Which Soldering Iron?

[steve watkin]

Just starting out with electric and I need to solder EC5 connectors so i guess I have to buy a new soldering iron. What should I get? Need it to be as versatile as poss but it's main job will be on the EC5 and similar heavy duty connectors.

[Steve W-O]

Buy Antex or similar good make, it is worth it.

 

I have a 60W Antex, but most things I use a 25W Antex, and it does fine for XT60 and 4mm bullet connectors. A "40W" hardware store iron does not do the job.

[Daithi O Buitigh]

Personally I prefer a gas iron - I've a Solderpro 120 (available from Maplin) that is adjustable from low to 120 watt equivalant. Great when you need the extra power for heavy work (I also use it when I'm working on the co-ax up in the roof for my short wave aerialsas an elecric one doesn't reach that far but that's another matter)

 

Gas irons are also 'safer' if there's any CMOS circuitry involved as there's no static problems that can occur with a mains operated one

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

As Steve W-O sez a biggish iron is the way forward.....you need to get heat into the job as quickly as possible so you can take the iron off the job....a smaller iron will take longer & the surrounding parts will heat up, melting the surrounding plastic.

 

A good tip when soldering connectors is always to mate the one being soldered to another "dummy". The extra mass of the mating contacts acts as a heatsink to stop the plastic body melting & if it all goes a bit Pete Tong & the plastic body starts to melt then the mating half will keep everything lined up whilst the plastic cools & solidifies.....

 

Oh & 60/40 leaded solder is a good idea too if you can get it......melts at a lower temp than lead free & generally works better IMHO.....

 

My soldering iron only £2.99 but it does the job......also 60/40 Solder

 

HTH

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Daithi O Buitigh on 13/02/2012 14:01:00:

Personally I prefer a gas iron -................................I also use it when I'm working on the co-ax up in the roof for my short wave aerialsas an elecric one doesn't reach that far but that's another matter)

 

 

 

We are lucky, over here we have a wonderful invention called an extension cable, even works at the top of a 60' tower, where contrary to some beliefs, gravity did not stop the electricity getting to the top.

 

Gas irons are fine for certain applications, but I don't think I would suggest one for general modelling use

 

T h i s would be great for large connections and undercarriages etc

 

and a smaller 25W Antex for general use. Looked after will last for years. (several of mine are 20+ years old)

And I agree with Steve H, get 60/40 rosin cored solder, leave the leadfree junk for those accross the channel who insist on its use.

[Wingman]

Posted by Steve Hargreaves on 13/02/2012 14:02:52:

.

 

A good tip when soldering connectors is always to mate the one being soldered to another "dummy". The extra mass of the mating contacts acts as a heatsink to stop the plastic body melting & if it all goes a bit Pete Tong & the plastic body starts to melt then the mating half will keep everything lined up whilst the plastic cools & solidifies.....

 

*****************

 

I've found that this is not a good idea with deans connectors because, if the plastic melts slightly, the leaf springs push the contacts apart and can cause either a high resistance connection or no connection when mated to other deans connectors

[Plummet]

I spent some time working in the electronics industry. As a result I am used to using temperature controlled irons. Once you have used them you do not want to go back to the uncontrolled type.

 

There are two typed I have used. One is the "soldering station" type, where there is a twiddley knob on the front that allows you to select your temperature. The one of these that I now use is fairly low wattage, but is OK doe most electronic soldering tasks.

 

The other type is an old 60W iron I have where the bits have a megnetic widget in, and when the bit is up to temperature it loses its magnetism, and switches off the power. When it cools a bit, it regains its magnetism, and switched the power on again.

 

The advantage of this type is that it has loads of power, so can quickly get lots of heat into a structural joint being soldered, without having the bit too hot at any time.

 

For aeromodelling I strongly recommend a powerful temperature controlled iron.

 

Plummet

[ken anderson.]

i use an 80 watt from BRC Hobbies.......you can weld sheet steel with it(joke)..

 

 

ken anderson ne..1 welding dept....

[Wingman]

Plummet - that's the one I use as well - very good - you can still get them here

[Pete B]

I spent ages messing about with 40W irons, with all the usual difficulties with Deans, etc - when I started using XT60's it was near impossible to get a decent joint. Went to an 80W and soldering is almost a pleasure now...........

 

Pete

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Pete B on 13/02/2012 18:36:50:

I spent ages messing about with 40W irons, with all the usual difficulties with Deans, etc - when I started using XT60's it was near impossible to get a decent joint. Went to an 80W and soldering is almost a pleasure now...........

 

Pete

 

 

 

I find this interesting, as I use a 25W Antex for XT60 without any problem, but like I mentioned before, a 40W hardware store iron wouldn't do the job.

[Sparks]

Take a look at Dave's EEV Blog about soldering irons/tools for some wise words about soldering irons.

 

For those interested in the 'E' part of RCME, his other blogs may be of interest.

 

Sparks

 

[steve watkin]

This going to be OK?

 

Antex 100W

[Steve W-O]

Posted by steve watkin on 13/02/2012 20:09:22:

This going to be OK?

 

Antex 100W

 

 

 

That is the same as the one I gave the link for above. it will be fine for battery leads etc, but too big for general electronics, an ideal workshop iron.

[Vecchio Austriaco]

I use temperature controlled 25 or 6W irons (work both on the same station-in my case from Ersa) for the small stuff and a 100W cheap iron for the large stuff like 6mm2 connectors.

On the small one it is important to have a proper tip - for instance copper iron coated, those live much longer. And also try to get something with a very flexible cable (the temperature controlled stuff works with 12 or 24V - so no restrictions from cable standards

What I normally do is to change the cables from PVC to rubber where possible

(H05RR-F or H05RN-F) otherwise you can forget your soldering iron in a cold shed. PVC cables will be very stiff at the outside temp we have at the moment.

VA

[IanR]

I bought this from Maplins:-

http://www.maplin.co.uk/50w-solder-station-35016
I notice its down at £19.99, now, though I'm sure I remember paying 30 quid for the rotten thing. It comes with a pointed tip but you can get a set of 3 additional tips for £ 6.99 which includes a more useful chisel-shaped tip.

At first, after watching umpteen how-to videos on Youtube I struggled terribly trying to use an old iron which someone had given me and some sort of pistol-grip thing with a trigger which I picked up cheap from Netto or Aldi. Both useless.

Then I bought the above from Maplins and suddenly I could solder! I was able to do it exactly as I had seen on Youtube. Soldering bullet connectors to an ESC and Deans connectors onto batteries was an absolute doddle.

At the time, Maplins didn't sell 60/40 rosin cored solder and I got that from the LMS.

Regards

Ian

[steve watkin]

Thanks guys, the advice was very helpful. I've ordered an Antex 100w especially for the (EC5) battery connectors.

I have a smaller one in the workshop for the more intricate jobs.

Edited By steve watkin on 14/02/2012 09:19:56

[Barrie Dav 2]

Steve, make sure that you read the manual that comes with the iron. There is a correct way to 'tin' the iron. Also note that you should use a damp sponge/cloth to wipe the iron when in use and never file the tip or you will remove the coating.

[Cyclicscooby]

I've always used Weller Irons..
My current one is a base + stand, variable temp with digi display..
It's 19yrs old now, and hasn't missed a beat..
Very costly, but worth it IMHO..

Luv Chrisie.. xx

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

There's a lot of talk about 19 or 20 year old irons here - my Weller soldering gun must be about 43 years old now (I know it won't work for heavy duty soldering with its low heat capacity bits Timbo - although no-one's told it and I've been doing bullets and Deans very successfully with it for years).

 

The incredible thing is that bits are still readily obtainable - although I'm sure the new coated ones don't last a fraction a long as the plain copper ones it used to have.

 

I find that high silver content solder works much better than proper 60/40 for gold plated connectors - must get some more as I've run out! I've found that this is particularly good but I suspect any similar formulation would be effective.

 

If you use a portable gas iron you'll soon learn to position the exhaust vent carefully!

Edited By Martin Harris on 14/02/2012 17:22:20

[Seamus O'Leprosy]

sorry to go a bit sideways here, but does anyone know where you can get bulk (20mtr ish) fuse wire? I find it much better for binding and soldering piano wire.

[Sparks]

Hi Seamus,

Try CPC see - Tinned Cu - or their parent company, Farnell.

Sparks

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

Interestingly the day after I posted I had the Mother of all soldering jobs....I'd bought some 5400 2S LiPo batteries for my boys' buggies....they came with 10AWG (about 6 sq mm) wires & I had a heck of a job solding these to the XT60s I use in the buggies.....the conductor was too big for the solder bucket really.....

I managed it & its an OK job but I'm not proud of it.....I couldn't get enough heat into the wire to get the solder to flow nicely & leaving the iron on too long melted the connector body......

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I use two irons. I have a Weller gun-type iron for "serious" soldering - undercarriages and the like. Very good but as Chrissie says noy cheap. Also you need a bit of a different technique with it - a sort of "pulsing" the on/off trigger to control the temp.

My second iron and the one I use for finer work - including all electrical connectors - is an antex temperature controlled iron - as in the piccy below:

You'll have to click on that to see it!

As someone said above I love temperature controlled irons - once you've used one you wont go back.

BEB

[Daithi O Buitigh]

I've actually a collection from my days as a service engineer (later service manager) and while I do have the 'leccy ones (including the Weller gun and Antex), my normal one is a 120W equivalent gas job from Maplin.

Reasons are simple - it's portable (no mains socket required) and yes, I do know about extension cables but just can't seem to control my hand with 30 foot of heavy duty flex dragging on the butt end of the iron. Additionally, it works for any field repairs (when was the last time anyone saw a 13 amp mains socket at the typical flying field?). Again, not having a heating coil with its associated magnetic field, I don't have problems with static blowing any CMOS components (providing I remember to eath myself first).

Being variable temperature controlled, I can manage anything from surface mount components up to and including heavy duty co-ax and PL259 connectors (and the piano wire in the models) just by oving the slider gas regulator with my thumb