Best solder free electrical connection

[rp]

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:32:05 -0700 (PDT), rangerssuck wrote:

Take it to the local TV repair guy, and ask him to teach you how to do
it, so you'll be prepared for next time.

My dad taught me to solder back in the early sixties.

He got a block of wood and hammered a load of those little nails that
you use to hold hardboard in and told me to join all of them together
with wire. We had a stick of solder about an eighth of an inch thick
and a tub of flux and the first one I did was a mess but after about 20
or so they were neat.

With those plastic battery boxes I've found you have to have a nice big
bit in a hot iron and be quick, more than about a second and the
plastic melts. I put the wire through the hole and wrap it around
itself to make a mechanically good joint or if it's solid core bend it
through the hole and nip it up with pliers. Put the tip on the tag and
the wire and poke solder at the join between the two. You can't do them
with a little Antex, it transfers heat so slowly that the plastic melts
before the solder. It's the Weller W50-D for this sort of connection


--
Regards - Rodney Pont
The from address exists but is mostly dumped,
please send any emails to the address below
e-mail rpont (at) gmail (dot) com

 

[Kellerman]

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.


The battery contact is likely to be nickel plated, consequently you will

need solder with ACTIVATED FLUX. Tin-lead stuff with activated flux,
greater than about 0.5% halides (if you can buy it now) will produce a
better result in a home DIY environment. If the description says
"non-corrosive flux" then that's the wrong type. You need the slightly
corrosive action of the halides to remove the oxide from from the nickel
so that the solder will alloy with the nickel.
Practice if first on a similar material.
Dave
--
Blow my nose to email me

 

[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.

Hey fellas, don't you think we've about saucered and blowed this thread
by now? <G>

Jeff (Who's been soldering stuff for about 62 years now.)

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

 

[geoff]

In message <i4cus3$7c2$1@news.eternal-september.org>, J Burns
<burns4@nowhere.com> writes

Ralph Mowery wrote:
"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.

Overheated tips give me a hassle with oxidation.

Let me quote from the instructions of the hot air / soldering station I
just purchased

"Temperature of the soldering tip

High temperature will decrease the function of the soldering tip. So the
temperature should be set to the lowest. This soldering tip has good
quality for recovery and can solder at low temperature. This can protect
the component sensitive with temperature

Cleaning

The tip should be cleaned with sponge periodically. After soldering the
oxidised and carbonated superabundant soldering material will damage the
tip. Deviation of soldering and deduction of function of the soldering
tip will occur. The soldering tip must be dismantled for cleaning every
week so the soldering tip can keep the function

After welding,clean the superabundant soldering material"


so now you know ...

--
geoff

 

[geoff]

In message <OMCdnaRJ3JTuxPfRnZ2dnUVZ8n-dnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>,
Kellerman <"kellerman <snot>"@?.?.invalid> writes

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.


The battery contact is likely to be nickel plated, consequently you
will need solder with ACTIVATED FLUX.

No - just file or otherwise (emery cloth) remove the plating back down
to the base copper underneath just before soldering

Simples

FFS - it's a cheap plastic moulding with tags on it

you lot are turning this into a major project

--
geoff

 

[Grant]

On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:15:59 -0400, jeff_wisnia <jwisniaDumpThisPart@conversent.net> 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.



Hey fellas, don't you think we've about saucered and blowed this thread
by now? <G

Jeff (Who's been soldering stuff for about 62 years now.)

I claim only four decades You be there before flux cored solder?

Wonder when that came out?

I remember my father wanted to replace the needle and cartridge in
the record player (over 40 years ago, one of old things that stacked
several LPs). So he bought the new cartridge, a roll of rosin cored
solder and a small solid copper iron one heated on the gas stove...

Worked too! He used to be a TV serviceman, up until the splat off a
picture tube threw him across a room, a career changing moment.

Grant.

 

[Jim Yanik]

David Taylor <davidt-news@yadt.co.uk> wrote in news:slrni6lvng.r7s.davidt-
news@outcold.yadt.co.uk:

On 2010-08-17, geoff <troll@uk-diy.org> wrote:

After welding,clean the superabundant soldering material"


I would like some superabundant soldering material, please.

you're FEEDING THE TROLL. stop that.


--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

[Grant]

On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:47:25 +0100, geoff <troll@uk-diy.org> wrote:

In message <OMCdnaRJ3JTuxPfRnZ2dnUVZ8n-dnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>,
Kellerman <"kellerman <snot>"@?.?.invalid> writes
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.


The battery contact is likely to be nickel plated, consequently you
will need solder with ACTIVATED FLUX.

No - just file or otherwise (emery cloth) remove the plating back down
to the base copper underneath just before soldering

Simples

FFS - it's a cheap plastic moulding with tags on it

you lot are turning this into a major project

But those cheapie battery holders are difficult to solder, the plating
doesn't 'wet' easily. So cleaning it up first with emery paper, or
scratching it up is necessary so it will easily 'wet' and the solder
job work first time. Experience people know this, but beginners have
yet to learn which metals and surface conditions are easy to solder,
and which require more effort.

Sure, task at hand is easy, but promoting the larger picture might
help newbie get far more enjoyment from electronics, because they
learn some basic skills. Soldering is one of those basic skills.

Grant.

 

[David Taylor]

On 2010-08-17, geoff <troll@uk-diy.org> wrote:

After welding,clean the superabundant soldering material"

I would like some superabundant soldering material, please.

--
David TAylor

 

[Tabby]

On Aug 16, 6:43 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.

If you really cant solder it, wrap the wire through the tags, then
round them a couple of times, then slide a bit of stretched rubber
tube over it. Solder's best though.


NT

 

[Matty F]

On Aug 18, 3:15 am, jeff_wisnia <jwisniaDumpThisP...@conversent.net>
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.

Hey fellas, don't you think we've about saucered and blowed this thread
by now? <G

Jeff (Who's been soldering stuff for about 62 years now.)

I used to have trouble with bigger soldering jobs. I could never get
enough heat into the objects being soldered.
I have no problem now that I made a solder pot:
http://i47.tinypic.com/2yyqq6w.jpg
It's sitting on a 1000 watt stove element. I have a little lid for it
so we don't poison too many people with lead!

 

On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:40:26 +0100, geoff <troll@uk-diy.org> wrote:

In message <i4cus3$7c2$1@news.eternal-september.org>, J Burns
burns4@nowhere.com> writes
Ralph Mowery wrote:
"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.

Overheated tips give me a hassle with oxidation.

Let me quote from the instructions of the hot air / soldering station I
just purchased

"Temperature of the soldering tip

High temperature will decrease the function of the soldering tip. So the
temperature should be set to the lowest. This soldering tip has good
quality for recovery and can solder at low temperature. This can protect
the component sensitive with temperature

Cleaning

The tip should be cleaned with sponge periodically. After soldering the
oxidised and carbonated superabundant soldering material will damage the
tip. Deviation of soldering and deduction of function of the soldering
tip will occur. The soldering tip must be dismantled for cleaning every
week so the soldering tip can keep the function

After welding,clean the superabundant soldering material"


so now you know ...
Technical Chinglish at it's best.

 

[Jeffrey Angus]

On 8/17/2010 6:00 PM, Matty F wrote:

It's sitting on a 1000 watt stove element. I have a little lid for it
so we don't poison too many people with lead!

Melt lead in a well ventilated area and exhaust fumes to the outside.
Air movement that is sufficient to carry away the wisp of smoke from an
extinguished match is generally considered sufficient ventilation. Lead
melts at 621 degrees (F). When lead is molten, it releases minute
amounts of vapors at a progressive rate as temperatures are increased.
Harmful levels of lead vaporization are believed to occur at elevated
temperatures above 1800 degrees (F). Only lower temperatures between
700-800 degrees are normally needed to cast lead hobby parts. Most
melting equipment sold to hobbyists will not raise temperatures much
above 900 degrees. Minimize vaporization by operating melters at the
lowest temperature that gives good results.

Unless you've got your solder pot cranked up well over 800 F I don't
think you're going to be sucking up any lead vapors.

Jeff

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Grant wrote:

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:34:22 -0400, "Ralph Mowery" <rmowery28146@earthlink.net> wrote:


"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.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned cleaning up the battery tab first,
some of that cheap gear is terribly difficult to tin, without a
good scratching up and cleaning first. Emery paper, sand paper,
even a sharp instrument. And wash the grease off too, metho or
IPA should be safe for the plastic?

Some are plated to make them look good, but then require an acid
flux. A small (4") 'Mill Bastard' file is handy to expose the base
metal. Pre tin the wire first, then wrap a turn around the terminal.
This will reduce the soldering time, and give you a better joint.

The trick is to go in quick, if it doesn't work straight away (like
less than a second), remove the heat, let the thing cool right down,
and try again later.

Problems happen when you keep the heat on to no effect, melting the
surrounds.

Be aware of the need for the fresh heat bridge, created by applying
iron and solder together, so the flux is working. It's perfectly
fine to have several attempts, provided you let the parts cool right
down between the attempts.

And yes, practice makes perfect, so try some other soldering to get
a feel for how the solder, flux and iron behave together.

Try soldering (stripped) insulated wire together until you can make
clean solder joints without burning the insulation, basic thermal
feel and control. Don't be afraid to waste solder, learn to coax
excess solder off a joint by application of the iron and new solder.

Grant.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Stormin Mormon wrote:

I was thinking to enlarge the holes in the tabs, and use pop rivets.
Sadly, the battery holder pictured won't take .250 push on connectors,
I don't think. The metal is chromed, so solder won't stick very well,
it's also likely steel. There is no really good way to make the
connection.

File off the chrome.

Wire through the hole, twist the wire, and solder the wire to itself
is about the best answer I can find.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Fred McKenzie wrote:

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

How are you going to keep oxygen out of the threads?

 

[The Daring Dufas]

On 8/16/2010 12:43 PM, 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.

If you are familiar with faston connectors, you can trim the
terminals with scissors or wire cutters so a connector will
slip on to them. The connectors are available in many sizes
with the 1/4" being the most common. I believe The Shack,
formally Radio Shack carries several sizes. Here's a link
to a manufacturer that produces many types so you can see
what I'm referring to:

http://www.etco.com/category.php?cat=18&div=ep&l=e

TDD

 

[geoff]

In message <i4hhb1$np$1@news.eternal-september.org>, The Daring Dufas
<the-daring-dufas@peckerhead.net> writes

On 8/16/2010 12:43 PM, 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.



If you are familiar with faston connectors, you can trim the
terminals with scissors or wire cutters so a connector will
slip on to them. The connectors are available in many sizes
with the 1/4" being the most common. I believe The Shack,
formally Radio Shack carries several sizes. Here's a link
to a manufacturer that produces many types so you can see
what I'm referring to:

http://www.etco.com/category.php?cat=18&div=ep&l=e

Excuse me, but is the OP a Septic or English ?

If he/she/it is English, it's bugger all use pointing them at Septic
outlets, is it?


--
geoff

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

"hr(bob) hofmann@att.net" wrote:

On Aug 18, 12:45 am, "Michael A. Terrell" <mike.terr...@earthlink.net
wrote:
Fred McKenzie wrote:

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

How are you going to keep oxygen out of the threads?

If the screws are big enough, they will be in direct contact with the
other metal. That should last at least 10 years which is much more
than the life of a typical child's toy the OP described.

That depends on how well sealed the cheap batteries are.

 

[hr(bob) hofmann@att.net]

On Aug 18, 12:45 am, "Michael A. Terrell" <mike.terr...@earthlink.net>
wrote:

Fred McKenzie wrote:

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

   How are you going to keep oxygen out of the threads?

If the screws are big enough, they will be in direct contact with the
other metal. That should last at least 10 years which is much more
than the life of a typical child's toy the OP described.