[OTTERTOK]

What's everyone using in the way of a soldering gun or station to solder wiring from 10gauge to 16 gauge.

[bobreib]

Weller WTCPN
Have had it for about 30 years, still works great..

[Max]

For leads like battery connectors and wire/wire connections, I use a weller soldering gun


It heats up fast and transfers heat to the connectors faster than a soldering iron.

I also strongly recommend this device, most commonly called "helping hands" for hodling stuff together, keeping your hands free to hold and position the soldering gun and solder right where you need them.

For soldering ESC/Motor bullets onto wire, I prefer a propane torch over a soldering Iron- I posted this on our club forums but is appropriate for this discussion

Originally Posted by InstructorMax,Feb 23 2010, 06:04 PM

Lately, having done so many motors and ESC's for myself and friends, I find the best way to solder the bullets on is using a propane torch:

Strip the wire and push it all the way into the bullet leaving just 2 or 3 mm exposed between the bullet and the lead

Then, using my "helping hands" solder clips, set up the bullet so that it is at right angles and warm the bullet with the torch set at the lowest setting that will give you a sharp but small blue flame. YOU MUST but keep it moving- if you hold the flame to the bullet in one spot, you will burn the gold off the connector.

Periodically touch the solder to the lead where it joins the connector. Keep brushing the bullet with the torch until the solder starts to wick in- then just keep wicking (and brushing it periodically with the torch) until the bullet fills with solder and creates a meniscus.

Then let it cool and you are done.

If you need some visual references, let me know and I can post pictures of the process.

[Daren71]

Canadian Tire sells a soldering iron that has a 1/4" tip. I think they label it for soldering stained glass. It gets really hot, but works great for the bigger jobs. I've had great luck with it. Daren

[KaptainKrunch]

Originally Posted by Max

For leads like battery connectors and wire/wire connections, I use a weller soldering gun


It heats up fast and transfers heat to the connectors faster than a soldering iron.

I also strongly recommend this device, most commonly called "helping hands" for hodling stuff together, keeping your hands free to hold and position the soldering gun and solder right where you need them.

For soldering ESC/Motor bullets onto wire, I prefer a propane torch over a soldering Iron- I posted this on our club forums but is appropriate for this discussion

Princess Auto has these devices, they call them "Third Hands" and they are fairly inexpensive, around $5.00, I believe. (They go on sale from time to time.)
They also have an adjustable soldering iron to 80 watts. I use a little butane torch that runs off a refillable lighter. Works quick, and is small enough to take in your field box. Thanks for the suggestion of "Keeping things moving" when using the torch!
Terry

[Tyler P]

I use the 80A soldering iron from Canadian Tire. I believe they're around $30, but if it fails you can just take it back for a new one. They'll just keep replacing them for you. Mine only fail every couple years, and I use them a lot.

[Flypaper]

I use that little 80 watt adjustable iron from Princess Auto. Best working iron I've used for a long time. I use the big Weller gun with the two speed trigger for the bigger stuff like the Deans plugs.

Canada Geese walking around on the ice out front wearing Mukluks

[OTTERTOK]

Looks good guys, I guess what I have will work fine then. Thanks for the input

[Nev]

Weller WC100 station 40watt with accurate temp control...weller make the best irons in my opinion.

[moo]

Originally Posted by bobreib

Weller WTCPN
Have had it for about 30 years, still works great..

Me too, me too, mine does too.

mine is missing the connector between the iron and the station, I wired it with marrettes.