Carry out a correct soldering iron for lead free solder

Welding is a word that scares even those who do very well with DIY in various fields, due to the widespread belief among the less experienced that soldering iron for lead free solder is a difficult activity reserved for specialists. Of course this is not the case, especially for the type of tin soldering, in fact the most basic one.

Tin welding consists in joining two metal elements by means of a third molten metal which is deposited along the joint line of the two pieces to be connected.

The soldering iron for tin soldering on electrical circuits

The soldering iron for lead free solder is soldering on electrical circuits Support for soldering ironSolder the electronic components. When the molten metal solidifies, welding or brazing is performed. The metals that can be soldered with this system are: copper and its alloys, tin-based alloys, galvanized metals, brass, aluminum and lead, as well as various alloys of these metals.

To achieve all this you need some fundamental elements:

• the welder, which brings the filler metal to the necessary melting point
• the tin alloy
• some collated accessories

The characteristics of the welder

It is a tool equipped with an insulating handle and a copper alloy tip, which is suitably heated by a resistance. Most electric soldering irons are primarily intended for work on electrical and electronic circuits.

The techniques for a correct soldering iron for lead free solder

This derives from the specific characteristics of the tool: precision in temperature control and great heat output. A typical electronic soldering iron for lead free solder has a molded plastic handle. So that it can be held like a pencil between the thumb and forefinger. A copper tip protrudes from the handle, often plated with chrome or other metal, which prolongs its life.

The tip is brought to working temperature by a small electrical element contained in the body of the soldering iron. This means that the tip temperature can be precisely controlled and work can go on continuously. It can be without having to stop to heat the tip, as was the case with old soldering irons.

The different types of soldering iron for lead free solder

For particularly delicate jobs there are small welders able to work with great precision; they have very thin tips and are very suitable for electronic circuits. For general soldering iron for lead free solder work, make sure that the welder is powerful enough to perform them. A power of 60 W is able to allow general work and some operations in the electrical field.

This power would be excessive for electronic works because it could damage the affected circuits. Soldering irons are suitable for this use; the welder’s battery they are very useful if you have to work away from a power outlet, for example on the car. It is clear, however, that the duration of work depends on the life of the rechargeable batteries.

The tips for the soldering soldering iron for lead free solder

The gun welder whatever type of electric soldering iron for lead free solder you choose, there is a wide range of interchangeable tips for it. Standard tips that are suitable for most jobs are usually found on soldering irons. These are flat tips and their diameter ranges from 1.2 mm to 8 mm.

Preparatory activities for tin soldering

Before moving on to welding it is necessary to carry out some preparatory activities that allow an easy execution of the work. You will notice that the new soldering iron often does not welcome the molten tin, which drips off the tip: this always happens because of the oxide that forms on the tip itself.

It is necessary to first tin the tip itself by sanding it with coarse abrasive and possibly immersing it for a moment in a jar with deoxidizer paste.

The flux for soldering iron for lead free solder

The task of the flux for soldering iron for lead free solder is fundamental. The metal parts that must be joined together, in addition to being well cleaned and smoothed, must not show any traces of oxidation. Apart from the one contained in the tin, in fact, it is convenient to apply a little in advance on the parts to be joined. For this purpose, there are different types of flux: in paste, liquid and powder form.

How to proceed with welding

You can switch to welding by placing the parts to be weld in good contact, then, heating them simply by placing the tip of the soldering iron for lead free solder on them. When they are hot, bring the tin wire (or the bar if you are dealing with larger jobs) of tin that quickly melts and settles across the joint.

It is necessary that the two parts stand still for about ten seconds in order for the tin to harden. If the parts move before hardening, a micro-fracture occurs in the pond which clearly affects the result.

Hot and cold welds using soldering iron for lead free solder

A well done weld is smooth and shiny. The tin has no cracks or bubbles. However, it is easy to run into stwo typical mistakes: hot and cold soldering .The first case occurs when welding with a drop of tin that has been sitting on the tip of the soldering iron for lead free solder for too long and has overheated.

The defects of the welds

The cold welding it occurs when the drop, just melts. Moreover, we apply it to the parts to be weld and cools too quickly. In both cases the weld is opaque and wavy. It does not offer any guarantee of mechanical seal while also the conduction of electric current (or of high frequency signals, in the case of electronic assemblies) can encounter problems.

Summary

Hot and cold welds are noted for the opacity of the tin and the shape of the weld. When soldering electrical components it must be in mind that they get easily damage by heat. To avoid overheating, use tweezers to hold the element to weld, between the weld and the component itself.