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What kind of soldering iron do you use?

DK5

DK5

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I'm having difficulty with making new power window harnesses with my current iron. Its not heating it up enough and I'm basically melting the solder onto the wire and spreading the melted solder. My understanding is that its supposed to heat up the wire enough (like plumbing solder) that you can just touch the solder to the wire and it absorbs and makes a strong bond.

So I'm thinking of getting a different soldering iron or trying something different. What says the brotherhood?
 
I'm an electronics engineer, and I do a lot of soldering. So, I have several irons. But, basically I use 3.
For big jobs, like soldering heavy wire and making connections like you are talking about, I use this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Weller-D550PK...S1/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1313345339&sr=8-16

In an emergency, you can wrap a short piece of heavy copper wire sharpened to a point around the hot spot on it, and do small work. But I don't recommend it.

For general circuit board work, I use this one.

http://www.amazon.com/WTCPT-Tempera...W463/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1313345339&sr=8-5

Had mine for over 20 years. 60 watts, so it cranks out the heat, but temp. controlled so it does not burn up what you are soldering.
Lots of tip types available, easy changing with no tools.

Then, in my truck, I carry this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Weller-TCP12P...CZ4Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313345973&sr=8-2

40watt, so it also cranks out the heat, but is also temp controlled and uses the same tips as the station.

NOTE: These are pro irons. I see where they are made in Mexico, so I don't know if the quality is still there, but Weller is a "name", so hopefully they are still up to standards.
Point is, don't spend this kind of money for one job. The big gun is worth it for occasional use, but the others are pricey.
I have to depend on my solder joints being right every time, so I go with the good stuff.
If all you want to do is solder a wire or two, grab the gun, or go with a cheaper iron.

Plus, if you can find any 60/40 rosin core real lead solder, grab it. Even if its the old Kester44.
I bought out the entire stock of Savabit Mulitcore solder a mail order outfit had in many sizes a few years back, so I'm doing OK.
I have some of the lead-free crap for places that have to maintain ROHS standards, but when it has to work, I use lead.
I also have some tips that I use just for the lead-free stuff.
Another nice part about the Wellers.
 
Still using my dads old Weller gun that was passed down to me...if I ever needanother soldering iron I'll buy one just like it at a flea market--the old ones seem to last forever and you can score them very cheap there--I look for aincirnt rolls of solder there too,often you'll see a big pile of stuff someone got cleaning out an old workshop at an estate sale that almost always had a roll of old solder in it,and they'll sell it cheap...I like using real leaded 50/50 solder on radiators and other plumbing but its no longer sold ,so places like those are the only place to score any now..

If I need to solder thick wires like 10 gauge up to battery cable size,I use a propane torch or one of those mini butane torches..even a high watt soldering iron has a hard time heating that much copper up and wont do a good job..

I always use rosin core solder on wires--I'm surprised how many "experienced" mechanics use plumbing acid core solder and flux paste on WIRES!..and think its the right stuff and will argue they are right till they are blue in the face...wonder if they will change their minds when the vehicle comes back a year later and the same wires are dorroded to death!...?
 
For most automotive stuff a good 100-140watt iron is what you need.

Something like this
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I'm also an engineer and have used just about every Iron made. Hacko and Metcal irons are great for soldering electronic parts but are just to much of a hassle when you just want to solder wires. The gun style solder irons offer instant on capabilities and cool down relatively quickly.

Choosing an Iron depends on what you are soldering. For electronic parts you want to be able to tightly control temperature to keep from damaging the circuits and circuit boards. That is where a hacko or metcal iron is king. For wire you have no such restriction. Different guage wires will act as a heat sink. This is where when your iron is hot then you stick it to a wire and it no longer melts the solder. The wire basically sucked all the heat out of the iron. Or you end up with clumpy solder joints.

That is why I recomend a minimum of a 60w iron on automotives wires. You need something that can dump more heat in the the wire you are working with can disapate. I would also recomend looking at the type of solder you are using. Since "green" is the new "in" thing they have moved to a silver based solder and removed the lead from solder. This solder works but requires higher temperatures and does not flow as well. I always choose 60/40 tin/lead rosin core solder. Requires less heat and flows much better.
 
You want something temperature regulated for electronics work. For soldering wires up to about 12 gauge, a $15 Walmart special is all you need (30-45W). For big wires you need more heat. For the really big stuff you just need a torch at some point. With some practice you can solder up to 1 gauge with a cheap propane nozzle without burning up the insulation. Then you can just use the cheap Harbor Freight irons for your face stabbing needs.
 
for circuit boards, a soldering station is hard to beat, for soldering wires, and heat shrinking, i use a butane powered soldering torch, with the blowtorch tip on it.
 
For general stuff I use a 60-watt Weller...basic, single temp "plug in to the wall unit". Works fine for 90% of the stuff I need it for but had real trouble with bigger stuff like amp wires and battery cables.

I picked up a Weller PortaSol unit a few months back and it's been amazing. It's got a tight, controllable flame with the "torch" tip that's perfect for bigger stuff like 4 and 2 gauge without having to take it out of the vehicle or worry about burning up something else.
http://www.amazon.com/Weller-P2KC-Professional-Self-igniting-Soldering/dp/B000WOHSHM
 
I'd be curious how that holds up for ya long term.. i had Snappies for a while and LOVED it, but I kept eating push-button/igniters in it... it's perfect for marine stuff...
 
i thought so.. i liked it just got tired of fixing it.. must have a heavy thumb...
 
cdoggwsu said:
For general stuff I use a 60-watt Weller...basic, single temp "plug in to the wall unit". Works fine for 90% of the stuff I need it for but had real trouble with bigger stuff like amp wires and battery cables.

I picked up a Weller PortaSol unit a few months back and it's been amazing. It's got a tight, controllable flame with the "torch" tip that's perfect for bigger stuff like 4 and 2 gauge without having to take it out of the vehicle or worry about burning up something else.
http://www.amazon.com/Weller-P2KC-Professional-Self-igniting-Soldering/dp/B000WOHSHM
Click to expand...

cdoggwsu said:
Yeah I've only used it a half dozen times so far so we'll see how it holds up but thus far I'm quite impressed.
Click to expand...

The one that I've been trying to use is a Weller 60W pen type, plug it in and its on. I'm only going up to 12ga so what am I doing wrong? Is it right that I have to melt the solder onto the wire?? I'm thinking of plumbing, you heat the pipe and touch the solder to it-and it absorbs. Doesn't it work that way with soldering wires? forgive my lack of knowledge, I've never done this :doah:
 
subbing to see the answers given, i'm a soldering noobtard. end up just melting the solder to the iron and dripping it onto the wire. that cant be right.
 
DK5 said:
The one that I've been trying to use is a Weller 60W pen type, plug it in and its on. I'm only going up to 12ga so what am I doing wrong? Is it right that I have to melt the solder onto the wire?? I'm thinking of plumbing, you heat the pipe and touch the solder to it-and it absorbs. Doesn't it work that way with soldering wires? forgive my lack of knowledge, I've never done this :doah:
Click to expand...

Are you just soldering wire-to-wire? I've found that letting the iron heat up for a good 10 or 15 mins before I try to use it makes a huge difference. Too often if I try to use it as soon as it gets "hot" it's really not up to a good working temp. With the electric iron it won't be quite as fast as a plumbing joint but if you're holding it forever on the wire and nothing is happening either your iron is too cold or your wire is heatsinking too fast for the iron to keep up.

That's why I'm really digging this gas torch type unit. I still use the electric with a pen tip for small wire and pcb/breadboarding stuff but for primary wire connections it really is just like plumbing. Hit it quick with the flame and touch it with the solder. No cold joints, no drips and it's fast enough that there's no damage to the surrounding jackets. Don't even have to switch hands to slip the heat shrink up and hit it with a little hot air.
 
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