Hi all,
I have always used cheap uncontrolled soldering irons with great success but recently went all out and bought a temperature controlled unit. Can someone please provide some insight or a rule of thumb for what temperature should be used when soldering 60/40 tin/lead solder? A quick google tells me that the melting point for this solder is 374 deg F (190 deg C), but this temperature is clearly too low judging by the results it gave me. I got much better results using 400 deg C, but I fear this may ruin sensitive components (such as my LM3875 chips). What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Greg.
I have always used cheap uncontrolled soldering irons with great success but recently went all out and bought a temperature controlled unit. Can someone please provide some insight or a rule of thumb for what temperature should be used when soldering 60/40 tin/lead solder? A quick google tells me that the melting point for this solder is 374 deg F (190 deg C), but this temperature is clearly too low judging by the results it gave me. I got much better results using 400 deg C, but I fear this may ruin sensitive components (such as my LM3875 chips). What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Greg.
The melting point of the solder is one thing, but the iron's job is to heat the joint hot enough to melt the solder.
Water freezes at 0 degrees, but if you want to freeze some you don't set the cooler to 0 degrees.
You are more likely to damage a circuit board or even parts with heat too low, honest. You want the iron hot enough to heat the joint quickly, so that solder melts into it freely, but also so heat doesn't have as long to move down the wires into the parts.
"I have always used cheap uncontrolled soldering irons with great success" is the most important thing you said. Your uncontrolled cheap iron has done a good job for you. That tells you your technique must be good enough, and that the iron temperature, whatever it was, was OK. It is not that critical.
I run a commercial repair shop, and I always use 700 degree tips in my irons. Sometimes I turn my desolder station up to 750 degrees, in particular when I have to suck out something on heavy wide traces, like a bridge rectifier snug against the board.
The key is to solder with confidence, Get on there, heat the thing up, flow solder into it and leave. When we start to worry about is it 8 seconds? or 10? or some such, I think we are more likely to underheat the joint leaving a poor joint. ANd when we solder confidently, we don't get into that pattern of solder, look at it, add some more solder, look at it, try and smooth it out with more heat, etc. ON it, and back off it.
Sorta like cooking rice, don;t lift the lid to look. Just do it and be done.
I have been soldering for about 55 years now, and I can;t say I have ever destroyed a component with heat. I make my share of mistakes, and I will admit to melting the contact out of the end of a fuse holder, but that isn't circuit board soldering. On a board I am more concerned over lifting a trace or pad than the parts themselves.
I think if you look at some IC data sheets there will be solder specs, so many degrees, so many seconds.
Water freezes at 0 degrees, but if you want to freeze some you don't set the cooler to 0 degrees.
You are more likely to damage a circuit board or even parts with heat too low, honest. You want the iron hot enough to heat the joint quickly, so that solder melts into it freely, but also so heat doesn't have as long to move down the wires into the parts.
"I have always used cheap uncontrolled soldering irons with great success" is the most important thing you said. Your uncontrolled cheap iron has done a good job for you. That tells you your technique must be good enough, and that the iron temperature, whatever it was, was OK. It is not that critical.
I run a commercial repair shop, and I always use 700 degree tips in my irons. Sometimes I turn my desolder station up to 750 degrees, in particular when I have to suck out something on heavy wide traces, like a bridge rectifier snug against the board.
The key is to solder with confidence, Get on there, heat the thing up, flow solder into it and leave. When we start to worry about is it 8 seconds? or 10? or some such, I think we are more likely to underheat the joint leaving a poor joint. ANd when we solder confidently, we don't get into that pattern of solder, look at it, add some more solder, look at it, try and smooth it out with more heat, etc. ON it, and back off it.
Sorta like cooking rice, don;t lift the lid to look. Just do it and be done.
I have been soldering for about 55 years now, and I can;t say I have ever destroyed a component with heat. I make my share of mistakes, and I will admit to melting the contact out of the end of a fuse holder, but that isn't circuit board soldering. On a board I am more concerned over lifting a trace or pad than the parts themselves.
I think if you look at some IC data sheets there will be solder specs, so many degrees, so many seconds.
Hand soldering always takes some practice yes. In our lab we usually set the irons a bit cooler than Enzo said: about 350C (660 F). That's usually enough to solder most components like resistors and semiconductors. Sometimes if we need to heat up large copper areas we turn up the iron to 400C (750 F).
Note that if you start using lead free solder (according to the new RoHS regulations for comercial electronics), you need higher temperatures..
Note that if you start using lead free solder (according to the new RoHS regulations for comercial electronics), you need higher temperatures..
Thanks for your replies.
It seems my guess at 400 deg C wasn't too bad. No wonder it worked so much better.
I've always soldered rather well (in my humble opinion) with my cheap irons. It's ironic that going to a better iron nearly ruined one of my projects due to a lack of experience!
Thanks,
Greg.
It seems my guess at 400 deg C wasn't too bad. No wonder it worked so much better.
I've always soldered rather well (in my humble opinion) with my cheap irons. It's ironic that going to a better iron nearly ruined one of my projects due to a lack of experience!
Thanks,
Greg.
I use pretty much the same settings as Bakmeel, 350 for normal and 400 when there is something heavy to do. One sign that you have turned it up too far is when the tip blackens really quickly, if the temperature is ok it tends to stay shiny 
My favourite solder actually had 2% copper, but I can't recall which of the lead or the tin was lower to make up for the copper. Not sure you can get it any more though.
Tony.
My favourite solder actually had 2% copper, but I can't recall which of the lead or the tin was lower to make up for the copper. Not sure you can get it any more though.
Tony.
You know, I actually think it's better to learn soldering using a crappy iron rather than using the top notch from day one. When you're forced to use a crappy iron, you automatically develop skills to get good results without relying on technology to do the job.
Then, when you finally get yourself a good solder station, you can appreciate it's better performance and you get the best out of it.
same thing here.
at work, we use about 300degC for pbfree with a hakko soldering station. 320/350degC for thicker traces.
My bench iron is a 25 year old 25 watt Weller magnetic switch temperature controlled type using a low voltage transformer dc supply. Never found anything it can't do within it's power capability. Then I have another Weller , 150 watt , again mag switch type temp controlled , for heavy cable , chassis and component work. I also have a 300 watt and even a Gas heated iron for anything that may need it !!
Recently a friend was trying to solder some terminals onto 0 gauge cable in an ICE install with an instant type soldering gun !! He was wondering why he was having no success until I took my 300 watter over , then he understood !!
Recently a friend was trying to solder some terminals onto 0 gauge cable in an ICE install with an instant type soldering gun !! He was wondering why he was having no success until I took my 300 watter over , then he understood !!
LOL...
I use only "SN62" (62/36/2) solder (last 2 % is silver).
It makes nice and shiny joints, and they are reliable for age and vibration...
My iron is usually set for 330-360º C
Arne K
melted rca jack, any advice?
I'm a complete novice at all things diy and audio, but enthusiastic and hoping to learn.
The one thing I thought I could do was solder quite well, lots of practice on Velleman kits (don't laugh). I have very limited funds at present but thought I could have a go at making some interconnects, so I've got a variety of cheap rca plugs and some wire.
Just tried to do first connection and I could 'feel' the centre pin wasn't getting hot enough and the solder wouldn't melt. I stopped and then realised that all I had done was melt the insulation plastic and I now have a very off centre pin.
Am I right in thinking I need to get the soldering iron hotter - it's a new cheap adjustable temperature one so I don't know what I'm adjusting the temperature to... Its 50W. Do I need a bigger tip? The solder is lead free silver solder.
I can't afford to experiment randomly and destroy any more plugs. Don't know if I'm posting this in the right place to get any response, but here's hoping. Feeling like an idiot female.
uplees8
I'm a complete novice at all things diy and audio, but enthusiastic and hoping to learn.
The one thing I thought I could do was solder quite well, lots of practice on Velleman kits (don't laugh). I have very limited funds at present but thought I could have a go at making some interconnects, so I've got a variety of cheap rca plugs and some wire.
Just tried to do first connection and I could 'feel' the centre pin wasn't getting hot enough and the solder wouldn't melt. I stopped and then realised that all I had done was melt the insulation plastic and I now have a very off centre pin.
Am I right in thinking I need to get the soldering iron hotter - it's a new cheap adjustable temperature one so I don't know what I'm adjusting the temperature to... Its 50W. Do I need a bigger tip? The solder is lead free silver solder.
I can't afford to experiment randomly and destroy any more plugs. Don't know if I'm posting this in the right place to get any response, but here's hoping. Feeling like an idiot female.
uplees8
Was trying to
Hurrah, the first response to my first ever question!
I have tinned the wire and was attempting to tin the pin on the plug when the melting incident occurred. The more I think about it, the more I suspect that I need to be hotter and quicker... And I'm going to have to re-melt the offending plug to bend it back again so that it's at least useable.
Thanks for bothering
Hurrah, the first response to my first ever question!
I have tinned the wire and was attempting to tin the pin on the plug when the melting incident occurred. The more I think about it, the more I suspect that I need to be hotter and quicker... And I'm going to have to re-melt the offending plug to bend it back again so that it's at least useable.
Thanks for bothering
I've found that some of the cheaper plugs & sockets with 'bright' plating don't tin at all well, and require a LOT of heat. No good if they are part of a plastic component.
The answer is to take off the bright plating with 800 or 1000 grade emery paper before trying to tin the solder tag.
50W of iron is enough I'd say. You'd only need more if you have BIG solder tags.
Those black emery boards for fingernails work well here - you can cut them with side-cutters into pointy shapes to fit into awkward spaces.
The answer is to take off the bright plating with 800 or 1000 grade emery paper before trying to tin the solder tag.
50W of iron is enough I'd say. You'd only need more if you have BIG solder tags.
Those black emery boards for fingernails work well here - you can cut them with side-cutters into pointy shapes to fit into awkward spaces.
Thankyou Steerpike,
The easy melting was the bit that surprised me, seems a bit daft when something has to be soldered. Guess that is what you get for not much money. Great tip with the emery boards. I have had another go with the iron hotter and have just about managed to make my first set of interconnects. Even straightened the offending plug up. It's all a learning curve and guess what..... they work! Sure no one is interested but me, but I am dead chuffed.
Thanks for help, still interested in what constitutes 'proper' solder though...
The easy melting was the bit that surprised me, seems a bit daft when something has to be soldered. Guess that is what you get for not much money. Great tip with the emery boards. I have had another go with the iron hotter and have just about managed to make my first set of interconnects. Even straightened the offending plug up. It's all a learning curve and guess what..... they work! Sure no one is interested but me, but I am dead chuffed.
Thanks for help, still interested in what constitutes 'proper' solder though...
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