Metropoulos Forum

I am a newbie at all this and would appreciate help with a very easy question. I was told that you can ruin non-electrolitic capacitors when soldering them in a circuit because heat can travel up the lead and destroy it. I was also told that there is some sort of clip you must put on the lead to protect it. I just wanted to verify that this is correct. I also would like some advice on where to start soldering for practice. I am trying to get my skills up to par because I want to convert my '79 2203 to a super lead with one of George's boards. I would like to do all the work myself, including putting the board together. I really appreciate everyone on this forum and how glad they are to help a newbie like me. Thanks.

No problem and we are glad to help.

However, just for your sake, don't believe ANYTHING you read online unless it comes from this board! I've never in my life ever heard of destroying caps by getting them too hot. That clip they speak of is a heat sink clip and is used for soldering in transistors and other semiconductors. These are really the only components you have to worry about as far as heat goes.

Jon

You don't have to worry about heat damage on large scale capacitors, but the little ones like you'd see in your guitar's control cavity can get a beating from the heat. To prevent this, hook up some hemostats to the lead your soldering. This is the "poor man's heat sink".

Well, I guess that puts me in the "Poor Man" catagory

"Hemos" are a God-send and I have been using them for years.

Another good investment, that cost little but goes a long way, is a lead bender; they make for a NEAT job.