Whats the easiest way to solder the connectors for the motor and esc? I'm having trouble getting the solder to melt into the connectors following Finless's video.
Anyone else have this problem? I could use some pointers...Thanks

is the tip clean on your iron? if its dirty then it is not able to transfer heat well...
does the solder melt and then just bead off of the connector?
i guess you can try heating up the connector/wire more before you apply solder..


it takes practice to get really good at soldering... either that or im just stupid

I like to put it in a pair of visegrips set to just barely gripping it standing on end. Vise grips laying down, Take the tip of the iron and stick it in the hole, Hold it there for 15 seconds. It will then be hot enough to take the solder. Silver solder, no flux core.
Just feed it in. till it is about full. concave shape of solder
Tin the wire prior. Heat the solder on the wire and then stick it in the hole pointing the wire down.
I have my iron set on hottest setting and not sure what you are using.

Hope that helps, oh and put the piece of heat shrink tubing on the wire back a bit first!

Jeff

my soldering gun is 30 watts and the solder im using is very low flux like 5% only and i cant get the connector hot enough to melt the solder. ive tried to put the tip inside it but it still doesnt melt the solder. I guess i need a differant solder gun that gets hotter or its the solder im using.....

You do need it pretty hot, Solder can make a difference as well.

The little hand held ones won't do it. And if it is a real pointy tip, it does not work that well either, My tip is a square point tip and touches at four points in the connector.

This style never worked for me.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062728

These work really well
http://www.cooperhandtools.com/brand...c=037103475848

This is what I have only mine is a heathkit model my dad made about 25 years ago and still works like a charm
http://www.tools-hills.com/Weller/We...B000AS3C34.htm

Definatley need the heat,
Jeff

This one from Radio Shack will do the job nicely also:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=family

Crash N Burn,

Ct420 has the right soldering iron, 40 watt is all ya need.. Most likely, it's the solder you are using.. The best is a 60/40, lead tin base with rosin core... Diameter is .031 inches.. About the thickness of the lead in a pencil, any bigger and you will have troubles with the small wires and other componets, requiring soldering. Thinner is better in the heli world...It doesn't require as much heat to solder a good joint.

Dave / Choppersrule

And the tip will need to be practically pristine clean for it to be able to do almost anything. I really recommend you get some "tip cleaner and tinner" from Radio Shack or elsewhere. A little thing of it should cost $5, it's lasting me forever, and it's saved me so much trouble you'd not believe it.
I soldered up a Deans last night in about 5 minutes, thanks to a hot, clean iron.

Strange I had that first Iron there, it takes a while for it to heat up, but then solders fine.

For my bullet connectors I used the method posted above vice-grips to hold the connector, but I apply the iron to the side of the connector, flow the solder, then put the wire in and fill it up with solder.

Pete

I do the same as blacksheep1998 with the addition of Tin the wire before you do anything else.
Tinning the wire (heat wire up and allow some solder to wick into it) not only makes a better connection but a small amount of sloder wicks up the wire into the insulation to provide support so the multi strands do not fray later on.
I use hemostats to hold my connectors and a 30W iron. It is a pain and I should get a better iron but it does the job. Yes it has to be clean and I melt a layer of solder right on the tip to help transfer the heat.

I've got a little trick with these connections I think. I have a pointed tip on my iron. while the connection is in a vise I put the tip through the hole on the side then feed the solder thought the hole where the wire will be. Then with the solering iron tip still in the hole i put the already tinned wire in, then pull the iron out. With deans too while on the subject its better to have them fitted with there opposing plug to avoid warping.

What a great Idea, I have never thought of that, It tends to get the plastic a little hot and tends to move a hair.

Thanks

Thanks for the info guys, turns out my soldering gun just didnt have the power to do the job, bought a new one and all is well.

Not sure if this was mentioned explicitly, but from my days 30 years ago as a ham, some other keys to soldering:

1. Heat the wires, not the solder! That is, the soldering iron is used to heat the wire directly; then the solder should just melt onto the joint. (for better heat transfer between iron and wire, you can use a solder bridge - that much is ok)

2. The finished joint should be completely shiny. If it's dull the joint is "cold soldered" and not reliable. If that happens, reheat it to full liquid, then let it cool again.

3. Don't let anything move while the solder is cooling. If the 2 wires move relative to each other at all, the joint will end up cold soldered, most likely.

Perhaps the technology has changed since then - but I doubt it.

If you can find/afford 63/37 solder, it solders better than 60/40. The melt range of 60/40 is 361°-374° F (liquifies at 374° F and solidifies at 361° F ... meaning you have to hold things still until the solder solidifies).

The 63/37 solder melts AND solidifies at 361°F ... essentially eutectic ( ... exhibit no plastic range upon melting, and the melting point is lower than that of any other alloy composed of the same constituents in different proportions ...).
This means you do not have to hold your solder setup still waiting for the solder to soldify. 63/37 soldifies the instant you remove the heat source.

As an electronics nerd I have learned a few lessons over the years, here are some.

- When you hold something to be soldered with large metal objects they act as heat sinks(ie vise grip), your soldering iron has to heat the vise grip and the solder joint, use small needle nose pliers.

- Use a big soldering iron, for bullet connectors I use a 100 watt pen type soldering iron, they cost about $30. I do this because small 30 watt soldering irons act so slow they end up heating the wires and melting the insulation, my 100 watt iron takes 1 second to make a perfect soldered connection, so the insulation doesn't have time to melt.

- solder(tin) the iron tip first, tin the wire, then lightly tin the connector to be joined to the wire-- then when you put the connector over the wire you don't have to wait for everything to heat up as much, as soon as the solder gets shiny you dab a little solder in and remove the heat, as I said 1 second to make a good joint.

- don't add solder with the iron tip, the tip should just be covered with a light layer of solder, you heat the thing to be soldered then add solder to the joint not the iron tip.

- Use the smallest wire you can get away with, heating up large diameter solder wire like the plumbers use takes alot of heat and time, so you are overheating the joint waiting for the solder to melt. Remember small things heat up faster than large things.

- In electronics heat fries small components like transistors, you use high heat for a very short time so the heat has less time to conduct to other components. I also use a small aluminum spring loaded heat sink between the component and the joint to limit heat transfer in circuit boards.

Actually I have a dedicated soldering iron for all my Deans Plugs and battert leads.

Its an Orange colored WELLER SP-23 (23 watts) with the worst looking tip you ever saw.

Tip is seriously eroded and has the perfect shape for transfering the heat to the flat Deans solder lugs as well as wrappinga around the 16 ga battery leads.

I'll be sad when this tip finally erodes to dust !!!!

The name of the game in soldering is good HEAT TRANSFER, as I can solder all my RC projects with a 23 watt iron. Connections are nice and shiney and I'm not cooking any nearby components or insulation in the process.

Also, get rid of that wet sponge you all are using to clean your tips with... That sponge is only making things worse.

Find one of those shredded brass brillo-pad looking tip cleaners at a supply store. Works great and does't cool off the tip too much either. I think mine is a weighted RV ashtray that someone sells with the brass turnings in it from someones machine shop floor!!!!!

Soldering is nothing more than a practice item, we all get better the more we do it.