I’m having trouble soldering my feeder wires to the main bus wires. Granted, I’m not the best solder’er around so maybe you can give me a tip or two. The way I’m doing it is to strip about a half inch of the insulation from the feeder, then try to wrap it around the bus as tightly as I can, then solder it. The main problem is I’m not getting very much solder on the connection, and this may be because of soldering upwards over my head. I’ve thought about cutting off a small piece of solder and wrapping it around the ‘joint’ then applying the heat. I’m using a paste type flux and it works good otherwise.
It sounds like you are not transfering enough heat. Here is what I do:
o - dip the feeder in the paste flux.
o - heat the feeder up and ‘tin’ with solder.
o - put some paste flux on the bus wire.
o - wrap the feeder around the bus wire as you described.
o - apply heat and touch the solder to the joint. It should flow with a bright silver color into the joint(following the flux). If it does not flow, you are not getting enough heat. What sixe feeder/bus wire are you using, and what wattage is your soldering iron/gun?
Jarrell, What size soldering iron are you using? You may need a larger one for that task. I put a small amount of solder on the hot iron as well. This aids in the transfer of heat to the wire. With small wires, I usually do not need any more than the solder that is on the iron. With Buss wires (#12 to #16) the heat is pulled away from the joint quite fast. As soon as the solder from the iron flows to the joint add more along the wire being soldered. As soon as the solder flows into the joint, you are done.
Jim, I’m using 10 guage bus ( I know, kinda BIG!) and door bell wire which I believe is about 22 guage for the feeders. I think you’re right about not getting enough heat to the joint. When you said “heat the feeder and tin with solder”, you’re just ‘tinning’ the feeder wire right?.. then letting it cool so that you can wrap it around the bus? Therefore when you apply heat after it’s wrapped around the bus, the solder will flow more smoothly into the joint? I’ve got some scrap pieces of both wire so tomorrow I’ll give your method a try to see if I can improve.
Ray, it’s a 30 watt iron and I’ve been using it to solder feeders to the rails and it works fine without melting ties (I think I did scorch one or two though!) The problem may be that because I’m under the plywood benchwork and the joints I’m soldering are just a few inches under it that I’m not getting the iron ‘tilted’ up enough to get the beveled part of the iron in the right position. The bus wire is 10 guage and the feeders are about 22 guage bell wire.
30w is pretty low for 10 gauge wire, especially if it’s got a small tip. Try and see if you can find a bigger tip for that iron at Radio Shack (they have several different types and sizes of tips)
If you have a lot of drops to solder, it might be worth it to get a bigger iron. (75w or bigger).
Also, using a thin diameter solder won’t cool the iron as quickly as you’re feeding solder.
I turn my iron up as hot as it will go. It’s only a 40 watt, but I’ve soldered 10 ga before with no sweat. The reason I like a lot of heat is because you can get it done REAL quick. What you need to do is practice on a piece of wire off the layout first until you get it right. That’s what I did.
JaRRel, Jim’s method is the way to go, and if you can get a hotter iron without getting into the poor house soon thereafter, it would definitely help. Pre-tinning covers a multitude of sins in the soldering world.
I use Rat Shack Sliver solder, has a lower metaling point than lead solde and better at conducting power as well.
Make the feeder wire longer if that is the problem.
I also cheat, being a lunger I use a lighter to heat up the bigger wire first, all so have a ball of solder ready on the iron ready to flow.
Being a Audiophile guy I have used my cheap Rat Shack ($9.95) iron on moster cable that is 5 gauge and worked just fine. Heat the big wire and the solder will sweet in to it like sweeting copper pipe.
Cannot keep the junk on the rails, but I can solder.
I use the old Weller soldering guns of the 150 to the 250 watt range.
I do the same as you in that I wrap the drop wire around the buss wire.
Now the solder I use is .032 dia electronic PC board solder. It melts fast and has the right flux already inside it so there is no need to pre tin the wires.
This speeds up the soldering.
I also make the soldering tips out of #12 solid wire and this makes the Weller soldering gun heat faster as the #12 wire tip conducts the electricity faster (smaller dia than the factory tip) and therefore heats up the tip faster. The only drawback is it eats up tips a lot quicker but I am making my own from old bits of #12 wire so they are free! I also can bend the tips so I can get into tighter places if need be.
I usually pick up the old Weller soldering guns at yard sales and regular flea markets as they were usually given a gifts way back years ago and were usually only used a few times. I usually only pay $10 a gun. The new Weller guns do not seem to work as well as the real old ones. The best type to get is the ones that have the screw in nuts on the ends that hold the tip in. The ones that use a set screw to hold the tip in to not transfer the heat as well as the nut type.
I appreciate the help, tips and suggestions. Today I’ll practice on some scrap wire and see if I can get this down pat. Could be that yesterday I was rushing it a little (wanted to get this part done!) and didn’t let the iron get its maximum hot, and that was part of the problem.
I agree with Bob get an weller soldering gun w/the nuts on the tip,they are great for what you want to do!!I have two of the old guns.my regular soldering iron is a pencle type 15W.I use silver solder or 60/40 rosen core,for most every thing!Remember not to use acid core solder on wireing!!!I think the weller will solve your problem.
I soldered my 22-24 AWG feeders to my 14 AWG bus with the 140W setting on my Weller 140-100W soldering gun. I brushed flux paste on the connection first, then tinned the tip of the gun. Oh yeah, watch out when soldering over your head. I have a heck of a scar on my right arm as a reminder. That stuff feels like lava when it drips on you!
A 150 - 250 watt soldering gun should be available and reasonably priced at a Builders Hardware, Home Depot, or Lowes. 10 gauge is overkill. You have to get the bus wire hot enough to melt the solder and form the joint.
30 watt is way too small to heat up the #10 wire, unless you are REAL patient. ANd event hen, it will heat up the wire for a foot oon eaither side, too. Your best bed for feeder/bus soldering is to get a 100 watt or larger soldering gun, you’ll find it goes MUCH quicker and a lot easier. Save the small iron for track feeders, and I’d recommend an even smaller one for DCC decoders.