Soldering is there a better way?

[disturbed1]

Let me start out by saying I'm fairly noobish to soldering. I got a hand full of these form madvapes Horn Style Switch, Black and so far I have distroyed 3 of them and the other does'nt look vary good. I tined my my wire put a small bend in the end. I then put the bent part through the hole on the switch and put a dab of solder to hold it in place. Poppet the switch in place and the tabs fell off. This happened to me 3 time befor I got it to work. The fourth one the tabs bent outward siverly. I tested it and it seem to be working but not sure for how long. Im making this for someone so I wont to make sure its 100% before I hand it over. Any tips are welcome.

 

[Nermal]

No specific experience on this subject, but for general wiring I was taught to get the wires hot enough to melt the solder - as opposed to kind of dripping it onto the connection. Not at all sure this is relevant, but maybe.

 

[DrBeaker]

You need a good clean iron and I recomend .032 or .031 60/40 rosin core 1/16 or smaller tip.
use a wet sponge clean the tip with a quick wipe the tin or load the iron seconds before you attempt to solder something. Do this each time. Soldering is a wet operation. I mean wet with molten solder. Molten solder conducts the heat quickly so your done fast.
dont keep the iron on your connection long. It should only take a second or two.
there should be solder on the tip and you should be touching the joint with the solder with the other hand at the same time.
the molten solder will follow the heat. Drag the tip the direction you want it to flow.
do not blow on the cooling joint. That will make a cold joint and it will frost and be weak and fail!
I hope that helps...
Clean
clean
clean

 

[juggalofisher88]

Im wondering if by tabs fell off you mean the actual leads on the switch itself. If so taking a guess i would say you held the gun on the tabs to long which melted whatever is holding them in place on that switch, or you got a few defective switches.
There is some type of conducive glue as a solder alternative (Google would be your friend their) should work since the button shouldn't require very much of a load.

questions are you using flux on wire and switches? And are you tining both wire and switch before soldering together? Also try scratching up the leads on switch with a file or screwdriver before tinning it, it helps me.

 

[Nomoreash]

Those madvapes Horn switches can't handle alot of heat or much bending of the terminals. Let your iron heat up then clean and tin the irons tip and wires, then working quickly put a dab of solder on each switch terminal. Place the tinned wire against the solder spot of the terminal then heat them together with the iron. If it's taking more than a second or two to melt them together then back off, wait a few seconds for it to cool down and try again.

As an alternative you might want to try one of the switches below. They cost a little more but use screw terminals that are easy to work with and are MUCH higher grade switches. They are basically all I use when I need a horn switch in that size. And no there is no better alternative to soldering, just need the right equipment, solder and a little practice.

Invalid Request

 

[AzPlumber]

Heat sink, when soldering components that are easily damaged by heat I alwaysuse a heat sink when possible. Place it on the tab between the component and your soldering point. I use a small hemostat but a small aligator clip works also. It absorbs some of the heat giving you more time at the joint.

 

[disturbed1]

Im wondering if by tabs fell off you mean the actual leads on the switch itself. If so taking a guess i would say you held the gun on the tabs to long which melted whatever is holding them in place on that switch, or you got a few defective switches.
There is some type of conducive glue as a solder alternative (Google would be your friend their) should work since the button shouldn't require very much of a load.

questions are you using flux on wire and switches? And are you tining both wire and switch before soldering together? Also try scratching up the leads on switch with a file or screwdriver before tinning it, it helps me.

Yes I was talking about the tabs on the switch. I did use flux but did not tin the tabs. I have to order more switches but I will give that a try.

Those Madvapes Horn switches can't handle alot of heat or much bending of the terminals. Let your iron heat up then clean and tin the irons tip and wires, then working quickly put a dab of solder on each switch terminal. Place the tinned wire against the solder spot of the terminal then heat them together with the iron. If it's taking more than a second or two to melt them together then back off, wait a few seconds for it to cool down and try again.

As an alternative you might want to try one of the switches below. They cost a little more but use screw terminals that are easy to work with and are MUCH higher grade switches. They are basically all I use when I need a horn switch in that size. And no there is no better alternative to soldering, just need the right equipment, solder and a little practice.

Invalid Request

Those are nice switches thanks for the link. I have one like that in SS. How ever a bit pricy when you have to order a hand full of them and the SS one I have is to deep. I had to shim it with a pees of brass to get it to work last time I used one. Now If I could find something in between the 2 as far as price and quality that would be great.

 

[timj]

Soldering is pretty straight forward. Get a good iron and take your time with it...oh and practice!

 

[disturbed1]

Soldering is pretty straight forward. Get a good iron and take your time with it...oh and practice!

I got it down pretty good. It wasn't my soldering as much as the junk switches.