pre-wired connectors?

[JamBandPhan]

Hey there, one of the most frustrating parts of modding I have encountered so far is trying to solder wires to the atty connectors. I have already destroyed a hand full of them trying to pop them back together (broke the rubber separator) and would GLADLY pay a little more for pre-wired connectors. Any chance of making them available??

 

[Sci]

I can't remember whose idea this was but it works & credit to them. Use a drop of juice on the parts when you are putting them back together. It makes life a lot easier.

 

[JamBandPhan]

Thanks for the tip, but I have tried that too, ruined 3 today and they were very juicy. I am having trouble getting my solder to stick, so I end up with too much on there for it to fit back through the hole. Same problem with getting the negative to connect to the shell, it just won't stick. Maybe it's my iron, it works fine on soldering wires together, but not so much on the connectors, maybe it's not getting hot enough to heat the connector so the solder will stick. I even tried roughing up the surface and cleaning it. I am sure in time I will get this down, but it is horribly frustrating to keep ruining my stuff trying to wire it up, and fumbling around with popping the centers in and out is a bit of a struggle too, those rubber gaskets don't want to cooperate when I try to put them back in place. It seems to me that someone who has the skills down could make some serious $$$$ if they would just pump a bunch of them out and sell them. There must be some trick I am missing.

 

[mrjaguar]

try some flux on the connector. that'll usually make solder stick better.

 

[jjandbjvapr]

Thanks for the tip, but I have tried that too, ruined 3 today and they were very juicy. I am having trouble getting my solder to stick, so I end up with too much on there for it to fit back through the hole. Same problem with getting the negative to connect to the shell, it just won't stick. Maybe it's my iron, it works fine on soldering wires together, but not so much on the connectors, maybe it's not getting hot enough to heat the connector so the solder will stick. I even tried roughing up the surface and cleaning it. I am sure in time I will get this down, but it is horribly frustrating to keep ruining my stuff trying to wire it up, and fumbling around with popping the centers in and out is a bit of a struggle too, those rubber gaskets don't want to cooperate when I try to put them back in place. It seems to me that someone who has the skills down could make some serious $$$$ if they would just pump a bunch of them out and sell them. There must be some trick I am missing.

What ratio solder are you using? I generally use a 35 watt iron from RS and some rosin core 60/40 solder and works like a champ! Be sure to clean the tip by wiping it on a damp sponge or rag and keep it tinned up and you should be good to go!

 

[Ryan Toupal]

You could try leaving the center piece in and soldering it. I've only done 2 but it was w/o much trouble..

 

[5cardstud]

I leave them in place and if they're too deep cut out a notch to get in to solder. Haven't had any trouble since doing it that way.
Sounds like it's not hot enough but like MrJaguar said use a little flux it works easier. Plus on your negative use a little solder to help transfer the heat to the outside connection.

 

[5cardstud]

One last thing. Go to the soldering how to in the forum and it will help you learn.
Here is a good video:http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-solder-electronics-right-way-253645/

 

[JamBandPhan]

Thanks for all the soldering tips, I have watched hours of instructional vids and get the soldering down just fine when it comes to wires, but these connectors are tough to master. I have been using the Lead free very fine electrical rosin core solder 96%tin 4%silver which I just ran out of, and now using Lead free silver solder. I have watched many videos, keep my tip clean and tinned, using one of those brass colored dry sponges to clean the tip, the only thing I have not tried is the flux.

What I need is a connector that the + is soldered on, but the hole is still open to receive my feeding tube for my juice bottle. This makes things a bit tricky since there is so little of the + area exposed when it is in place. I am also using a 3rd hand tool and magnifying glass. I have had a lot going on these past few days as we pack to move, so I had to set it aside and focus my time on other things. I will give this another go when I get another good pocket of free time. Any thing special I need to know about buying flux?

I think ultimately I just need a better iron. I am using a butane one now, it's working ok, but I think I need the control pack set up. Will have to wait until after we move.

 

[schaedj]

But back to the original question... I take it nobody sells prewired connectors? It sure would take a lot of the pain out of the modding process. I've had to reattach the center wire on a couple of my mods several times. The biggest problem for me is keeping the hole open, too. I use the 401 connector, and the 401 style requires the hole to be open, because the only airflow is through the center and out.
Next try, I'm taking my dremel and cutting a notch in the outside to hold the wire.

 

[JamBandPhan]

good idea, I tried roughing up the surface with a file, no help there... I will try the flux. Is the flux something you need to lay on thick, or does it take a tiny bit? I don't even really know what flux looks like, as I just have not tried it yet. I was having great luck binding wires together, so I thought the connectors would be a breeze too... live and learn. When you say cut a notch, now big of a notch are we talking about?

I want to be able to make these in large numbers, but if I have to remove the center, and then insert it back in this will slow the process down. I guess I need to try my hand at soldering them connected. Just need more light and a stronger lens to look through

 

[Sci]

Didn't realize where this was. Sorry

 

[JamBandPhan]

I know I am just venting right now, but I am still just ruining my connectors... I am getting very frustrated and discouraged. I try popping them out, get a good connect, then can't get them back in with out tearing the rubber, then I try soldering with out taking apart and I can't reach in the middle good enough to get the wire to connect, soldering iron keeps moving the wire around. I don't know what crucial piece of information I am missing here, but this is holding me up from getting my mod finished, and forget about making a bunch of them, if it continues to be this difficult. I am pulling my hair out over here... step away from the soldering iron...

 

[Connman]

Sorry to hear you are still having troubles here jambandphan03,

A small set of vice grips will work for holding the center pin while soldering it to wire. Stick the wire in the thin end grab with vice grips pretty loosely. And set wire end down on a surface you wouldn`t be worried about if it got damaged. Like a piece of wood.
Now trim small piece of solder off and stick it in center pin hole. Touch the soldering iron on it till it melts the solder.

My solder is Dia:1.0mm thick and fits in the hole nicely.

If it bubbles up just be sure to clean the roughness off with a fast swipe with the solder iron. And it usually won`t but if it does build up a blob of solder on the wire end just clean it up with the soldering Iron once again. Don`t hold it on it to melt the solder holding the wire, just long enough to clean the outside up.

 

[petercro]

jambandphan03
Remember that the battery connector is a solid lump of metal.
It has to get hot enough for the solder to adhere properly.
If you heat one side of a piece of metal the heat is dissipated through it.
You therefore must (overheat the area) before applying solder.
If you find that the solder runs off the piece or just does not stick,
then the piece is just not hot enough.

 

[paso]

The 510 connectors I am useing has a notch in them and I do not take them apart. I bend my wire in a L shape and flux the center then lay the L shaped wire in the notch and soder it. It has been holding. Not sure for how long but has worked for over a month on my copper 5v mod.

 

[paso]

And if you think sodering the connector is tough try sodering the 5 pin regulator. Now thats what I call hard.

 

[JamBandPhan]

That is what I though too petercro, it just is not getting hot enough, I need to get one of those soldering irons with a dial to control it, I just don't think this little butane iron is going to do the job right.

Thanks for the tips Connman, if I was not trying to keep the hole open, this would probably not be as difficult to do, but I am trying to fit a bottom feed metal tube through the hole in the connector to go up into the atty/carto, so that is where I am running into trouble.

I am taking a break from this, and waiting until my patience level is better then I will give it another go. Luckily I ordered a bunch of connectors, so I have a few more to break

 

[WillyB]

I know I am just venting right now, but I am still just ruining my connectors... I am getting very frustrated and discouraged. I try popping them out, get a good connect, then can't get them back in with out tearing the rubber, then I try soldering with out taking apart and I can't reach in the middle good enough to get the wire to connect, soldering iron keeps moving the wire around. I don't know what crucial piece of information I am missing here, but this is holding me up from getting my mod finished, and forget about making a bunch of them, if it continues to be this difficult. I am pulling my hair out over here... step away from the soldering iron...

Try cutting down the shell. Many do this to expose the + connector to make a direct battery connection.

 

[rfun6]

Husband has tried soldering for my nico stick and has messed up several buttons. Because by the time it gets hot enough to solder the wire to the button it burns or messes up the button. LOL. So we run through a lot of buttons. I would like to get a soldered 401 connector myself.