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Best solder free electrical connection

S

Stormin Mormon

I was thinking to enlarge the holes in the tabs, and use pop rivets.
Sadly, the battery holder pictured won't take .250 push on connectors,
I don't think. The metal is chromed, so solder won't stick very well,
it's also likely steel. There is no really good way to make the
connection.

Wire through the hole, twist the wire, and solder the wire to itself
is about the best answer I can find.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..




What about threading tiny self-tapping screws into the holes in the
rivets that connect the lugs to the contacts?

Fred
 
That is usually the wrong way to do the job he wants to do. Use a very hot
iron, hit the joint fast with a lot of heat and then get out quick. The
tabs will get hot very quick and melt the solder. If he applies a low heat,
the plastic will get a lot of heat on it before the tab gets hot enough to
melt the solder.
The 63/73 is the way to go, but 60/40 is just fine. Also do not move the
wires while the solder is cooling. This is one big way to mess up the
joint.
And a good reason to use 63/37. It is a "fast freeze" solder (the real
term is Eutectic - meaning it has a very narrow "plastic" range,
essentially going almost instantly from solid to liquid, and liquid to
sollid, with no "putty" stage in between.
 
J

J Burns

Ralph said:
That is usually the wrong way to do the job he wants to do. Use a very hot
iron, hit the joint fast with a lot of heat and then get out quick. The
tabs will get hot very quick and melt the solder. If he applies a low heat,
the plastic will get a lot of heat on it before the tab gets hot enough to
melt the solder.

Overheated tips give me a hassle with oxidation. I think the most
important factor is thermal conductivity to the joint. The flow can be
slow with a small pencil-pointed iron. A bigger tip with a flat side
can work much faster.

I'd clean the iron, tab, and wire, make a good mechanical connection,
apply rosin flux to the connection and the iron, and turn on the iron.
When the flux smoked, I'd begin testing the iron by touching solder to
it. When it melted solder quickly, I'd touch the iron to the
connection. Almost instantly, the flat side of the tip and the drop of
molten solder should conduct enough heat to the joint for it to draw
solder from the iron. I'd have the iron out of there before the plastic
could soften.

Dadburnit, the last battery holders I bought had the tabs riveted to the
battery contacts. They develop resistance from invisible corrosion
around the rivets. I have to keep spraying with contact cleaner. I
also have jumper cables that develop resistance from unseen corrosion
where the wires are crimped.
 
S

Smitty Two

john hamilton said:
I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

Go buy a battery holder that has leads already attached. Twist those
leads to the leads coming from the toy.

Smitty Two, who owns a soldering company, has taught 50 people to
solder, has soldered hundreds of thousands of components by hand, and
knows that while soldering is easy, it can't be taught in two minutes
with a paragraph.
 
S

Smitty Two

tm said:
No, not for mil spec results. But this is just a friggin toy. Solder it.

The OP already said he solders poorly. For $1.50 or so he can buy a damn
battery holder with wires attached. He can do it before or after he
melts the one he has trying to solder it.
 
R

rp

Take it to the local TV repair guy, and ask him to teach you how to do
it, so you'll be prepared for next time.

My dad taught me to solder back in the early sixties.

He got a block of wood and hammered a load of those little nails that
you use to hold hardboard in and told me to join all of them together
with wire. We had a stick of solder about an eighth of an inch thick
and a tub of flux and the first one I did was a mess but after about 20
or so they were neat.

With those plastic battery boxes I've found you have to have a nice big
bit in a hot iron and be quick, more than about a second and the
plastic melts. I put the wire through the hole and wrap it around
itself to make a mechanically good joint or if it's solid core bend it
through the hole and nip it up with pliers. Put the tip on the tag and
the wire and poke solder at the join between the two. You can't do them
with a little Antex, it transfers heat so slowly that the plastic melts
before the solder. It's the Weller W50-D for this sort of connection
:)
 
J

jeff_wisnia

john said:
I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

Hey fellas, don't you think we've about saucered and blowed this thread
by now? <G>

Jeff (Who's been soldering stuff for about 62 years now.)
 
G

geoff

J Burns said:
Overheated tips give me a hassle with oxidation.

Let me quote from the instructions of the hot air / soldering station I
just purchased

"Temperature of the soldering tip

High temperature will decrease the function of the soldering tip. So the
temperature should be set to the lowest. This soldering tip has good
quality for recovery and can solder at low temperature. This can protect
the component sensitive with temperature

Cleaning

The tip should be cleaned with sponge periodically. After soldering the
oxidised and carbonated superabundant soldering material will damage the
tip. Deviation of soldering and deduction of function of the soldering
tip will occur. The soldering tip must be dismantled for cleaning every
week so the soldering tip can keep the function

After welding,clean the superabundant soldering material"


so now you know ...
 
G

geoff

In message said:
The battery contact is likely to be nickel plated, consequently you
will need solder with ACTIVATED FLUX.

No - just file or otherwise (emery cloth) remove the plating back down
to the base copper underneath just before soldering

Simples

FFS - it's a cheap plastic moulding with tags on it

you lot are turning this into a major project
 
G

Grant

Hey fellas, don't you think we've about saucered and blowed this thread
by now? <G>

Jeff (Who's been soldering stuff for about 62 years now.)

I claim only four decades ;) You be there before flux cored solder?

Wonder when that came out?

I remember my father wanted to replace the needle and cartridge in
the record player (over 40 years ago, one of old things that stacked
several LPs). So he bought the new cartridge, a roll of rosin cored
solder and a small solid copper iron one heated on the gas stove...

Worked too! He used to be a TV serviceman, up until the splat off a
picture tube threw him across a room, a career changing moment.

Grant.
 
G

Grant

No - just file or otherwise (emery cloth) remove the plating back down
to the base copper underneath just before soldering

Simples

FFS - it's a cheap plastic moulding with tags on it

you lot are turning this into a major project

But those cheapie battery holders are difficult to solder, the plating
doesn't 'wet' easily. So cleaning it up first with emery paper, or
scratching it up is necessary so it will easily 'wet' and the solder
job work first time. Experience people know this, but beginners have
yet to learn which metals and surface conditions are easy to solder,
and which require more effort.

Sure, task at hand is easy, but promoting the larger picture might
help newbie get far more enjoyment from electronics, because they
learn some basic skills. Soldering is one of those basic skills.

Grant.
 
Let me quote from the instructions of the hot air / soldering station I
just purchased

"Temperature of the soldering tip

High temperature will decrease the function of the soldering tip. So the
temperature should be set to the lowest. This soldering tip has good
quality for recovery and can solder at low temperature. This can protect
the component sensitive with temperature

Cleaning

The tip should be cleaned with sponge periodically. After soldering the
oxidised and carbonated superabundant soldering material will damage the
tip. Deviation of soldering and deduction of function of the soldering
tip will occur. The soldering tip must be dismantled for cleaning every
week so the soldering tip can keep the function

After welding,clean the superabundant soldering material"


so now you know ...
Technical Chinglish at it's best.
 
J

Jeffrey Angus

It's sitting on a 1000 watt stove element. I have a little lid for it
so we don't poison too many people with lead!

Melt lead in a well ventilated area and exhaust fumes to the outside.
Air movement that is sufficient to carry away the wisp of smoke from an
extinguished match is generally considered sufficient ventilation. Lead
melts at 621 degrees (F). When lead is molten, it releases minute
amounts of vapors at a progressive rate as temperatures are increased.
Harmful levels of lead vaporization are believed to occur at elevated
temperatures above 1800 degrees (F). Only lower temperatures between
700-800 degrees are normally needed to cast lead hobby parts. Most
melting equipment sold to hobbyists will not raise temperatures much
above 900 degrees. Minimize vaporization by operating melters at the
lowest temperature that gives good results.

Unless you've got your solder pot cranked up well over 800 F I don't
think you're going to be sucking up any lead vapors.

Jeff
 
C

Cydrome Leader

In sci.electronics.repair john hamilton said:
I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

crimp, swage or weld?

soldering is as easy as it's going to get for something like a battery
holder.
 
T

The Daring Dufas

I have to connect this AAA battery holder to a toy. Although I have a small
soldering iron, my soldering skills are poor. I can see myself easily
melting all the plastic around the contacts before I can get anything to
stick to the tabs. (The part of the tabs with the small hole will bend
upwards giving some clearence).

http://tinypic.com/r/iqx3pf/4

My immediate plan is to poke a few strands of wire through the holes in the
connection tabs twist and then apply some nail varnish to stop it unwinding.
Since its a toy it does not need to be totally foolproof.

If anyone had any ideas that were a bit more sophisticated I would be
gratefull. Thanks.

If you are familiar with faston connectors, you can trim the
terminals with scissors or wire cutters so a connector will
slip on to them. The connectors are available in many sizes
with the 1/4" being the most common. I believe The Shack,
formally Radio Shack carries several sizes. Here's a link
to a manufacturer that produces many types so you can see
what I'm referring to:

http://www.etco.com/category.php?cat=18&div=ep&l=e

TDD
 
G

geoff

The Daring Dufas said:
If you are familiar with faston connectors, you can trim the
terminals with scissors or wire cutters so a connector will
slip on to them. The connectors are available in many sizes
with the 1/4" being the most common. I believe The Shack,
formally Radio Shack carries several sizes. Here's a link
to a manufacturer that produces many types so you can see
what I'm referring to:

http://www.etco.com/category.php?cat=18&div=ep&l=e
Excuse me, but is the OP a Septic or English ?

If he/she/it is English, it's bugger all use pointing them at Septic
outlets, is it?
 
T

The Daring Dufas

Excuse me, but is the OP a Septic or English ?

If he/she/it is English, it's bugger all use pointing them at Septic
outlets, is it?

I'm sorry, I have absolutely no idea what you are writing
about. Could you find someone to translate it into American?

TDD
 
D

Dave

I'm sorry, I have absolutely no idea what you are writing
about. Could you find someone to translate it into American?

I'm English and I haven't a clue what they are on about either. :)

Dave
 
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