Soldering 101: Difference between revisions

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:You still have to solder certain things, like grounds onto your 1157 sockets when adding extra rear lights.

* Get a ~30 watt pencil soldering iron. They are available at Radio Shack, or, in Canada, The Source, for about $10. Try to pick up a soldering sponge or two at the same time.

* Get a ~30 watt pencil soldering iron. They are available at Radio Shack or, in Canada, The Source, for about $10. Try to pick up a soldering sponge or two at the same time.

*Make sure you tin your tip before using it. That means: soak it in solder, knock the excess off, and wipe it clean with a wet soldering sponge. If you don't have a soldering sponge, a damp cotton or terrycloth rag will do the trick. This will not only extend the life of your tip, but by having a clean tip, you will produce better joints, more quickly, and with less heat damage to surrounding components.

* You want to be using rosin-core electronics solder, about 16-22 awg, not that big thick stuff designed for plumbing. You want either a 63/37 or 60/40 tin/lead alloy. The 97/3 and the "lead free" stuff are both inferior. They make it harder to visually inspect the joint, because they have a naturally duller appearance; also, they require higher temperatures, which means that your iron or your wire's insulation may not be up to the task.

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 :You still have to solder certain things, like grounds onto your 1157 sockets when adding extra rear lights.
-* Get a  ~30 watt pencil soldering iron. They are available at Radio Shack, or, in Canada, The Source, for about $10. Try to pick up a soldering sponge or two at the same time.
+* Get a  ~30 watt pencil soldering iron. They are available at Radio Shack or, in Canada, The Source, for about $10. Try to pick up a soldering sponge or two at the same time.
 *Make sure you tin your tip before using it. That means: soak it in solder, knock the excess off, and wipe it clean with a wet soldering sponge. If you don't have a soldering sponge, a damp cotton or terrycloth rag will do the trick. This will not only extend the life of your tip, but by having a clean tip, you will produce better joints, more quickly, and with less heat damage to surrounding components.
 * You want to be using rosin-core electronics solder, about 16-22 awg, not that big thick stuff designed for plumbing. You want either a 63/37 or 60/40 tin/lead alloy. The 97/3 and the "lead free" stuff are both inferior. They make it harder to visually inspect the joint, because they have a naturally duller appearance; also, they require higher temperatures, which means that your iron or your wire's insulation may not be up to the task.