RCCrawler Forums

Keiger · 02-05-2005, 09:58 AM

How does one go about it. Picked up an iron that heats to 75* and some liquid flux. How does one go about soldering wires and wires to ESC?

SR5Dave · 02-05-2005, 11:07 AM

75* isn't enough

I'll assume you mean 750* ;)

How many watts? Thats the important part really. 40 will barely do motor wires, 60 is way better.

I've never used flux for my solder connections, thats not to say its the right thing to do.

Strip some wire, about 1/4", not much. Hold the tip of the soldering iron to it until it gets really hot, apply solder. If its hot enough, you can see all the solder pull into the wires (Not just leave a bump on the top) the wire will likely get too hot to hold, I wear gloves.

For wire to wire; do this to another piece of wire, lay them down end to end, pushed up against each other, heat up them both until you can tell the solder is shiny and starting to melt, push them together and add some solder (Make sure the solder penetrates and doesn't just sit on the surface)

For ESC terminal to wire, heat up terminal, apply solder, should cover the entire area making a 'mosquito bump' over the entire thing. Place soldered wire on top, push down onto terminal with soldering iron tip. Wait until everything melts and melds together, remove soldering iron.

Be careful not to move the wires or anything while it is cooling, the joint will fall apart since the solder is still hold and fluid.

Someone will likely have a better way to do this, I've just found out via trial and error. The important thing is making sure everything is hot and the solder flows wel (into everything and spreads out)

paranoid56 · 02-05-2005, 11:39 AM

and practice, practice, practice before you try to solder onto your esc. get some scrap wire, and just start soldering. loose the flux, and just get some flux core wire from rat shack.
Shane

Keiger · 02-05-2005, 12:03 PM

See told you I know nothing, lol
Iron is a 30 watt, I am guessing I need a bigger one?

EeePee · 02-05-2005, 12:55 PM

I've have no complaints about the Weller solder station thing, the WLC-100.
It has an adjustable setting, for matching the wire thickness / heat range.
Cheap enough, too.

Heat up the parts, and the solder should flow. If it doesn't, the parts aren't hot enough.

JasonInAugusta · 02-05-2005, 02:19 PM

Ungar, Weller, and Hako make nice soldering irons for hobby/RC use.

Flux cleans the areas that are soldered and helps with the flow of solder into the joint.

Melted solder will flow towards heat, so I apply heat on one side of the joint and apply solder from the other.

It helps to "tin" the wire and connector to which you'll be soldering. Just apply a bit of solder to the motor tab or whatever, apply solder to the wire, then solder the two together.

SPEED_RACER · 02-05-2005, 05:05 PM

ANOTHER thing is to use the right type of solder.use rosin core solder

AdamF · 02-05-2005, 07:36 PM

I like my big radioshack gun style 150/250 watt iron. I hated waiting for those little stick type ones to heat up.

JohnRobHolmes · 02-05-2005, 11:01 PM

i use pen style 40 watt wellers on about everything. the larger gun style tends to lose heate quickly IMO, and it creates a strong magnetic field that can mess up motors, stored memory, and all kinds of fun things.

good simple explanation jasoninaugusta.

cheapjeep2 · 02-06-2005, 07:12 AM

I use a cheap radio shack pencil stick type that has a switch fro 20 or 40 watts, works fine. Get solder for electronics (it has a flux core), you won't need flux.

The iron you have will work okay, just may take a little longer to get the joints hot. Keep the tip clean. Tips are made of copper in most instances. Keep it clean a dirty tip will not flow heat very welll. Have a damp sponge to why the tip on and if the heat transfer seems too slow run the tip across a metal file to clean off the crap. Tin the newly exposed copper with some solder and you're good.

Also just as soon as you move your iron your pieces are going to move as the solder is still liquified. I use a small screw driver and press on the joint to hold it before lifting the iron, lift the iron wait a few seconds and move the screw driver. A good solder joint needs to be shinny. A bad or COLD solder joint will look dull or grayish. Troy

02-05-2005, 09:58 AM	#1
Keiger Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Conifer, Colorado Posts: 10	Never Solder before? How does one go about it. Picked up an iron that heats to 75* and some liquid flux. How does one go about soldering wires and wires to ESC? Last edited by Keiger; 02-05-2005 at 10:16 AM.

02-05-2005, 11:07 AM	#2
SR5Dave I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 2,399	75* isn't enough I'll assume you mean 750* ;) How many watts? Thats the important part really. 40 will barely do motor wires, 60 is way better. I've never used flux for my solder connections, thats not to say its the right thing to do. Strip some wire, about 1/4", not much. Hold the tip of the soldering iron to it until it gets really hot, apply solder. If its hot enough, you can see all the solder pull into the wires (Not just leave a bump on the top) the wire will likely get too hot to hold, I wear gloves. For wire to wire; do this to another piece of wire, lay them down end to end, pushed up against each other, heat up them both until you can tell the solder is shiny and starting to melt, push them together and add some solder (Make sure the solder penetrates and doesn't just sit on the surface) For ESC terminal to wire, heat up terminal, apply solder, should cover the entire area making a 'mosquito bump' over the entire thing. Place soldered wire on top, push down onto terminal with soldering iron tip. Wait until everything melts and melds together, remove soldering iron. Be careful not to move the wires or anything while it is cooling, the joint will fall apart since the solder is still hold and fluid. Someone will likely have a better way to do this, I've just found out via trial and error. The important thing is making sure everything is hot and the solder flows wel (into everything and spreads out)

02-05-2005, 11:39 AM	#3
paranoid56 Rock Stacker Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Gorgeous San Diego Posts: 86	and practice, practice, practice before you try to solder onto your esc. get some scrap wire, and just start soldering. loose the flux, and just get some flux core wire from rat shack. Shane

02-05-2005, 12:03 PM	#4
Keiger Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Conifer, Colorado Posts: 10	See told you I know nothing, lol Iron is a 30 watt, I am guessing I need a bigger one?

02-05-2005, 12:55 PM	#5
EeePee MODERATOR™ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 18,928	I've have no complaints about the Weller solder station thing, the WLC-100. It has an adjustable setting, for matching the wire thickness / heat range. Cheap enough, too. Heat up the parts, and the solder should flow. If it doesn't, the parts aren't hot enough.

02-05-2005, 02:19 PM	#6
JasonInAugusta 06 Super National Champ Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Stark Industries Bar and Grill Posts: 11,361	Ungar, Weller, and Hako make nice soldering irons for hobby/RC use. Flux cleans the areas that are soldered and helps with the flow of solder into the joint. Melted solder will flow towards heat, so I apply heat on one side of the joint and apply solder from the other. It helps to "tin" the wire and connector to which you'll be soldering. Just apply a bit of solder to the motor tab or whatever, apply solder to the wire, then solder the two together.

02-05-2005, 05:05 PM	#7
SPEED_RACER Quarry Creeper Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: MANVILLE Posts: 413	ANOTHER thing is to use the right type of solder.use rosin core solder

02-05-2005, 07:36 PM	#8
AdamF RCC Addict Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Cincinnati Ohio Posts: 1,673	I like my big radioshack gun style 150/250 watt iron. I hated waiting for those little stick type ones to heat up.

02-05-2005, 11:01 PM	#9
JohnRobHolmes owner, Holmes Hobbies LLC Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Volt up! Gear down! Posts: 20,290	i use pen style 40 watt wellers on about everything. the larger gun style tends to lose heate quickly IMO, and it creates a strong magnetic field that can mess up motors, stored memory, and all kinds of fun things. good simple explanation jasoninaugusta.

02-06-2005, 07:12 AM	#10
cheapjeep2 Rock Crawler Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Driving the Troysion Stick up the BIG BOY line! Posts: 958	I use a cheap radio shack pencil stick type that has a switch fro 20 or 40 watts, works fine. Get solder for electronics (it has a flux core), you won't need flux. The iron you have will work okay, just may take a little longer to get the joints hot. Keep the tip clean. Tips are made of copper in most instances. Keep it clean a dirty tip will not flow heat very welll. Have a damp sponge to why the tip on and if the heat transfer seems too slow run the tip across a metal file to clean off the crap. Tin the newly exposed copper with some solder and you're good. Also just as soon as you move your iron your pieces are going to move as the solder is still liquified. I use a small screw driver and press on the joint to hold it before lifting the iron, lift the iron wait a few seconds and move the screw driver. A good solder joint needs to be shinny. A bad or COLD solder joint will look dull or grayish. Troy

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