What do you guys suggest for a soldering iron? I was looking at a video on YouTube of someone soldering an XT60 connector and he had an 80 watt soldering iron. I've looked for one of these but found those butane soldering iron. The butane soldering irons are also good for shrink wrap. Is the butane soldering iron good? Is it overkill? Would there be something better? Are they too dangerous? Does it get hot enough for soldering some of the larger connectors? What do you recommend?
General Soldering Iron
- Thread starter Matt
- Start date
Tony
Staff member
I own and will always suggest a Hakko soldering station. I have the 936 which they do not make anymore. The new one that took its place is yellow and blue and is digital. Just as good as mine or better. You are going to have to pay for it, they are about $100, but you will have them for years. I know you will want to get one of the cheap soldering stations from china which are usually Hakko knock-off's, but they are not grounded, and the tips are junk. And from what I hear the heating element burns out pretty quickly. Hakko all the way for me.
That's good to know. I was afraid they were going to be expensive. But probably worth the investment. I took my ESC to my hobby shop and they soldered a XT60 connector on it. The labor was $10. I was watching the guy, and I thought I knew how to solder, but I don't.. lol.. Got the day off from work so it's just heli's for me today.. Learning so much lately.. So appreciative of all the feedback I've been getting 
murankar
Staff member
I got the next best brand which is a bit more cost effective. For the life of me I cant remember the name. Its a varible temp station. Its 40 watts and soes fine for upto 10 guage, , need to use the big tip. Weller, its a weller. Knew it would come to me. If you can get a varible temp 60 watt youll be set. But 40 watts will do everything. Also get a benzo butaine tourch and solder iron.
Cyclone 7
Member
The secret to good soldering lays in ensuring that you let the iron get hot enough before using it, so that the solder will run at the slightest touch of the tip. Many new comers to soldering try to use the iron before it is hot enough resulting in bad, cold joints which are difficult to manage and are destined to fail. Also, never use a solder containing a flux on electronic components - the flux is essentially an acid and can eventually corrode wiring. Always use a bespoke fluxless electronic solder - not your everyday hardware store variety. Hope that helps.
I'm always thinking bigger is better but that's not the case (all the time). I think my issue is I don't, quite, know how to solder correctly. I tried to solder XT60 connectors on my ESC and went through 5 XT60 connectors. I melted all of them because I didn't know how to solder them correctly. I think a 40 watt or 60 watt soldering iron would suffice as long as the person know how to solder. Weller might be the one I buy (eventually). If not I know, now, my local hobby shop will solder connectors on for a $10 labor rate, where as if I'm melting 5 XT60 connectors, then maybe the $10 will be well worth it..
murankar
Staff member
For XT 60, EC5, ect ect ect, sized connectors you need a really big tip. Let the iron get hot, get a bit of solder on the iron, touch the connector, melt solder into the connector and remove heat. Next prep wire the same way, dab some solder onto the iron, touch the wire, melt solder to the wire and remove heat. This should not take longer than 15 20 seconds tops on the wire.
To make the jointheat the connector with a clean tipped hot iron, and touch the wire to the iron at the same time. once the solder in the connnector liquifies insert wire and remove heat. Dont move the wire till the soldier solidifies again.
A connector should not take longer than 2 or three mintues tops to solder. XT60 connecotrs are made with a heat tolerant plastic. If your melting one then your holding the heat way to long. Make sure you "wet" the tip with solder before you heat the connector.
To make the jointheat the connector with a clean tipped hot iron, and touch the wire to the iron at the same time. once the solder in the connnector liquifies insert wire and remove heat. Dont move the wire till the soldier solidifies again.
A connector should not take longer than 2 or three mintues tops to solder. XT60 connecotrs are made with a heat tolerant plastic. If your melting one then your holding the heat way to long. Make sure you "wet" the tip with solder before you heat the connector.
Admiral
Well-Known Member
A couple of tips to hopefully help you, firstly if you soldering a Male plug, plug it into a FM plug to stop it going out of shape if it get a little too hot and visa versa with FM plugs, secondly use a piece of damp sponge to hold the wires, this stops the heat traveling down the wires and shrinking the shrink wrap prematurely and lastly work on one wire at a time if you try doing both at once you increase the chance of arching the battery.
I got the Bernzomatic one from Home Depot. I didn't like it. I went back and got a Weller 40 watt station. Possibly I was using the Bernomatic wrong. I don't quite read the instuctions. There may have well been a button to lock the gas button down, not sure. It's just I'm living in a condo, and I have two cats. Thought about it and if something went wrong, could burn the whole building down..
murankar
Staff member
Personally I would forgo the push button style and go with one that stays lit as long as fuel is flowing. I have a small one and it has a solder tip and a tourch tip and thats it. I had a benzo one from home depot that was pencil style. I liked it because it had a hot air attachment for shrink tube and other simular materal. I want to replace the benzo one soon.
here is mine: Mini Butane Gas-Powered Iron
here is mine: Mini Butane Gas-Powered Iron
Tony
Staff member
I have one of those little butane soldering irons and you are right, they are a little harder to use over a standard soldering iron. Usually they get much hotter on average (for what I do anyway) so they are always burning the flux on the tip. As URI stated, I use mine for heat shrink when I dont' have a lighter, but I have another torch for that plus the lighter in my pocket lol. So that poor little iron of mine never gets used.