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Soldering question--What am I doing wrong?

 
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rscott(at)cascadeaccess.c
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:03 am    Post subject: Soldering question--What am I doing wrong? Reply with quote

I'm building the Creative Air LED nav light kits, working on the LED's.

So here's what I am doing.

First I clean up the boards and LED leads with alcohol.

Put them in the boards & bend the wires.

Tin the iron. It's a 15 watt iron.

Put the iron on the connection, then apply the solder. Bill says the LED's
are heat sensitive and to only hold the iron on them a couple seconds.

Half the time the solder doesn't penetrate the board, so I only have a cone
of solder on the lead on one side of the board, the side I am soldering on.

To try to fix it, I try to solder it again.

If that doesn't work (it rarely does), I remove most of the solder using
the iron and a clean cotton swab to absorb the solder & try again. Rarely
works.

Some of these I try a dozen times & still no joy.

How can I get a good soldered joint with a cone of solder on both sides of
the board? I have been told that that's what I need for a good
joint. Maybe that guy was wrong?

Richard Scott
RV-9A


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peter(at)mather.com
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 12:59 pm    Post subject: Soldering question--What am I doing wrong? Reply with quote

Richard

It depends on whether the board has plate-through holes - if there is track
on top of the board there should be but not always. If it has solder will
flow easily through unless the board is faulty, i.e some of the
plate-through is missing - not uncommon. If it is not plate through and
there is track on both sides then you need to solder both sides separately,
do not try and do it from one side. Otherwise just solder the bottom - one
little cone is fine.

Hope this helps

Best regards

Peter

---


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william.p.dube(at)noaa.go
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 5:08 pm    Post subject: Soldering question--What am I doing wrong? Reply with quote

You are doing nothing wrong.

If the solder has wet the wire and wet the pad on one side, that is
perfect. The holes are plated through so you only need to make a solder
connection to the pad on one side.

It's is good that you read the instructions about overheating the
LEDs. :
)

Be sure to put on sunglasses before you apply power to the lights.
Otherwise, you will see spots for awhile.

If you have the combo lights, don't forget to install the jumper
wire for 12 volts (or the resistor for 24 volts.)
Bill Dube'

Peter Mather wrote:

[quote]

Richard

It depends on whether the board has plate-through holes - if there is track
on top of the board there should be but not always. If it has solder will
flow easily through unless the board is faulty, i.e some of the
plate-through is missing - not uncommon. If it is not plate through and
there is track on both sides then you need to solder both sides separately,
do not try and do it from one side. Otherwise just solder the bottom - one
little cone is fine.

Hope this helps

Best regards

Peter

---


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greg(at)itmack.com
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 1:21 am    Post subject: Soldering question--What am I doing wrong? Reply with quote

Sounds like your technique is okay but I think the iron may be a bit small.
I like about 60w to keep the heat up when it touches the board. Make sure
you're heating both the pad on the board and the LED. You don't need to
take the old solder off to re-do a solder joint.

Greg
Just finished assembling my lights.
Quote:

<rscott(at)cascadeaccess.com>

I'm building the Creative Air LED nav light kits, working on the LED's.

So here's what I am doing.

First I clean up the boards and LED leads with alcohol.

Put them in the boards & bend the wires.

Tin the iron. It's a 15 watt iron.

Put the iron on the connection, then apply the solder. Bill says the
LED's
are heat sensitive and to only hold the iron on them a couple seconds.

Half the time the solder doesn't penetrate the board, so I only have a
cone
of solder on the lead on one side of the board, the side I am soldering
on.

To try to fix it, I try to solder it again.

If that doesn't work (it rarely does), I remove most of the solder using
the iron and a clean cotton swab to absorb the solder & try again. Rarely
works.

Some of these I try a dozen times & still no joy.

How can I get a good soldered joint with a cone of solder on both sides of
the board? I have been told that that's what I need for a good
joint. Maybe that guy was wrong?

Richard Scott
RV-9A



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Dan.Beadle(at)hq.inclines
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 7:41 am    Post subject: Soldering question--What am I doing wrong? Reply with quote

Sounds like you could use a little solder flux. . You want electronic
flux - not plumbing flux. Digikey sells water soluble flux pens that
work great. That makes the heat transfer to the PCB a lot better.

You want to heat mostly the PCB trace, especially if it is more massive
than the LED lead. Ideally, they both reach flow temperature at the
same time. The solder should flow evenly on PCB and lead with a concave
shape - not convex or bulbous.

If flux doesn't do it, get a larger iron. Radio Shack makes a
temperature controlled iron for about $70. Set it to about 600 degrees
and you get just the right amount of heat at the junction.

Dan

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