Best solder free electrical connection

[john hamilton]

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

"john hamilton" <bluestar95@mail.invalid> wrote in message
news:i4btbg$m7c$1@news.eternal-september.org...

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in
the connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it
unwinding. Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

While you don't want to hear it, solder it. Just use some fine 60/40 rosen
core solder. The main thing with soldering is to get the connection clean.
If bare copper wire, scrape or sand it so it shines.

I would not use the nail varnish. Copper wire should hold its shape without
the varnish. Also the varnish could get between the wire and tabs. You
might want to get some electrical tape and wrap it longways around the
battery box to help hold the wire in contact with the tabs.

 

[Toby]

"john hamilton" <bluestar95@mail.invalid> wrote in message
news:i4btbg$m7c$1@news.eternal-september.org...

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a
small soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself
easily melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get
anything to stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole
will bend upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in
the connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it
unwinding. Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

Solder is the only reliable way, IMO

Just bend the tabs out, so they are not touching the plastic, make sure the
iron is nice and hot, dab some solder on the end of the iron, then place
this on one of the tabs and feed in a little more solder to tin the tab,
should take a couple of seconds.
Now strip about 5mm of the wires and tin the end of the wire, if the
insulation shrinks back, then snip the end of the wire off so it is about
5mm.
Place the wire on top of the solder on the tab and heat the wire until the
solder on the tab melts again.

Hold the wire with something other than your hand, as it may get quite hot!

Once it has cooled, marvel at your handywork

Or, buy these two from eBay, or anywhere that sells this sort of stuff...
350373699059 (Twin AA battery holder with a PPŁ type connector on the top)
and one of these
350350685890 (PP3 battery connector)

Toby...

 

[William Sommerwerck]

55 years ago, I was afraid of soldering, afraid I wouldn't be able to do it
well. I was wrong. It's not that difficult; it just takes a bit of practice.

If you're really uncomfortable, ask a friend to do it for you.

Unsoldered connections might work for a while, but will eventually fail.

 

[Rich Webb]

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:43:08 +0100, "john hamilton"
<bluestar95@mail.invalid> wrote:

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

What Ralph said. Also, if you can get some, apply a dab of rosin flux
paste to the joint before you heat it. That helps the solder to "wet"
the surfaces and flow into the joint better.

And ensure that you have something keeping the battery holder and the
wire in place. I'd go so far as to put batteries in the thing so that it
could be clamped into a soft-jawed vice and use one of those "third
hand" thingies to hold the wire securely. Trying to keep the battery
holder in place with your palm, the wire under your elbow, with the
soldering iron in one hand and the solder in the other isn't likely to
result in a satisfactory soldering job. Not that *I've* ever done that,
of course <cough cough>

--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

 

[jeff_wisnia]

john hamilton wrote:

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

While I agree with previous posters that soldering shouldn't be a big
problem, if you really don't want to try it yourself you should be able
to find someone else who will.

Or, go for your "twist through the holes" approach and use a drop of
electrically conductive epoxy on the joint:

http://www.pemro.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=LOC-1119

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

 

[The Natural Philosopher]

jeff_wisnia wrote:

john hamilton wrote:
I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a
small soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself
easily melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get
anything to stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small
hole will bend upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes
in the connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop
it unwinding. Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.



While I agree with previous posters that soldering shouldn't be a big
problem, if you really don't want to try it yourself you should be able
to find someone else who will.

Or, go for your "twist through the holes" approach and use a drop of
electrically conductive epoxy on the joint:

http://www.pemro.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=LOC-1119

...which will at best approximate to a 1k ohm resistor.

Jeff

 

[Djornsk]

On 16/08/2010 18:43, john hamilton wrote:

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

Depending on the dimensions of the tab it may be possible to bend it
around the wire and carefully crimp it with sidecutters. Next try to
anchor the wire to the battery holder a short distance along the wire
from the tab to prevent it fracturing due to movement or vibration.
You could then use your varnish (or a glue gun) to coat the connection
to offer some protection from oxidation.
This is not as good as a soldered joint done properly, but would
probably be better than a soldered joint done badly.

j

 

[tm]

"john hamilton" <bluestar95@mail.invalid> wrote in message
news:i4btbg$m7c$1@news.eternal-september.org...

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in
the connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it
unwinding. Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

Why don't you try to learn to solder? Get some copper wire and practice
making connections. Ten or so should get you going. Not only will you
achieve
your task but you will have picked up a new skill as a plus. The trick is to
place the hot iron against the joint and heat it until it will melt the
solder. Just
hold the solder on the joint until that point. To see if the iron is hot
enough, just
melt some solder on the tip. This is known as tinning the tip. Clean the tip
by
wiping it on a damp sponge.

You will only need a 15 to 25 watt iron to do this and some rosin core
tin/lead
solder. Radio shack comes to mind for both.

Have fun.

tm



--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: news@netfront.net ---

 

[Bob Eager]

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:43:08 +0100, john hamilton wrote:

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a
small soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself
easily melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get
anything to stick to the tabs.

To add to the other suggestions about soldering: if you can get/borrow a
temperature controlled iron, run it at a lower temperature and use 63/37
solder.

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

 

[Fred McKenzie]

In article <i4btbg$m7c$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
"john hamilton" <bluestar95@mail.invalid> wrote:

Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor.

John-

Soldering appears to me to be the best solution. Invite a friend to do
the soldering. Bend the tab up first, and solder quickly to minimize
melting the plastic underneath. The plastic should become firm again
after it cools.

What about threading tiny self-tapping screws into the holes in the
rivets that connect the lugs to the contacts?

Fred

 

[tony sayer]

In article <i4c0iu$8he$1@news.eternal-september.org>, jeff_wisnia
<jwisniaDumpThisPart@conversent.net> scribeth thus

john hamilton wrote:
I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.




While I agree with previous posters that soldering shouldn't be a big
problem, if you really don't want to try it yourself you should be able
to find someone else who will.

Better still have a practice on some bits of wire etc before you do this
joint and than you've learnt a new skill)..

Do get the joint hot, and keep it hot just long enough to make it all
flow properly it seems to me that under powered irons are the biggest
cause of poor soldering...

--
Tony Sayer

 

[Owain]

On Aug 16, 7:17 pm, Rich Webb wrote:

And ensure that you have something keeping the battery holder and the
wire in place. I'd go so far as to put batteries in the thing so that it
could be clamped into a soft-jawed vice and use one of those "third
hand" thingies to hold the wire securely. Trying to keep the battery
holder in place with your palm, the wire under your elbow, with the
soldering iron in one hand and the solder in the other isn't likely to
result in a satisfactory soldering job. Not that *I've* ever done that,
of course <cough cough

I've used one hand for the Thing, one hand for the iron, and held the
solder in my mouth before now ...

Fumes can get a bit eye-stingy though.

Big wodges of blu-tack can also be handy.

Owain

 

[Andrew Gabriel]

In article <i4btbg$m7c$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
"john hamilton" <bluestar95@mail.invalid> writes:

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

If you say which town/country you live in, someone here might
volunteer to solder it for you. If you have an electronics repair
shop near which does the work on the premises, they would probably
do it.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

 

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Aug 16, 12:43 pm, "john hamilton" <bluesta...@mail.invalid> wrote:

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull.  Thanks.

Surely you know someone who knows how to solder. You need clean bare
metal, some solder and some flux, and a hot iron. Practice a little
bit on a strip of metal the same size as the tab, that you cut from a
tin can.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

"Bob Eager" <rde42@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:8ctifbFl54U2@mid.individual.net...

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:43:08 +0100, john hamilton wrote:

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a
small soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself
easily melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get
anything to stick to the tabs.

To add to the other suggestions about soldering: if you can get/borrow a
temperature controlled iron, run it at a lower temperature and use 63/37
solder.

That is usually the wrong way to do the job he wants to do. Use a very hot
iron, hit the joint fast with a lot of heat and then get out quick. The
tabs will get hot very quick and melt the solder. If he applies a low heat,
the plastic will get a lot of heat on it before the tab gets hot enough to
melt the solder.
The 63/73 is the way to go, but 60/40 is just fine. Also do not move the
wires while the solder is cooling. This is one big way to mess up the
joint.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

"rangerssuck" <rangerssuck@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:f58e1c93-6fef-4cf0-941f-826597f8d898@5g2000yqz.googlegroups.com...
..

Alternatively, Assuming you're in the US, go towww.arrl.org (American
Radio Relay League) and find an amateur radio guy in your area (just
search by state, and with a little poking around, you'll find someone
nearby). Virtually ALL of these people know how to solder, and will
likely be extremely willing to help you learn how.

That sounds like a good idea, but I bet a very few of them know how to
solder or even have a soldering tool. That comes from be being a ham for
over 35 years and knowing the ones in the local area.
Many that know how will usually be willing to help.

 

[tony sayer]

In article <Q7OdnZbA56RZMvTRnZ2dnUVZ_uydnZ2d@earthlink.com>, Ralph
Mowery <rmowery28146@earthlink.net> scribeth thus

"rangerssuck" <rangerssuck@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:f58e1c93-6fef-4cf0-941f-826597f8d898@5g2000yqz.googlegroups.com...
.
Alternatively, Assuming you're in the US, go towww.arrl.org (American
Radio Relay League) and find an amateur radio guy in your area (just
search by state, and with a little poking around, you'll find someone
nearby). Virtually ALL of these people know how to solder, and will
likely be extremely willing to help you learn how.

That sounds like a good idea, but I bet a very few of them know how to
solder or even have a soldering tool. That comes from be being a ham for
over 35 years and knowing the ones in the local area.
Many that know how will usually be willing to help.

Seems its a dying craft making any of your own gear now.

Anything on You tube on soldering at all?..
--
Tony Sayer

 

[Nate Nagel]

On 08/16/2010 05:56 PM, tony sayer wrote:

In article<Q7OdnZbA56RZMvTRnZ2dnUVZ_uydnZ2d@earthlink.com>, Ralph
Mowery<rmowery28146@earthlink.net> scribeth thus

"rangerssuck"<rangerssuck@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:f58e1c93-6fef-4cf0-941f-826597f8d898@5g2000yqz.googlegroups.com...
.
Alternatively, Assuming you're in the US, go towww.arrl.org (American
Radio Relay League) and find an amateur radio guy in your area (just
search by state, and with a little poking around, you'll find someone
nearby). Virtually ALL of these people know how to solder, and will
likely be extremely willing to help you learn how.

That sounds like a good idea, but I bet a very few of them know how to
solder or even have a soldering tool. That comes from be being a ham for
over 35 years and knowing the ones in the local area.
Many that know how will usually be willing to help.



Seems its a dying craft making any of your own gear now.

Anything on You tube on soldering at all?..

meh? I still solder quite regularly, because if nothing else, I'm far
more likely to have solder and heat shrink handy than I am butt splices
and a crimping tool.

Also, the tool makes a huge difference. I (heart) my ancient Weller
soldering station, the constant-temp tips make life so much better.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

 

[robgraham]

On 16 Aug, 20:39, Bob Eager <rd...@spamcop.net> wrote:

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:43:08 +0100, john hamilton wrote:
I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a
small soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself
easily melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get
anything to stick to the tabs.

To add to the other suggestions about soldering: if you can get/borrow a
temperature controlled iron, run it at a lower temperature and use 63/37
solder.

--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
 http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

I notice that nobody has raised the point for the OP that his problem
of previous soldering is that he is possibly using too powerful a
soldering iron - one with too big a bit. This is the most likely
cause of his problem with melting the support for the tag he is
soldering to. Haven't we all done it - and even with a temperature
controlled one and 50 years of experience I softened the mount for the
centre pin of a connector yesterday, and had to go back and apply heat
to straighten it.

John - I've had a quick scan through Ebay and suggest that
#370414838261 is a good buy (ie I've got one!) for a controlled iron
if you feel that the advise to try,try,try again is worth following.

Rob