What type of solder is best for a solder pot?

[BuffaloEngineer]

We're getting a solder pot, but are not sure what type of solder to use. We want a lead free solder, so probably a SAC305, but most of the wire solder I've found has flux in it. If there's flux in the solder pot, would it boil off or leave some sort of residue?

Do people usually use solder paste or solder wire for a solder pot? Thanks!

 

[Mike odom]

We're getting a solder pot, but are not sure what type of solder to use. We want a lead free solder, so probably a SAC305, but most of the wire solder I've found has flux in it. If there's flux in the solder pot, would it boil off or leave some sort of residue?

Do people usually use solder paste or solder wire for a solder pot? Thanks!

We bought big bars of solder for our solder pot, and the flux will both boil off and leave a residue, which you have to remove before soldering. You don't want to buy the wire solder for a solder pot, as this type of solder is much more expensive than bulk, because it has the flux in it, although you can buy flux free solder wire.

It depends on what you're soldering, if you need lead free, then buy lead free. You must be able to adjust your pot temperature so that it meets the solder specifications, or buy your solder based on your pot temp.

 

[shortbus=]

Usually the wire is dipped in liquid flux before being dipped in a solder pot. That was the way it was done where I worked, making wire harnesses for cars. Several times a shift they did flux the pot and scrape the dross of of the top of the pot. Dross is the oxidized solder that forms at the top of the pot.

 

[BuffaloEngineer]

Usually the wire is dipped in liquid flux before being dipped in a solder pot.

What kind of liquid flux do you use?

 

[shortbus=]

We used lead solder, and don't remember the brand of flux. Where ever you get your bars of solder from should also sell the correct flux.

 

[mvs sarma]

before the restrictions on lead, they use to use a 80:20 ratio for lead bath ond / or flow soldering, i suppose.

 

[Reloadron]

What is your intended application for the solder pot? What exactly will you be doing?

Ron

 

[BuffaloEngineer]

What is your intended application for the solder pot? What exactly will you be doing?

Ron

Tinning wires, tinning some battery contacts, pretty much just tinning things.

 

[Reloadron]

Tinning wires, tinning some battery contacts, pretty much just tinning things.

Originally in opur pots we were using Kester SN63 Pb 37. That was in 1 lb bars. Then for lead free we went to the Kester Bar Solder, Lead-Free Ultrapure®, K100LD (Silver-Free) Alloy which for basic tinning wires should be fine used with liquid flux. Been awhile but I believe the pot temps were around 500 F. You can also get solder with a small percentage of silver depending on your needs.

Ron

 

[MrAl]

Hi there Ron,

Way back in the 80's i needed a solder pot because i had to do a lot of tiny wire wiring for some test stuff. I didnt want to buy one and i didnt want to have one running for hours even when not being used every second. So i decided to build one that could start up quickly.

I took an older Weller soldering gun, broke up a larger diode with a stud mount (i think it was a 1N5588 or similar with big stud) and used a nut on the stud to bolt it right between the tip of the gun. The diode with lead broken off and guts drilled out formed a small 'pot' made of mostly copper. When the gun trigger it pulled in, the little pot would heat up and melt the solder inside. Didnt take long to get it hot and then i was able to tin the small wires that way.

I guess you use rosin with yours? That's a good idea. I cant remember what i used if anything. Lots of times it was also used to cook off the enamel at the ends of some magnet wires.

 

[BuffaloEngineer]

Then for lead free we went to the Kester Bar Solder, Lead-Free Ultrapure®, K100LD (Silver-Free) Alloy which for basic tinning wires should be fine used with liquid flux. Ron

I got a bar of SAC305, is silver free preferred for solder pots?

What kind of liquid flux to you use? Thanks!

 

[canadaelk]

Many years ago I bought a Palmer Lead Melting Pot #2 to use as solder pot. The temperature came up to about 750 deg. F, the same as a pro solder pot at 15% the price. As flux I used rosin (used to lube violin bows) melted in methyl hydrate. E

 

[Reloadron]

I got a bar of SAC305, is silver free preferred for solder pots?

What kind of liquid flux to you use? Thanks!

I remember the flux was Kester but that is about it. The larger wires we tinned were AWG 6 the wires were tinned then the tinned leads cleaned with isopropanol alcohol before being resistance soldered to large pins for a connector. This area wasn't where I generally worked and I didn't write the work instructions. However, I suggest you call the solder manufacturer and get more ideas especially as to fluxing. Most of those guys are really, really good with suggestions.

Ron

 

[Reloadron]

Hi there Ron,

Way back in the 80's i needed a solder pot because i had to do a lot of tiny wire wiring for some test stuff. I didnt want to buy one and i didnt want to have one running for hours even when not being used every second. So i decided to build one that could start up quickly.

I took an older Weller soldering gun, broke up a larger diode with a stud mount (i think it was a 1N5588 or similar with big stud) and used a nut on the stud to bolt it right between the tip of the gun. The diode with lead broken off and guts drilled out formed a small 'pot' made of mostly copper. When the gun trigger it pulled in, the little pot would heat up and melt the solder inside. Didnt take long to get it hot and then i was able to tin the small wires that way.

I guess you use rosin with yours? That's a good idea. I cant remember what i used if anything. Lots of times it was also used to cook off the enamel at the ends of some magnet wires.

Hi Ya MrAl

Pretty slick idea. I like that. Hope things are going well on your end. I still have a package I need to send your way.

Ron

 

[MrAl]

Hi Ya MrAl

Pretty slick idea. I like that. Hope things are going well on your end. I still have a package I need to send your way.

Ron

Hi Ron,

Oh you still intend to ship that? I thought you forgot by now Oh and hey remember i can pay for shipping too no problem as always. I appreciate you keeping me in mind.

Yes the mini solder pot worked really nice. It allowed me to to the ends of the wires really fast and also did not require a ton of solder to get going either. I wish i took pictures of it now. But to picture this isnt too hard i guess, it's just a stud mount diode with guts removed which leaves a little tiny tiny pot with a screw stud base, and a nut on that screw and it can be bolted between the prongs of a soldering gun. Sounds funny but works really nice

Back in the Lab we had a large pot running almost constantly when there was work to be done on large diameter enamel wire used for quite large transformers (150 pounds typical). They also used to use an enamel wire stripper i think used blades to strip off the enamel first. That was a neat tool too, but the neatest tool was the toroid winding machine. Who ever designed that really knew what they were doing both mechanically and electrically!

 

[BuffaloEngineer]

One thing I didn't think about - our solder bar arrived, but the width is wider than our solder pot! How are solder bars usually broken up?

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

I've read that people use hacksaws and bolt cutters, but another way is to hang it over the pot with some chain and let one end sit in the pot while the other end is high up. This only works of course if the bar fits into the pot to begin with. Cant you get thinner bars somewhere?

With my tiny 'pot' i just used heavy wire gauge solder as the whole volume was only about 3/8 inch diameter by maybe 1/2 inch high.

 

[Reloadron]

Hi,

I've read that people use hacksaws and bolt cutters, but another way is to hang it over the pot with some chain and let one end sit in the pot while the other end is high up. This only works of course if the bar fits into the pot to begin with. Cant you get thinner bars somewhere?

With my tiny 'pot' i just used heavy wire gauge solder as the whole volume was only about 3/8 inch diameter by maybe 1/2 inch high.

Try as MrAl suggest. The ones I have are maybe 3/4" wide by about 13" long by about 3/8" high. However, as mentioned by MrAl they can be cut in just about any manner like a hack saw or band saw, even bolt cutters. Just make pieces that will fit into the pot.

Ron

 

[BuffaloEngineer]

Hacksaw it is!

 

[MrAl]

Hi again,

YOU'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER POT

Did you mention how big the pot you have is yet? Just wondering about the dimensions. Maybe we could find something smaller too that fits the pot better.
I looked around a little but they dont seem to give the dimensions of the bars, just the weight.