Soldering a 510 battery connection?

[Vapor Vinny]

First, I've always built my mod by using a radio shack connector and a 901 to 510 adapter. Which is easy for me. So I'm wondering why I even to to solder a 510 connector to build a 510 mod, other than the possibility of losing the adapter at some point.

Anyway, can anyone explain how to solder the wires to a 510 SEALED connector that has not been disassembled? A photo would be nice. All I can find are tutorials that show soldering with a disassembled connector which I don't want to do.

 

[asdaq]

dis-assembly is much easier and safer for the grommet with respects to the heat of the iron, but caution needs to be taken not to tear it. The positive can be done in place as it is much smaller and goes quickly, but the rest of the connector needs to be brought to temp to get the negative to recieve a good bond. The grommets are sometimes silicone, sometimes rubber and hard to tell in place.

A sealed connector still has a hole from the wire side, just not all the way through. After your first you should find them just as easy. A little lube for removing/inserting the grommet helps a lot.

 

[asdaq]

Dis-assembly is much easier and safer for the grommet with respects to the heat of the iron, but caution needs to be taken not to tear it. The positive can be done in place as it is much smaller and goes quickly, but the rest of the connector needs to be brought to temp to get the negative to recieve a good bond. The grommets are sometimes silicone, sometimes rubber and hard to tell in place.

A sealed connector still has a hole from the wire side, just not all the way through. After your first you should find them just as easy. A little lube for removing/inserting the grommet helps a lot.

 

[Vapor Vinny]

I appreciate the response, but I'm pretty certain I'd destroy the connector if I disassembled it. I guess I can mod with my Type M Jack with a 510 adapter until I can find some pre-wired connectors for sale. See my other thread.

By the way, someone with some skill could carve them a pretty nice market if they'd start selling pre-wired connectors.

I'm going to try soldering one connector without disassembling it, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Jetmec]

MadVapes usually has the pre-wired connectors but they are out of stock right now.

 

[Mike36609]

I've built 6 mods over the past few months, sealed 510 connectors from MV in each. I never take the connector apart. My usual method employs a pair of slip-joint pliers (opened to widest) to hold the connector, a rubber band wrapped around the handle of the pliers, and a soldering iron around 25W - with very sharp pointed tip. It will help you greatly to have your wire pre-tinned before you try to solder to the connector, leave plenty of solder on the wire when you tin it. Pre-tin the pin on the 510 connector, shouldn't take more than a couple of seconds to transfer sufficient heat since the pin is so small.

With the 510 connector held securely by the pliers, press the end of the wire to the connector with one hand, touch the soldering iron to the junction of the wire/pin with the other hand. Remove the soldering iron, hold the wire to connector being as still as you can and you are done.

If you weren't steady enough holding the wire to the connector the solder joint will look dim, not shiny and not smooth, which would indicate a potential cold solder joint. If this happens just touch the soldering iron to the joint again, being sure to press the wire to the connector as you do so, remove the iron and hold everything completely still. A good solder joint will be visibly shiny and smooth. Be sure not to create a solder bridge from the center pin to the shell of connector.

With proper technique no solder connection should ever require touching the soldering iron to the connection for more than a second or two. The only exception would be when soldering something large that will dissipate a large volume of heat.

I worked as a FCC licensed technician for 10-plus years so I have extensive soldering experience on component-level repair of all types of equipment, but that was more than twenty ago, and it is an easy skill to master. I do have to wear my reading glasses so I can see everything clearly though.

And, by the way, if you don't have a sharp pointed soldering tip you can make one very easily. Take an older tip you have, and with a file shape it to the profile you want. This will ruin the tinning that was applied to the tip at the factory, but you can re-tin the tip by heating the tip on the iron, applying solder to cover thoroughly, wiping excess solder with a damp sponge, and unplugging the iron and letting it cool completely. Repeat this process two or three times and the tip is tinned.

 

[pdib]

Dude! Mike36609, I have to thank you! My 510 on my VAMO was stripped out, and I didn't know how I was going to fix it. It took alot of creative mix and mashing with junk I had around; but I did it! That being because of your little soldering lesson. Mine is TOTALLY UGLY. But it works. YAY! Thank you!

View attachment 201804View attachment 201805

 

[Mike36609]

Hoped this might help somebody, and glad it did.

Kudo's for making the repair.

 

[Vapor Vinny]

I made 2 mods this weekend and didn't take the connector apart for either one. And my soldering skills suck. The biggest problem I had was not the positive wire, but the negative wire outside the connector. Too much solder one on of them and I had a lot of trouble getting the connector through my pre-drilled hole.

 

[Mike36609]

Vinny,

Try soldering your wire to the inside of the connector, no problems getting it to slide through the hole and still have the hole tight enough to grip. Pre-tin (apply solder) the spot inside the connector where you want to solder the wire. Make sure that everything is clean and not oxidized first, a small dab of flux can help too, not too much flux or the solder will flow where it isn't wanted.