Soldering Pots?
Moderator: VelvetGeorge
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badfinger
- Senior Member
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 2:18 pm
- Location: U.K.
soldering pec pots
Hi, an old thread but thought id through in my two pennys worth.
First, Stainless Steel has a Low Thermal Conductivity, so only the actual point of contact with the Soldering Iron Tip will get hot enough for the solder to melt.
Second, Stainless Steels surface contains Oxides that protect it from corrosion, and make it difficult to solder to.
No amount of heat can compensate for incorrect flux. 60/40 tin lead solder melts at around 190DegC
I use a phosphoric acid based flux, to desolve the oxides. You dont need to get the pot red hot, i find a conventional 30Watt iron is usually enough.
First, place a small drop of flux on to the pot, wet your iron tip with some solder, this helps to transfer the heat from your iron tip to the pot. Stroke the back of the pot lightly with the iron tip over a small say 5mm area, as if you were trying to scratch the pot, just to spread the heat around a bit. After about 10 seconds or so, the area should be hot enough for the solder to melt and stick correctly. Continue stroking the area as you feed in a small amount of solder previously dipped in the flux. The solder should form a nicely wetted pool. IF the solder keeps setting as you stroke, the soldering area is not hot enough, so just keep stroking for a bit longer!!!!! Once the pool has formed, place the previously tinned buss wire into the pool, keeping the heat applied. And most important, clean the soldered area, with say a damp cotton bud to neutralise the acid.
The same technique can be used, with non stainless pots and conventional ersin multicore solder, its possibe to solder a wire to a 6inch long 1/2inch diameter stainless steel tube with a 30watt iron with this technique.
Hope this helps.
First, Stainless Steel has a Low Thermal Conductivity, so only the actual point of contact with the Soldering Iron Tip will get hot enough for the solder to melt.
Second, Stainless Steels surface contains Oxides that protect it from corrosion, and make it difficult to solder to.
No amount of heat can compensate for incorrect flux. 60/40 tin lead solder melts at around 190DegC
I use a phosphoric acid based flux, to desolve the oxides. You dont need to get the pot red hot, i find a conventional 30Watt iron is usually enough.
First, place a small drop of flux on to the pot, wet your iron tip with some solder, this helps to transfer the heat from your iron tip to the pot. Stroke the back of the pot lightly with the iron tip over a small say 5mm area, as if you were trying to scratch the pot, just to spread the heat around a bit. After about 10 seconds or so, the area should be hot enough for the solder to melt and stick correctly. Continue stroking the area as you feed in a small amount of solder previously dipped in the flux. The solder should form a nicely wetted pool. IF the solder keeps setting as you stroke, the soldering area is not hot enough, so just keep stroking for a bit longer!!!!! Once the pool has formed, place the previously tinned buss wire into the pool, keeping the heat applied. And most important, clean the soldered area, with say a damp cotton bud to neutralise the acid.
The same technique can be used, with non stainless pots and conventional ersin multicore solder, its possibe to solder a wire to a 6inch long 1/2inch diameter stainless steel tube with a 30watt iron with this technique.
Hope this helps.