Hey everyone

It's time to step up the electrical game and start soldering connections for the best results.

For all you pros, what is the best kind of soldering gun and which solder to use for working on our vehicles?

Thanks

Moved to appropriate sub forum.
-mod-

Depends on what I'm doing.
Battery cable ends I use propane torch
Electrical either the gun type like a 150-200 watt weller for big suff with ample space (making CB coax for example or solder on terminal on wire) where excessive heat is non issue. Finer repairs and cable building at work I use a pencil type about 25- 35 watts.

I'm by no means an expert but I've gotten along well. I use a rosin core solder mainly if two or three sizes

I want a butane powered one for field repair (at work mainly)


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Good rule to follow is - crimp before solder. Be sure to purchase quality connectors similar to the ones you get from Ancor and you'll have a much better connection than one that is soldered.

A quality connector is annealed, almost solid all the way around the barrel because they are weleded or brazed allowing you to crimp anywhere. There are serrations in the barrel, tin-plated to prevent corrosion, and the insulation is NOT PVC but nylon.

If you need to solder I have an ESD (Electro Static Discharge) compliant Weller analog soldering station for all of my PCB work with a rubber mat. I also have a handheld Weller soldering iron. It's portable and rarely gets used.

Good article on ESD

For all of your needs, I would recommend a hand-held soldering iron for around $20- $35 and a few soldering tools. I also like to use an extra set of hands with the magnifying glass. Invest in a pair of Klein wire strippers. Guaranteed you'll get a quality 5/16" strip every time.

Not sure if there's any books out there but I would recommend you get yourself some wire and solder and practice for a while until you feel proficient. Have fun!!

My bench is a mess but here's what I have set up.

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Be sure to use the 60/40 rosin core solder. Temperature is lower and safer for the electrical connections. That's 60% tin and 40% lead. You can get 50/50 or 40/60.

Weller is a known brand, but they are made in china.

check Wall Lenk. they are made in the US, and very nice.

oh, and just a bit of financial advice.

you can buy solder in 1/4oz tubes, its about $8.
or you can buy it in a 1lb roll, for around $25.

if you know its the correct stuff, I suggest just getting a 1lb roll to start.

63/37 is better. Radioshack sells some that also has silver that's still eutectic, if you need a local source.
https://www.radioshack.com/products/...ant=5717828165
I have no idea how they are still in business.

I work in the aerospace industry. As part of my job, I'm certified in flight soldering, and PACE certified for SMT soldering. I have very high end equipment at work and home. Far beyond what most fellow geeks would ever need.

That said, my go to soldering iron for field work is a Weller P2K butane model. It comes with several attachments. It heats up within a minute, and can run for an hour on a single fill. Includes a small solder tip, a mini heat gun tip (great for shrink tubing), and a hot knife blade, which also works well for soldering large lugs.



It's only $53 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Weller-P2KC-P...dp/B000WOHSHM/

I've had mine for years. Fantastic product!

You are spot on with the 63/37 solder recommendation. The problem with the more common 64/40 solder is it has a longer "plastic" phase. When the heat is removed, the wire can wiggle, ending up with a cold solder joint. For flight grade connections, we use the 63/37 blend as the solder solidifies much quicker when heat is removed.

Use RMA (Rosin Mildly Activated) rosin. NEVER use RA flux as it will corrode the termination over time. RMA flux does not require cleaning afterwards, but we do to inspect the work. A little isopropyl alcohol and a trimmed acid brush work wonders.

And for flight terminations, we are NOT allowed to crimp AND solder. One or the other. A proper crimp is as good as a solder connection (not my opinion, but based on many studies by the military and NASA). The worst thing you can do is solder, then crimp. A crimp requires the wire to push back after compression. If the wire has been soldered, it won't do so as well... buying you nothing. But for years, I crimped, then soldered. Only later, after formal training, did I learn it wasn't worth the extra effort. But people can do whatever makes them happy.

The key is a proper crimp, using a crimping tool and fittings sized correctly for the wire. Pliers won't do it since the crimp needs to squeeze the wire from all sides. I don't even like the crimping notches built into wire strippers since they do a bad job.

I don't like crimp connections, but I will admit it is probably the most appropriate connection for big wire, like 4 gauge or larger. It's nearly impossible to get enough heat into wire like that with normal soldering equipment without also melting any insulation.

Not sure why I didn't mention it before, but I'll only use a temperature controlled soldering station for any sensitive electronics. I use a Hakko 936, which I think might be discontinued now, but Hakko makes other similar soldering stations for around $100. For example https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11704

Weller soldering stations with a fixed temperature that is determined by the tip are OK too, but they are not as easily adjustable (have to replace the tip to increase the temperature). The main thing to look for is a thermostat that regulates the temperature, whether it's fixed or adjustable, as opposed to a cheap Radioshack soldering iron that will keep getting hotter until it burns anything it touches and that won't heat up quickly when it cools off.

That's very true about the crimper, AND the lug itself. They are NOT all equal!

My go-to crimper of choice is an Amphenol 59250 model. New, it's $1500. I got spoiled at work using one, but couldn't justify buying one for home. So I searched on eBay, and they're fairly common. Can get a good used one for $74-$125. I got a used one, then my father asked why I'd spend so much for a used crimper. He tried it, then had to have one. I gave him mine, I bought another one. My friend bought one 2 weeks ago after trying mine.

I also use Amphenol lugs and splices almost exclusively. The section that holds the wire is tapered (no bird caging of conductors), and has a crimp section that holds/supports the wire's insulation. They cost more, but last a lifetime. I've never had one fail, even on connections inside Blackhawk helicopters installed more than 20 years ago.

My full up soldering station at work, and an identical one at home, is made by PACE:

For soldering in the field, I used Master Appliance for years (issued by the company). Retired now and still power it up now and then.
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2007 SE V6 Titanium

I have the Weller P2K as well. I've had mine going on 15+ years. It's bulletproof!!


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best bang for your buck hands down. weekly use lasted about 6 years.

I use Weller and Hakko soldering iron at work and 60/40 solder.