I have a 5000 mAh lipo that I want to use on my dynatron starter. I am trying to solder deans connector to it. I am not having any luck.[] [&o] All I end up with is a very cold solder joint[&:]. I really wanted to use Power Pole connectors but the wire from the battery is much larger than the metal clip on the power pole. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I may even send some snow your way if you want.
Gene

THe key to soldering is put the heat where you want the solder. I will usually tin the inside of a connecter, and then the wire. Then heat the conector until you can pusth the wire in and hold the heat for a few seconds to see the solder flow. It helps to have a fresh tin on the solder tip also as that allows a better flow ofthe heat to the piece.

I've not experience with the Deans conectors, but i seem to remember a good article on making some pin holders to use while soldering. Maybe someone else can point the way to that article.

Don

I solder Deans pretty often. If you have the wrong flux it can be a problem. As Don mentioned, you must tin the wires and posts. Sand the posts, flux and then tin{add a little solder. Flux and tin the wire then use something to flattin out the wires. Add heat to the underside of the Deans posts until the tin/solder flows then add the wire and some more solder.
Reason I mention the flux. I was teaching a student how to solder servo wires. Mine were just fine, his looked like hell?? We were using the same solder? I tried to do some wires using his flux and they looked like hell!!! Went back to my flux and they came out nice and smooth.
Don't get the posts on your deans so hot it starts to melt the plastic!!! Just to the point you see the solder/tin melting.
Other Gene

Some good articles:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=172

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=109

http://www.hangtimes.com/soldering_to_cells.html

A video is worth a thousand posts and pictures. This is how I learned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYhmzY5wQAA

I use power poles for 99% of my stuff. Power poles has the "clips" for varying size wires. They use "AMP" rating. A 30 amp clip is solid. A 45 amp and larger clip are open and need to be crimped, then soldered (Some of the suppliers say they don't need to be soldered - I solder mine anyway.)

The external plastic housings are the same for the majority of the sizes.

As mentioned above, a GOOD flux is needed (a good flux removes/neutralizes any contaminates and allows a good bond). One of the best fluxes I have found is the liquid flux that comes with "Stay Brite Silver Solder".

I watched the video and the problem I am having is the wire from the battery is so large. Probably 3x that in the picture. I could tin the deans but the wire was so heavy that I could not get a good tin on it. can I remove some of the wire so I can fit it inside a anderson power pole connector.

Give it a tin job then use a wheel or clippers to remove what you need. Not the best thing you can do but it works. I use the plier end of my wire cutters to sort of shape the wire. Sometimes it is squaredand sometimes flat, whatever works.

Here is a picture of the wire and a deans connector. Also included a picture of a T-Shirt I purchased. It has nothing to do with RC but everything to do with the safety of our country. Hope it don't offend anyone. This battery is not going in a plane. It is for my dynatron starter. WOW!! having problems loading a picture

I didn't watch the whole video, but right off, a couple things popped up. First, his iron wasn't clean and tinned. The solder he was putting on the iron wasn't melting. The second issue was that his iron wasn'thot enough. When soldering wires, or directly to a battery, an iron that is a too hot is better than one that is a little to cold. On wires you don't want the wire to slowly heat up to the point the solder flows, as two things happen. First, the heat isn't localized and when the solder starts to flow it wicks way up the wire. Also it gives the insulation plenty of time to get hot and melt. Another point is to use a flux separate from the solder. I still have a pound of fine electronic flux solder from my old days at IBMwhen we used to repair circuit boards. I still use a dab of paste fluxto prevent the wire or contact from oxidizing prior to the flux from the solder coating it. As Gene said, clean the wire and contact first as dirty or oxidized wire or contacts don't solder well.

Don

going to try and load the picture again. No Joy in Muddville tonight. Can't get pictures to load.

try again. Maybe a Moderator needs to look at the system. Will not let be put a picture on.

I am using a pencil iron and I don't think it gets hot enough to properly tin the big wire. Will go to Home Depot tomorrow. How many watts should I try to get.

Sometimes the soldering iron tip corodes making for bad electrical conductivity therefore lower temp then needed. I sand 'em off once in a while. Thinner solder helps too.

Building the 9405 wire harness for the Boeing 717 I learned a little trick about soldering things. Aviation rarely uses a solder iron, we used heat guns and these [link=http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS401US401&sourceid=chrome&ie =UTF-8&q=solder+sleeves#q=solder+sleeves&hl=en&safe=off &rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS401US401&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tb s=shop:1&tbo=u&ei=u1wdTf6qN8GblgeWvcjTDA&sa=X&oi=p roduct_result_group&ct=title&resnum=8&ved=0CEQQrQQ wBw&biw=1280&bih=713&fp=ca05a7bb65e82229]Solder sleeves[/link].

Since my time spent with Boeing I have used nothing else for most connections.They really are a wonderful invention.

I'm using a Hobbico 60W pencil iron. It's more than hot enough and will melt the plastic on a Deans after a few seconds of touching the metal connectors. I think I got it from the LHS for $9.99. It's all you need if you're just doing Deans.

First and foremost.  You must match the solder to the item.  For ELECTRICAL connections you should select solder with a rosin core flux.  It is commonly found at radio shack.  Most of the time if you use proper solder and a clean iron you will not have a problem with electrical.  Good tips on making sure you tin (pre-solder) the connector and the wire.  Then assemble and then appy heat to the junction and let the solder flow into the connection.  Do not melt the solder on your iron and let it flow to the wire.  That is an improper joint (typically called a cold joint).   Typically in electical if you have a good rosin core solder you will not have to pre-flux anything. 

The same applies for mechanical connections such as servo push rods.  You should NOT use rosin core solder for these joints, you should purchase a good solder designed for metal such as Stay Brite and its accompanying flux.  For these connections you SHOULD use flux before applying heat and solder - even if the solder has a flux core.  You can commonly find the proper solder for metal at Home Depot or Lowes and the accompanying flux.  

A sixty watt iron is plenty for anything electrical outside of huge connectors - certainly more than enough for a deans on which I use about a 30 watt iron.  On pushrods and other metal to metal, some use a small butane torch, but I like a high wattage soldering gun (Weller is a good brand).  My gun has a 100W and a 125W setting....I don't like using open flame on any soldering unless it is plumbing where you may truly need the heat a torch provides.... 

I am heading to Home Depot. They have a weller 100/140 soldering gun with a case for about 30 yankee green backs. With the smaller wires I didn't have any problems soldering the power poles or splicing servo extension wires.

Hi Irish.

Yeah, when you solder large wires like that, you end up with more heat being conducted away from where you are trying to focus it. It will "flow" down the wire because of the basic quality of copper wire being so conductive to both electricity and heat.

The trick is to have a hot enough soldering iron to get the heat to the point of focus quickly so that the solder will flow properly and to where you want it to flow. When the heat draws away from your point of focus faster than you can heat it up, well, you get a ball of solder and no flow. So, the way to get it done is to have a very hot iron of sufficient size (pencil solder irons just don't have enough mass) to stay hot long enough to allow the solder to flow.

That 100/140 should do the trick.

The other problem is this new lead-free solder. It's crap. I have a couple of rolls of very fine rosin core lead lead solder that I use sparingly. It flows much better than that stuff they are selling now. If you can get your hands on real 60/40 lead/tin rosin core solder, then you will have half of the problem solved. The other half, well, looks like you have a handle on that.

CGr.

Just got back from Home Depot and bought one of those big puppies. 100/140job done

I bought two of them and they both gave up the ghost after one use. Much better luck to you!!!
Gene

Gene, this starter has so much power I can probably start my old John Deere tractor instead of using the hand crank

During the winter {like now!! Weather change!!} I could use a stronger starter battery. John showed his big 18 volt battery on his so I went on a road trip to Harbor Freight looking for one, they didn't have any on hand or on sale. What kind of voltage did you get and did you get a deal on it?? If so where did you get it??
Gene

I am using a 6s lipo 22.3v. Got it from HK in USA 55.00 shipped to Michigan in 3 days. The starter is a Sullivan Dynatron that can operate on either 12 or 24 v. I have a 180 4 stroke on my Big Bingo and the starters with 12 volts would not turn it over. Tried it a couple of minutes ago and it spins it fast enough to fly
Gene, I sent you an email about the Enola Gay cockpit

Funny thing is i have had a Weller 100/140 for 20 years +, use it regularly and it is still going strong.
Proper flux and being clean as Grey Beard mentioned is a must for good solder joints.