Solder Joints

[SKY]

Following on from the recent crimping thread.
What is the best method for solder joining 1.5 and 2.5mm conductors?

Apart from the solder and soldering what other tools or consumables are needed?

Thanks All

 

[stef]

Uhm, don't solder mains cales and wires?

 

[stef]

Nah, serious mate, soldering is for electronics, criping is for power wiring.

 

[SJD]

I suspect the consensus will be you don't want to do this, but if you do anyway:
1. Make sure the soldering iron is up to the job - e.g. it can deliver enough heat quickly enough (I'd suggest a temperature controlled iron with separate power supply, or Metcal thermostatic bit type - not one of the cheap "toys" you see in hobby electronics shops).
2. Watch out for the insulation melting/peeling back as you solder - and you'll need some sleeving such as heatshrink.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Uhm, don't solder mains cales and wires?

Can you give us a good reason why not??

 

[Geordie Spark]

I suspect the consensus will be you don't want to do this, but if you do anyway:
1. Make sure the soldering iron is up to the job - e.g. it can deliver enough heat quickly enough (I'd suggest a temperature controlled iron with separate power supply, or Metcal thermostatic bit type - not one of the cheap "toys" you see in hobby electronics shops).
2. Watch out for the insulation melting/peeling back as you solder - and you'll need some sleeving such as heatshrink.

Me Dad had a copper bolt filed to a wedge shape fixed to a length of steel rod with a wooden file handle stuck on the end ..... and a gas ring & tin of flux ........ worked perfectly every time.

 

[SafetyFirst]

Apart from the solder and soldering what other tools or consumables are needed?

Stating the obvious a wee bit here but a steady set of hands usually comes of use.


I have never soldered anything other than low voltage joints myself, i too believe soldering is only ever associated with electronics rather than mainstream electrical circuits.

 

[snowhead]

Me Dad had a copper bolt filed to a wedge shape fixed to a length of steel rod with a wooden file handle stuck on the end ..... and a gas ring & tin of flux ........ worked perfectly every time.

I have a very similar tool, (not a bolt, a proper lump of copper) made as part of my college course in,,,,1968.

And we used to used soldered lugs on cable and hammers and rawlplug tools and water levels and thread the end of plain rod for hanging lighting trunking non of this allthread stuff.

 

[Guest111]

They used to solder underground cables years ago,seen it done in the days before scotchcast resin joints came about.

 

[stef]

Can you give us a good reason why not??

To solder 2.5 mm copper you need a 250W soldering Iron, melting insulation, dry joint, shaky hands, no, seriously I wouldn't do it.

 

[Guest111]

To solder 2.5 mm copper you need a 250W soldering Iron, melting insulation, dry joint, shaky hands, no, seriously I wouldn't do it.

BLIMEY MATE 250watt iron? 2.5 solid strand 100watt iron no problem,done it a few times.

 

[stef]

Was only guessing :001_icon16:

 

[Guest111]

Was only guessing :001_icon16:

Bet you aint old enough to remember the copper tipped pokers you heated up on a stove and used ordinary solder and fry,s flux are you?

 

[stef]

Bet you aint old enough to remember the copper tipped pokers you heated up on a stove and used ordinary solder and fry,s flux are you?

Nah, getting 50 in a fortnite. And I wasn't dock yard trained :95:

 

[telectrix]

what you mean, remember. i still use mine. made in college, 1967. have to use a blowlamp on it now though, as we have installed central heating. got no bloody fire now.

 

[ipf]

Fit physio with VERY manipulative hands. She was brilliant for my shoulder joint, among other things..

 

[telectrix]

we generally put shoulder joints in the oven. lamb or pork, not fussy.

 

[Knobhead]

Weak-back ferules, tin-mans solder, resin (amber) flux, gas torch and a mate you can trust.
Oh sorry it’s 2.5. 100W iron, cored solder and heat shrink.

 

[Golden_Boy]

To solder 2.5 mm copper you need a 250W soldering Iron, melting insulation, dry joint, shaky hands, no, seriously I wouldn't do it.

250 watt iron? what a crock... A decent 45 watt weller wil solder 10mm with NO problem at all.
Do you think all the intenal wiring in say a washing machine is crimped? Think again ... sodered joint in copper cables are absolutly fine as long as you know what you are doing..

 

[telectrix]

To solder 2.5 mm copper you need a 250W soldering Iron, melting insulation, dry joint, shaky hands, no, seriously I wouldn't do it.

hands are steady as a rock after a few pints,