Tips on soldering Jaycar kits.

[Rumcajs]

Hello,

Anyone proficient in soldering electronic components like resistors, diodes etc on to PCBs.

I found some useful kits in Jaycar shop I wanna use in Patrol, trouble is they all come unassembled and my soldering duties/skills  were/are mostly automotive cables and terminals.

 

Any pitfalls or what to watch out for? Perhaps extra pieces in the toolkit required not to stuff up or make the job easier/quicker.

 

Cheers

[admin]

Tip - Hot iron, solder quick.

 

You want to heat the joint to be soldered as quickly as possible apply solder (and have it melt around immediatly), hold the iron until you see the solder 'fall' into place, and remove the iron - keeping the joint as still as possible the whole time.

 

I find if the iron is not hot enough, it takes a while to heat the joint and solder - which isnt goodf for components.

[Rumcajs]

Tip - Hot iron, solder quick.

 

You want to heat the joint to be soldered as quickly as possible apply solder (and have it melt around immediatly), hold the iron until you see the solder 'fall' into place, and remove the iron - keeping the joint as still as possible the whole time.

 

I find if the iron is not hot enough, it takes a while to heat the joint and solder - which isnt good for components.

 

Indeed that is my concern, how does one know then the soldering iron is hot enough to not cause the damage and I hate to rush.

Really not looking forward to this......

Cheers

[Glort]

I think as long as the iron is not ridiculously hot so as to burn off the flux in an instant, It's more of a time Vs Heat type deal. 
If the iron is hot then the application time is shorter, less heat goes to the component. Some components are hard to cook anyway and other sensitive ones you get round by soldering in a socket first and put the component in that.  Worth the money I think. 

I have also built a number of those  kits and find the components to be rather robust. I have a friend who has brought a couple to me to be fixed and the soldering on those needs to be seen to be believed how wrong someone can get a simple skill. 
Still, When the diode has be turned the right way, The dry joints re soldered and that chunk of solder bridging the 2 copper tracks removed, They all tend to work despite  the wrecking ball like precision applied in construction. 

 

Anyway, your concerns are enough to more than justify the Purchase of a nice new scope iron with digi temp readout and instant heating etc.  

 

That said, Many years ago my electronics iron crapped itself and I was wanting to do a quick job before sitting down to work out what new flash Iron I wanted. 
I happened to be in one of those $2 type shops and spotted a small iron for $5. Good enough for one job I thought. 

I have lost count how many jobs I have done with that iron not to mention how many times I have left the thing on for days at a time without realising and just what unbelievable value that cheap POS iron has given me. 
It's a bit slow to heat up but once it does, the temp is good, it holds the heat well and makes good joints. 
I massaged the tip to what I wanted and it works great. 

Every time I use the thing I'm always reminded how cheap the thing was and how it has outlasted many other irons I had costing magnitudes more. 

[twisty]

I was taught to solder in the military.

 

1.  Correct temp.  Test temp by wiping soldering tip on a damp cloth (this also cleans it).  You should hear water evaporating (sizzle) but not burn the cloth.  Then "tin" the iron tip.  Solder should melt on the tip within 2 seconds and appear "shiney".  Tin component leads.

 

2.  Position components and create a "heat bridge" between them.  Do this by touching the iron tip to both components surfaces.  When you see the component surfaces go "shiney" apply solder on the heat bridge.  Remove solder then the iron tip from the soldered surface.  Finished joint should be smooth with no excess solder.  Repeat step 1 before next joint.

 

3. Practice makes perfect.

 

Hope this helps.