I need a functioning Soldering Iron....

[StellarisVoid]

Hello,
I have made a few circuits before, and I attempted to transfer it onto stripboards. I am not sure what the problem is, but it went terrible. I was using a Holife Soldering Iron (I don't know the model) and some lead-free solder I got from Bitsbox that is supposed to melt really well at 230°C.
I don't know what the problem was (this has happened a few times) but the solder would only melt at apparently 460°C. But it only melted away from the tip. The tip seemed not hot enough even when I cleaned it. Soldering now is very stressful because it barely melts.
Does anyone know what the problem may be? I think it is a fault with the soldering iron.

Does anyone know any soldering irons that are good quality and are not too expensive (below £50 maybe?) because I have a big project soon and keeping components on the breadboard will not be practical.

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[Guineafowl]

A properly tinned bit makes all the difference, as does having a little bleb of solder on the tip to improve heat transfer.

 

[Bystander]

..., plus FLUX, appropriate flux.

 

[berkeman]

and some lead-free solder I got from Bitsbox

If you can still get a roll of the old/traditional solder, it is easier to use than the newer no-clean solder. If you are working in a company, ISO certification rules usually require us to use the no-clean (low lead) solder, though.

but the solder would only melt at apparently 460°C.

How did you measure this temperature?

Also, can you upload a couple pictures of a typical breadboard and the components you are working with? Thanks. (click "Attach files" under the Edit window)

 

[StellarisVoid]

..., plus FLUX, appropriate flux.

I'm not quite sure what that is sorry.

A properly tinned bit makes all the difference, as does having a little bleb of solder on the tip to improve heat transfer.

I have tried putting solder on the tip as well but it didn't work either, if anything, possibly worse.

Thank you for the suggestions anyways!

If you can still get a roll of the old/traditional solder, it is easier to use than the newer no-clean solder. If you are working in a company, ISO certification rules usually require us to use the no-clean (low lead) solder, though.

This is the only solder I have. I do not work in a company(I'm a young teen!).

How did you measure this temperature?

On the soldering iron, it says what temperature I have set it to. There is a screen with the temperature on it.

Also, can you upload a couple pictures of a typical breadboard and the components you are working with? Thanks. (click "Attach files" under the Edit window)

I work with random breadboards and components like comparators, 555 timers etc.
I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow!

 

[berkeman]

This is the only solder I have. I do not work in a company(I'm a young teen!).

So since you are just doing this as a hobby at home, you should be able to buy and use the old/regular solder, which is much easier to use.

 

[Borek]

flux

I'm not quite sure what that is sorry.

I have tried putting solder on the tip as well but it didn't work either, if anything, possibly worse.

My bet is that your iron is not cleaned up - the tip should be covered with molten solder. Typically it gets covered with oxides, and they make it virtually impossible to get good contact, which slows down heat transfer. Flux is something (sold as a pasta, or a solid, or a thick liquid) that you use to reduce these oxides and uncover bare metal, which then should be wetted with the solder itself. Cleaning the iron and keeping it clean and shiny is not trivial. Flux and a wet sponge are your friends.

Warning: don't think about cleaning the iron with a nail or sandpaper, unless you use a very old one, with a copper tip. Modern irons have the tip covered with very thin layer of a metal that makes wetting easier, it is pretty easy to scrap this cover and ruin the iron completely. Been there, done that

 

[berkeman]

I have a big project soon and keeping components on the breadboard will not be practical.

For motivation, you could attend one of these hand soldering competitions to see how it is done by the best! You can likely find a similar event in your country -- this one was held in the UK in Feb 2022...

https://www.ipc.org/event/ipc-hand-soldering-competition-regional-qualification-uk

IPC would like to invite you to join the United Kingdom regional qualification for the IPC Hand
Soldering Competition (HSC) to be held at Southern Manufacturing and Electronics, Hall #1 –
Stand# M100 from 8 to 10 February 2022. Skilled soldering experts (F/M) will be competing
during 60 minutes on a complex circuit board assembly to win the 2022 United Kingdom
National title, earn a cash prize and a coveted spot at the IPC Hand Soldering World
Championship.

Farnborough International Convention Center - Regional HSC Competition - UK

Show Centre, Etps Road
Farnborough
GU146FD
United Kingdom

 

[Tom.G]

I agree with @berkeman that the 'old style' solder is much easier to use. The 63% Tin/ 37% Lead solder (known as 63/37 solder) is much easier to use; its melting point is 183°C. The solder with a flux core (AKA rosin core) is also a big improvement in usability, and the comments below assume its use.

An alternate, and maybe easier to find, is 60/40 solder which melts at 188°C. This 60/40 mix is a little trickier to use, it has 'pasty' (partially melted) temperature starting at 183°C

For circuit board use with small components, I use a 315C or 371C tip (600F, 700F) with good results using the 63/37 solder noted above.

It sounds like the tip has oxidized and/or collected a layer of burned flux on it. It will have to be cleaned to be usable.

CLEANING (tinning) The Tip
A brown paper shopping bag is a readily available and an effective cleaning material. Warm the tip to around 250C - 300C and rub it on the brown paper. (You may have to use a higher temperature)

If you remember what color the tip was before you used it, that is how clean it should be to start. You will likely get small areas cleaned, that's OK,

As clean spots appear on the tip, apply some solder to keep the clean area protected; then continue the cleaning operation until the tip working area is completely 'tinned' (coated with solder). No need to remove the excess solder unless it gets in the way of cleaning. Generally, shake off the excess solder, don't wipe!... that would expose the bare tip material again.

Once the tip is cleaned and tinned, set the temperature as noted in paragraph 3 above.

When at the working temperature, wipe the tip and immediately coat it with fresh solder. This protects the tip from oxidation while hot between individual soldering operations.

After all of this, the tip is finally ready for use.

When a joint is ready to be soldered,
1) wipe the tip on a damp sponge^*, pad of paper, or cloth.
2) apply a Small amount of fresh solder to the tip
3) simultaneously apply the tip and some solder to the joint

The small amount of solder that is on the tip will help transfer heat to the parts to be joined. The hot parts will then melt the bulk solder, allowing it to flow into the joint. (For the occassional stubborn joint, you will have to place the bulk solder on the joint and the, with some light to moderate pressure, place tip on the solder.)

Remove the tip from the joint and replace it in its holder. Do Not Wipe The Solder Off The Tip! It protects the tip from oxidizing. Get in the habit of wiping the tip Before soldering a joint, Not After.

When working on circuit boards, do not use high pressure of the tip on the board when it is hot. The adhesive that holds the Copper traces to the board will melt/degrade and the Copper will slide around or lift off the board.

A 'good' solder joint is shiny when cooled. If it is gray or speckled, it has been moved/disturbed as it was solidifying and is weak and prone to failure.

* NOTE: A synthetic (kitchen) sponge is Not good for wiping, the synthetic will melt and contaminate the tip. Use a natural cellulose (thanks @rbelli1) sponge or one sold expressly for soldering use.

The two major brands of quality solder are Kester and Multicore, around USD $40-$50 per pound.

(END Crash Course of Soldering )

Hope it helps!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[StellarisVoid]

63% Tin/ 37% Lead solder

Hmmm... I've always thought that I required a license to use lead solder in the UK

Some pictures of my soldering iron tip and some components that I use:

 

[Borek]

Hmmm... I've always thought that I required a license to use lead solder in the UK

Please remember we are scattered all around a world, so your local regulations can differ from the ones other members have to follow.

I would check at your place if the license is not a requirement for professional applications, hobbyists are sometimes out of the scope of such regulations. I am not saying that's your case, I would just check to be sure.

 

[artis]

@StellarisVoid I'm pretty sure there are no regulations for what type of solder you can use at your own home as long as you can get it either from a store or from second hand sellers like ones on ebay.

Leaded solder is not exactly leaded gasoline which is burnt and then the lead exhausted as miniature particles and aerosols all around which you breathe in easily.
That being said you might want to consider soldering either in a well ventilated area or getting yourself a small fan and ventilation tube that exits the room which sits directly above your workbench and sucks the fumes in that rise up from the iron and board.
Unless of course you do this once a year then you can avoid it.

As for your soldering iron , I have to say I myself don't like these rounded cone shaped tips of the cheap store irons these days, they don't hold solder on them even when their fresh and clean.
I myself like the simple copper tips which are round but one side is cut at a 45 degree angle to axis and is flat.
That increases the surface area and the solder sticks better to it.
See these pictures for reference. Also check your iron, most modern irons , even the cheap ones have changeable tips , simply unscrew the end fastener nut and swap out the tip for a one with a different shape. Although looking at your iron I don't see such a nut so maybe yours can't be swapped.

But basically as others have said, good flux, clean tip, and ideally good flowing solder which is usually the older type with more lead to it.

The newer type solders are harder to use , you have to have more skill otherwise they end up like cold joints and lose contact quickly.PS. If you plan to solder IC's etc in the future be sure to ground your iron well, because the irons that work off mains voltage , especially the cheap ones, often develop some leakage voltage on their chassis which sometimes can even be felt by touching them.
This can be avoided either by using good grounding on the chassis or by using a different iron altogether. I for example took some mains irons and rewound them for lower voltage (42v AC) and run them on a mains isolation and step down transformer, with such configuration both I am safe as well as my small semiconductors because if you develop a voltage on your iron chassis you can easily damage semiconductors as you solder them.

 

[rbelli1]

Use a natural sponge

Cellulose sponge. Not this kind of natural sponge.

BoB

 

[Rive]

Some pictures of my soldering iron tip and some components that I use:
View attachment 315610

Was the tip changed recently?
When soldering goes wrong (with changeable tips) the cause is often the loose mechanical contact between the heating element and the tip or some oxide particles between them. Or, occasionally, a mismatched tip...

 

[StellarisVoid]

Was the tip changed recently?

I have never changed the tip of the soldering iron.

 

[berkeman]

I have never changed the tip of the soldering iron.

Be sure to let it cool well before changing it. Do not ask me how I know this...

 

[hutchphd]

The other bit of soldering paraphernalia I like is the coarse "brass wool" ball on the solder station. Of course for the snobbish solderers I would recommend a Metcal which uses a waveguide cable and the Curie temperature of the tip. I got mine really cheap (secondhand $50) and would not part with it for love nor money. They are pricey as are the tips.
I, too, strongly recommend 63/37 solder and I use rosin dissolved in isoproponol as flux (I make it myself).

 

[DaveE]

The other bit of soldering paraphernalia I like is the coarse "brass wool" ball on the solder station. Of course for the snobbish solderers I would recommend a Metcal which uses a waveguide cable and the Curie temperature of the tip. I got mine really cheap (secondhand $50) and would not part with it for love nor money. They are pricey as are the tips.
I, too, strongly recommend 63/37 solder and I use rosin dissolved in isoproponol as flux (I make it myself).

Yep, I love my Metcal. The PS and hand piece can be found relatively inexpensively, but you can spend a small fortune on all of the specialized tips they offer, if you are so inclined. One for PLCC 28, one for PLCC 32, one for PLCC 44, one for DIP 16, a set for SOx... Those tips that are just a straight bar are f#$&ing awesome for rework! Plus, if you take care of them they'll last forever.

A couple of observations:
"It is a poor workman that blames their tools" - Soldering well requires some training, judgement, and experience.

OTOH, the best "workmen" usually have really good tools.

 

[berkeman]

one for DIP 16

Whatzat?

 

[StellarisVoid]

"brass wool" ball on the solder station

I have tried cleaning the tip with brass wool too but there wasn't any difference.

Thank you for all the recommendations so far!

 

[DaveE]

Whatzat?

Ha, laugh if you like, but this sucker is still in production, more than 30 years old. Part of an essential tool in making that smart phone in your pocket. You'd never design it this way today, but you also wouldn't redesign it. OTOH, I doubt they would repair a failed IC, now days you just ship out a new PCB from the assembly line and throw the old board away. Troubleshooting is expensive and not part of the standard processes.

 

[pbuk]

I agree with @berkeman that the 'old style' solder is much easier to use. The 63% Tin/ 37% Lead solder (known as 63/37 solder) is much easier to use; its melting point is 183°C. The solder with a flux core (AKA rosin core) is also a big improvement in usability, and the comments below assume its use.

An alternate, and maybe easier to find, is 60/40 solder which melts at 188°C. This 60/40 mix is a little trickier to use, it has 'pasty' (partially melted) temperature starting at 183°C

Old-style solder is not so easy to get hold of in the UK. I hadn't used a soldering iron for about 40 years until 5 years ago and working with lead-free solder took quite a bit of practice, but I can now work without dry joints or overheating. The results don't look quite as good as with lead solder, rework is particularly challenging and I haven't yet tried surface mount components, but I'm happy to be using a "safer" product.

A flux pen really helps.

 

[artis]

Ha, laugh if you like, but this sucker is still in production, more than 30 years old. Part of an essential tool in making that smart phone in your pocket. You'd never design it this way today, but you also wouldn't redesign it. OTOH, I doubt they would repair a failed IC, now days you just ship out a new PCB from the assembly line and throw the old board away. Troubleshooting is expensive and not part of the standard processes.

View attachment 315815

Well one of the reasons why repairing has gone down for most part is because the boards now are so tiny and complicated that even if your good at what you do it is still a pain to work one out.
And that is if you have schematics... in most cases you don't because the large companies that make the product don't share theirs.

We are a long way from swapping vacuum tubes or soldering 3 legged TO3 transistors, although in power electronics they still have those and components that are big enough.

 

[Rive]

although in power electronics

What I've found about (recent) power electronics is that contacts are now reliant on very specific and precise mounting operations and soldering becomes more and more obsolete ...

 

[DaveE]

Well one of the reasons why repairing has gone down for most part is because the boards now are so tiny and complicated that even if your good at what you do it is still a pain to work one out.
And that is if you have schematics... in most cases you don't because the large companies that make the product don't share theirs.

We are a long way from swapping vacuum tubes or soldering 3 legged TO3 transistors, although in power electronics they still have those and components that are big enough.

Yes, but even if it's your own board design, it is usually cheaper to replace it with a new one than repair it. Modern turn-key assembly and test is cheap in volume. OTOH, troubleshooting and repair requires highly skilled labor, which has high opportunity costs; they have better things to work on, like the next product.

There are reliability risks associated with repair because you never really know what else was compromised in the failure. Most companies place a huge premium on reliability, failures are a huge expense from the sales & marketing point of view.

There was a big shift, in my experience, in the 1980's - 1990's when companies figured out that reliability and repairability were somewhat conflicting goals. You can see this in the death of IC sockets on PCBs. These are great for repair and the field service guys loved them. But, they were also a significant cause of failure. Even if it costs more to send a new replacement, the fact that you have fewer failures makes up for it in the long run.

Finally, documenting electronic designs for serviceability is really expensive. It requires the highest skilled engineers (usually the ones that did the design). With the inclusion of software and firmware and the associated complexity of more modern designs, it is really hard to explain or understand them. That effort is now mostly put into better manufacturing tests for newly built boards.

 

[hutchphd]

I do abhore the throw-away culture. Much of my life enjoyment has centered on fixing things. But the longevity and low price of modern electronics is amazing.
Of course this too shall pass

 

[artis]

Well longevity is a complex issue, I would not say that increase in longevity is a general "one size fits all" trend for modern electronics.

I used to repair laptops some time ago and one thing that really did not help the BGA connections and others is the switch to lead free solder.
There was a line of HP's , the 6000 series and such that almost always died in exactly the same way, instead of a chip going bad the chip usually came loose.
The fact that those chips were rather hot also did not help.

Just by the way, some properly made 70's and 80;s CRT TV sets could well go for 20 years until the tube itself lost it's brightness due to the gun cathode wearing out and phosphor losing it's properties.
I know because I watched one daily for hours as a kid and it lasted too long to count.