At 06:07 PM 11/17/2008 -0600, you wrote:
>I just started attempting to solder terminals onto several 4awg
>wires. I'm using welding cable and one of those little butane torches.
>
>I am attempting to use the techniques n Bob's article. However, when I
>apply the solder, it seems to wick along the cable, up to two inches past
>the terminal. It seems to run on the inside, without saturating the
>outside of the butt end.
>
>The second time I tried it I was more careful to apply the solder around
>the perimeter of the wire, but still had the same result.
>
>Is this normal, or is it just me?
Sounds like you're using way too much heat. See
if you can put your hands on a "micro torch"
of some variety.
http://aeroelectric.com/Pictures/Tools/Soldering/Gas_Tools/
Alternatively, turn your pipe-blaster propane
shop torch down to the smallest possible stable flame.
The inner blue cone should be about 1/4" long
max.
The wire strands inside the terminal need to be
TIGHT. Heat conducts across strands by virtue of
(1) contact and (2) immersion in molten solder.
Make sure the strands are well-wedged to improve
upon condition (1) so that condition (2) progresses
nicely as well.
Start by heating the back side of the terminal flag
and touch solder to the corner between the front
side of the flag and the cut ends of the wire. As
soon as the solder melts, it will begin to pick up
the wire strands. Walk around the terminal barrel
with the heat while feeding solder into the strands
adjacent to the inside surface of the barrel. The
heat in the joint will be climbing all the time
and by the time you get all around the barrel, you
will see solder wicking into the strands pretty much
all around. Feed a little more solder into the stranding
until all the ends are captured. If you see ANY solder
at the other end of the barrel, you've gotten it too
hot and/or put in too much solder.
From the time the solder first flows until the joint
is done is less than one minute. The longer you take,
the hotter things get, the less likely it is that
you can maintain control over the flow of solder.
Bob . . .
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( . . . a long habit of not thinking )
( a thing wrong, gives it a superficial )
( appearance of being right . . . )
( )
( -Thomas Paine 1776- )
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