Someone please school me on soldering...

It's kicking my ass!!!!

So I have a jeep with a recent LS3 swap. I'm now installing new led lights etc etc. Everyone says the proper way of wiring lights is to solder them. Problem is.... I absolutely cannot figure it out.

My solder either balls up and falls on my garage floor or doesn't do anything at all.

I have a variety of different sizes of solder but it always fails.

I have an adjustable Weller iron if that helps.

Any input is much appreciated!

 

Are you using flux, or Rosen core solder?

 

Are you putting flux on the wires? If not that may help you.

 

I would just use high quality crimp connectors, with the appropriate crimper.

 

Use flux or rosin (flux) core solder, heat the connector and wire, feed the solder to the hot connector/wire.

Acid core solder (for plumbing) won't work on wiring; it corrodes the wire and connector after you're done soldering.

 

Have you ever done any TIG welding? It's similar in technique to soldering. Heat the parent metal (wire/connector), add filler rod (solder).

 

Basically get solder on iron, put solder laden iron on wire, feed more solder.

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Like BSA43 states on type of solder but for technique..hold the iron on the wire but hold the solder on the wire also. Don't feed the solder to the iron. When the wire reaches the right temp the solder will flow right on. If you set the iron on the wire and right away start feeding solder to the iron it will melt at the iron but right off the wire because the wire isn't hot enough yet. Touch the solder to the wire, not the iron.

 

I use that technique on very small wires.

 

Flux and make sure you're getting and using leaded solder. You might think you're getting lead solder but it might be tin and that shit sucks.

 

The WERA beeb is a lot of things. It is not YouTube.

I can assure you there are 12,000 soldering videos.

 

Where's the fun in that?

 

Thank you all!!

I appreciate the YouTube comment.... but it ain't the beeb bro.

I'll put all the info to good use and start from here.

Thanks guys!!

 

I only deal with 0402 (40x20 miles max) 1005 components daily when doing R&D reworks but it still works for everything I come across.

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FWIW, I join the wires, apply heat from bottom and then feed solder from top. It works 100% of the time, 60% of the time.

 

It's fun teaching people to solder under a microscope!

 

I just twist them and use electrical tape.

 

If the solder isn't shiny, it's too cold.

If the solder isn't sticking, the metal is dirty and u need flux. Even copper gets an oxidation layer on it that prevents solder from sticking well. I usually just buy a flux pen that has a scratchy tip to scrub that off.

There are good and bad ways to twist wires together prior to soldering. Google will help.

 

Linemans splice

 

More like a telescope.