Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: GosuSheep on July 31, 2011, 09:10:51 PM
-
I am currently soldering DIP socket to a PC board (as per the $50 robot tutorial), and I am having difficulties creating solid joints. I am using a flat-head soldering iron. Whenever applying solder and attempting to distribute it evenly around the joint, the solder seems to have a strong affinity for the iron and does not stay on the joint. Can anyone lend me some assistance? Should I be using a fine-point iron instead? Is my technique off?
-
Does the board you're soldering to (e.g. I call it perf board, like this stuff (http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/PC-1/SOLDERABLE-PERF-BOARD/1.html)) have copper around the hole's perimeter? If so, you need to heat the copper too so that the solder is attracted to that metal, too. If it doesn't have metal around the hole perimeters, you'll just get blobs of solder on the pins.
I'd recommend a pointy tip for the soldering iron, too...
Hope that helps; just let me know if I misinterpreted what you're doing.
-
I'd like to take this moment to rofl at myself. I was soldier onto the plastic part instead of the copper part.
Go me.
-
Glad you figured it out!
For future reference, it is good practice to heat both the pin and the pad and then apply the solder to the intersection. It will wick to the needed areas fairly easily. Basically don't try to put the solder on the iron tip, put it on what you are soldering.
-
Glad you figured it out!
For future reference, it is good practice to heat both the pin and the pad and then apply the solder to the intersection. It will wick to the needed areas fairly easily. Basically don't try to put the solder on the iron tip, put it on what you are soldering.
Agreed. I usually apply the solder on the opposite side of the joint to make sure the whole thing is heated correctly. Just make sure you don't destroy whatever you're soldering by overheating it.