[s-cars] Proper Solder Technique?

[Fred Munro]

Hi Igor;

 AKAIK nickel usually requires a special flux (i.e. zinc chloride).
Electroless nickel requires a flouride-based flux. Since most people solder
with the common acid-based flux designed for copper pipe (not a good idea on
wiring, folks!) or rosin-based flux for copper electrical wiring, trying to
solder Ni or Ni-Cr wiring usually doesn't go very well. I've never had much
luck trying to solder Ni-Cr wire using the common solders and fluxes - the
wire just doesn't wet.

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-admin at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-admin at audifans.com]On Behalf Of Igor Kessel
Sent: October 8, 2002 3:24 PM
To: s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Proper Solder Technique?


Fred Munro wrote:
>
> Hi Jim;
>
> Some high-nickel wire types don't take solder well.

Fred,
isn't Ni wettable by Sn? I used micro spot welded to a steel substrate
tiny 100% Ni strips to enable wire soldering.
Also, I am pretty sure that all the tips for my two Wellers are Ni
plated too. I shriver when I recall the perpetually oxidising pure Cu
tips on the simple soldering irons that I used in the 1970-s when I
started in the Electronics as a hobby first. I ended up building my own,
fountain pen sized soldering pensil out of the burnt hotplate ceramic
heater/spiral and a little 220v to 36v transformer.

Bill,
About Weller soldering pensils. Yes indeed a good temperature controlled
quick-heating station with a digital tip temperature readout costs a lot
of money. Mine was ~$800. No, I didn't buy it myself ;-)

I also have a regular Weller pensil with a stand, with a large 3/32"
chisel for those crude automotive soldering jobs. In a word, I do like
Weller brand a lot.

Also, you may want to consider the Portasol SPI-100K butane gas powered
soldering kit. I used a similar tool out in the field and found it
adequate. Of course, nothing beats a regular good electric soldering
iron.

--
Igor Kessel
two turbo quattros
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