HJJFFFAA

I am in need of a soldering iron. I don't need any fancy stuff I'm just going to be using it for stuff like soldering connectors onto batteries and ESC's. Any suggestions?

HJJFFFAA

So no one has any suggestions?

joeyhatch11

I use a Craftsman that I got at Sears for $15. I use it for all my Deans Connectors and also when I need to solder a new antenna on my receivers. Works well have can buy replacement tips.

HJJFFFAA

Thanks. Do they still sell them or discontinued?

DaveG55

I've got a couple of different ones. The first is a 35W pencil iron (don't remember the brand) that I use for circuit boards and stuff. The other is a Weller 100W gun. That one makes fast work of larger things like wiring batteries and Dean's plugs. If I were to do a lot of soldering or wanted an iron that would last basically forever then I'd spend $100 - $150 on a good soldering station.

Basically what I'm saying is buy an iron for the type of soldering you intend to do. A small iron may eventually heat up a Deans plug but it will take forever and will heat everything around it too before it gets the wire/tab hot enough. A big gun will heat a heavy guage part fast but will fry small, sensitive parts. Fortunatly a decent iron/gun is not all that much money - unless you opt for one of the really nice stations.

HJJFFFAA

I don't think I'll be doing much soldering at all. Do you know the modelnumber for that Weller one?

DaveG55

Here are a bunch of choices.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...atalogId=10053

You could also check Radio Shack, Northern Tool, Harbor Frieght, Lowes, anyplace like that...

HJJFFFAA

Is this one good?

[link]http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?distance_1=50&zip=07666&jspStoreDir =hdus&state_1=&storeZip=07601&storeState=NJ&record Id=983&catalogId=10053&productId=100085564&errorVi ewName=StoreFinderView&city=&langId=-1&store=&storeId=10051&List=List&storeCity=Hackens ack[/link]

DaveG55

Probably. Hard to go wrong with a Weller. They just seem to last forever. It looks like mine but mine is a single heat, not dual, and must be 15 years old. Just have to change the tip occasionally. Just be careful, it will get hot fast, you won't want to solder anything small with it.

HJJFFFAA

Whast would count as "small" stuff?

locksmack

I bought a 10w soldering iron from Dick Smith Electronics (Aussie electrical store) for $5 and it is great. Have used it countless times with lots of projects and never had a problem.

TRXRUSTLER

My Feedback: (7)

Go to Walmart they have them there for cheap

SAVAGEJIM

I unfortunately cannt say anything good about the cheap soldering irons, I have used them and they are horrible. Inconsistent heating, poor build-up of heat (meaning you have to hold the iron to the solder forever before the solder melts), and the bits simply do not last. Worse, you have to buy a whole brand new stick each time because they refuse to sell replacement bits individually! And those are the wages of buying cheap chinese use-once-and-throw-away irons (well, you can use them more than once, but I have not had one that has lasted long)

I will cast my luck on a set like this when I save up enough money to buy this soldering station:
http://www.electrowisehsv.com/cms/?p=12

HJJFFFAA

I really just need a simple one like the Weller I linked. I will save up for one of those Hakko's though and will get it as soon as possible.

SAVAGEJIM

Yeah, the Weller is a good tip for me too. For $25 USD, that should last me well long enough for me to save up for the Hakko station!

DaveG55

This thread got me looking and I found this online. I'm not reccomending it or anything, I really don't know anymore abut it than what's in the ad and a couple of reviews. It's not real high dollar but looks like it might be a fair alternitive to the really expensive ones for a hobbiest or DIY'er. Still, I don't think it's a high enough power one to easily do big stuff like Dean's plugs of make a battery pack. If I ever get back into messing with electronics I might try one.

http://store.sra-solder.com/product.php?xProd=6145

HJJFFFAA

So, can that Weller do that?

DaveG55

I'm 100% sure it will. Why? It's what I use when I do them.

HJJFFFAA

Just making sure. I didn't know that soldering Deans was considered a big task.

DaveG55

The problem with soldering Dean's is that you are using relitively large wires and the metal tab of the plug is set in plastic. If you use a low wattage iron it will heat the materials eventually but I've found that the plastic becomes soft/melts and will shift out of position and make alignment to the mating half of the plug difficult. With the larger iron you get more heat to the materials faster and the plastic doesn't really have a chance to soften.
One trick I use is to take spare ends and put the plugs togeather while I solder, and leave them there while they cool. That way I'm certain they remain in alignment even if I mess up and take too long to make the connection.

HJJFFFAA

How come companies just don't use Deans in the first place? So many people put them on anyway.

DaveG55

IDK, maybe a patent/trademark/royalty thing, just don't know. I do know that several of the specialty/custom battery places will solder deans onto packs they make if that's what you want. At least Traxxas went to good plugs. Not Dean's but equal quality

SAVAGEJIM

How long have Deans connectors been out? I guess the Tamiya industry standard is so widely accepted that converting to Deans of Traxxas style connectors is a pain for everyone to accept as an industry standard.

But if Deans are pretty new, I bet they will become the next industry standard given time (assuming that they are the best out there)

DaveG55

I know the Tamiya plugs have been around since the early/mid '80's. IDK how long the Deans plugs have been around. They are certainly a much better plug for high current applications than the Tamiyas but I don't know that I'd say they are the "best". The new Traxxas plugs are susposed to be excelent high current plugs and a lot easier to seperate than Deans. That's one of the things I do not like about Deans, they can be a pita to get apart sometimes. And let's not forget the Anderson Powerpoles, another excelent high current plug that has a pretty big following in the RC world - I've never used them but a lot of peple like them.

Snipin_Willy

awe common now. A 30 watt pencil type iron is more than enough for deans plugs and 13-14 gauge wire. If you're making battery packs it might be more helpful to have a larger pencil type iron with a large heat source. I have 2 irons, both of them are pencil types. One is a 35 watt, the other is the big weller with a 1/4" chisel tip. I use the smaller one for plugs and misc. When it comes to tinning battery ends and soldering tabs I use the larger 90 watt chisel tip iron because it can transfer heat much faster.