Re: rear-window defroster-connection

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Rose <pjrose@servtech.com>
To: quattro@coimbra.ans.net <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Saturday, August 01, 1998 2:31 PM
Subject: rear-window defroster-connection


>Well, while waiting for some qlist BTDTs regarding resoldering a detached
>electrical connector to the edge of the rear window (gulp, it happened to
>the connector for the ground wire--on the right edge), I asked around
>locally. One auto glass repair guy said he doesn't try to do it "any more"
>because sometimes the window cracks (just replace the glass, he glibly
>advised). An Audi repair shop claimed to have some limited success doing
>the resoldering, but that their failures were not because the glass cracked
>(just bad solder-joints, I guess).
>
>So I'm inclined to give it a try myself in the near future (oh yeh, I'd
>best  get my ohmmeter out first and verify that there is good continuity
>from the power connctor all the way to the ground connection point.)
>
>I have a 120W soldering gun and a 45W iron. Will probably use silver
>solder, which I assume will require low(est) heat. I think the 45 watt iron
>would be adequate (and safer), considering that the metal spade-connector
>is quite small and the glass is not a great heat conductor. Any words of
>warning or encouragement?
>
>Phil
>
>Phil Rose Rochester, NY
>'89 100
>'91 200q pjrose@servtech.com
>
Hi Phil;

    The silver solder I've worked with has a higher melting point than
conventional lead/tin solder. There is a low melting point solder available
which can be melted with a match flame (for those emergency roadside
electrical repairs, I assume), but I don't know of a source for it.
    A technique I have used with some success in the past (but not for this
particular job) is to plate the solder on to one part first, apply flux to
both parts, place the parts together and apply heat. This generally makes
for a neat (no great gobs of solder running all over the place), fast
connection with minimum heat transfer.

Good luck! Let us know how you make out!

Fred Munro
'91 200q  256k km