i'm getting ready to totally redo my system in my car. i want to solder all the connections now instead of using butt connectors. i want to get some practice at soldering under my belt first so i don't f anything up. can someone suggest some ways to practice this? i was thinking just finding some spare wire i have laying around and go at it.
simply put always heat the wire first don't rush.I know alot of people trying to cut corners by heating the wire and applying solder to the tip of the iron at same time. no good, you gonna get a cold solder joint eventually. make sure the wire is hot enough to melt the solder and slowly apply solder while maintaining heat your done when the joint is covered in a smooth shiny coat. and remember tinning is good
alright, so i read that sticky like 3 times. i'm still a little confused. do i touch the solder wire to the tip of the iron? or do i touch the tip of the iron to the wire (ie speaker)?
touch the tip of the iron to the wire and allow a few seconds for the iron to heat it up to the point that wire will melt the solder . apply the solder to the side of the wire opposite the iron tip this will ensure that the wire is hot enough to allow the solder to soak in if you are soldering onto a speaker terminal then take the wire and either feed it thru the hole of the term.and wrap excess around it or simply wrap wire around term.(if to thick to go thru hole first) then apply heat at the point where the wire and terminal meet follow above directions
hope this clarifies things
And your right practicing on spare wire is a great idea, also try using different ga. wire
yeah it really clarifies things. thanks
I tried this last night, heating the opposite side of the wire and melting the solder on....it didnt work! I was using 12 gauge speaker wire and I kept the iron on the wire for quite a while and it was really damn hot, but the solder was not melting on the otherside. Its a 110 watt model I do believe and I just bought it last week, any suggestions?
make sure the wire is twisted together tightly it greatly effects heat transfer. I've soldered 4ga. together this way so I know it works take your time, 110w iron will take a while
I try not to splice my power wires...even with solder, but it is a good way to use up scraps or the dreadfull....not enough wire..
I like to solder the ring terminals, I like to use the bare terminals for obvious reasons.
The 110 or even 150 watt is hot, but nothing sweats the connection like an open flame propane torch. Not the little one you might use for the shrink tube or your crack pipe or whatever.....a full size regular propane tip, like what a plumber uses.
This is also a good chance to see how 'flame resistant' the insulation is.
remember, soldering isn't just work, it's a work of art!