Element

I was at the hobby shop about a week ago buying a new charger and batteries for my clod and evader,I was talking to a guy while I was in the checkout line and he convinced me to get deans connectors for all my new equipment.

Well I'm really having trouble soldering these connectors on.I tryed my esc first and the solder wont stick to the connector I managed to get it to sick on my battery but it fell of after two runs.The charger held up pretty well but I have a half a roll of duck tape on it

I have tryed to scuff up the connector but It doesn't help.I'm using Dutch Boy lead free Electrical solder with a 25watt iron.If some one could please help me I would be very grateful.

Thanks

Wookie

My Feedback: (5)

Your soldering iron should be hot enough to work, but a 40 watter would make the job easier and will also be very handy when you decide to build your own batteries (if you haven't already).

I use a pair of vice grips to hold the plug then I solder the wires onto the plug, one of the third hand devices would be very nice to have when soldering deans plugs.

When you solder your plugs first tin the plug, tining the plug just means put a bead of solder on the plug before you try and solder the wire to the plug. Next tin the plug so you have a solid amount of solder on the wire.

Now you should be able to solder the wire to the plug. The plugs them self hold a lot of heat nad require you to hold the wire to the plug for a short amount of time before the plug and solder cool enough to make a solid bond.

Speedmunkey

1.) Hotter iron, get a 40-45w as suggested above
2.) Get some flux. Flux cleans the surface and helps the solder stick to it.
3.) Put a tiny bit of flux on the tab and stick the solder to it. Remember the old saying "Less is more"? It applies here.
4.) Put some flux on the ends of your wire, and stick the solder to it. Remember the old saying "Less is more"? It DOESN'T apply here.. Make sure the braid of wire is completely permeated by the solder.
5.) Now, using the afore mentioned vice grips (I use Craftsman's AutoLock instead, but whatever ya got..) heat one of the tabs. The solder you appiled before will melt and give the wire something to adhere to. While heated, put the wire against it and hold it very steady and remove the iron once the solder in the braid and the solder on the tab begin to flow together. Any movement once the iron is removed will weaken the resulting solder joint. Hold it till it cools and then give it a tug to be sure it is stuck securely.

That's pretty much all ya do. Be VERY mindful of your + and -.. Get thsoe wrong, and you fry stuff.

iliketobreakthings

If there are any city colleges in your area take a look at their summer classes... i took a soldering class at the local college. learned a ton... my best tip is to let the iron get good and hot

Razoo

My Feedback: (2)

Don't forget to put the shrink tubing on before you solder the plugs.

Goku

My Feedback: (3)

I had the same problem when I started out... then I discovered the importance of flux....

bcmorris

Man, I hate soldering Dean's connectors. As far as RC soldering jobs go, it's probably the one I like the least and have the most difficulty with, so you're not alone.

Speedmunkey

I actually agree.. Deans plugs are the LEAST ergonomically friendly items to solder in the known universe.. This is why, when the option is available, I buy pigtails.. Hard to beat machine soldered Deans plugs, and the price isn't that bad either.

mschilling

How do you know if your solderning iron is hot enuf? When you touch it to the metal tab or wire connection it has to heat that connection up enough that solder will melt on it. It is not good enough to melt the solder on the tip of the iron. Putting solder on the tip is only done to aid the heat in transferring to the joint. If the iron cannot transfer enough heat to that joint for your solder to melt on it, then you need a larger iron. I use a gun that is feather-light and is 150 watts. It heats up to 700Ëš in about 8 seconds, and I love it.

bcmorris

I forgot to say, what I've been using when soldering plugs is my own custom "stand" of sorts. I simply soldered a couple alligator clips onto rigid ("normal" household, like from Home Depot... NOT the flexible RC stuff) 12-gauge wire, curled those wires around a couple wood screws and screw em into a small 2x4 block. Just put the plug in one of the clips, and bend the wire to hold the plug in the position that you want. Either that, or grow a third arm.

mattyk6

bcmorris - I did something very similar. Only I use an alligator clip at each end. This is so that no matter what or where I am working, I can use the other end to hook onto something.

You can also use alligator clips to hold the wire and the tab together. I do this whenever I solder deans connectors or new motors. Occasionaly the alligator clip will stick, but it usually isn't too hard to get it off.

Matt

Goku

My Feedback: (3)

short of growing a third arm... the easiest way I've found to do this is to tin the end of the wire (don't forget to use flux- it's soooo much easier), then tin the tab on the Dean's plug.

Once I've done that.... I set the plug in the jaws of some vise-grips (not too tight- you don't want to break the plug), I set the vise grips on the table(it only serves to keep the plug from moving away), and then use one hand to hold the iron and the other to hold the wire... all it takes is a half second with the iron while holding them together and it's done!