Sometime ago, I broke off a pin on the NMRA 8-pin plug that is attached to one end of the D13SRP wiring harness. I have a replacement NMRA 8-pin plug, but my soldering irons are too big to do the job right without melting the plug.
How you go about doing the job right?
Rich
Alton Junction
Sorry to be so blunt but get the proper size soldering iron.
Go to Lowe's, Home Depot, Radio Shack and get a soldering "pencil". About 40 watts will do.
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I bought one of these a few months ago and it works great.
http://www.makershed.com/5_40_watt_Variable_Temperature_Soldering_Station_p/mkpe1.htm
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Rich,
Don't go Golfing today,,buy the soldering iron.....
Cheers,
Frankie
zstripe Rich, Don't go Golfing today,,buy the soldering iron..... Cheers, Frankie
Frankie, my golf game is on fire right now. Mid-70s temps and low humidity in the Chicago area right now, as you know. So, I ain't gonna run out and buy no stinkin' soldering iron when you could buy one for me and drop it in the mail.
richg1998 Sorry to be so blunt but get the proper size soldering iron. Go to Lowe's, Home Depot, Radio Shack and get a soldering "pencil". About 40 watts will do. Rich
Rich, bluntness is more than acceptable and appreciated. But, let's get down to detail. I know I need a smaller and better soldering iron, but how do you solder 8 tiny wires to that NMRA 8-pin connector, and what size solder iron do you recommend? I need someone to do a little hand holding. Teach me to fish so that I don't have to go back to NCE and have them hand me a fish. Tell me more.
hon30critter I bought one of these a few months ago and it works great. http://www.makershed.com/5_40_watt_Variable_Temperature_Soldering_Station_p/mkpe1.htm Dave
Dave, thanks, I hadn't thought of that. Is a variable temperature soldering iron the answer?
I really need to improve my soldering skills. I can solder rail, and I can solder feeder wires to rail joiners. I can solder wires to decoder terminals, but that's where things get a little dicey, what with bigger blobs of solder. I need to learn to refine my technique and to acquire the proper tools to do so.
I hope you realize,,that I almost spit my coffee,all over my keyboard,,HA,ha,,,,,,,I will run out as soon as the store's open,,,,yeah! right...
The solder,,,,60/40,,,,,40 tin,60 lead,rosin core solder,,it's roughly 1/16 in diameter,,made by Oatey,or Kester,,,tin both,coupler leads and wire,,I have been using a 25 watt pencil tip,by Weller and it works well for me,including printed circuit boards..
Frank
zstripe Rich, The solder,,,,60/40,,,,,40 tin,60 lead,rosin core solder,,it's roughly 1/16 in diameter,,made by Oatey,or Kester,,,tin both,coupler leads and wire,,I have been using a 25 watt pencil tip,by Weller and it works well for me,including printed circuit boards.. Cheers, Frank
Frank, do you tin the wires and then apply heat to the opening on the 8-pin connector? That's the part that mystifies me. How do you successfully solder 8-wires in such a small, confined area?
Answered,,in PM..
Not only do you need a way to limit the heat, you also need a fine tip on the iron being used. In fact, the small tip for confined areas is probably the more important thing than a low wattage or temperature controlled iron. When the ti is big enough to span 2 or 3 terminals, you have no hope of getting a neat joint, na dit's much more difficult to get any joint without melting anything.
Same with decoder wirs, and anything else small like that.
The real advantage of the temperature controlled station is that unlike an ordinary iron, it doesn't continuously heat up. This helps keep the tip from oxidizing - which is the real enemy of soldering. The tip needs to be CLEAN so that it can quickly transfer heat, so you can make the connection quickly. Having to hold the iron on the joint for a long time get get the temperature up to melt the solder is when other things start to melt.
I would ditch the wet sponge cleaner, there are better ones that use a copper scouring pad - or you can get them in the grocery store. COPPER - not steal, the steel will scrape the plating off the tip and ruin it quickly. hese are the ones sold for cleaning copper cooking pots. Also, the little container of Tip Tinner that Radio Shack sells is good to have.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
OK, I am going to get a 25 watt pencil tip soldering iron and give this a try.
So, for sure, I will tin the wire before attempting to solder it into the opening on the connector.
But, what about the opening on the connector. Do I just put the tinned wire into the opening and apply heat? Or, should I apply a small amount of solder on top of the opening first?
I didn't get home from my son's,until 10....If the tinned wire will fit in the hole,at the solder point,let it sit in there and apply,heat and solder,at the same time,,you don't need a lot,if you got the solder,I suggested,,,use the 1234,method,I said,you will have room that way..
One more thing,,,when you put the wire in the hole,,make sure you leave a little exposed,to solder,,,don't put it all the way in to the insulation..
Or you can go to the LHS and buy a new connector. The JST on one end and the NMRA 8-pin is almost universal across the brands. This means a digitrax connector will work with an NCE decoder, or vice versa.
These connectors are sold, depending on the store, either individually or in packs of as few as 5 or as many as 12. I keep several of all types of connectors on hand, depending on the decoder install I'm doing.
Carey
Keep it between the Rails
Alabama Central Homepage
Nara member #128
NMRA &SER Life member
Don't fill the hole first. If you do that you won't be able to put the wire in first, and you will likely have a difficult time trying to push the wire into the molten solder. I suggest putting a touch of rosin flux in the hole first.
One of the keys to successful soldering with small wires and components is to set your work up in advance so that you don't have to apply excessive heat. That is why you tin the wire first. If the wire is not tinned there is additional time required to get the solder into the wire as you are heating the connection. If you get a circuit board too hot the copper runs will come away from the board and the insulation on the wire will receed. This is unlikely to happen once you have some experience but why ruin stuff if there is a safer way to do it while you are learning.
One thing I strongly recommend is using rosin flux. There has been a recent debate on the forum as to whether or not flux is necessary. There was even an article in a recent MR where the writer stated quite firmly that flux was not needed ever. That person was a retired Navy veteran who specialized in soldering during his navy career. He is as qualified as anybody to address the issue, but none of us peons are ever likely to reach his skill level, so rosin it is. If you are already using rosin core solder then it is perhaps a bit of overkill to add additional rosin , but I believe that it makes the job quicker and less prone to failure.
If you aren't already aware, stay far away from acid core solder or acid based flux. If you leave any acid behind on your joint it will eventually eat your wiring.
Another poster talked about cleaning the tip of your soldering iron. The copper scouring pads he recommended work very well. Personally I us a small brass bristle wire brush. The point is to keep the tip very clean. If there is any build up of congealed rosin it will interfere with the transfer of solder from the tip of the iron to the connection. I clean my tip almost every time before making a joint.
hon30critter One thing I strongly recommend is using rosin flux. There has been a recent debate on the forum as to whether or not flux is necessary. Another poster talked about cleaning the tip of your soldering iron. The copper scouring pads he recommended work very well. Personally I us a small brass bristle wire brush. The point is to keep the tip very clean. If there is any build up of congealed rosin it will interfere with the transfer of solder from the tip of the iron to the connection. I clean my tip almost every time before making a joint.
One thing I strongly recommend is using rosin flux. There has been a recent debate on the forum as to whether or not flux is necessary.
Dave, I appreciate the comments on cleaning the tip of your soldering iron. I have used the wet sponge technique in the past, but the copper scouring pad approach interests me.
As for flux, I will follow that advice to use it for this purpose.
hon30critter There was even an article in a recent MR where the writer stated quite firmly that flux was not needed ever. That person was a retired Navy veteran who specialized in soldering during his navy career.
If you are referring to the letter to the editor that was in a recent MR, I don't believe that he was saying that flux was never needed. My takeaway was that excess flux was not needed. I believe that his point was that the material to be soldered needed to be clean first for a good joint, and that slopping flux on unclean materials in an effort to get a good joint was poor practice.
If you tinned the wire a few months ago, flux might help. If you tint he wire, then go to solder the connection a few minute later - it probbaly doesn't need any flux since the tinning is fresh and clean.
Maxman:
Thanks for the clarification. I couldn't remember all the details and couldn't find the MR issue.
You are right - clean is the key.
richhotrainHow you go about doing the job right?
To do this type of work, you need a thin tipped 35 watt pencil iron. A desoldering tool is a necessity if you get too much solder or need to clean out a previously soldered component.
Start with the inboard connections and move outward towards the edges. Magnification can be a great help.
Practice with the old plug first.
Jim
Soo Line fan richhotrainHow you go about doing the job right? To do this type of work, you need a thin tipped 35 watt pencil iron. A desoldering tool is a necessity if you get too much solder or need to clean out a previously soldered component.
Jim, thanks for that advice.
I do have a roll of desoldering braid from Radio Shack, but I have seen some YouTube videos where a vacuum pump is used on small circuit boards.
What type of desoldering tool do you recommend?
In Your application,,,I would recommend the bulb type,,,a hollow tapered tube,with a rubber bulb at one end..You heat the joint,,squeeze the bulb,,let go and it sucks the solder off the part,,you may have to do it twice,,depending upon,how much solder you want to remove..When bulb is full,pop off the bulb and dump solder out..
P.S. Radio shack,should have them..
Rich, I have used this one on some delicate work in the past.
I had a laptop with the power jack soldered directly to the mother board. This tool worked great and I was able to replace it with no damage.
Should be in stock at the Shack.
Jim and Frank,
Thanks, I will head out to the Rat Shack this afternoon to pick up a pencil tip soldering iron and a desoldering tool.