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Soldering Techniques

Half the secrets of successful soldering are CLEAN soldering iron tip and CLEAN metal surfaces to be soldered. The other half secrets lie in proper soldering techniques.

• Ensure that the surfaces of parts to be soldered are thoroughly CLEAN. Use wire wool or fine emery cloth or alcohol to clean the surfaces off dirt, oil, grease etc. if necessary.

• Solder being a soft material, a good mechanical connection of parts to be soldered, prior to soldering is essential. Twist the wire strands together, wrap the wires around each other or around terminal post and bend the component leads to 45 deg. after inserting in PCB holes.

• DO NOT APPLY SOLDERING TIP HEAT DIRECTLY TO THE SOLDER. This will cause the flux to evaporate and the solder will not whet the surface to be soldered. Apply the heat to the component leads/tags/wires and melt the solder onto the surface to be soldered.

• DO NOT INHALE NASTY SOLDER FUMES !

• DO NOT APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE ON THE JOINT while soldering.

• When the solder has flown into the joint, first remove the solder wire away and then smoothly slide the iron away leaving the joint neat. The soldering process should be finished in 2-3 sec. for electronic soldering.

• To avoid joint/wire moving while being soldered and while the joint is setting, a soldering aid tool such as long nose pliers can be used to hold component/wire in place. After solder wire and iron are removed from the joint, you may blow air on the heated soldering joint to speed the process of setting. It will only take 2-3 sec. for setting of the joint.

• A GOOD SOLDERING JOINT is characterized by smooth shining surface of uniformly flown optimum amount of solder.

• DO NOT OVERHEAT ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS WHILE SOLDERING. Hold the wire/component with long nose pliers to dissipate heat away from the component.

• DO NOT APPLY EXCESS SOLDER. Excess solder can fill up sockets, freeze switches, cause short circuits and result in a dry (dull finish) soldering joint.

• To de-solder a joint, apply heat and use long nose pliers to separate joint. Remove used solder from the surfaces using soldering iron and de-soldering tools. Use new solder when re-soldering.

Check out Better soldering Guide for following details.

• How to care for your tip.

• The correct way to solder.

• The operator's effect on soldering process.

• Reliable solder connection.

• Key points to remember in soldering.

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