Hi to all
I have a cuestion about a postwar smoke generator.
Tha wire broke and I saw that was silver soldered.
so how I can repair this unit.
Thank in advance to everybody
Andre.
Andre, if the wire only came loose from where it was previously soldered it is a simple resoldering job if you have an electric soldering gun, or pencil type iron. Pre-apply (tin the wire) solder, usually thin rosin cored, available at Radio Shack, onto the end of the wire, heat the spot of solder where it came loose and when fluid put the wire into the pool and let cool. The idea is to only use as much heat as needed to get the job done and not overheat any component.
Good luck.
Hi Roger
But the temperature will melt the solder or not?
Andre.
Some notes on working on Lionel’s pellet unit…
ALWAYS Use a pliers to hold the nicrome wire in place for soldering!! Nicrome wire is designed to conduct heat very well, and very fast. If you try to hold on to the wire while soldering, you will get a nasty burn in mere milli-seconds from the wire!
Nicrome wire does not “bond” too well with solder of any ratio, even with flux applied. Intead of trying to bond the wire, Encase it in a blob of solder.
Thank to everybody
the help was on time!
the smoke unit was fix with soldering.
And for open a new hole I used a needle so you can’t demage the resistance.
thanks again
Andre.
It is not a good idea to hold any metal with your fingers while soldering it; but nichrome is not a particularly good conductor of heat. Its conductivity depends on the alloy. Nichrome 80/20 has a conductivity of only 15 watts per meter-kelvin, compared to copper at 395, both at 100 degrees celsius. Low conductivity is desirable in a heater, since it inhibits loss of heat to the conductors supplying the current.
Hi guys
thank again for the answers.
Now another one.
somebody know the cement used for seal the smoke unit?
and is necesery to seal?
Andre.
Sauereisen No. 63 cement is what is used to seal the smoke unit. I googled that one day and found that it’s still available, but I really don’t think that you need to bother with sealing. I never have, and haven’t had any trouble.