Crimping vs. Solder

[CBFryman2 5,000+ posts]

Most plumbing solder is composed as you described. Plumbing solder is not meant for electrical work. Electrical solder is lead free and high in silver content. It also uses an rosin flux that is electrical safe. The same can't be said for the brush on flux used for plumbing (plumbing work is technically brazing but whatever...) so like I said, you're using the wrong solder.

You have it backwards.

electronic solder is tin and lead. It is actually quite conductive considering. And on such a short distance (it is simply and extra median for current to travle through) it doesnt really make a difference. It also has a low melting point so it can safely be used on electronic devices and a 15w iron will melt it.

Silver-Tin solder is used on pipes because lead is a poision and plumbers use butane or propane tourches...not puney 15w irons.

Silver may be the most conductive...but we arent carrying 40a of current on a 16ga wire for 10 feet either. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[CBFryman2 5,000+ posts]

Where do you put the flux?

In the capacitors....duh

duh duh dun!

But seriosuly, flux is a weak acid that cleans copper oxides off of the surface so you get good adheasion and cotnact. Rosin core has head activated flux (the yellow shit that runs out when you melt the rosin solder) so you dont have to use flux. Plumbers brush on flux right before they solder, you'd do the same when soldering large guage wire with a butane tourch. Brush it on, let it sit for a second or two, then heat up the wire and apply solder to the other side.

a note when soldering, the metal you are trying to solder should melt the solder...not the flame or iron you are using to heat the metal. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

You have it backwards.
electronic solder is tin and lead. It is actually quite conductive considering.

There are silver/tin mixtures out there for electronics work...I bought a bunch of it when I built my amplifiers. I wouldn't wish a 15W iron on anyone, unless you're doing pencil-fine work with SMT parts.

Not to mention, all solder being used in the European Union is now lead-free, as of July 1st this year...

 

[baseballer1100 5,000+ posts]

In the capacitors....duh

duh duh dun!

But seriosuly, flux is a weak acid that cleans copper oxides off of the surface so you get good adheasion and cotnact. Rosin core has head activated flux (the yellow shit that runs out when you melt the rosin solder) so you dont have to use flux. Plumbers brush on flux right before they solder, you'd do the same when soldering large guage wire with a butane tourch. Brush it on, let it sit for a second or two, then heat up the wire and apply solder to the other side.

 

a note when soldering, the metal you are trying to solder should melt the solder...not the flame or iron you are using to heat the metal. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Thats what i was doing wrong.

 

[envengineer 10+ year member]

Ok so what soldering iron or butane torch do you guys reccomend?

I use a Hakko 936 for all of my audio soldering. http://www.all-spec.com/1/viewitem/936-11/ALLSPEC/prodinfo/w3path=vend

 

[baseballer1100 5,000+ posts]

Thats nice but i really dont want to spend 93 dollars on a soldering iron. So flux or no flux?

 

[CBFryman2 5,000+ posts]

Rosin Core. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[envengineer 10+ year member]

Thats nice but i really dont want to spend 93 dollars on a soldering iron. So flux or no flux?

So go pick up a radio shack iron for $15 and a regular butane torch they'll get the job done on normal work. You asked, I answered since no one else was.

 

[MustangGT25YRS 10+ year member]

Solder looks so much better than crimps when done right, and is clean. When i wire up a HU harness, i take 2 pieces of big *** heatshrink, clear, that fits over the entire bundle of wires. Then i solder all my wires and heat shrink em. Then when im done, i heat up the 2 big *** pieces to make one solid strand lookin thing. Looks nice. My buddy asked me where i went to get my radio install cuz he saw how mine was done and thought it was professionally done. Ive also done this a few times and soldering is just easy for me.

Hey Phantom,

Never thought of the heatshrink for the HU Harness....Sounds Ideal/.Thank You for the Idea.Take Care.

*Kind Regards*

*[Tinkker/1948]*//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thankyou.gif.5451126d09e870f796f50c3a4dd5acd7.gif

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

Rosin Core. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/word.gif.64b12e39f936af3b4fff38a1c0bd0244.gif

When Installing in peoples cars in my hometown...I only Crimp, because the people arent going to see/hear the difference that a properly connected harness will give you when Im hooking up a Dual Headunit, to a SPL brand amp, to Audiobling subs. Plus Im very profesional with my crimps and all harneses get taped and Zip-tied up to make it look clean. But on my truck Soldering is the way I go...Im going to get a Torch that way I can start soldering on my Ring terminals for my 1/0...but for a connectivity/cleanliness standpoint

SOLDER>CRIMP

 

[baseballer1100 5,000+ posts]

So go pick up a radio shack iron for $15 and a regular butane torch they'll get the job done on normal work. You asked, I answered since no one else was.

I know and i thank you for that. I was looking for a cheap one:

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

Sorry to dig up an OLD post, but i found an interesting article about crimping vs. soldering:

http://www.pdperformance.com/pics/chrispics/technical_info/vw_wiring_article.pdf

I've also found out that soldering is unacceptable in automotive codes anywhere but in the US, and is also no longer up to code for use in airplanes, medical equipment, or any marine use due to it's poor conductivity, vulnerability to interference, loss of flexibility at the point of contact, poor mechanical strength compared to a proper crimp, and it's susceptability to breaking, cracking, or otherwise failing from vibration

In fact, if you google "crimping vs. soldering" or "soldering vs. crimping" on google, either way, every single link will tell you crimping is better and more durable than a soldered connection.

I also learned that the wattage of an iron has nothing to do with the heat it can produce. In fact, craftsman has a 150w 1100 degree iron, and a 400w 1000 degree iron.

But ever since this thread, it's been on my to do list to find a good iron before i went to wire up my new install, and over the last few weeks of searching, i stumbled across all of this information contradicting everything i read here.

Hopefully the OP of this thread did some of his own research, cause i don't know where the rest of you got your info.

 

[phantom240 5,000+ posts]

... i notice with lower wattage irons, when you solder you can only do a little at a time before the iron temp goes below the melting point of the solder, so you have to wait till it heats back up. suxor.

and mustanggt25yrs, no problem, nice to know i contributed to something useful.

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

ya, the higher wattage, the faster the gun can GET hot, so the more resistant it is to the item being soldered acting as a heatsink and ******* the heat away from the iron. has no effect on the designated temperature of the iron, tho

in fact, i read you're less likely to ruin the item being soldered with a higher wattage iron, since it will actually take you less time to get it hot enough to melt the solder, opposed to heating the wire a bit at a time, where the sheathing or other surround materials are gathering heat and melting in the meantime

 

[Shyne151 10+ year member]

At work I have to solder all connections...

we have 4-5 of these:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Portable+Power+Tools&pid=00954046000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Soldering+Tools+%26+Accessories&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

they last for awhile, then the triggers go bad in them... i wouldn't suggest them.

a couple of these old skool iron's are still around at work:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Portable+Power+Tools&pid=00954085000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Soldering+Tools+%26+Accessories&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

they are from awhile back, still work fine... just take awhile to heat up.

personall this is what i've been useing since spring...

one of these:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Portable+Power+Tools&pid=00954027000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Soldering+Tools+%26+Accessories&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

and one of these:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Portable+Power+Tools&pid=00954042000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Soldering+Tools+%26+Accessories&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

it's just alot easier when doing remote starts and such, not having to wait for the gun to warm up... plus if you keep the tip clean(sponge) they work good and last a long time.

For the guy asking about soldering bigger gauge wires/ring terminals I always use a heat gun and lots of solder.