Soldering question

Beyond Black

Beyond Black

Well-known member
So, Ive got this pimply dick soldering iron that’s hot enough for soldering pickup wire to the contact, but struggles mightily when melting the big ball of solder on the pot that ground goes to. What’s the least amount of wattage I need for a new soldering iron that’ll handle this?
 
Beyond Black said:
So, Ive got this pimply dick soldering iron that’s hot enough for soldering pickup wire to the contact, but struggles mightily when melting the big ball of solder on the pot that ground goes to. What’s the least amount of wattage I need for a new soldering iron that’ll handle this?
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Probably 30. If you’re going to buy one it’s worth spending a little extra money and getting something decent. I use this and it works excellent. It heats up to temperature in literally 10 seconds

https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D...ocphy=1016649&hvtargid=pla-379180582979&psc=1
 
I should really look into getting either that Hakko or a Weller also. Similar to Beyond Black, my soldering iron is some cheap piece of junk too. I got to plug it in, crank it to 10 and I leave it for a good 10 mins to get it hot enough to be useable.
 
Blackened said:
I should really look into getting either that Hakko or a Weller also. Similar to Beyond Black, my soldering iron is some cheap piece of junk too. I got to plug it in, crank it to 10 and I leave it for a good 10 mins to get it hot enough to be useable.
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Weller will do fine. The thing that is important, and is the most beneficial soldering tip I can give you is to tin the tip of the iron before heating the part, and you don't have to be overly shy doing it. You will get faster heat transfer that way. Clean the surface, flux....use a TINNED iron to heat the part. You can get away with a lot less wattage than you think.

Invest in a flux pen, cheap and worth every cent!
 
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Weller here, as well.
I went through several of the cheap soldering irons, and they would only work for so long before they suddenly died (I think they are designed to do that, lol). I realized that if I just bought a nice soldering station, it would be cheaper in the long run. Just pay the extra money and be done with it. You will be glad that you did..
 
Clean the tip, tin it, and scratch up the back of the pot with sandpaper or a file or something. I've always found roughing up the back of the pot helps solder stick to it.
 
Purpleibby said:
Weller will do fine. The thing that is important, and is the most beneficial soldering tip I can give you is to tin the tip of the iron before heating the part, and you don't have to be overly shy doing it. You will get faster heat transfer that way. Clean the surface, flux....use a TINNED iron to heat the part. You can get away with a lot less wattage than you think.

Invest in a flux pen, cheap and worth every cent!
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This is all valid. I have a rosin flux pen, a flux removal pen, tip tinner, and three different sizes of solder.
 
BeZo said:
Clean the tip, tin it, and scratch up the back of the pot with sandpaper or a file or something. I've always found roughing up the back of the pot helps solder stick to it.
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This is huge, especially for pots or anything else that has a large smooth surface that you’re trying to solder to. Just roughing up the surface a bit can make a huge difference.

I also used to use those cheap soldering pens. A lot of them just can’t get hot enough. With soldering irons, it’s better to have to much power and turn it down, rather than try to push an underpowered iron harder.
 
This is the best budget unit that can pretty much anything.

The Original X-Tronic 3020-XTS • 75W Soldering Iron Station Kit • 2 Helping Hands • Silicone Tool Mat • 5 Extra Tips • 50g Roll of Solder • Brass Sponge • Cleaning Flux • C/F Conversion • Auto Sleep! https://a.co/d/hdUVyoB
 
Great suggestions, thanks all. Mine is 60 watt, so I’m thinking it should do the job. I read that if you’re trying to melt a large solder ball, like you would on a pot for a ground wire, you should drip some solder on it, and that’ll initiate the melting process. I’m gonna try that before I give up on mine.
 
I have a light blue Weller that does various temps. Not sure the model number but it has been great for a decade now. It wasn't cheap but has lasted and probably will for life.
 
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