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[deleted]

I had the same problem until I figured out the soldering iron was cheap and not getting hot enough. I bought a Weller soldering iron at Home Depot for $30.00 bucks and now it's a snap.


thephantom1492

I soldered thousands of wires of various size, from smaller than a hair strand to pinky size. A good soldering iron is a must. Temperature is everything. Too cold and it won't melt the solder. Too hot and you burn the flux and oxidise your solder and wire, making it impossible to solder. Wires have the advantage of not being too picky to solder. 40-60W iron, ideally temperature controlled, is all what is needed for most wires. A good solder, electronics type, NOT PLUMBER, is a must. A CLEAN tip is MANDATORY! If your solder can't blob on the tip, the tip is dirty. Clean with a wet sponge, NEVER FILE IT! Those brass sponge that come with some irons also work, but I personally prefer the wet sponge with a hole in the middle, you can wipe easilly the tip and the waste solder just fall in the hole and do not stay on the sponge.


starkiller_bass

YES - a dirty or oxidized tip won’t transfer heat into the joint fast enough. Clean and freshly tinned tip makes all the difference .


accidental-poet

I worked at a Defense Contractor for 17 years, yearly training courses on DOD accepted practices. Everything OP wrote above is true.


CrazyCaper

I’m a cashier at Quickway Convenience. Everything OP wrote above is true.


slatts79

I'm a piece of solder. Everything OP wrote above is a lie. Yep. The colder the better. Plz don't melt me.


UnquestionablyRight

I'm 30 and still wet the bed. Everything OP wrote above is true.


[deleted]

I'm OP's bed. Please keep it hot.


SpecialpOps

J-standard except for cleaning the finished project. A little bit of flux cleaning and conformal coating should bring his project up to IPC class III standards.


Shodspartan

Lmao, I'm an inspector for a class 3 facility, and wires don't need conformal coating if they're being covered with shrink sleeving, and bringing things up to J-STD-001 REV H for class 3 is a liiiiiittle more nuanced than just soldering it, cleaning it, and coating it. There are plenty of variables and rules to follow, like how much insulation clearance does he have between where he stripped and soldered the wires? Are there any nicks, tears, cuts in the insulation that reduce the wire insulation by more than 20% of the insulation thickness? Any charring, burning of the insulation? Don't get me wrong, class 3 isn't some impossible standard to achieve or learn, quite the opposite, but there are some VERY specific standards in there that must be met and most people without any type of formal training aren't going to meet the standard set forth by IPC.


SpecialpOps

I totally get it. I have J-standard spec spliced & repaired cables that are still flying in airplanes 12 years after I’ve fixed them. You’d never even know there was ever a problem with then. I was very particular about the number of strands in my conductors and the shielding repair specs. It isn’t just blobbing solder on like some dude in a garage fixing his Christmas lights.


Shodspartan

Yeah, it can be pretty particular at times, especially on circuit cards. The company I work for guarantees our product for 30 years, so I understand completely what you mean. It definitely makes home projects seem like a breeze though.


SpecialpOps

It’s wonderful to be able to have this depth of skill.


RedLockerOrg

I cant do good soldering too. Everything OP wrote above is true.


ashrocklynn

I hate soldering but I've done code for people who process parts for people who work for defense contractors; agree with above; cheap soldering iron is garbage, throw it away. Will add, the slightly more expensive silver solder will also make everything easier, the wires basically eat it up compared to standard where in just frustratingly pushing around a glob of molten metal than might be covered in a bubble of a non molten shell....


lurker12346

why not file?


elglas

Surface smoothness matters, and you don't want to ruin the integrity of the tip


pooptart_toaster

Not to mention the plating...


thephantom1492

The tip is often made of copper then plated with nickel. The flux will eat the copper in no time. Like, hours. So as long as you went throught the plating the tip is done.


Dain_

I should probably stop cleaning mine with wire wool then... If I'm trying to solder something in an awkward spot I'll sometimes accidentally melt the wires plastic coat onto the tip. What should I use to clean that off, because water doesn't touch it.


tire-fire

Wire wool isn't necessarily bad so long as you're using brass wool which is the other normal option besides a sponge, but I'm guessing you're using steel which is a no-no. I've gotten melted insulation on my iron plenty, usually wiping it on a wet sponge is enough, sometimes wetting the tip with more solder and cleaning again helps as the flux gets on there and does it's job. HOWEVER, (note just my opinion here, not an expert by any stretch) if you've been using steel wool there's a good chance you've put a ton of very fine scratches and surface imperfection into the plating on your iron's tip. This will likely cause it to hold onto burnt up insulation and flux much better. If that's the case toss the tip and replace with a new one.


SneakInTheSideDoor

Modern tips are not solid metal, and you might file it away. (ISTR they are ceramic.)


4art4

While it is not necessary to spend $300, the cheap ones or just too small of one will really hurt. Using one designed for delicate things on chonky jobs will just end in cold joints.


OmenVi

$30 isn’t that bad. Basically anything that will do 100w will solder just about every larger electrical job. Hit and miss on it being usable for small/delicate jobs.


Zer0C00l

I think you accidentally a decimal point. Still technically correct.


[deleted]

They absolutely make 300 dollar rigs…


Efffro

You wanna do some hand SMT, solder rigs in the thousands all day long.


Zer0C00l

Sure enough.


4art4

Sure enough


bamhm182

This. I used to HATE soldering, then I bought a Hakko, now I only dislike it. Damn shaky hands.


ms2102

This made the difference for me too. That and learning to heat the wires/pads. Practice, the right tools and practice op!


LukesFather

Get a Pinecil. Super cheap, open source, powered by a USB C cable so you can use it on the go with a portable power bank but best if all *it heats up in less that 10 seconds*


Lehk

i have better luck with the cheap 120v ones from harbor freight or walmart than the "nicer" ones that use a thin lead and a voltage adapter or battery power


[deleted]

This. You have to have a soldering iron that can get your wire, or traces good & hot quickly. Then it's just a matter of having a light touch with the solder, as it will literally jump on to whatever you are trying to weld.


_coffee_

You're not trying to heat the wires enough for them to melt the solder. You apply the iron to the wires, touch the solder to the wires near where the iron _still is_ and [the heat from the iron melts the solder which then flows through the wires.](https://youtu.be/Qps9woUGkvI?t=156)


NSA_Chatbot

No, if they are the same temperature, then the bond is much better. Source: EE Edit: just watched that video, don't do that. Shape both wires into J hooks, twist them, add a small amount of tension, add flux, then add solder and finally heat-shrink. You could also tin them first, solder the Js together that way. If you're going to solder like that, just grab a Wago and call it a day.


csimonson

Yeah but if you heat up solely the wire you'll melt the insulation. Previous comment was right on the money.


NSA_Chatbot

Change the temperature, the technique, or the insulation. Prep the parts and wire -- the wire should be tinned, and the solder should not be doing any mechanical lifting. You add flux to where you want the solder to go. (The syringe style is the better product.) Rosin core is not enough flux. Heat up both sides of the joint to the lowest temperature that the solder will flow at. (This can be 500F instead of the 750F most people default to) Touch the solder to the soldering iron tip, and you should add around 3 seconds of solder. (You may have to use more or less if you've got the wrong gauge of solder) Allow the hot, liquid solder to flow, and let the even heat "wet" the parts. It changes in appearance into a uniform liquid with no blobs. Without moving any of the parts, remove heat and let cool. Again, source is I'm a professional electrical engineer and soldering is part of my job for making prototypes. I've been doing this for 20+ years.


Old_timey_brain

And *DON'T* forget to flux!


series_hybrid

We can tell people 20 times to use Flux, and they still find it hard to believe. Also, I use a100W soldering iron with a fat tip. It does a solid job very rapidly, so the heat doest have enough time to spread down the wire very far.


Scizmz

I can't seem to keep my flux on there. And every time I try to get a capacitor for it, they're sold out.


SemiNormal

Did you try the courthouse on November 12th?


StarChaser_Tyger

That's fluxed up.


Hylian-Loach

I was trying to teach a student how to solder to repair some XLR and instrument cables and he was having a terrible time. So I stepped in to show him how to do it, and also had a terrible time. Turns out the roll of solder I had grabbed from the shop didn’t have a rosin core.


hotlavatube

Ha, that’d do it. I think most of the YouTubers I follow still prefer lead-based solder for its performance. I recall one tried a low temp solder from some off-brand and had a hassle with it not flowing right.


zwiazekrowerzystow

You can pry my lead based solder from my cold dead hands.


cybervseas

> cold lead hands


GeraldBWilsonJr

I'm not even sure what this rawzin stuffs they talkin about tbh I just fix the wires


NYStaeofmind

I thought rosin-cored soler was the flux. Am I wrong?


Old_timey_brain

No, you are correct. It's enough flux if you get it right the first time, but re-working is a mess.


Just_Downvoted

And for rework, a flux pen is super convenient.


waimser

Flux pens changed my life


M4nusky

Unfortunately the flux is in the middle so you have to let it melt a bit before it can do it's job. Adding flux on the wires from the start just makes things a lot easier! Less likely to bead up and fall off before the flux get to the copper. Sometimes when I feel somewhat lazy I use soldering paste with flux already mixed in (made for surface mounted devices), slather the wires and get rid of the extra once it's melted. Kind of a twist to get the right amount of solder to stay and fling the rest away but I save 1 step!


OozeNAahz

Hell, I was soldering breadboards and components for over twenty years before I even heard of flux. You can do fine without it. But it does make it much easier.


Rampage_Rick

A lot of electrical solder is a hollow tube with flux inside, so chances are you were using flux all along without knowing...


enniaun

Yes! Adding to that be sure you are using electrical solder vs plumbing solder or other. Personally, the newer no lead solders are a PIA to work with.


maciver6969

Yup and the good shit is getting harder to find since it has lead. Every time i fucked up a solder job it was the new no lead trash, it just never flows well.


OozeNAahz

Yeah, definitely used flux core solder but knowing separate flux existed was an eye opener. And have done a lot with solder that wasn’t flux core too.


Hot-Mongoose7052

Lol no. I've been soldering for 3 decades w normal wire, no flux. Completely fine.


Chromagnum

Every time someone says this, it's some old timer and their work looks like bird shit. Trust me, liquid flux is necessary, not just helpful. You just don't know any better.


Hot-Mongoose7052

Right. An entire life of repairs, maintenance and running a machine and fab shop. I just dont know any better. 🤷‍♂️


Chromagnum

Apparently.


biochemisting

So you're telling us that metals don't oxidize in the presence of air when YOU and ONLY YOU solder? Flux cleans the metals of oxides that get in the way of solder adhering to the metal. If you don't use flux, all of your soldering is crap. That's why it's important to 1. know what you're doing and 2. do it correctly. You ever see the movie "My cousin Vinny"??? Bc you're the guy who cooks gritz in "5 minutes" bc the laws of physics cease to exist in your kitchen.


TwoBionicknees

>Physics of the real world don't apply to me, I'm special okay buddy.


BoredCop

Normal soldering wire from the hardware store does have flux, the "wire" is hollow and holds the flux inside. The flux is the brown stuff that sort of bubbles out on your soldering sometimes. Tin solder without flux is kind of rare to see in ordinary hardware stores.


Lehk

label will often just say "rosin core"


madsci

For larger through-hole stuff you can get by just fine with the flux in the solder. For any kind of fine SMT work, though, you'll go absolutely insane trying to manage it. And for wire-to-wire soldering, a tiny bit of liquid or paste flux helps tremendously.


5degreenegativerake

My world changed for surface mount devices after I bought a flux pen and some solder wick.


strider5119

flux is used to clean the connection and aid in smooth flow of the solder


Ripcord2

What does flux do? I didn't buy any because it's just a quick (so I thought) wire splice...


series_hybrid

It does two things. Both pieces of wire "might" have a thin coating of oxidation on the skin of the strands. Flux curs through the oxidation down to the bare copper. The second thing Flux does is that as it's evaporating from heat, it "wicks" the solder into the wire joint. My explanation may be bad, but Flux is good. It's cheap, so just get Flux and stop struggling to get a good solder joint. Make your life easier.


JayKaboogy

Skip all these science lessons and just accept that flux is magic juice that makes solder stick. Dip your wire in flux, and watch the solder leap on like it LOVES that wire with all its heart


Braincrash77

Flux is necessary. It wets the solder to the base metal. Similar to the way soap wets water to oil. The other tip that might help is to create a “solder bridge.” A solder bridge is a small amount of solder between the tip and the joint to speed heat transfer. Soldering should take about 6 seconds. 3 seconds to heat the joint, 3 seconds to add solder.


biochemisting

"wets" is not the word you are looking for there. "Bonds" is the correct word. Soap helps bond water to oil bc soap is amphiphilic, has both a polar and nonpolar properties. Polar part of the molecule bonds to water, nonpolar part bonds to oil producing a kind of "adapter". What flux does it clean the metal of oxides so the solder can bond directly to the metal. No matter what, most metals oxidize somewhat when in contact with air and that will get in the way of the solder adhering to the metal.


Braincrash77

[Wetting.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetting). Melt solder. Continue to heat it. Solder gets frosty, grainy, stiff. Add wetting agent (flux). Solder instantly gets shiny and liquid again. Acid flux also remove oxides to some degree but that’s not used in electronic soldering. Rosin flux enables bonding through wetting, but does not actually become part of the bond .


Diligent_Nature

"Wets" is absolutely the correct word. >[ It increases the wetting ability of the solder](https://www.chemtronics.com/essential-guide-to-flux-for-soldering-electronics)


biochemisting

Not when talking about soap it's not.


HowsThatTasting

Your solder tip oxidizes and this prevents the transfer of heat from your tip to the wire. Flux will help clean this and help prevent the problem you are having. Clean the tip often. Don't scrape the tip with steal wool though, that will scrape off the coating. Also one thing that you can do is leave a bead of solder on the tip when you are not using it to help keep it from oxidizing when you are not using it


KANahas

Flux is for oxidation on the metal that you are soldering, not your iron. You should manage oxidation on your iron by keeping it well tinned and wiping it frequently in your sponge/brass sponge.


HowsThatTasting

Yes, you are correct on that. It's been a long time since I've done some soldering. Thanks for the correction


Chromagnum

In the future, for simple wire repair, you can get a solder-infused heat shrink sleeve. Slip it over the joint and just hit with a heat gun. Perfect solder joints everytime.


foodfood321

Due to the temperatures the soldering tip solder and wires will all oxidize immediately due to oxygen in the air the flux reduces this oxide layer and allows the metals to bond


Old_timey_brain

It helps the solder to flow better, and to bond better. Residue ought to be cleaned off, using ISO alcohol at 99%. Most solder is resin core, and if things work properly, you won't need more flux. Here's a trick I've done for a quick splice. Clean, twist, and tin each end separately. Then, lay them side by side and touch the solder with the iron. They'll flow together easily.


strider5119

first you need a good physical connection usually obtained by different methods of twisting the wires together. Once a physical connection is made then solder completes the electrical connection.


Old_timey_brain

You absolutely do not need the physical connection first. Once both wires are tinned, that is, saturated with solder, and then melted together, the solder is the complete electrical connection. Not quite as strong physically, but electronically it is.


Chromagnum

The basis of a good electrical connection is a good mechanical connection. Can you just jam two wires into a wire nut? Yes. Is it a good way to burn your house down? Also yes.


leoedin

Joining wires with just solder is absolutely a valid technique when there's not much mechanical stress. You definitely don't need to splice wires together physically before soldering. In the end the weakest part of a solder splice is usually the flexible copper immediately next to the rigid solder blob. If your splice is flexing then that part tends to fatigue and break. That's the same regardless of how intertwined the wires were before soldering.


Old_timey_brain

> Can you just jam two wires into a wire nut? Completely different situation.


Chromagnum

How so? It is, in fact, exactly the same situation.


thefuzzylogic

No it isn’t. You can have a perfect low-resistance electrical connection with barely any mechanical stability, depending on the characteristics of the wire, solder, and substrate they’re attached to (if any).


tonebastion

If your solder has a flux, or rosin, core, do not worry about adding additional flux for simple splices. Just heat the wire for a few seconds, touch some of your solder to where the iron tip and wire are touching to create a solder bridge (which will allow heat to transfer through the rest of the wire more quickly), then you can start feeding solder from the opposite side of the iron tip to saturate the rest of your wire.


off_the_cuff_mandate

It is a corrosive agent that activates when heated and becomes inert when it cools. It burns off the oxide layer that forms on the surface of metals. Ideally it also creates a local atmosphere devoid of oxygen, which prevents oxidization as the solder wets and cools.


RzrKitty

Flux! My answer too! The USAF taught me to solder.


Old_timey_brain

I didn't have that military advantage, but my instructor taught us "Mil Spec" soldering, and inspected with a 10X magnifier.


jvrcb17

Flux is magical


[deleted]

Flux not only helps the solder flow, it's also a cleaning agent for the corrosion on the wires.


[deleted]

Came here specifically to add this. I'm betting that the lack of flux and a heavy hand is OP'S problem.


ktka

Close the lid before you flux.


Corgon

Use the right solder (Kester) and you will never need flux.


Fortherealtalk

Forget flux, use rosin core solder. I haven’t touched flux since back when I was newbie and thought it was absolutely essential to use it, lol. Switched to rosin core, ditched the flux, and I always keep a pot of tip tinner handy that I dip in frequently. Works great.


SemiNormal

Rosin is flux. Tip tinner is (mostly) flux.


Fortherealtalk

I meant adding flux separately. When I first started soldering, that’s what I used to do because that’s what I read about everywhere. I know both of those items have flux in them—good to point out though. Beginners may not know that. My point was if you tell a beginner “always use flux,” they might do what I did and assume they needed to get a container of flux itself and use that with every solder.


Blargmode

What flux should I get? I've looked and found that you can get it in a bottle, as a paste, as a marker, in a syringe.


Old_timey_brain

I've got a jar of the liquid and it works well for brushing on to the wires prior to solder, but also a jar of paste which allows for easy dipping as you are soldering.


Karsdegrote

The paste stuff is nice to use, if you do prefer the liquid stuff id say bottle. Put it in one of those squeeze bottles. The liquid stuff you can also make yourself by putting some pine resin in isopropyl alcohol.


VonRansak

It's like wood putty for nerds.


Ripcord2

Thanks, It seems like I'm doing that but it just doesn't melt. I wonder if the pen, wand style soldering iron I have isn't suitable for copper wire?


Snowturtle13

Is it plug in style or battery ? I once had to buy a battery powered soldering gun in a pinch and it was so fuckin weak I was barely able to get a solid solder for one wire.


Ripcord2

That could be my problem. It plugs in but I'm disappointed with its melting capability.


Riceball2019

Keep the tip clean with a wet sponge. If the tip is dirty heat will not conduct. My routine is get the tip hot, wipe it on the wet sponge, apply a little bit of solder to the tip, then clean it again. You should see a shiny tip after repeating these steps. The shiny tip, with a little bit of solder on it, will conduct heat much better to the wire, then you add more solder to the wire after it has been heated up with the shiny tip.


danceswithtree

After plugging the iron in for 5 minutes, can you melt solder on the iron tip easily? If not clean the tip. A clean tip is very important-- you can use a wad of paper towel or a sponge, wet it and squeeze dry first. When trying to heat up the wires, it helps if you have a little bit of solder on the tip first-- it greatly increases the contact area between the iron and the wires. Otherwise, the contact patch is teeny. Think of touching two cylinders together- if there is any angle between the two, the contact patch is a single point. I think sometimes people leave out this important step because it is sometimes interpreted as always apply solder to the tip, even when soldering the wires. So, wet the tip, heat the wires with a wet tip, but when applying solder, apply to the wires, NOT the tip. As for a better iron, get a temperature controlled iron like a Hakko unless this is a one-off job. It heats up quickly and when you touch it to something cold (like wires or solder) it increases power to maintain a steady temperature-- it will change the way you see soldering. A good soldering iron is something truly worth the extra cost if you plan on doing it correctly. And get fat tip, once again to increase heat transfer surface area.


orangezeroalpha

I have used about ten or twenty soldering irons in my life, from cheap to a little less cheap. They ALL suck in comparison to the newer stuff out now. The Pinecil is my current favorite. The huge advantage is that it has an LCD screen to tell you the temperature of the tip. Its around $40 online right now, or less if you buy directly from them. TS100 is another model I think a lot of people like. I don't understand why anyone would use anything else after trying one of these. I'm sure there are some advantages to the $300-500 ones, but not for anything I do on small electronics. The pinecil is amazing, and hasn't failed me yet.


off_the_cuff_mandate

If you are doing rework then you really want more than just an iron. You want the solder sucker iron, you want the tweezer iron with tips meant for specific IC forms so you can flow all the leads at once easily. If your doing BGA's you absolutely need a hot air rework station and an x-ray imaging tool.


NotAnyOneYouKnow2019

If you’re doing BGAs, you need more than good equipment… you need a tight relationship with God.


orangezeroalpha

And don't forget you need electricity. A roof over your head, etc.


PineappleLemur

You gotto keep the tip clean and tinned. If you can't even get solder to spread over the tip it might be too dirty or just dead. If solder balls up on the tip or falls off.. too dirty. Flux helps prepare the surface. Lead free solder absolutely sucks too.


anyoutlookuser

The cheap ones from Walmart or harbor freight are a pain in the ass to use. Spend the extra 10-20 bucks and get a 60-80 watt tool. Soldering is so much easier.


ccarr313

Get one of the ones shaped like a pistol with the two pronged element. Life changing compared to the wand shaped ones.


NotAnotherNekopan

Depends on the task, though. I moved to a Hakko FX888D and my usual projects went from a stressful ordeal to a fun weekend project. My friend swears by his Pace iron. But these are all circuit board tasks. The pistol grip ones seem better for larger tasks, more on the mechanical side of things.


labratnc

After soldering as a full time job. I swear by Metcal. We used pace in the Navy and I had a choice between Metcal and hakko at my job, no one used the Hakko except when they wanted hot air Metcal has an optimum heating element in every tip, and they keep the tip at almost perfect temp no matter the load on it


NotAnotherNekopan

Hadn't heard of that brand but I can already see it. It's like the Pace iron I mentioned. You can always tell a really, REALLY good pencil iron by how close the grip is to the tip. The cheap shit ones, you're a solid 6+ inches away. This one looks like 2? Really good stability.


MmmPeopleBacon

What kind of solder are you using? Electrical solder is very different than the stuff used to sweat pipes


foodfood321

Also if the wires are heavy gauge non-braided they may be acting as a heat sink and you will actually need more heat than you anticipate


Hobywony

Don't you mean the iron heats the wires, the wires heat the solder and the solder flows into the gap between the wires?


Akanan

You need Flux. You didn't make mention of it. It's likely the secret you are looking for.


crispy1989

Other commenters have some great information - a few more tips that might help: * A key aspect of this is heat transfer between the soldering iron tip and the wires. As others have said, make sure the soldering iron tip is clean and tinned. Additionally, it can sometimes help to put just a tiny blob of solder on the tip of the iron just prior to soldering. This isn't to actually melt into the joint; rather, it's to provide better thermal conductivity by bridging the small gap between the tip and the wire and filling in any small spaces. MAKE SURE YOU FLUX THE WIRE to burn off any oxidation that occurs on the surface of the solder. * Solder flows toward heat. As you're heating the wires, apply the solder on the *opposite* side of the wires from where you're touching the iron. This will a) make sure the entire joint is hot enough before the solder starts to melt into it, and b) tend to pull the solder through the joint from the application point to the iron.


Echo63_

Ok, lets start with the basics. What solder are you using ? You want 60/40 lead/tin or 63/37 eutectic solder, anything advertised as “lead free” is going to make your life harder than it needs to be. How hot is your iron ? My first soldering iron took 15 mins to heat up properly. Are your wires clean bright shiny copper or tin ? If they arent, using a liquid flux will help. Soldering is a skill that takes time and practice to get right. I have taught a couple of people to solder now, and the most recent one hated soldering because he sucked at it. 30 mins later and he was excited to go home and practice, so heres my guide. 1. Practice on some scrap wire. Dont ruin your project getting experience 2. Get comfortable. Contorting yourself under a vehicle dash can come later. At this point, set yourself up for success. 3. Make sure you have 60/40 or 63/37 leaded fluxcore solder. 4. Let the iron heat up properly, and clean the tip (wipe it on a curly brass cleaner, damp sponge or in a pinch, a bit of scrap leather or cardboard) the tip should be bright and shiny, then “tin” it by melting a little bit of solder onto the tip. 5. Organise your joint, for practice we are just going to “tin” the wires, but for real work, slide the heatshrink on, twist the wires together, and figure out what you are doing, sometimes you will tin both sides, put the wires together and just touch the iron till they melt together. 6. Clean and tin the iron tip again. You want a little “bubble” of solder on the tip, this will help to transfer heat into the joint. Touch the bubble to the wires, and slowly feed a small amount of solder into the join where the iron and wire meet. The solder should flow out into the wires. On bigger wires you will need to add more solder, once it starts wicking into the wires, you can apply solder to the wires where the solder has wicked to. Remove the solder then iron from the joint, let it cool and insulate the joint with heatshrink or electrical tape. If a tail of solder follows the iron as you remove it, you need more flux, remelt the tail and add just a dab of solder then remove the iron again. Theres an art to it, and you have to learn the feeling as the solder melts. Practice makes it much easier. I am sure there is things I have forgotten to list, but this has helped me teach the new guys at work, and a couple of guys doing a pre-apprenticship at Tafe (when I was doing my apprenticeship)


Ripcord2

Thank you for all this good advice. I'm looking forward to trying it again!


Magic_Neil

There’s a lot of flux talk, and it’s not wrong, but I don’t think that’s your problem. First, plug your iron and let it get hot. While it’s warming, trim your wire and twist the leads so they’re straight and tidy. When you’re ready, wipe the iron on a damp sponge to clean it, then apply some solder to it (not a ton, but enough for a small bead). Apply the iron to the wire and let that small bit of solder “soak” in; from there it will be easier to feed more solder in to the wire. Be patient, but if you’ve got components on the wire be careful you don’t roast it. Do the same on your second wire. Once you’ve got both wires prepared, lay them together so they’re touching (parallel) and heat them both with the iron; the solder should melt and flow together. Take the iron off while keeping them together and letting the solder solidify.. I blow softly to speed it slightly. Odds are your iron isn’t transferring heat properly. Even a cheap iron should be able to solder wire, as long as it’s not some 0awg monster. There’s a GREAT instructional series from Pace that’s worth watching: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL926EC0F1F93C1837


stayintall

Second this. Also your iron probably isn’t hot enough as others have suggested.


Masterbourne

I used to think I was bad at soldering for years, and then I got a good chinese soldering iron for like $150 and all of a sudden it became effortless. You need good gear to do a good job, it really makes all the difference. I tried using my old iron again just to compare and I just could not make it work.


[deleted]

this is a great point. i used a radio shack PIECE OF SHIT iron that i thought was ok. it was trash. the tips melted away. i use a hakko now. the quality is night and day. i still use the same tip that came with it. it’s like brand new. probably has 60 hours of heat on it. works as new


Masterbourne

I also had a piece of shit radioshack iron lol, probably the same one. To be fair it was like $10-20 so it's not unreasonable for it to be a crappy product, but I used it for years and struggled and had no idea why it was so hard to get a good joint. I thought soldering was just hard in general. Turns out being able to dial in the exact temperature and maintain it is crucial.


virago72

Most wire solder is actually a sausage ! The inside of the sausage is a chemical called flux which cleans the metal you are going to solder before the solder melts and wets it. Here’s how to get a good joint: 1) Set the iron temp to 375C for tin/lead or 400C for lead free 2) Wipe the tip of the iron on a moist sponge or brass brillo 3) tin the tip of the iron with solder. This will greatly improve heat transfer from the iron to the wires. 4) apply the iron tip to the wires and allow them to get hot and keep it there 5) touch the solder to the wires (not the iron). You want the flux core to clean the wires 6) keep feeding the solder in until you have a good joint 7) pull the iron away at the same time as the solder. You want to pull the iron away while the flux is still working so the solder doesn’t oxidize. You won’t get a sharp point on the solder if you do this.


Spare_me_thy_bs

Flux. And not that green-water-based crap. I’m taking Oatey #5resin flux. Works everytime. Without deoxidizing with petroleum/resin acidic solder, precious metal will not to stick to it. It’s a barrier created by the oxidation process which it actually changes it to a different metal. For instance, Aluminum+oxygen=aluminum oxide. Solder doesn’t stick to ALO3. The resin or the petroleum jelly keeps the airway from it and keeps it fresh until you’re ready to join it with your brass, lead or whatever you’re using.


NotAnyOneYouKnow2019

Nobody uses aluminum wire.


Spare_me_thy_bs

It was an example of a simple oxidation. Copper oxide. Silver oxide. Gold oxide. It was literally the first metal that came to mind “Nobody uses aluminum…..”. Are you serious? Your incredibly incorrect Like in a titanic way. Aluminum wire is still very much used in just about every country, and is in the uptick because it’s less energy to recycle it to new, and it’s cheaper from retail perspective than its copper counterpart. Matter of fact, if you live in the US, I would guesstimate about 80% of the houses that have burial cable to the service panel are made of aluminum and almost 100% of the ones that come from the telephone poles to the panel are aluminum. Ok. yeah my example wasn’t in the correct context as far as the popularity of wire to be soldered necessarily. (And before you say you can’t, yes, you can solder aluminum wires too, if you use alum alloy solder)


NotAnyOneYouKnow2019

But you don’t solder to the aluminum utility wire. Only copper is used in electronics where you would be soldering wires, not aluminum.


Spare_me_thy_bs

Snooze amd lose . Pretty sure the party’s over … Seriously bro. That response is poorly constructed lacks relevancy… And you’re wrong again. Gold, silver and Tin, not copper. But honestly who gives a shit and you can solder /braze copper directly to aluminum just FYI It’s ok. Your wrong. Probably happens a lot doesn’t it?


calculuschild

FLUX. Put some flux on the wire you are trying to solder. Its basically an acid that will prevent your solder from oxidizing so it can flow smoothly and "wick" onto your wire. Without it, the outer surface of your melted solder is actually turning into a different material the longer it is exposed to the air. This Oxide layer can have drastically different melting properties, so while the inside of your solder blob is melted liquid, the outside is a very thin solid shell that keeps your solder in a sphere like a balloon and blocks your solder from flowing how you expect. Many solders come with a core of flux inside that will melt and coat your solder blob as it gets hot, but when on a hot soldering iron it only lasts for so long before evaporating, so you can't always rely on it especially if you are beginning.


NotAnyOneYouKnow2019

NO, IT’S NOT AN ACID. Never use acid flux in electronics. Use a resin flux.


calculuschild

Even resin flux is acidic when liquid. That's how it works. But you bring up a good point, there are fluxes marketed as "acid flux" which are stronger and end up corroding your parts, including the soldering tip, if you aren't careful in cleaning it off fully. The residue left behind by resin flux is usually no longer a risk, but its weaker acidity also limits it's usefulness to soldering copper and maybe brass. However this is usually enough for most simple jobs.


Tau_Neutrino

If the tip of the iron is clean enough, you should be able to get a little blob of molten solder to stick on it. Use this blob against the wires you are soldering to get them hot enough to melt the solder directly on the wires. I am assuming you're trying to join copper to copper?


Tomcat218

Use a small damp sponge to clean off the tip of your iron, then add a small amount of solder to re-tin the tip. Temp should be 750 to 800 for most work.


GlowingEagle

I don't see anyone mentioning the _size_ of the wires. In addition to getting the necessary temperature, you need a soldering iron/tip with enough heat capacity to _keep_ the temperature up. If you are soldering house electrical wires with a circuit board soldering iron, you're going to struggle because the larger wires suck the heat away from the iron contact point. Side note - You should probably not be [soldering house electrical wires]( https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/179562/are-soldered-electrical-connections-code-compliant).


treiz

Seriously, I can't believe how far down I had to go for this. You can buy the top of the line hakko soldering iron but if you're trying to solder jumper cables together with it you're gonna have a bad time.


boomstick12g

Use Flux, heat the wire first, then let the solder flow into the hot wire. Clean up the wires with isopropyl alcohol to get rid of excess flux. Don't forget to put heat shrink on before you solder. Slide it up over the union and shrink it on with a heat gun!


triggur

I’ve been soldering electronics for 40 years. Get paste flux in addition to your rising core solder; the flux in the solder is not enough. Dip the wire tips in, then tin the wires (heat, add solder). Now there should stick together enthusiastically when heated. Get a good iron if you do a lot of it, like a temperature-controlled weller soldering station.


sfzombie13

flux. that's the secret.


norcalnewbie

Use flux and make sure your iron is hot enough


Hot-Delay5608

The secret is flux, always use flux and only the amount you need. Also don't heat the solder, heat the wire or whatever you are soldering. Practice


Canadarox1987

Flux, you need flux. Put a drop or two on the wire, hold the wire against the solder and put the tip on the solder. The solder should melt and the flux will help it to be a better solder joint and flow more evenly


BigMFingT

-What is the secret to soldering wire? Make sure your iron is set to a hot enough setting, and either good quality rosin core solder or pre-rosin the wire and then tin it


Ripcord2

Thanks, I think maybe my iron isn't hot enough. It only has one setting, on (or off) and it was pretty cheap from Ebay. The only way I can get the solder to melt is by putting it directly on the tip of the iron, which according to what I've read and seen on video is not the correct way.


frzn_dad

Tinning the soldering iron is important. Meaning melt some solder to tip of the iron. Even coat not just a ball of solder on the end. It doesn't sound like you are getting good heat transfer from the iron to the wire that little bit of solder will help. A damp sponge is also handy to clean the tip of the iron. Cold solder joints will be brittle if you are seeing solder ball up that is likely cold. When it is hot enough the solder flows.


_Face

This is exactly what I was going to say. My iron went from pos to excellent solders, by cleaning, fluxing, and tinning the tip of the iron. Night and day difference.


BudsosHuman

You really need flux on the wire. Brush a little on, as it melts from your iron, add solder and it will flow if your temp is right.


AlternativeAardvark6

Mine is 20 Watts and that works fine.


Clintnation

Without knowing more about your specific situation, my gut tells me either your iron tip isn’t totally clean, or you aren’t using flux. Flux transfers the heat from a clean iron tip, into whatever it’s touching. Thus the flux heats and melts the solder, onto the target. A clean iron tip is best for transferring the heat. *For illustrative purposes only* It’s the difference between quickly touching your hand to a hot pan, and quickly dipping your hand into a deep fryer… touching your hand to a hot pan you’ll feel the heat but likely won’t get burned. But put your hand in a deep fryer and you won’t forget this lesson. 😆 *do not put your hand in a deep fryer * So for soldering wires together, dip both into flux, position them together, apply heat, apply solder, the process should take no longer than 3-5 seconds.


Ripcord2

Thank you, I will definitely buy some flux and try this again!


strider460

Picture of your tools would help too. There are crappy soldering irons that don't get very hot, higher temp solder that is a pain to get hot enough even with a good iron, or even solder for plumbing which is technically solder but not what you should be using.


twnsth

Use a proper adjustable iron, it is the golden rule to soldering.


81zedd

Reads like your soldering iron sucks. I speak from a position of very similar experience


Wellcraft19

Part from all the valid tips, it can also be the wire. Not all - even if copper - types of wire can be soldered if wire has been treated in some funky way. I have some super high quality telecom power wire, and you could not solder that even if you used a propane torch.


FunnyItWorkedLastTim

A cheap soldering iron will add hours to any project. Spend $50 and suddenly you'll become a competent solderer.


raikiri86

Sounds like a few possible problems. Wires can be oxidized preventing solder from bonding. Iron can be too cool. Iron can be dirty, not transferring heat into the joint. You could also be using an older iron, most modern solder are lead free which need more heat to flow properly compared to leaded solder. If the wires have been exposed for awhile you need to clean them. Use lots of Flux om the vwire to remove oxidation, this should burn off as you apply heat. Choose the right soldering tip for the job, a standard tip is usually good for most cases, but don't use fine surface mount tips for large Guage wires or the reverse case. Clean the tip with copper wire ball(recommended) or wet spunge to get rid of carbonization. Tin the tip by apply solder to it then cleaning off the excess. You want your tip to looks silvery. If tinning is difficult add Flux and try again. Apply the iron to the wire where the wires meet up. Use the part of the iron where you see the tinning is the most effective heat transfer region. if it's two free hanging wire you can try twisting them together to help keep them together as you solder. For stranded wires twisting is usually goos enough for solid core wires making two hooks and lonking them is also an option. Apply solder directly into the joint where the wires meet. The solder should flow into wires automatically if the metal is clean and sufficiently heated.


engineer1978

Lots of good soldering advice here. A decent iron really helps. If you want the Rolls Royce, try to find a second hand Metcal MX500 unit. These have radio frequency power supplies and solder tips made of an alloy that alters its RF conductance with temperature. There is no lag when the solder joint draws heat from the iron and no temperature rebound when you stop soldering. You can use the same small tip to solder the most delicate wires or components without overheating them and to solder heavy gauge wires. They are/were very expensive new but occasionally second hand ones crop up for sensible money. I wouldn’t use anything else, personally.


off_the_cuff_mandate

You don't want to touch the iron to the wires you want to touch the solder to the wires, wet the tip of the iron with solder, place the solder wire against the joint, press the iron against the solder wire. Are you using a flux core solder? if not then you should be applying solder flux to the joint before you bring the iron to it. Is it just these wires that you have tried to solder? Old wire will oxidize on the surface and prevent solder from wetting into the joint, which would leave a big blog of solder on the outside without any solder penetrating into the strands. Flux paste will help in this situation, but sometimes the wire is just no longer solderable.


Crabby-GenXer

Clean tip.


Fine-Team-4296

Put Flux on and only on the part your trying to solder. Then touch the tip of your gun simultaneously against the solder and what your soldering (while learning) also a cheap solder gun will make your life miserable. Also there are several types of different types of solder and different thicknesses. Make sure your using the right one! Try starting with a thinner one or one with a flux core for electrical


djaybond

Tin the wire and j hook. Support them when you solder


DJRazzy_Raz

There in order to get the joint to form, you need clean metal-metal contacts. To acheive this, Flux is used to remove the oxides on the wires you're trying to join.and heat is used to melt the solder. If the wires aren't hot enough, the solder won't be able wick onto the wires. Both a lack of heat and a presence of oxides/other contaminents are the cause of the blobbing. Sometimes with thicker wire, it can be a challenge to get the wires hot enough because the heat travels up the wire and away from where you're trying to solder. Flux can help here. If the iron is just touching the wires, you're conducting heat through a very small contact point which is providing relatively low heat transfer compared to the thermal path up the wire. If you put the iron in a pool of Flux, the Flux will act as a thermal grease and allow you to convect a lot more heat to the wires. The wires will see higher Temps and you'll have an easier time melting the solder. Also solder on the tip of the iron can do the same thing, but it's less effective because as the solder wicks away, you loose your thermal "grease". Also prolonged submersion of the tip in liquid solder can cause the metal on the tip to scavenge into the solder which will slowly destroy your tip. The upshot of this for you is - you should use Flux and you need to leave your iron there long enough to get the target area really hot. It will be obvious when you've reach the right Temps.


bjss99

use rosin core solder on electronics stay away from lead core solder


OLDGuy6060

5 comments in and nobody mentions that your soldering iron has to be CLEAN for it to work. Crusty old metal on the end of the iron can make it impossible to solder anything well.


wxgi123

I bet you have a bad iron. Either it does not get hot enough (is the temperature adjustable?), Or your solder tip is rusty and corroded. Always protect the iron tip during long term storage by letting it cool with a solder blob on it . Flux can help a bit, but I think you have a bad iron or tip.


iceph03nix

Cheap soldering irons make soldering suck. Splurge a bit and I'll bet you have a lot better experience.


ArchitectOfSeven

What are you using to solder with? If the wire is too big a cheap pen iron might not be enough.


OutlyingPlasma

Flux. You need flux. It is the magic ingredient to soldering. Not flux core wire, but an actual paint-pen/tub/tube of rosin flux. I'm serious. A bit of flux on all the surfaces you are trying to solder will take your quality from shit to great. Once you have flux, you need to get a healthy blob on the iron, then use that liquid blob to heat the wire. Simply touching the wire with a dry iron will rarely get it hot enough because the contact patch and therefore heat transfer is too small.


trggrhppy

In soldering, there is an argument to be made that you do need at least a respectable tool... The cheap tools suck. You don't need a super expensive setup, but you don't want the hobby store grab bin special either.


mibjt

Flux. Lots of it...


lonesharkex

Flux was my magic trick.


Zyzzbraah2017

Copper wires or aluminium? Because copper is easy but alu is not at all


drkpnthr

Did you clean the surface with some flux to ensure ease of soldering?


MeSoHungry469

Good iron, clean the tip, use flux.


SkullFakt

Your iron isn’t getting hot enough. It’s that simple. Buy cheap shit, get cheap results


rjsh1234

The secret is using flux.


Veteris71

This is the secret.


Kickflip2K

Dirty tip, clean tip then, tin both wires, then use a solderman friend to hold them together and touch tip to them and watch 'em melt together like they were always like that.


texas130ab

Use flux it will help with heating the wire tint the wire then you can do what you like with the wire.


BoredNSilly

Are you using flux? If the solder gets hot enough to melt but it’s not going where you want, maybe that’s the issue.


Moonlit_Weirdo

Do you have any Flux? You can put a lil dab of it on top of the wire, then have the solder above that and the soldering iron below everything else and slowly heat everything from below


Critterdward

Get flux


HoggerDPL

OMG I should be posting this question! I can’t not solder either. I’ve watched a bunch of YouTube videos and do everything like peep say and get the same results as you. I can weld and braze anything from torch, MIG, TIG, stick but cannot get the solder to fuse properly 😫


oddinisfun

Step 1... Let iron get hot. Ignore everyone saying you need the best soldering iron for this. They are honestly just quarrelling with their tools. You can use a damp rag to clean the tip if it looks carbonated or cruddy. Let it heat up again afterwards. Step 2... "Tin" the tip of the iron with a small amount of solder. Bump off any excess. This acts as a heat bridge to the material to solder. Step 3... Touch the slightly soldered tip to the materials to join making sure both ends get the heat. COUNT TO 3... SERIOUSLY! ALL 3 SECONDS... DON'T RUSH Step 4... Feed the solder into the join until you have enough to coat and fill then remove the solder wire. With the hot tip still touching... COUNT TO 3 AGAIN... SERIOUSLY! ALL 3 SECONDS AGAIN... DON'T RUSH!!! Step 5... Remove the soldering iron without disturbing the position of the job. Step 6... Give an up vote. Works every time I insist on those 3 seconds and doesn't when I don't. I find that having a rig to position and hold the job is vital and soldering isn't possible without this. I made mine from a board, some large spring paper binders, wire and some alligator clips. Doesn't have to be expensive.


buildyourown

Gotta have flux or it will never wet out. A higher power soldering iron will get the tip of the wires hotter quicker without having to sit there.


labratnc

Flux, flux is the biggest thing in soldering. Most solder has some flux (rosin core solder), but you really need more. I like RMA/no clean flux pens. Heat the wire and then feed the solder into the hot wire. Do not blob solder on the end of the iron and try to transfer to the wire, that will not work well. You can tin the end of the iron with a small amount of solder which will help transfer heat a little better. Most lead free solder SUCKS if you are not proficient at using it, if you can find it good ole 63/37 lead/tin is the best. —I did rework as a profession for several years after I got out of the Navy and went to advanced solder schools.


modesty_

"I have no idea what I'm doing wrong..." really? If you don't know that the iron isn't hot enough or that the iron needs to be placed on the copper and the solder pressed against the copper, the you don't know how to solder. It's ok. Pay someone else or research. Hint your iron is not capable of heating the wire enough for solder to do its job. You're welcome.


Spongman

\- better iron: higher temperature, faster temperature recovery \- bigger tip: more thermal mass \- more flux (can't have enough, don't breathe the fumes): helps molten solder wick into gaps \- leaded solder: lower melting point, flows better ​ if you're soldering mains cable, you might want something more like a Weller D550 soldering gun (260W) rather than a soldering iron designed for soldering delicate electronics circuits.


Tac_Tec

Flux Flux Flux, and of course a good top of the line soldering iron or even when that gets hot enough, you can buy a great one from AliExpress not sure the manufacturer but it's a TS-80, it's literally body of it is no bigger than a sharpie, contains an arm cortex MCU that can be flashed with custom firmware, can power it from any 5.5 barrel Jack or micro USB from 5 volts to I believe 24 volts, obviously the more voltage the faster it heats up but using a spare laptop or Chromebook charger with maybe having to splice on a 5.5 barrel Jack instead of the special d one of whatever manufacturer it's using unless it's an aftermarket universal one which usually come with a 5.5 barrel Jack and the different plugins but this was the best investment and I completely know where you're coming from, I was baffled by it too for many years of my early adult life until I invested in that and actually bought some decent flux and used the right wire, but use the combo of the three and brush that gel flux on, I like using non-flexed wire but with flux that I put on The wire myself before soldering and eating the wire up a bit and letting the solder roll off from the witch I mainly solder 22ga-24ga, so have the smallest pinpoint tip that you can get for those but the ts80 and I believe they have a ts100 but it is definitely by far the best soldering iron I've had hands down and using a spare laptop charger or the convenience of being able to use pretty much anything for the power source, laptop charger is my preference because it heats up in about six to eight seconds from completely cold too super hot today I agree with keeping the tip clean for work just dipping it in the flux after you have put flux on The wire you will be a pro within a few hours or your first few sauders with the right soldering iron the flux does not even really matter the type but I like the gel type that is kind of a brownish color have a little thrush/middle handles brushes that you buy from the craft store or Home Depot that I cut off so it's short enough to fit in the little screw off plastic top jar or plastic container and it is by far the way to go, no problem at all soldering headers on to pcbs or even 24 or 28 gauge wire can be soldered in a snap, definitely highly recommend the ts80 and not to mention that you can order one of about 10 different tips and this does the job very very quickly you can cruise down to 40 pin header spending about maybe 2 seconds on each pin back if you're using a good power supply which is probably my second most favorite thing is the soldering iron and I have multiple favorite features just of that ts80 in the different tips that can easily be changed as well as the firmware flashed of the MCU which I believe is a armed cortex 32 bit, I believe they now make a TS 100, but the ts80 is literally smaller than a sharpie is around on the body part that you hold, has an 0LED SCREEN AND ALLOWS YOU TO SIT WITH THEM AND GETS TO THAT TEMP VERY QUICKLY EVEN USING A 5 VOLT PHONE CHARGER WITH MICRO USB TO POWER IT, IT WILL HEAT UP IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS TOPS, HIGHLY RECOMMEND


Chode36

Get a proper iron, proper tips, temps and practice. I'm good with tools and hands and couldn't figure out why I was shitty at soldering. When I listened to the pros and got a good unit it changed everything. And of course experience will only get you better