>>Forgot to mention I solder using a $2 bottle of solder paste,
PLEEEEEeeeezzz don't use any form of soldering flux on electrical
joints other than the flux that comes already inside electronic
grade solder. Clean copper wires and/or tinned terminals solder
up VERY nicely with no additional active chemistry.
MOST if not all solder enhancers found in hardware stores contain
chemistry that is or will become corrosive with time and when
soldering large wires with lots of strands . . . the flux WILL
get into the stranding beneath your solder joint. There are
packaged fluxes for electronic service but you don't find them
in hardware stores. I've been soldering things electrical together
for over 40 years. Got rid of my first and only can of hardware
store solder paste about 38 years ago when I opened up a project
that had been in service about two years and found strange, white
fuzzy stuff on the joints and under the insulation for the wires.
> . . . . .60/40 solder
>and a hand held butane torch I got at the hardware for $12 or so. There
>are two types of torch--get the cheaper, less hot one that uses butane and
>not another hotter welding gas--you don't need it. The solder flows
>beautifully into every nook and cranny EVERY time and I remove excess flux
>with a spray can of solder joint cleaner.
These cleaners are typically designed for electronic service. The
weaker ones use some alcohols while the stronger cleaners get
really nasty with stuff like methyl-chloride. The artificial resins
found in modern electronic solders doesn't need to be cleaned off
but you can. I prefer to wipe the parts down with a rag dampened
with MEK, Acetone, or lacquer thinner. You need less liquid to wipe
and put fewer molecules of trash into the air.
> . . . . The result is a very shiny joint indeed.
Agreed . . . but the fluxes you find in hardware stores may
change the appearance of the joint radically in a few months.
> . . . By the way, I do crimp mechanically as well as solder.
Okay but not necessary. A properly soldered joint is just
as reliable as a properly crimped joint. I've published a technique
for soldering large terminals on fat wires at:
<http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/big_term.pdf> It's
a big file (lots of photos). If anyone has trouble downloading
and/or printing it, drop me a fax # and I'll send you a copy.
>Gary V wrote:
>Soldering? Ay caramba! We don't do no stinking soldering! Crimp them.
>And I was a soldering process engineer.
Given my druthers, I'd wish every builder to have every certified
crimp tool he needs to install every terminal in his project.
I've seen articles and witnessed too many attempts to "crimp"
terminals with home-made and/or manufactured tools of the wrong
type. There's nothing wrong with solder, it just takes some
different skills . . . . skills that are not difficult to acquire.
I been soldering "fat" terminals using the techniques described
in the above article for over 37 years . . . haven't had one
come loose or burn off yet . . .
Bob . . .
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