Basic Measurement and Instrumentation - Soldering Work

First a few safety precautions:

·         Never touch the element or tip of the soldering iron.
They are very hot (about 400°C) and will give you a nasty burn.

·         Take great care to avoid touching the mains flex with the tip of the iron.
The iron should have a heatproof flex for extra protection. An ordinary plastic flex will melt immediately if touched by a hot iron and there is a serious risk of burns and electric shock.

·         Always return the soldering iron to its stand when not in use.
Never put it down on your workbench, even for a moment!

·         Work in a well-ventilated area.
The smoke formed as you melt solder is mostly from the flux and quite irritating. Avoid breathing it by keeping you head to the side of, not above, your work.

·         Wash your hands after using solder.
Solder contains lead which is a poisonous metal. 

Treatment for minor burns

 Most burns from soldering are likely to be minor and treatment is simple:

• Immediately cool the affected area under gently running cold water.

   Keep the burn in the cold water for at least 5 minutes (15 minutes is recommended).

   If ice is readily available this can be helpful too, but do not delay the initial cooling with      cold water.

• Do not apply any creams or ointments.

  The burn will heal better without them. A dry dressing, such as a clean handkerchief, may be applied if you wish to protect the area from dirt.

• Seek medical attention if the burn covers an area bigger than your hand.

Soldering iron

For electronics work the best type is one powered by mains electricity (230V), it should have heatproof cable for safety. The iron's power rating should be 15 to 25W and it should be fitted with a small bit of 2 to 3mm diameter.

Other types of soldering iron

Low voltage soldering irons are available, but their extra safety is undermined if you have a mains lead to their power supply! Temperature controlled irons are excellent for frequent use, but not worth the extra expense if you are a beginner. Gas-powered irons are designed for use where no mains supply is available and are not suitable for everyday use. Pistol shaped solder guns are far too powerful and cumbersome for normal electronics use. 

Soldering Iron Stand

You must have a safe place to put the iron when you are not holding it. The stand should include a sponge which can be dampened for cleaning the tip of the iron. 

Desoldering pump (solder sucker)

A tool for removing solder when desoldering a joint to correct a mistake or replace a component. 

Solder remover wick (copper braid)

This is an alternative to the desoldering pump shown above. 

Reel of Solder

The best size for electronics is 22swg (swg = standard wire gauge). 

Side Cutters

For trimming component leads close to the circuit board. 

Wire Strippers

Most designs include a cutter as well, but they are not suitable for trimming component leads. 

Small Pliers

Usually called 'snipe nose' pliers, these are for bending component leads etc. If you put a strong 

rubber band across the handles the pliers make a convenient holder for parts such as switches 

while you solder the contacts. 

Small flat-blade screwdriver

For scraping away excess flux and dirt between tracks, as well as driving screws! 

Heat Sink

You can buy a special tool, but a standard crocodile clip works just as well and is cheaper. 

Track Cutter

A 3mm drill bit can be used instead, in fact the tool is usually just a 3mm drill bit with a proper 

handle fitted.This tool  is only required if you are using stripboard.

PCB Rubber

This is an abrasive rubber for cleaning PCBs. It can also be used to clean stripboard where the 

copper tracks have become dull and tarnished. This tools are only required if you make your own 

PCBs

Small Electric Drill

Ideally this should be mounted in a drill stand. You will need a range of small drill bits, but for most 

holes a 1mm bit is suitable. Larger holes can be drilled with a hand drill but 1mm bits are too 

fragile to use reliably in a hand drill. 

Preparing the soldering iron

• Place the soldering iron in its stand and plug in.

The iron will take a few minutes to reach its operating temperature of about 400°C.

• Dampen the sponge in the stand.

The best way to do this is to lift it out the stand and hold it under a cold tap for a moment,

then squeeze to remove excess water. It should be damp, not dripping wet.

• Wait a few minutes for the soldering iron to warm up.

You can check if it is ready by trying to melt a little solder on the tip.

• Wipe the tip of the iron on the damp sponge.

This will clean the tip.

• Melt a little solder on the tip of the iron.

This is called 'tinning' and it will help the heat to flow from the iron’s tip to the joint. It only

needs to be done when you plug in the iron, and occasionally while soldering if you need to

wipe the tip clean on the sponge.

• You are now ready to start soldering!

Ready to start soldering:

·         Hold the soldering iron like a pen, near the base of the handle. 
Imagine you are going to write your name! Remember to never touch the hot element or tip.

·         Touch the soldering iron onto the joint to be made. 
Make sure it touches both the component lead and the track. Hold the tip there for a few seconds and...

·         Feed a little solder onto the joint. 
It should flow smoothly onto the lead and track to form a volcano shape as shown in the diagram. Apply the solder to the joint, not the iron.

·         Remove the solder, then the iron, while keeping the joint still. 
Allow the joint a few seconds to cool before you move the circuit board.

·         Inspect the joint closely. 
It should look shiny and have a 'volcano' shape. If not, you will need to reheat it and feed in a little more solder. This time ensure that both the lead and track are heated fully before applying solder.

Soldering Advice for Components

It is very tempting to start soldering components onto the circuit board straight away, but please 

take time to identify all the parts first. You are much less likely to make a mistake if you do this!

1.     Stick all the components onto a sheet of paper using sticky tape.
2.      Identify each component and write its name or value beside it.
3.      Add the code (R1, R2, C1 etc.) if necessary.
   
4.     Resistor values can be found using the resistor colour code.

Capacitor values can be difficult to find because there are many types with different labelling systems! 

Some components require special care when soldering. Many must be placed the correct way 

round and a few are easily damaged by the heat from soldering. Appropriate warnings are given in 

the table below, together with other advice which may be useful when soldering. 

What is solder?

Solder is an alloy (mixture) of tin and lead, typically 60% tin and 40% lead. It melts at a temperature of about 200°C. Coating a surface with solder is called 'tinning' because of the tin content of solder. Lead is poisonous and you should always wash your hands after using solder.

Solder for electronics use contains tiny cores of flux, like the wires inside a mains flex. The flux is corrosive, like an acid, and it cleans the metal surfaces as the solder melts. This is why you must melt the solder actually on the joint, not on the iron tip. Without flux most joints would fail because metals quickly oxidise and the solder itself will not flow properly onto a dirty, oxidised, metal surface.

The best size of solder for electronics is 22swg (swg = standard wire gauge). 

Desoldering

At some stage you will probably need to desolder a joint to remove or re-position a wire or component. There are two ways to remove the solder:

1.  With a desoldering pump (solder sucker)

•       Set the pump by pushing the spring-loaded plunger down until it locks.
•       Apply both the pump nozzle and the tip of your soldering iron to the joint.
•       Wait a second or two for the solder to melt.
•       Then press the button on the pump to release the plunger and suck the molten solder into the tool.
•       Repeat if necessary to remove as much solder as possible.
•       The pump will need emptying occasionally by unscrewing the nozzle. 

2.  With solder remover wick (copper braid)

•      Apply both the end of the wick and the tip of your soldering iron to the joint.
•      As the solder melts most of it will flow onto the wick, away from the joint.
•      Remove the wick first, then the soldering iron.
•      Cut off and discard the end of the wick coated with solder.

After removing most of the solder from the joint(s) you may be able to remove the wire or component lead straight away (allow a few seconds for it to cool). If the joint will not come apart easily apply your soldering iron to melt the remaining traces of solder at the same time as pulling the joint apart, taking care to avoid burning yourself.

First Aid for Burns

Most burns from soldering are likely to be minor and treatment is simple:

•       Immediately cool the affected area under gently running cold water.
  Keep the burn in the cold water for at least 5 minutes (15 minutes is recommended). If ice is readily available this can be helpful too, but do not delay the initial cooling with cold water.
•        Do not apply any creams or ointments.
  The burn will heal better without them. A dry dressing, such as a clean handkerchief, may be applied if you wish to protect the area from dirt.
•       Seek medical attention if the burn covers an area bigger than your hand.

To reduce the risk of burns:

•      Always return your soldering iron to its stand immediately after use.
•      Allow joints and components a minute or so to cool down before you touch them.
•      Never touch the element or tip of a soldering iron unless you are certain it is cold.