirin starts to boil for a few seconds. Then wash off the residue with soap & water. Then re-twist the strands. Add flux, & tin with solder.
Be warned though, the fumes from the acid are noxious. I haven't tried this one but I understand it is effective on most types of enamel, but not all.

[aj34me]

Thanks to everyone for all the information. Motor leads are all soldered together and holding to where I can't pull them apart like before. It still didn't flow into all the strands like I would have wanted to. But, it is holding. There is definitely some type coating on these wires under the insulation that keeps the solder from flowing around them.
Thanks again to everyone.

[ray schrauwen]

Hopefully you will be ok. If smoke let's out on first test it may mean some strands did not get cleaned.

I use a chemical caustic solution. It's dangerous but it works. Investigate at your own discretion.

[Shooter]

An easy method to mechanically clean the enamel from the strands is to fan out all the individual strands on the bench & use the wire brush wheel in your Dremel tool spinning with the direction of the wire towards the end of it. Wash it then with methylated spirits, I think you call it denatured alcohol. Re-twist the strands. Then apply flux & tin with solder.

A chemical method is to spread the individual strands & lay them on an aspirin tablet, & lay your soldering iron on top until the aspirin starts to boil for a few seconds. Then wash off the residue with soap & water. Then re-twist the strands. Add flux, & tin with solder.
Be warned though, the fumes from the acid are noxious. I haven't tried this one but I understand it is effective on most types of enamel, but not all.

This is exactly what I did. I also fanned out the strands at 180deg and repeated the process. Worked very well.

[ray schrauwen]

This is exactly what I did. I also fanned out the strands at 180deg and repeated the process. Worked very well.

Yes it does but I'm impatient and like playing with dangerous chemicals

[fweasel]

Yes it does but I'm impatient and like playing with dangerous chemicals

'atta boy!

[Speed3]

A method that works for me is

1) Put a drip of flux in the connectors.

2) Heat the connector over fire in an upright position then hold the solder in the connector until it melts in to the connector while over the fire.

3) The solder has to be boiling in the connector, remove it from the fire then put one of the motor wires into the connector.

4) Let it cool enough to have it bond to the motor wire.

5) Drip a drop or two of the flux into the same connector with the wire.

6) Put it into fire again until the solder flows through the wire strands, you can apply more solder to your liking.

7) Remove it from the fire and let it cool.

8) Repeat for each connector and motor wire.

A tool to hold the connector upright in the fire is needed.