Help Please

[Matt Heaton]

Can some one give me some tips for soldering to the battery contacts. First I had problems with the box shorting out. Now I just can not do it nicely I can make everything else look perfect, but th contacts are really sloppy and just don't look nice. And they don't fit good then rub right up against the lid for the box (a hammond g box). I don't know was just trying to see if anyone had any tips.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Rickajho]

ETA: Are you talking about soldering onto battery box tabs or directly onto the battery?

Soldering onto a battery is a really bad idea. Heat at that level for the amount of time required to solder can damage the internal structure of a battery - which you cannot see to assess if you have created a problem or not. batteries are tack welded instead.

 

[Matt Heaton]

Soldering onto a battery is a really bad idea. Heat at that level for the amount of time required to solder can damage the internal structure of a battery - which you cannot see to assess if you have created a problem or not. batteries are tack welded instead.

No I mean the contact in the keystone 1048 the silver contacts that go in the sled.But thanks because I was thinking of doing that on my dna box.

 

[tehdarkaura]

Two things will help -- Flux and Heat

Use a lot of flux -- flux cleans things up and helps things flow -- electronics flux is what you want so go to the electrical section and not the plumbing section of your choice of hardware store -- and I personally prefer the thick pastey stuff over the liquid kind
Both the tab and the wire need to get hot enough to let the solder flow -- so put the iron on the tab first to preheat it a bit -- then move your solder pool over to the wire. if done right it should sizzle away the flux and then the solder will flow nicely

 

[Matt Heaton]

Two things will help -- Flux and Heat

Use a lot of flux -- flux cleans things up and helps things flow -- electronics flux is what you want -- and I personally prefer the thick pastey stuff over the liquid kind
Both the tab and the wire need to get hot enough to let the solder flow -- so put the iron on the tab first to preheat it a bit -- then move your solder pool over to the wire.

ok thanks I wasn't using any flux on the contact. Should I spread it on the contact and on the wire? I was just putting it on the wire itself.

 

[tehdarkaura]

I suggest putting flux on everything you want solder to stick to -- so both the contacts of the keystone sled and on the wires.

 

[inspects]

ok thanks I wasn't using any flux on the contact. Should I spread it on the contact and on the wire? I was just putting it on the wire itself.

Both....+ flux is cheap.

 

[Matt Heaton]

I suggest putting flux on everything you want solder to stick to -- so both the contacts of the keystone sled and on the wires.

ok I am about to solder now will let you know how it goes.

Thanks a lot, this has been very frustrating to have everything else look and perform perfectly then this be terrible.

Edit: Ive done mods on bigger boxes, this is the first time I've used one this small so space is a problem. But in the future I am going to make them all look good. I had ask this in my last thread but never got an answer, Is there a way for me to test my connections and IR with my multimeter?

 

[zoiDman]

ok thanks I wasn't using any flux on the contact. Should I spread it on the contact and on the wire? I was just putting it on the wire itself.

I would also Clean Everything to be Soldered with 92% Rubbing Alcohol before you Flux.

And Scuffing things up with Sandpaper can help Also.

 

[tehdarkaura]

Glad to help, let us know how it goes.

 

[Matt Heaton]

About half way there, Quick question my solder tip is getting a little hook cut into it. I have replacement tips, but is this normal I've used it on a few builds?

 

[tehdarkaura]

About half way there, Quick question my solder tip is getting a little hook cut into it. I have replacement tips, but is this normal I've used it on a few builds?

Hmmm -- I can't say i've ever seen a hook cut into any of my tips... and i do a lot of soldering -- but if it is loosing its tinning coat then it could be contributing to making things harder... best thing to do is replace the tip when you get a chance. do you have one of those wire balls to clean you tip with? maybe it just picked up a stray strand of wire or is oxidized there?

 

[zoiDman]

About half way there, Quick question my solder tip is getting a little hook cut into it. I have replacement tips, but is this normal I've used it on a few builds?

Are you Cleaning the Tip as you Go?

If you Don't have a Soldering "Scrubby Pad", you can put some Water on a Wadded Up Paper Towel and the Wipe the Tip of with the WET Paper Towel.

Then poke the Tip in and the out of the Flux Paste Quickly.

 

[tehdarkaura]

http://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Cleaning-Sponge-Brass/dp/B003UY3XU2

These are what I prefer and was referring to -- but yeah -- wet sponge or paper towel will work most of the time too...

 

[Matt Heaton]

Amazon.com: Soldering Iron Tip Cleaning Wire Sponge With Brass Ball: Home Improvement

These are what I prefer and was referring to -- but yeah -- wet sponge or paper towel will work most of the time too...

ok thanks just ordered one ha

almost done just getting everything fitted, quick question I have a master on off switch wired in but the contacts on it was really short can I put a dab of hot glue over it to protect the connection and from shorting out?

 

[tehdarkaura]

super glue over solder? sure no problem

super glue instead of solder? no, that's a bad connection and will have give you a voltage drop and an intermittent connection

 

[Matt Heaton]

super glue over solder? sure no problem

super glue instead of solder? no, that's a bad connection and will have give you a voltage drop and an intermittent connection

Not super glue, hot glue and no it is soldered and ready to go I just wanna hot glue it so it will be cover the contacts were to short to shrink wrap it just fell off

EDIT: well just did it and it seems fine, Wasn't sure if it would be too hot

 

[tehdarkaura]

oh yeah that's fine man -- I do the same thing often

 

[Matt Heaton]

Will take pictures in a minute, but damn man I re did this whole mod because my contacts where to tight last time and would Scratch my battery as it came out but I think this one is going to do the same thing.....
ahhh this is so frustrating haha. I have a Dna40 sitting here on my desk but am not even attempting anything with that until I can get a Dual 18650 with a mosfet to run PERFECTLY. I didn't even bother painting this one or making the out side look perfect but out of all the things in the battery sled gave me the most problems Im just really bad at doing the contacts all my other solder joints look really good and seem to have a good connection, but as soon as I get to them contacts I just fall apart. ha

 

[tehdarkaura]

cool -- ill be up a while longer -- get some photos cus im not sure what you mean by the soldered contacts causing the battery to get scratched?