Tinning leads for soldering

[jimmyhorns]

I just 'invented' this technique by change after ballsing up a connector.

Take one knackered EC5 connector pin, heat with torch or soldering iron.

Fill end with solder til its full, and nice and hot

Dip in end of wire that you need to tin, when you see it starting to wick, remove. Repeat for as many wires as you need to tin (but if you are doing batteries make sure the tinned ends cant short).

Experiment with how much solder you need to tin your wires, about half full seems to be enough.

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[cjcj1949]

I think you may have invented the soldering pot. For even better results dip the wire into flux first.

[jimmyhorns]

Yeah, I didnt think I would be the first person to have this idea, probably not even the first to use a knackered EC5 connector, but thought I would share my discovery

[scuba steve]

wouldn't this technique lead to a cold solder joint ? since the metal in the wire you intend to 'tin' has not been brought above the melting temperature of the solder in use ?

or are you holding the wire in the pot (old connector) with heat on until its up to temperature ?

[jimmyhorns]

It shouldnt do.

The surface of the wire is tinned, and it has to be hot enough that you can remove the wire from the 'bath' without it sticking.

Its not the finished joint either, its just tinning.

The main soldering is yet to come, and provided you still see the solder starting to 'wick' there is enough heat in it not to cause a cold / dry joint.

The main advantage of tinning in this process is that it aids heat transfer to the wire for the main joint, and also gives you a formed shape for the all important final solder. Thats how I see it anyway. There is nothing to stop you from just filling the new connector with solder, and keeping it hot enough while you dip the wire in slowly, allowing it to heat up and then stay molten until you remove the heat, it just makes this process easier and probably a bit less it and miss.