jwc Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 I bought a new solder gun as the one I had bit the dust. This new one is something like 230/150 watts...has two settings. The thing works great and I can solder super fast with good "cosmetic" results. However, I noticed that one of my Mills resistors was "sticky" after installation. The casing must have gotten a little hot and the plastic or whatever on the outside "warmed up". Visually, the resistor appears fine. My question is this: Can high heat destroy crossover components. What is the limit? I hooked up my network and it sounded great...Can't notice any audible difference. jc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Absolutely it can! You can very easily damage components and speaker tinsel leads with too much heat. You should have got yourself a nice Hakko or Weller solder station with adjustable temperature settings. Usually about 700-750 degrees should do the trick for standard soldering. I have an older Hakko 926 solder station and I get it calibrated every so often as well. Nothing like having the right tool for the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 aside from the settings mentioned already....old school soldering techniques recommended that you put a needle nose plier between the soldering gun and the componet being soldered on the lead. so if you were soldeirng a resistor...you would hold the lead with the pliers....this acts like a heat sink drawing heat away from the part and into the pliers. also, a small bit of solder flux helps reduce the amount of heat needed to make the solder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwc Posted May 16, 2006 Author Share Posted May 16, 2006 So what do you think a good temp is for using XO components....750 degrees? I had planned on getting a nice solder unit and probably will later. I liked the real cheap one I had and gotten used to it. However, wasn't hot enough. The technique of the pliars I've tried. Difficult at times getting a "drip" of soldier on the tip to apply as both hands ar taken up by holding the pliars and the Gun. Didn't really worry about all the capacitors and inductors I soldered because it was so quick. They didn't get too hot.....could touch em. The resistor was in an awkward spot and had to piddle some. Sounds fine...if replaced...just about 50 cents. jc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 the copper Monster cable connection to one of the mid-range horns is loose, it is soldered to a spade connector on the driver, how hot do I need to get the iron to solder this connection better? How do I clean it before I solder it? Do I need a tip on my cheap solder iron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 I like models with 2 trigger pulls...slight pull will get you lower wattage/lower heat output, full trigger pull will get you full wattage rating and highest heat out put. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 JC, Where are you getting Mills resistors for 50 cents? Dean and I discussed heat sinking. He uses metal clips on the leads between the solder joint and component itself to help absorb some of the heat befoe it gets to the component. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 can expereinced solderers clamp the circuit board on its side to solder, so that the heat goes up past side of the cap and not directly towards it? seems like holding the cap above the solder point could easily cause heating problems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 It supposedly doesn't take much heat to damage the film of a metallized cap. Film and foils do better here because the tin is a separate layer and the leads are soldered to it -- not so with metallized types. If you are using a gun, I woudn't use more than 75 watts. If the joint is big, in that it has several components tied together -- definitely use a little bit of flux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwc Posted May 16, 2006 Author Share Posted May 16, 2006 Mark. That is a great Idea! Man I have some big alligator clips that will be easy to use. I don't know why I didn't think of that. Colin....not sure I can answer your question. I will say that I struggled with a weeny solder gun on big gauge items. For instance, I was Soldering a 2 different 12 AWG Solen Air Core inductors to one 12 AWG stranded copper wire. It was a pain in the ___! This higher powered gun did it in a second and nice looking w/o a mess. Before I was getting clumps. Mark. You know, I forgot the price of the Mills resistors. I think I got them confused with other resistors. Anyhow, I don't remember them being that expensive. I may abort soldering them to the autoformer. jc Dean...just saw your post after I had already posted this. I may consider a lower power unit for smaller items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Alligator clips are what most people use. The problem with a gun is that it harder to keep the tip clean. A clean tip transfers heat very quickly, a dirty one doesn't. A 40 watt pencil iron with a high quality tip that's clean will transfer heat better/faster than a 75 watt gun with a dirty tip. Stay away from cheap stuff too. Colin probably remembers me trying to solder that cap back into Dee's Peach in Arkansas last year when it got damaged in shipping. The only iron we had was BEC's emergency iron from his truck. The ratshack iron went into runaway as soon as it got plugged in, and there was absolutely no tip left on the thing after 30 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 You do this stuff a lot now, and you have some money -- you need a good unit from Hakko or Weller. It's time to put your guns down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 This new one is something like 230/150 watts...has two settings.That's a big difference between the two steps, and 230 seems too high to me, too. I have a nice new Weller, 140/100 watts, and it works plenty fast so as to not cook things. I definitely use snap clamps as heat sinks. A gun's disadvantage is the tip can develop a poor contact as it ages, resulting in weakened or irregular heat output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwc Posted May 16, 2006 Author Share Posted May 16, 2006 You do this stuff a lot now, and you have some money -- you need a good unit from Hakko or Weller. It's time to put your guns down. Ok. So I will break down and get a Weller. What model.....can I get a low power model from parts express. I think I will have to place an order soon anyhow. I will keep this high power one for big gauge stuff. By the way, do you guys get Mills resistors from PE or Soniccraft.com? So the 12 watt ones OK? jc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 uh, which end of the soldering iron should I hold? It keeps sticking to my hand![:$] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEC Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 This weller WLC100 soldering station is a pretty good unit and inexpensive. It can really stand up to even production soldering work. http://www.hmcelectronics.com/cgi-bin/scripts/product/1980-0373 Bob Crites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Uh, don't grab the pointy end. I did that once and won't do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 In a moment of pure stupidity, I did somehow manage to drop one in my lap once. I added additional misery by panicking and grabbing it with my hand. I incurred a nice, deep 2nd degree burn on my hand -- but saved my penis. http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?DID=7&PartNumber=372-140 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chops Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Years ago, I was out in the garage with my father helping him work in the pipe organ. I think we were wiring up a pneumatic slide action on the relay chest. Anyway, he was holding the solder up to the terminal/wire and went to grab the soldering iron. Unfortunately, he grabbed it by the wrong end, but it didn't last very long as he dropped it immediately and grabbed his ice cold glass of iced tea. Surprisingly enough, it didn't really do anything to his hand, however he has been certain to not repeat it again. I just stood there in shock and amazement! [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 In a moment of pure stupidity, I did somehow manage to drop one in my lap once. I added additional misery by panicking and grabbing it with my hand. I incurred a nice, deep 2nd degree burn on my hand -- but saved my penis. That deserves repeating it's so funny! Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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