Solder pads on a K2 LED?

[Count Malik]

Hi all, I have one question did anybody have this problem. I Have a green K2 LED w/ quick connecters. I tried to solder the pads on the LED but it will not stick. Dose anybody had this problem and if so how to fix it?

[xwingband]

It's not the answer you want but better solder and a better iron is it.

Most solder on the legs of the emitter.

[BhujangiJedi]

Gaaah! Why do they do that? The pads on the Lux III's are so friendly... my K2 is a charred mess of solder-repelling evil, and my cheapie soldering iron tip has been subjected to the Dark Side of the Force.

[Count Malik]

Thanks guys I don't have any more money to get a better soldering iron. I know somebody that is a professional (unlike me) and he has good solder wire and soldering iron I will wach how he dose it and learn from him. Thanks was geting kinda getting worried.

[BhujangiJedi]

If my 25W soldering iron had any ability to melt anything besides butter anymore I'd wrap the wire around on of the legs of the emitter and put a drop of solder on it. Bleh, too late... it won't even melt the solder anymore.

[strengthofrage]

Radio Shack has a decent solder station with two settings, 20 and 40 I think it is. It was around $20 if I remember right. I got one not too long ago and it works great. Just remember that a new/clean tip now and then makes a huge difference.

[Ghostbat]

After picking up a soldering station from fries I will never go back to the cheapies, it's just so nice to have the control and consistency.

That being said (rapidly becoming my catchphrase), you can usually give your cheapie some of it's oomph back a couple times by carefully cleaning the tip with steel wool (and a fine file if need be) and making sure the tip is really really tight.

[BhujangiJedi]

How do soldering irons work? Why does the tip being tight affect it? My tip screws in, but there's also a screw that appears to be some kind of retaining screw for the tip, but it does absolutely nothing - I can turn it in either direction without resistance, and it doesn't move out or deeper in.

I got my cheapie ECG 25W from Fry's for $5.99... they had a large selection of irons $40 and up, and then the $6 one. There is a peg with a tag for one for $15 or so, but it's always empty. So I got the cheapie. And I didn't know anything about soldering, so I neglected to spend the extra $2 for a spare tip... of which they only had one. After putting together two sabers, I pretty much completely destroyed my tip, but when I went back they no longer had any replacements. Boo.

Off to my friend's house today to see if I can use his soldering iron.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

One thing you need to do is make sure you "tin" the components that are getting soldered together. This means getting some solder on the tab and on the wire before attempting to join them. Let them cool naturally, never blow on a solder joint to cool it. Also be sure to tin the tip of your iron. Keep an old damp sponge nearby to clean it off with when you're done. Once everything is pre-tinned, all you have to do is touch together the parts you want to join, and then apply the tip of the iron until the solder flows together.

Somewhere around here was a thread dedicated to soldering....I think...

[Ghostbat]

How do soldering irons work? Why does the tip being tight affect it? My tip screws in, but there's also a screw that appears to be some kind of retaining screw for the tip, but it does absolutely nothing - I can turn it in either direction without resistance, and it doesn't move out or deeper in.

It works best when tight because the energy has a much easier time transferring from the handle to the tip. If the tip is loose then there is extra air/space for the heat to traverse and some of it is lost in the attempt.

It sounds like the retaining screw (or more likely the hole it's running through) is stripped which is likely part of the problem You could retap it and use a slightly larger screw, but for a low end soldering iron it may not be worth the effort.

Keep an old damp sponge nearby to clean it off with when you're done.

Even better than a sponge are these little tip cleaners that look kind of like a small pot filled with coarse steel wool (usually brass in color though). These clean the tip much easier and more thouroughly. I only discovered them recently but I am in love!

Let's see.... http://www.electronix.com/catalog/pr...ducts_id/10825 that's the thing!