how to solder electronics
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How to
How to Solder Electronics Learning to solder through-hole components is an
essential skill for any amateur hobbyist or electronic
professional. You can learn what equipment and
skills you'll need to get started soldering electronics
properly.
Getting the Necessary Equipment
1 Use a soldering iron with the appropriate heat
control. For soldering electrical components into
printed circuit boards, the best soldering irons are
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) safe, temperature-
controlled, high-power irons. These will let you
solder for hours, and are good for complex amateur
radio projects. For simple kits, an inexpensive pencil
iron will do just fine.
Use a fixed power soldering iron, 25W for small jobs,
and 100W for larger jobs with heavy cabling.
If possible, variable temperature irons are available,
which will make for the safest treatment of the
boards. The tip temperature can be controlled to suit
the size of the job.
2 Use solder wire of an appropriate alloy. The most
common solder alloy used in electronics is 60% tin
and 40% lead, sometimes notated as 60/40. This
alloy is recommended if you are new to soldering,
though it is somewhat hazardous, requiring proper
ventilation, breathing protection, or a soldering iron
with a vacuum attachment.
Various lead-free alloys are becoming popular
recently. These require higher soldering
temperatures and do not "wet" as well as Tin-Lead
alloys. However they are safer and can be more
effective. 96.5 % tin to 3.5% silver is the most
successful and will produce a joint with less
electrical resistance than any tin-lead alloy.
Both lead and lead-free formulations are available
online at places like solderdirect.com and in your
local Radioshack or Home Depot store.
3 Try to get flux-cored wire if possible. Flux is an
additive in solder that facilitates the soldering
process by removing and preventing oxidation and
by improving the wetting characteristics of the liquid
solder. There are different types of flux cores
available for solder wire.
Rosin is most commonly used by hobbyists. After
soldering, it leaves a brown, sticky residue which is
non-corrosive and non-conductive, but can be
cleaned if desired with isopropyl alcohol. There are
different grades of Rosin flux, the most commonly
used is "RMA" (Rosin Mildly Activated).
No-clean flux leaves a clear residue after soldering,
which is non-corrosive and non-conductive. This flux
is designed to be left on the solder joint and
surrounding areas.
Water-soluble flux usually has a higher activity that
leaves a residue which must be cleaned with water.
The residue is corrosive and may also damage the
board or components if not cleaned correctly after
use.
4 Get the necessary board and
components. Mostly, electrical soldering deals with
"through-hole" components, which are pressed into
printed circuit boards (PCBs). Through-hole
components have leads (wires or tabs) that pass
through a hole in the board and are soldered to the
pad of metal plating around the hole. The hole may
be "plated through" or not.
Soldering other electrical items such as wires or
lugs, have slightly different techniques, but the
general principles of operating the solder and iron
are the same.
5 Get a clamp to hold the components. Electrical
components are usually quite small, and you'll need
tongs, needle-nosed pliers, or tweezers to hold them
in place while you operate the soldering iron and
negotiate the solder. It can be a balancing act.
Some kind of clamp or stand is usually best to hold
the board in place while you solder the components.
Soldering the Components
1
Prepare the components for soldering. Select the
correct component by checking it's type and value
carefully. With resistors, check their color code.
Bend leads correctly, if necessary, being careful not
to exceed the stress specs, and clinch leads to fit
the board.
2 Be extremely careful and solder in an
appropriate location. Always solder in a well-
ventilated area, using breathing and eye protection.
Make sure to prop up the iron when it is on but not in
use. Irons can start fires quite easily by burning into
your workbench.
Seven to twelve inches of space should be between
the electronic components and your face, or it may
jump into your eyes. Solder may splatter.
3 "Tin" the solder. Melt a small blob of solder on end
of the soldering iron. This process is called tinning
and it helps to improve heat flow from the iron to the
lead and pad, keeping the board safe from the heat.
Carefully place the tip (with the blob) onto the
interface of the lead and pad. The tip or blob must
touch both the lead and the pad.
The tip of the soldering iron should not be touching
the nonmetallic pad area of the PCB, or any of the
fibreglass area surrounding. This area can be
damaged by excessive heat.
4 Feed the solder onto the interface between the
pad and lead. Flux from the solder wire is only
active for about one second maximum after melting
onto the joint as it is slowly burned off by heat. The
lead and pad should be heated enough for the
solder to melt not the connection point. The molten
solder should "cling" to the pad and lead together by
way of surface tension. This is commonly referred to
as wetting.
If the solder does not melt onto the area, the most
likely cause is insufficient heat has been transferred
to it, or the surface needs to be cleaned of grease or
dirt.
5 Stop feeding the solder interface is filled. No
more than a drop or two of solder should be
necessary for each joint, though it will vary slightly
for different components. The correct amount of
solder is determined by:
On plated-PCBs, you should stop feeding when a
solid concave fillet can be seen around the joint.
On non-plated PCBs, you want to stop feeding when
the solder forms a flat fillet.
Too much solder will form a bulbous joint with a
convex shape, while too little solder will form a
concave joint.
Soldering Well
1 Move quickly. Unfortunately, it's quite easy to
damage a component or the board with too much
heat. For the most part, however, you can keep the
components and the board safe by moving swiftly.
Keep a finger on the board nearby to ensure that it
doesn't get too hot.
Try to err on the side of irons that are slightly less
powerful than you think you might need. Use a 30
watt iron and practice soldering quickly so as to
avoid excessive heating.
If working with a double-sided circuit board check
both sides for good solder joints. A good joint will
look shiny and cone shaped. if it looks frosty and dull
then it is a cold joint.
2 Consider using heat sinks for sensitive
components. Some components (diodes,
transistors, etc.) are quite susceptible to heat
damage and require a small aluminum heat-sink
clipped on to their leads on the opposite side of the
PCB. Small aluminum heat sinks can be purchased
through electronics supply houses. Hemostats
(small) can also be used.
3
Learn to recognize when there is enough solder
present. After a proper application of solder, the
solder will be shiny and not dull. Visible indications
are the best way to know if your solder joint is good.
The solder needs to melt with the surface of the
electronic components, rather than the tip of the
soldering iron. This way, when the solder cools, it
forms an alloy with the surface of the metal.
The solder joint should coat the surface of the
component evenly, not too much such that it forms a
glob, nor too little such that it does not completely
coat the surface.
4 Keep the soldering iron clean. Burnt flux, rosin
from the core of the solder, or plastic sheaths from
wires may all burn onto the soldering iron. Such
contaminants prevent the formation of a clean alloy
between the electronic components. This is
undesirable, because it raises the electrical
resistance and also reduces the mechanical strength
of the solder joint. A clean tip is shiny all the way
around, without burnt gunk on it.
Clean the iron in between each component that you
solder. Use a damp sponge or steel wool to clean it
thoroughly. Tip thinner may also be used.
5 Make sure to let the solder cool completely
before moving the components. This cooling
should only take five to ten seconds. If the
components are too hot to handle, use needle nose
pliers, or a tool called helping hands which consists
of two alligator clips attached to a little articulated
stand. If you watch carefully, the cooling solder will
settle right before your eyes.
6
Practice on junk components. It's important to
practice on throwaway stuff before you move straight
to trying to solder something important. Gather some
old junk boars and burnt out components from a
junked radio or other electronic device to practice
on.
Nobody is perfect, not even the professionals. Don't
be ashamed to repeat a bit of soldering work. It will
save you time in troubleshooting later.
Introduction To Basic Electronics Hands-
on Mini Course
View more http://bit.ly/21S1LxX