How to get solder to stick to iron, or , my new micro solder iron sucks.

[craigolio1]

It’s probably because I paid about $30 for it on Amazon, but I bought a micro soldering pencil iron and I cannot get soldered to stick to the tip. I have cleaned it with flux, I have cleaned it on a wet towel, I have sanded the tip a little bit. Solder just beats up and does not stick to it like it does on my nice Weller. Is there something I’m doing wrong or should I just send this thing back and pay the money for a better one?

On that note. Does anybody know an economical iron with a micro tip that will allow me to solder 0201 LEDs without buying a new $400 soldering station ?

I’m home. I’ll post what model of Weller soldering station I have. Perhaps there is a micro tip for it, although I’ve looked and haven’t had any luck finding one.

Thanks

Craig

[peteski]

Did you try tinning it right at the first time you powered it up?

Most soldering iron tips are made of nickel plated copper which should have the tip tinned at the factory.  More expensive tips are copper which is then iron plated, then nickel plated over the iron.  The copper is for thermal conductivity, the nickel is to protect the copper and iron is to extend the tip's life.

If this is a temperature-controlled iron, dial it up to 700 deg. F. You might try using some acid-based flux (like zinc-chloride-based Tix Flux or even some plumber's paste flux) and dip the tip with the beads of solder on it in the flux. The acid should etch (clean) the tip's surface allowing the solder to wet it.

[craigolio1]

Did you try tinning it right at the first time you powered it up?

Most soldering iron tips are made of nickel plated copper which should have the tip tinned at the factory.  More expensive tips are copper which is then iron plated, then nickel plated over the iron.  The copper is for thermal conductivity, the nickel is to protect the copper and iron is to extend the tip's life.

If this is a temperature-controlled iron, dial it up to 700 deg. F. You might try using some acid-based flux (like zinc-chloride-based Tix Flux or even some plumber's paste flux) and dip the tip with the beads of solder on it in the flux. The acid should etch (clean) the tip's surface allowing the solder to wet it.

I did. This one only goes up to 450 degrees. At least thats what the little wheel says.

I’ll see if I can find some acid flux in the garage.

Thanks!

[Sumner]

If you don't have luck and want to try an other iron that is inexpensive maybe try one of these.  I've used them over the last 3 years for all my soldering needs (building turnouts, electronics projects and decoder install) prefer them over the Weller I have.  I mainly use the larger tip one but the fine tip works fine for soldering SMD resistors and other fine items.





More info on them and links to where I bought them here....

https://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/Servo%20Control/page-7-b.html

I've got 3 of them and they all work great.  2 at the work bench and...



... one on the layout.  They are cheap enough that I don't have to use one iron for everything and have to keep changing the tips.   The tips also last a long time and are dirt cheap.

Sumner

[craigolio1]

If you don't have luck and want to try an other iron that is inexpensive maybe try one of these.  I've used them over the last 3 years for all my soldering needs (building turnouts, electronics projects and decoder install) prefer them over the Weller I have.  I mainly use the larger tip one but the fine tip works fine for soldering SMD resistors and other fine items.





More info on them and links to where I bought them here....

https://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/Servo%20Control/page-7-b.html

I've got 3 of them and they all work great.  2 at the work bench and...



... one on the layout.  They are cheap enough that I don't have to use one iron for everything and have to keep changing the tips.   The tips also last a long time and are dirt cheap.

Sumner

The bottom one is the one I have!! At least it looks like that.

I also like to solder at very high temps. I like to get in and get out quick.

More in my reply to Pete.

[craigolio1]

Did you try tinning it right at the first time you powered it up?

Most soldering iron tips are made of nickel plated copper which should have the tip tinned at the factory.  More expensive tips are copper which is then iron plated, then nickel plated over the iron.  The copper is for thermal conductivity, the nickel is to protect the copper and iron is to extend the tip's life.

If this is a temperature-controlled iron, dial it up to 700 deg. F. You might try using some acid-based flux (like zinc-chloride-based Tix Flux or even some plumber's paste flux) and dip the tip with the beads of solder on it in the flux. The acid should etch (clean) the tip's surface allowing the solder to wet it.

Acid flux for the win!!  Down in the depths of my plumbing box was a tin of Acid flux. I knew I had one. Anyway once I applied that it tinned just fine.

Thanks again.

Craig

[peteski]

You're welcome Craig.

I also suspect that the 450 max temperature in in Celsius, because that temperature in Fahrenheit is at the very low end of solder melting temps.
450C is 842F . Way too hot for precision soldering! That also explains why the tip burned (oxidized) quickly needing to be revived.

I usually keep mine between 600-700F  (343-371C).  I use electronic solder (63/37), but most industrially made electronics use lead-free solder where I have crank the temp up to about 740F (393C)

I know you like to use hot iron, but for soldering small SMD LEDs, that can lead to damage.  I recommend the 63/37 solder and 650F temperature for small components. Higher temps make sense when soldering larger components or larger copper areas on a PC board.  Also the tip size is important. Small tip doesn't have a enough heat transfer capacity for transferring heat to the solder joint, but it is perfectly adequate for the tiny solder pads on a 0201 LID. If used on a larger components, the tip will simply not have enough thermal transfer capacity to make a good joint.  For those jobs a larger tip is needed.

[Chris333]

I dip my tip  in flux every 5 or so wires soldered to keep the tip clean.

[craigolio1]

You're welcome Craig.

I also suspect that the 450 max temperature in in Celsius, because that temperature in Fahrenheit is at the very low end of solder melting temps.
450C is 842F . Way too hot for precision soldering! That also explains why the tip burned (oxidized) quickly needing to be revived.

I usually keep mine between 600-700F  (343-371C).  I use electronic solder (63/37), but most industrially made electronics use lead-free solder where I have crank the temp up to about 740F (393C)

I know you like to use hot iron, but for soldering small SMD LEDs, that can lead to damage.  I recommend the 63/37 solder and 650F temperature for small components. Higher temps make sense when soldering larger components or larger copper areas on a PC board.  Also the tip size is important. Small tip doesn't have a enough heat transfer capacity for transferring heat to the solder joint, but it is perfectly adequate for the tiny solder pads on a 0201 LID. If used on a larger components, the tip will simply not have enough thermal transfer capacity to make a good joint.  For those jobs a larger tip is needed.

The solder I have is from Radio Shacknyesrs ago and says something high silver content or something but no percentages are given.

I’ll grab some 63/37

[craigolio1]

I dip my tip  in flux every 5 or so wires soldered to keep the tip clean.

Good call.

I clean in flux every so often too but also wipe on a damp paper towel every few uses.

[peteski]

Good call.

I clean in flux every so often too but also wipe on a damp paper towel every few uses.

I wipe the tip on a moist sponge after every joint (or every 2ndor 3rd joint, depending on how the tip looks like).  This habit is leftover from when I used to work as an electronic technician and soldered many joints daily at work.

My newest iron has a stand with a sponge and also a dry tip cleaner which works just as well as the sponge.  That cleaner looks like bunch gold colored curled "springs" which look like metal turnings that came off of a lathe.  Solder doesn't stick to them. I just plunge the tip in and out of it and it comes out clean.