Soldering Iron Help

[Goferrari28]

Okay, so this isn't what would typically fall under the Electronics category, but with all the motor, battery and ESC soldering that goes on, I thought this would be the most logical place. I have a problem with both of my Weller soldering irons. My 40W needs a new tip but my smaller 25W has a good tip but is very black, and I use the wet sponge frequently to clean it while in use. Do you guys use any sort of tinning solution to help the tips stay in good shape? Any other reccomendations?

Thanks
Angelo

 

[jevyguy]

You can just use a file to clean up the tip if it turning black is even the issue, and you could take a grinder to fix the tip of your 40w iron. A 25w iron is pretty cold to be soldering motor wires on.

 

[Goferrari28]

I used a file on the 40W which is sort of why it needs replaceing, and the 25W worked great until the tip got all crusty. I just don't want to take off any of the material that helps the soldering process.

 

[SPEED_RACER]

rather then using a file use a scrub pan or a finer sand paper.after cleaning it get the iron hot and melt solder on it and get a sponge and dampen it{keep it for this reason]and wipe the tip on it after every solder job.this will keep the tip clean.o,do it while iron is still hot.i never had a problem with my irons doing this and very rarely had to sand it to clean except for when i didn't do this

 

[saul]

plug it in and let it heat up


now walk away


let it heat up some more....wait ....


now ...get a small dish of flux

dip the tip fast ....and wait then wipe it with wet sponge


let it heat back up.....dip the tip again....fast....then tin the tip with a small amount of solder and should be good.....

key is to get the tip really hot befor hitting with the flux

the black stuff is impurities....and the flux will remove them if the tip is hot enuff

 

[CrawlerRon]

I use a Hakko Soldering iron tip cleaner. I don't have any problems with my tips turning black.