40 AWG magnet wire

[Jim Parson]

I'm trying to solder some twisted pair leads from several coils to 38
AWG coax for an MEG experiment. The trouble I'm running into is that I
can't find anything to remove the insulation from the 40 AWG magnet
wire. Any suggestions on what would remove the insulation so the wires
can be tinned?

Regards,
Jim

 

[The Al Bundy]

I'm trying to solder some twisted pair leads from several coils to 38
AWG coax for an MEG experiment. The trouble I'm running into is that I
can't find anything to remove the insulation from the 40 AWG magnet
wire. Any suggestions on what would remove the insulation so the wires
can be tinned?

Regards,
Jim

What you can try is to head the end of the wire with a soldering iron and
some tin. The insulation can be 'burned' off like that. Other way is to burn
it off with some fire, and scrap/sand the remains of burned insulation away
so only copper stays.

Al

 

[Watson A.Name \Watt Sun - the Dark Remover\]

What you can try is to head the end of the wire with a soldering iron and
some tin. The insulation can be 'burned' off like that. Other way is to burn
it off with some fire, and scrap/sand the remains of burned insulation away
so only copper stays.

Easier said than done. That wire is so fine that soldering it can
dissolve the copper into the solder if you don't do it quick, and then
you've got an end that's gone and an open.

"Scrap/sand" (sic) can result in the same thing: a broken wire. Stuff
is too fine. Just wrap the wire around a heavier stud made of 24 gauge,
and then solder both, usually the wires will solder okay if the flux is
decent.

 

[Jerry Greenberg]

Try buring off the insulation with a match. The gently scrape it off
what is left with some fine abrasive. Trim the exposed length you
want, and now this sould work for you.

Jerry G.

 

[Brian Howie]

I'm trying to solder some twisted pair leads from several coils to 38
AWG coax for an MEG experiment. The trouble I'm running into is that I
can't find anything to remove the insulation from the 40 AWG magnet
wire. Any suggestions on what would remove the insulation so the wires
can be tinned?

I vaguely remember a tip to heat it in a flame to burn the insulation
and then quickly dowse it in alchohol to stop it oxidising.

Do a google on soldering Litz wire.

Brian

 

[jtech]

I'm trying to solder some twisted pair leads from several coils to 38
AWG coax for an MEG experiment. The trouble I'm running into is that I
can't find anything to remove the insulation from the 40 AWG magnet
wire. Any suggestions on what would remove the insulation so the wires
can be tinned?

Regards,
Jim

Try using paint thinner to dip the wire in and let it dissolve the enamel
coating from the wire. Then clean it well with alcohol and use flux on it
to solder.

 

[Jim Parson]

Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried
burning off the insulation but that left a residue that was equally hard
to remove. After some practice I've found that scraping (gingerly) the
end of the wire with a scalpel held orthogonal to the wire works well. I
also got an e-mail from someone internal to my organization suggesting
that melting a small piece of aspirin with a soldering iron and then
dipping the wire into the molten goo works well for almost all types of
insulation. Haven't tried that technique yet.

Regards,
Jim

 

[Cougercat]

Ji Jim,

Depending on the type of insulation on the wire, We use to just touch the
#40 wire to the tip of the iron and apply solder as if it were un-insulated
wire. The insulation would then burn off and the wire would then tin
nicely.

--jj

 

[JeffM]

someone [in] my organization suggesting

melting a small piece of aspirin with a soldering iron
then dipping the wire into the molten goo
Jim Parson

The active ingredient in aspirin is an organic acid (acetylsalicylic acid).
Generally, acid fluxes are frowned on in electrical work
because, if not properly cleaned/neutralized, they can corrode the wire.
The smaller the wire, the greater the threat.

 

[Don Klipstein]

I'm trying to solder some twisted pair leads from several coils to 38
AWG coax for an MEG experiment. The trouble I'm running into is that I
can't find anything to remove the insulation from the 40 AWG magnet
wire. Any suggestions on what would remove the insulation so the wires
can be tinned?

1. An especially hot soldering iron, such as a 40 watt one or one of
those soldering guns.

2. Gently scrape off the varnish with a single edge razor blade, "exacto"
blade or the like. I have gotten away with this with wire as thin as 42.

- Don Klipstein ([email protected])

 

[Jim Parson]

The #40 wire is covered with Kapton insulation, that's why most of the
suggestions for removing the insulation won't work. Scraping seems to
work fine although it's tedious. Thanks for all the responses.

Jim

 

[jamiebuturff]

Soldering Aluminum

Soldering of aluminum is possible, but there are a number of critical areas that need tight control. Tenacious aluminum oxide makes most attempts to solder using conventional methods difficult. Flux must be used because of the rapid formation of an aluminum oxide layer, which is difficult to remove and prevents the solder from wetting the aluminum. The reason aluminum oxide is more difficult to remove compared to copper is because of its very high melting point of 2030°C, compared to the 660°C of pure aluminum. Another reason the aluminum oxide is difficult to remove is its high corrosion resistance value. Therefore, more aggressive fluxes are often required, such as an organic amine-based flux (up to 285°C), or inorganic fluxes (e.g. sodium hydroxide up to 400°C). An ultrasonic soldering bath may also be used to crack the oxide layer and wet the aluminum without the use of flux.